Located in a fertile area amidst fertile lands and abundant water from the rivers Evros, Arda, and Erythropotamos, Orestiada is the second (after Alexandroupoli) largest city in the regional unit of Evros.

The city was founded by Greeks who, after the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, moved here from Adrianople (Edirne) and Karagats. Orestiada was built from scratch, and this is the reason for its excellent urban planning. According to mythology, Orestiada was named after the matricide Orestes, who took refuge in the area after killing his mother to escape the Erinyes (Furies).

The city's attractions include the Historical and Folklore Museum and the Cathedral dedicated to the Agioi Theodori, whom the city honors as its patron saints with a series of cultural events called Theodorea. The central square of the city is named after the General Administrator of Thrace, Spyros Dassios, and it is adorned with the bust of Georgios Stathatos, a fighter of the National Resistance, as well as the monument of Ecumenical Patriarch Cyril VI, who was hanged in Adrianople in 1821. Every summer, the city hosts the Arda Music Festival.

Among others, Orestiada is the birthplace and/or home of screenwriter Thanasis Papathanasiou and actor Kostas Makedos.

The city was awarded the Golden Best City Award in 2016; in 2022, the city won another award in the category of Educational Facilities for adopting bioclimatic architectural principles.