The historic and famous Xanthi bazaar

The long history of the Xanthi bazaar is lost in the years of the Ottoman period. It unfolds, in many and detailed stories of the elders as well as travelers in Thrace, with the first of these being found in the 15th century.

Studying the testimonies, it seems that the structural elements of the bazaar have remained the same over the centuries. The types of goods changed periodically, as there was a period when it functioned as a livestock market and another as a market for fruit and vegetable producers. The day and location also changed, as until 1920 the bazaar was held in today's central square, every Sunday.

The Xanthi bazaar is one of the most important places for the development of outdoor commercial activity in Northern Greece. It attracts thousands of visitors all year round. Tourists from the Balkan countries and mainly from neighboring Bulgaria come all year round, while daily excursions are held every Saturday from the neighboring prefectures and more generally from prefectures of Northern Greece.

Christians and Muslims, Roma, as well as repatriates from countries of the former Soviet Union, but even Africans and Chinese coexist harmoniously, giving the bazaar a special color, which one will not find in other open-air markets.

At their stalls we will find everything from fruits and vegetables and all kinds of food, to carpets, blankets, clothing and footwear, household items and toys.

The colorful mosaic is complemented by the constant presence of the residents of the area, as well as the tourists who flock from all over Greece and abroad, justifying and maintaining the myth surrounding the unique atmosphere of the bazaar.

The vast majority of Xanthi residents will pass by the bazaar, even for a walk, without the intention of buying, but there is no way they will not give in to temptation.