The department of Thrace is located at the northeastern corner of Greece and comprises three regions : the Perfectures of Evros (population 144.023), Rodopi (population 110.538) and Xanthi (population 101.010).
          The territory comprises some of the most interesting and rich Greek but also European wetlands. Two rivers (Evros and Nestos) that almost cut through the land, eject to the Aegean Sea and form deltas where rare and protected species of animals do live. The said wetlands are classified as special protection areas by international Treaties and through the years many scientists as well as tourists are attracted to these places. The lakes Vistonida and Mitrikou enrich as well the wetland in the area and contribute to the spectacular natural scenery.
          The Aegean Sea, that covers the southern part of the department, forms huge beaches and presents a great relief of forms and structures which are attracting for every tourist and taste. Beaches with crystalline waters, some of them sandy through out the greatest part and some other rocky, are ideal for fishing, diving or any other under water activity. Some of the villages in the coast line such as Fanari or Porto Lagos etc, are today important tourist centres with significant tourist infrastructure and offered services.
          The mountains of the region -Rodopi and Menoikio-as well as the island of Samothraki , are covered with forests of rare flora and fauna.
          Important historical monuments as well as archaeological sites and rare treasures that are hosted in the museums of the area (Samothraki, Komotini, Avdira etc) offer an extraordinary chance to connect with the past; they also offer the possibility to gather information about the historical and pre-historical past of the region. Important are also the traces of the Byzantine Era, such as castles (Pytheion, Didimoteichon, Avantas etc).
          Apart from the archaeological museums, in the cities and villages of the region someone can visit folkloric art museums but also ecclesiastic, technological  or even natural museums.
          The rich-political, social, and economic history is also traced at the build-up environment of the department. The visitor can see in the area a characteristic variety of the typology as well as the morphology of the development of the popular architecture and the influence of the diverse styles of western Europe. Nearby the popular buildings, European-like mansions were constructed mostly due to the economic wealth of merchants and industrials of the region, during the 18th and 19th century.
          The abundance of the customs and the folkloric festivities is manifest; the visitor can find out in every single village or area, regional customs of Thrace and Macedonia or even of the northern Thrace and Pontus, all of them habits of people that came into the area as refugees during the period of 1922-23.
          The participation of the believers to local fairs organized by local monasteries and churches in order to honour a saint, apart form the deep religious spirit, preserves the Byzantine colourful atmosphere of the area, which, for centuries, constituted the geographical as well as cultural surrounding of Constantinople.