The Traditional Settlement of Garefi is a picturesque village, surrounded by lush forests, nestling at the foothills of the mountain range of Voras – Kaimaktsalan.

It is just 7 km from Aridea, the capital of the municipality of Almopia, and 120 km from Thessaloniki. Its distance from the famous Pozar hot springs is just 15 km.

The village was named after the well known fighter of the Macedonian Struggle ” Kostas Garefis ” (Captain Garefis)! An important sight and at the same time a sacred symbol of the village and the surrounding area is the Church ” ASSUMPTION OF MARY ” built in 1811 by the residents of the village!

Entering the traditional settlement of Ano Garefi, someone can admire the newest church, the Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (1970). The bell tower, the stone fountains ,the narrow streets and the traditional Macedonian houses with tiled roofs are intact examples of local folk architecture that complement the charm and beauty of the village.

There are two clubs maintained in Garefi today. The equestrian club ” SAINT GEORGE ‘ and the cultural association’ ‘COSTAS GAREFIS’ which organizes a number of events throughout the year. (The Day of the Life Giving Spring / Zoodochos Pege – The Assumption of Virgin Mary- The festival of Karatzova pepper).

The combination of its geographic location and the innumerable natural wealth makes Garefi a unique ornament for the region and at the same time, adds it high in the list of the most sought-after destinations for alternative tourism.

The Traditional Settlement of Garefi has now around 800 inhabitants, most of whom are engaged in agriculture, farming and logging. The surrounding area of Garefi is suitable for a wide variety of outdoor activities such as trekking, horseback riding lessons, mountain biking, basketball, football.

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Northwest of the municipality Almopia, enclosed within the realm of nature, untouched through the years from antiquity to today.

Stories of real and imaginary intermingle as we travel back in time to retrieve them.

The spas and hot springs, was for centuries a meeting place, communication, treatment, culture, entertainment, relaxation and wellness.

They said that Almopes were the first inhabitants of the region. A Giants race, coming to the Bronze Age site. He then became one of the 17 provinces of the Macedonian kingdom.

The baths according to the legend, appear in antiquity to have hosted Macedonian kings and generals. A relaxation and rehabilitation place for them after long battles and wars. Findings indicate the use of the Baths in both the Alexander era, and the Roman and Byzantine times.

Known is also the urban legend that SARISA, the spears of the Macedonian Phalanx had to undergo this treatment “cooking” in the warm waters of the Baths to increase the hardness and durability.

From where comes the name Pozar?

The word “Pozar” means burning charcoal or after coal. This is the name of the old Loutraki. His “Ano Loutraki”. Probably sometime burned or burned, and the rebuilding of over the embers, to named Pozar.

There, just below the old village, the path that still exists, descended in the bathhouse. The Baths of Pozar!

The springs of Loutraki Loutraki gush at an altitude of 362-391 m.

Rainwater penetrates deep into the ground taking with metals and other components. Then heated and rises higher with the help of underground gas. The thermal waters were declared the 1920s.

Then starts the modern history of the Baths. By then manager Individuals k.Tympanidi K. Where they remained until 1985 when with litigation of the villagers returned to Loutraki Community. The “hammam” are the oldest buildings of the watering.

Natural pools where thermal waters gush of bubbles between the stones. Later they were erected and the Neon and Aura hotels in dominant positions beside the THERMOPOTAMOU. Today their are restoration efforts to return to their old glory.

Around 1990 the then Loutraki community foreseeing future upgrade thermalistikou tourism starts a the spa landscaping effort making it the bar and one of the largest outdoor pools in Macedonia.

The image, being found beside the river and amongst oaks and towering cliffs combined with the vapors of the hot thermal waters, made famous Pozar Baths throughout the Balkans.

While at the same time they recorded and investigated approximately 15 caves located in the limits of the watering created then and unique to Greece Speleological Park, with strong interest in geology, paleontology and archeology. (Exhibits housed in physiography and Folklore Museum Almopia the Baths and the Municipal Natural History Museum in Aridaia.)

In 2000 on the basis of local developments in Greece and in accordance with the bill “Kapodistrias” came under the jurisdiction of the then Municipality Aridaias while at the newest “Kallikratis” the municipality Almopia.

In the 2000s, the garden of Eden, as is known Baths upgraded substantially as reference spa facilities. The Alexander hydrotherapy longer bring six new special decorative pools and renovated and the oldest Hammam.

Early 2010s the Pozar is already known in Greek and is now a visitor attraction all year round. The outdoor waterfall is the hallmark of Pozar

The uniqueness of its location, ease of access from urban centers, the short distance from the ski center of Kaimaktsalan make it an attractive winter destination and the particular climate of the big plane trees attract and summer those seeking an oasis

Today they have added more indoor pools, remodeling of the watering is paved with mild means to disturb the harmony with nature, while in July each year takes place one of the biggest music festivals of Greece. The “Pozar Festival”

Thermal waters in Pozar.

Their temperature is stable at 37 ° C upon contact with the external environment. Containing dissolved metal components such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, radium, iron, iodine, phosphorus and sulfur, or gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with a different degree of acidity and acidic or alkaline or neutral.

The temperature stability, the combination of metal components and the fact that it retains the characteristics of drinking water that is colorless, tasteless and odorless, making it pleasant in the bathroom and unique in healings dermatosis.

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