Byzantine monument — Pythio, ~100km north of the city
Also known by its Byzantine name Empythion, the castle at Pythio was built around 1330–1340 by John Kantakouzenos, who would later become Byzantine emperor. It served as both residence and stronghold, including during the civil war against Emperor John III Palaiologos, before falling to Ottoman forces during their early advance into Europe.
The setting is part of the appeal: the fortress sits on a low rise at the edge of the village, right beside the railway bridge that carries the only border-crossing rail line between Greece and Turkey — a working reminder of how this corner of Thrace has always been a crossing point, in war and peacetime alike.
Pythio sits about 16km north of Didymoteicho, making it a natural add-on to a day built around that town's fortress and mosque rather than a separate trip.