# Trip to Edessa: Waterfalls & Waters > The 70-metre Karanos inside the city, the passage behind the waterfall and the Pozar double bill — the coolest trip of the summer. Edessa is the "coolest" trip you can make at the height of summer: the city of waters, where the river plunges 70 metres to the plain — one of the largest waterfalls in Greece, right in the middle of town, five minutes' walk from the centre. ## The waterfalls The Waterfalls Park is the reason for the journey: plane trees, bridges, water roaring everywhere — and the path that passes **behind** Karanos, into the rock's cave, where the waterfall's mist is July's finest air conditioning. Free, open all day; the most photogenic light is morning and late afternoon. ## What else the city offers - **Varosi**: The old quarter below the park — Macedonian houses, cobbles, small cafés. - **The Open-Air Water Museum**: Old watermills and channels at the falls' lower level — showing why Edessa was a 19th-century industrial power. - **Bike paths and parks**: The city is flat and stroll-friendly — perfect for a relaxed afternoon. ## The extra: Pozar thermal baths If you started early, the Pozar thermal springs (Loutraki, Aridaia) are ~40 minutes from Edessa: 37°C springs falling into natural pools in a gorge — the outdoor ones free. Waterfalls + Pozar is one of northern Greece's best "doubles". ## Practical - **Route**: Nea Moudania → Edessa ~150 km (2h 15m) via Thessaloniki's ring road and the Egnatia/Edessa road. - **Parking**: Beside the Waterfalls Park — easy except Sundays. - **Grippy shoes**: The paths around the water are slippery. - **Food**: Tavernas in Varosi and around the park. ## Practical notes for international visitors Edessa is the trip for the hottest day of your holiday: the spray behind the 70-metre waterfall cools better than any air-conditioning, and the waterfall park feels like a nature theme park — no ticket, no queues. Start early and add the Pozar thermal springs 40 minutes on (outdoor pools free) — bring swimwear and grippy shoes. ## Distances and a word about the town By road, Edessa is about 150 km from Nea Moudania and about 205 km from Neos Marmaras. It is the capital of the Pella regional unit and stands on the edge of a plateau, where the river's waters drop towards the plain — which is why the waterfalls are right in town. The force of the water once drove mills and textile factories that made Edessa an industrial town; several of these buildings have been restored and can be visited today. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Edessa worth it with kids? Very — water, bridges, the passage behind the waterfall: a natural theme park with no ticket. Hold little ones' hands at the wet spots. ### Edessa or Vergina if I can only do one? Depends on the company: awe and history → Vergina; coolness, nature and kids → Edessa. They lie in the same direction, but both in one day is a squeeze. More ideas: [all the day trips from Halkidiki](https://chalkidikihub.gr/en/blog/best-day-trips-from-halkidiki). --- Source: Type: BlogPosting · Halkidiki, Greece