Enez, district and town of Edirne, Turkey
Enez is a small port town in northwestern Turkey on the Aegean coast. The place has a long layered history passing through ancient Greek settlements, Byzantine periods, and later Ottoman rule. Today it feels quiet with simple buildings, sandy beaches, views across the Merici River border toward Greece, and ruins of a Byzantine fortress standing on a hill.
The place was known in antiquity as the port Ainos and appears in Greek texts from around 500 BC as a trading center. It changed hands between Byzantine and Ottoman rule several times until the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 made it part of modern Turkey, after which many inhabitants left due to political shifts.
The town carries marks of different cultures in its buildings and layout. Old Byzantine churches stand near mosques, showing how different civilizations lived here and left their imprint on the place.
The town is reachable by bus from Istanbul and other cities with journeys taking about 5 hours. The beaches are most active during summer months, insect repellent helps against mosquitoes in marshy areas, and swimmers should watch for sea urchins near rocks.
The nearby wetlands and Gala Lagoon attract large flocks of flamingos in winter, a striking natural sight rarely seen elsewhere. This protected zone shows how the town's remote border location has preserved the natural environment.
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