Alykes of Anavyssos (Salt Marshes)

On the road from the town of Anavyssos to the sea, there is still a huge area of land that is a reminder of the fact that this place was once the producer of the best salt in Greece. There is the area called Alykes of Anavyssos. A land that the proximity of the sea, its soil and the air passing over it made it the best place to produce the white gold of the sea. As early as 1520, cartographers spoke of the salt that was extracted from this place.

At first it was done in a primitive way. Then canals were built to bring the water to the pits and tanks, the “heaters” and “food” in winter, and which transformed it into large white crystals, the salt, in summer. The operation of the famous area of Alykes in modern times was a constant process of harvesting salt. A process that, even at the beginning of the 20th century, was the basic form of work for the refugees from Palea Phocaea in Asia Minor who settled in the area after being persecuted in their homelands in Asia Minor and Anatolia. The Anavyssos salt marshes continued to operate until 1968. Since then, the site has been awaiting its final use, and for several years it was used as a demonstration site for model aircraft.

It still has wetland characteristics.