Edessa Waterfalls

The Edessa Waterfalls was the lone waterfall excursion that we engaged in on our first visit to Greece. It's really a series of waterfalls (seven according to the literature though we didn't see anywhere close to that amount), which among them consist of the so-called Great Waterfall (called Karanos) and the Twin Waterfall (called Diplos or Dihalotos) according to the signs and the literature that we picked up. It's this multi-waterfall property about the attraction that prompted my use of the plural in the waterfall name on this page.

Said to fall from a height of 70m in total, the Edessa Waterfalls are definitely the main attraction of the Edessa town. And in typical Greek style, you know you're never far from history, and it turns out that the city neighboring the falls was said to be founded since pre-historic times. However, the current relics of the walled city probably came about since the 4th to 6th century BC.

KaranosThe rushing waters of the river Edessaios might have played a role in reinforcing the protection of the city during its evolution over time. Julie and I noticed signs for archaeological sites around town, and we'd imagine that it's those places where it's possible to learn more about the history and evolution of Edessa (though we didn't visit them ourselves).

Given the country's reputation for having very hot Summers (with a relatively dry Mediterranean climate said to be very much like what we get at home in Los Angeles), it's amazing that this is a rare year-round waterfall with reliable flow. Thus, it's said that even in the Summer, Edessa can be refreshingly cool from the mist of the waterfalls.

Julie and I visited Edessa in late May on a year when most of Europe was seeing unusually high rainfall. So the falls were gushing. This fact made things a bit tricky when we wanted to see more than just the Great Waterfall (Karanos), which itself is very easily accessible with plenty of overlooks and stairs (for getting decent views of its main drop as well as getting behind the falls). That was because the footpaths leading to the Twin Waterfalls (Diplos) were closed. So that left a rather intensely misty descent down a poison-ivy-lined path full of slippery steps across the base of Karanos and towards a bridge between both Karanos and Diplos.

DiplosFor the price of getting a serious drenching, the payoff that I got was my only glimpse of the Twin Waterfalls from its bottom. Perhaps when you visit, they may re-open the paths so you can get a view of the Twin Waterfalls without such a soggy adventure.

At the very top of the falls, they've diverted part of the stream into an attractive garden complete with mini waterfalls, footbridges, and of course flowers. Meanwhile, they've turned other parts of the stream into channels rushing between buildings as well as a cafe. And finally, based on some photos that I've seen in the literature, the Edessa Waterfalls are apparently floodlit at night as well.