A visit to the thermal waters of Pozar Baths in Aridaia is an invitation to unwind and rejuvenate – but it’s only the beginning of what this captivating destination in northern Greece has to offer approximately 103 kilometers northwest of Thessaloniki Pozar Baths sits amidst a wealth of natural and historical wonders About 15 caves have been identified near the village of Loutraki This has led to the establishment of the Almopia Cave Park At the foot of Mount Voras (also known as Kaimaktsalan) and along the stream of Aghios Nikolaos there are many caves and chasms that have been the object of study by researchers and speleologists for years These caves have revealed evidence of life dating back thousands of years Among the most notable finds is the upper jaw and left canine tooth from the fossilized skull of a large cave bear (Ursus ingressus) Other discoveries include pottery from prehistoric and historical periods many of these artifacts are on display at the Museum of Natural History located in the historic building that once housed Aridaia’s old railway station While the caves themselves are closed to the public offering glimpses of their enigmatic entrances One such trail begins at Pozar Baths and meanders along the Loutraki Gorge eventually leading to the picturesque Kounoupitsa Waterfall near the uninhabited village of Ano Loutraki another trail leads to Dobro Pole – also known as Kali Pediada (Good Plain) – a plateau at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters is a sanctuary for birdlife and an essential stop for nature lovers lies another natural paradise: the Black Forest of Orma (Mavro Dasos) so named because its dense canopy of pines and beeches does not allow sunlight to break through Another story links the name to the forest’s chestnut trees while local legend has Alexander the Great’s troops making spears out of the forest’s wood be sure to visit the Folklore Museum of Loutra (open daily 8:00-16:00 The museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the everyday lives of the region’s past inhabitants through an impressive collection of traditional tools there’s no better way to unwind than by soaking in the thermal waters of Pozar Baths €3 for access to outdoor pools.) While private indoor baths are available along with smaller baths situated near a scenic waterfall offer the unique opportunity to alternate between the warm waters and the refreshingly cold cascade providing an invigorating and unforgettable experience Where to EatIn Aridaia: Steki tou Kosma (Tel (+30) 23840.244.09) serves perfectly grilled meats and hearty salads In the village of Lykostomo: Alatopipero (Tel (+30) 23840.910.39) offers classic Greek taverna dishes such as handmade spicy cheese dip (tirokafteri) Near the village of Orma: At Kokkino Piperi (Tel you can try traditional slow-cooked dishes like lamb in a clay pot or pork shank (+30) 23840.941.84) is known for its grilled steaks and stuffed meat patties This article appeared in Greece Is (www.greece-is.com) Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Petros Karatsareas receives funding from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust University of Westminster provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK View all partners If you’ve ever been to a traditional Greek celebration you will have seen people joining hands and dancing in a circle following the same steps to the accompaniment of live music You will also have heard songs sung in Greek as most traditional tunes go hand in hand with lyrics talking about love After emerging victorious from two Balkan Wars in 1912 and 1913, Greece’s territory and population expanded dramatically by the addition of the lion’s share of the historic geographical region of Macedonia the part found on the southern side of the Voras/Nidže and Belles/Belasica mountain ranges As is often the case in history, state borders did not coincide with linguistic ones. The so-called “New Lands” were a diverse mosaic of different linguistic groups, including 260,000 people who spoke varieties of a south Slavic language they called tukasni “local”, nashta “ours” or makedonski “Macedonian” probably reported by seasonal workers from Macedonia who were in Thessaly at the time of the census Greek authorities acknowledged the presence of Macedonian Slavic as a legitimate language but made a conscious effort to conceal the number of people who spoke it In the north of the country, authorities launched a massive Hellenising mission. Overnight, Madeconian Slavic names of people, places and dances were rendered into Greek by public servants My own paternal grandfather’s family name became Karatsareas from Karachorov My maternal grandfather’s one became Kantzouris from Kanzurov The area of Karadzova was renamed Almopia with its main town of Subotsko becoming Aridaia The dance Puscheno was called Leventikos or Lytos The aim was to leave no visible trace of Macedonian Slavic in public records In the 1930s and in a climate of competing nationalisms in the southern Balkans the similarities between Macedonian Slavic and the languages of the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Kingdom of Bulgaria began to raise suspicions among Greek authorities about the national allegiance and “consciousness” of Macedonian Slavic speakers In August 1931, Greek journalist and subsequent politician Periklis Iliadis called in his newspaper column for a ban on greeting in “Bulgarian” and publicly singing songs in languages other than Greek – two proposals that Ioannis Metaxas’s fascist regime promptly adopted the governor-general of Macedonia issued order of prohibition 122770: “On the restoration of the uniform language” banning the use of Macedonian Slavic in both public and private People caught speaking Macedonian Slavic – sometimes by police officers eavesdropping through people’s windows – were dragged to military police stations where they were beaten and sometimes tortured Teachers beat pupils who spoke Macedonian Slavic in class or in the playground – even when that was the only language they were able to speak In 1994, Human Rights Watch called for Greece to end harassment of Macedonian Slavic speakers. In 1998, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Greece violated the right of its citizens to form associations by refusing them permission to establish a Macedonian Slavic cultural association In the face of the aggressive and violent oppression they suffered in the 1930s Macedonian Slavic speakers developed a deeply ingrained fear of speaking their language in front of people they did not know and trust playing only the traditional tunes of their musical heritage they started using Greek more to refer to themselves and the places where they were born and live it is more of a passive knowledge – a kind of heritage that will die out with the older generation and the only thing that will remain to remind them of it will be a handful of words and tunes to which young musicians do not know the words Wellness and relaxation with the help of hot springs There are over 750 recorded thermal springs in Greece and the reason for this abundance is the volcanic soil.Unfortunately and even fewer have decent and modern infrastructure for visitors The hot springs’ water that contains mineral and chemical elements that are beneficial has been used since antiquity in Greece The temperature of the water at most thermal springs in Greece ranges between 37 and 42 degrees Celsius The destinations with thermal springs that we recommend below also offer opportunities for walks The temperature of the waters of the Pozar Springs (it’s a Slavic name that means heat) is about 37°C and are considered to have medicinal properties You can select between booking one of the small indoor pools (for 1 6 or 12 people) or to go to the outdoor pool with the thermal waters right next to the waterfall with the cold water Many dare to go to the outdoor pool even during the winter and alternate between bathing in the warm and cold water.Info: Loutra Pozar €2/ per person for the outdoor hydrotherapy centreAccommodation: The Emmanouilidis Mansion (Loutraki 0030 23840 91605, archemman.gr) offers five large luxury suites with a fireplace and a balcony surrounded by green.Food: for delicious skewered pork fresh mushrooms and meats go to Kokkino Piperi (2km on the Ormas-Loutra road there is a thermal spring coming from the mountain just many small pools in rooms you can reserve just for you and your friends The temperature ranges between 39-41°C and it’s best to only stay in it for half an hour and the feeling of the hot water on a cold night is unique You can ask for the old Byzantine hammam that is much more atmospheric than the newer pools.Info: Aggistro Thermal Springs starting at € 7,5 per person for 30 minutesAccommodation: stay in one of the traditional wooden cabins at Xillino Horio (Wooden Village) (Aggistro 0030 23230 41008, toxilino.gr)Food: try the pasta the risotto and the smoked pork at the Don Pablo restaurant (Aggistro EviaThe water welling from up to 2.5 km deep inside the Earth reaches up to 82°C so you need to be careful when you approach it The springs are scattered around the village and the best choice is the spring at the rock in the sea and by the beach You can cool off with the sea’s water and then go back in the warm thermal waters If you want to enjoy the waters in a more organised environment head to the Thermae Sylla Spa Hotel that has its private spring and a hammam will help you relax and make a visit to Aidipsos unforgettable.Info: Aidipsos Thermal Springs www.thermaesylla.grAccommodation: in the luxury rooms of Τhermae Sylla Spa (2 Posidonos str 0030 22260 60100, thermaesylla.gr) so that you can be next to the thermal baths or in the comfortable rooms with sea views of the hotel Aktaion (28is Oktovriou and Thermopotamou 0030 22260 24332, aktaion-edipsos.gr )Food: Fresh fish and delicious seafood in the nearby village Oreoi at the tavern Kala Kathoumena (Oreoi Kallidromos Thermal Baths / Photos: Akis Loukas/ Mag24.gr The springs of Kallidromos have been famous for thousands of years / Photo: Akis Loukas / Mag24.gr the large hydrotherapy centres are not in operation anymore but there are outdoors pools-lagoons with water temperatures ranging between 33-35°C that are accessible and free to the public You’ll find such pools at the Koniaviti Baths but you’ll find the spring with the same name and a nice waterfall outdoors you’ll find the Kallidromos Thermal Baths You’ll see many locals in the waters of a large natural pool The lake is lighted at night and so a night bath is also a nice experience If you want an indoor thermal spring you can go to Galini Wellness Spa & Resort that has a 3.000 m² spa with thermal spring pools.Info: Galini Wellness Resort & Spa 0030 22350 80501Accommodation: You’ll find double and family rooms as well as suites at Galini Wellness Resort & Spa 0030 22350 80501, mitsishotels.comFood: At the fish tavern Nostos (59 Ger you’ll taste fresh fish and many meze Four families are climbing a steep hill with a common point of reference: the 424 Military Hospital in Thessaloniki A series of medical errors has already led a 27-year-old soldier to death a police officer down an irreversible path and two young women to a state of disability raising one essential question: What is happening at the military hospital The chain of revelations began with the case of 27-year-old soldier Nikos Gatsis whose death was brought to light by “THEMA” last April The second shock was the revelation of the case of sub-inspector Thomas Pouliopoulos who was informed a year late that the biopsy he had undergone in December 2022 had shown cancer When he learned this from the doctors at the 424 it was practically too late to do anything to save his life 424 Thessaloniki Military Hospital: Unforgiving Questions After the Death of a 27-Year-Old and Two Disabled Women The third link in the chain is the 50-year-old woman from the Aridaia area who after a total thyroidectomy now breathes with mechanical support and has lost her voice described as “routine,” nerves and vocal cords were severed The fourth case involves a 42-year-old military woman from Larissa who also underwent thyroid surgery to treat papillary carcinoma Both women were operated on by the same doctor and the man who performed the surgery on soldier Nikos Gatsis has since left the Military Hospital The continuous revelations have greatly alarmed the Ministry of Defense and alongside the internal inquiry requested by Minister of Defense Nikos Dendias legislative amendments are being promoted to address the issues that have already been identified the explanations provided by the hospital for the unreasonable delay in the biopsy of the 55-year-old sub-inspector are that the staff is insufficient with claims of a heavy workload also being raised while the 424 performs about 900 biopsies a year (about three per day) a large private hospital performs 3,000 biopsies annually without such life-threatening delays As part of an upgrade to the safety framework for patients in military hospitals a Medical Services Quality Index is expected to be established and these hospitals will also be supervised by the Health Quality Assurance Organization Military sources pointed out to “THEMA” that military hospitals are not adequately controlled which are expected to be enacted in the near future and will include significant changes in the supervision of military hospitals are considered to be good healthcare facilities answers regarding what is happening at the 424 in Thessaloniki are still awaited from ongoing investigations by military authorities And while in the case of the 55-year-old sub-inspector the forensic investigation into the causes and mechanism of his death was completed and entered into the case file ten months after the young 27-year-old soldier Nikos Gatsis died from internal bleeding in the ward where he had been hospitalized three hours after undergoing surgery to treat thyroid cancer who has made it his life’s mission to vindicate his child’s memory took a deep breath last September when he received the report from the public forensic expert which effectively confirmed that his son had died due to medical errors The conclusion of the forensic report by Ms which was added to the case file on September 5 ten months after Nikos Gatsis’ death it appears that the body of Nikos Gatsis shows the aforementioned injuries within the framework of the surgical procedure for the treatment of thyroid cancer The death was caused by a cervical hematoma resulting from the rupture and bleeding of vessels in the area.” This conclusion was essentially the same as that of the forensic pathologist and technical advisor to the family who had determined that Nikos Gatsis died from internal bleeding it was found that a vein was double-clamped while an artery was cut and not even sutured What’s even more unthinkable in this case is that the forensic report had been pending for ten months because the government had no contract with a specialized laboratory for histological and toxicological tests Tissue samples from the young soldier remained in a refrigerator while answers were urgently needed to resolve similar cases in court The internal investigation into how Nikos Gatsis’ death occurred is being conducted by the Trikala Military School (SMY) the unit where the 27-year-old was serving his military service “They had convinced us it was a routine surgery and that the 424 was excellently equipped Gatsis to “THEMA.” His son came out of surgery and they were informed that everything had gone well The publication of the case by “THEMA” caused a 42-year-old military woman from Larissa to relive the nightmare she experienced in the summer of 2021 at the 424 Military Hospital The lawyer’s recounting of what happened to her at that time mirrors exactly what Mr Gatsis described regarding his son’s case entered the hospital for surgery to treat papillary thyroid carcinoma and left two months later having come close to death many times: “When the diagnosis was made in Larissa the military doctor recommended either the 424 in Thessaloniki or the 401 in Athens She chose Thessaloniki because it was closer to Larissa.” Everyone told her the surgery would be simple — remove the carcinoma who was waiting outside the operating rooms later she was told that her daughter “wasn’t waking up.” and the woman hadn’t opened her eyes the surgeon had immediately left for his summer vacation after the surgery the mother was asked to sign for her daughter to undergo a tracheostomy The woman spent 15 days in the ICU and was then moved to the High Dependency Unit the young woman speaks by chance and after a full year of speech therapy,” says Mr “She underwent a tracheostomy because her airways were blocked.” causing lymphatic fluid to collect in the lungs She underwent surgery to have bilau tubes placed in both lungs though the mother says it was actually 4 to 4.5 liters One key question the woman’s lawyer now poses is whether the hospital used neuro-monitoring materials during the surgery she endured two months of terrifying hospitalization during which she came close to death several times the woman feared whether she would ever see her child again Her mother had urged her to take legal action from the very start — after all the road to recovery proved to be long and difficult The military woman had decided not to pursue the case although she had reached out to her lawyer “The case was practically dormant,” says the lawyer “until she read about Nikos Gatsis’ death in ‘THEMA.’ That’s when she decided to take legal action filing a lawsuit for moral damage under Article 932 of the Civil Code and Article 931 for causing disability or disfigurement — the woman has a tracheostomy.” The condition she developed was attributed to damage to the laryngeal nerve which was explained as a situation not uncommon in delicate surgeries While the military woman fought for her life suggested her condition was due to… drug use mentioning the complications that are possible in a surgery like the one she underwent — complications no one had warned her about before the procedure For what was described as a simple surgery a fifty-year-old woman from the area of Aridaia was admitted to the 424 Military Hospital last February the woman breathes with mechanical support and has lost her voice as during the surgery for a total thyroidectomy in “THEMA”: “As a result of what happened during the surgery the woman stopped breathing and ultimately had to undergo a tracheostomy.” She is now expected to undergo further surgeries aimed at regaining the ability to breathe on her own everything has been attributed to possible complications from such a procedure Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr