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The first beach east of Limenas, Makryammos , is a purpose-built, controlled-access compound for package tourists, so carry on to PANAYIA , the attractive hillside village overlooking Potamia Bay. It's a large, thriving place where life revolves around the central square with its large plane trees, multispouted fountain and slate-roofed houses. Top accommodation choice in both senses is the Hotel Thassos Inn (tel 05930/61 612, fax 61 027; ?43-58), up in the Tris Piyes district near the Kimisis church, with fine views over the rooftops. Second choice, slightly lower down, is the vine-shrouded Hotel Theo (tel 05930/61 284; ?34-42), more old-fashioned but with a nice ground-floor bar. Down on the main road, beside the municipal car park, the newish, clean Pension Stathmos (tel 05930/61 666; ?43-58) is the quietest of several nearby, with stunning views out the back; there are also high-standard rooms (tel 05930/61 981; ?34-42) below the school basketball courts. Some readers have complained about high-pressure touting tactics from the hotly competing tavernas on the square; for a more low-key approach, try Iy Thea , a view-terrace psistaria at the southeast edge of town en route to Potamia. POTAMIA , much lower down in the river valley, is far less prepossessing - with modern red tiles instead of slates on the roofs - and thus little visited, though it has a lively winter carnival. It also offers the Polygnotos Vayis Museum (Tues-Sat 9.30am-12.30pm, summer also 6-9pm, Sun 10am-1pm; free), devoted to the locally born sculptor; though Vayis emigrated to America when young, he bequeathed most of his works to the Greek state. Potamia also marks the start of the commonest route up to the 1204-metre summit of Mount Ipsarion . Follow the bulldozer track to the big spring near the head of the valley extending west of the village (last water here), where you'll see the first red-painted arrows on trees. Beyond this point, cairns mark the correct turnings in a modern track system; forty minutes above the spring, take an older, wide track, which ends ten minutes later at a narrow ravine with a stream and the current trailhead. The path is steep, strenuous and unmaintained, and you'll be dependent on cairns and painted arrows. Go early in the day or season, and allow four hours up from Potamia, and nearly as much for the descent.
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