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GREECE
The “mother” of the Olympics is not only about the Seven Sages!
As soon as the word “Greece” is said the first thought that strikes many is a splendid combination of a perfect seaside vacation and the romantic nostalgia for the glories of the classical Greek history and culture. Officially the Hellenic Republic, often cited as the birthplace of European civilization, Greece offers a heady mix of ancient archaeological sites, chic design hotels, rustic taverns, family-orientated seaside resorts and hedonistic dance clubs.
Ancient Greece reached its zenith in the fifth century BC when Athens became the cultural and artistic center of the Mediterranean, producing magnificent works of architecture, sculpture, drama and literature. There is no denying that the historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world - in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. In fact, many travelers come here specifically to explore Greece's ancient wonders, from Athens' Parthenon and
Delphi's Temple of Apollo, to the ruins of the Minóan city of Knossós on Crete.
Greece’s scenic beauty, its culture and historic sites compel you to fall in love with the country! What is interesting about Greece is that it not only provides you with some of the most beautiful sites but enhances and satisfies your craving for ancient history and knowledge.
Sports enthusiasts will relish the Greek islands for their endless opportunities for scuba diving and sailing (there's no better way to explore the islands than aboard a chartered yacht), while keen hikers and mountain bikers can test their stamina in the rugged mountains of the country's largest island, Crete. And let's not forget, Greece's previous glory in sports was restored when the Olympic Games returned home in 2004.
Greece is a country that offers its visitors resources of not only cultural but ecological interests too. With the very many spectacular beaches, the great food and places to see, you’ll never run out of things to do and sites to visit in when in Greece
Greece has been divided into mainland Greece (with five regional sections plus Athens), and the Greek Islands (with six island groups plus Crete).
Places to Visit:
Athens
The birth place of classical Greece, Athens is the capital of the country. There are 12 mountains that reside within Athens apart from it being bound by Mt. Parnitha, Mt. Ymettos and Mt. Pandeli on three sides. Out of the 12 mountains in Athens, the Acropolis is known to be the ancient high city and is crowned by marble temples sacred to the Greek goddess Athena. Athens, rich in history and culture is filled with museums such as the New Acropolis Museum, the Cycladic Art Museum, the Kanellopoulos and Folk Art Museum and many others covering all tastes and cultures. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Acropolis was an ancient town of Athens that dates back to the Bronzr Age and is home to some of the best buildings of the Classical Greek age such as the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erectheion and the Parthenon. The Temple of the Olympian Zeus, the Syntagma Square, and the Ancient Agora- Athens is a tourist’s paradise with so much to see and know. Not only is Athens about picturesque sites and culture but you can shop to your heart’s content. Right from antiques to folk art goods, embroidery to museum reproductions, you will find it all in Athens.
Other parts of the mainland are, Piraeus - the city’s main port. From here, ferries leave regularly for the Islands.
Central Greece with Euboea - Its the area surrounding Athens, known as Attica, characterized by calm beaches, and the pinewoods and thyme-covered slopes of Mount Parnes, Hymettus and Pentelico.
Cape Sounion (43 miles) east of Athens, is a towering promontory which dominates the landscape for miles around. Here stand the superb ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, built in the fourth century BC, commanding spectacular views over the sea and islands.
Ossios Loukas –situated Northwest of Athens, close to the town of Livadia, stands the magnificent monastery of Ossios Loukas. Further Northwest is where Delphi is located. This is the site of the famous Oracle, where rulers of ancient Greece came for many centuries for political and moral guidance. The complex of treasury buildings, plinths and the foundations for the fourth-century BC Temple of Apollo are set on the steep rocky hillside, overlooking olive groves and the Sanctuary of Athena. Close to Arahova, on the main road from Athens to Delphi, lie the southern slopes of Mount Parnassus, which towers 2457m (8061ft) over the Gulf of Corinth. Olympia, the original site of the Olympic Games, which begun in 776 BC, and the site where the Olympic Flame is still lit today,
Aegina (Egina - its excellent beaches & clear seas) Poros (a thickly wooded island) separated from the Peloponnese by a very narrow channel & Hydra (a barren, rocky, car-free island Idra) is popular with artists and jet-setters, primarily for the beauty of its chief settlement and port. Hydra Town built into the hill, overlooking the harbor, is a labyrinth of steep cobbled streets, filled with chic bars, restaurants and art galleries.. makes a perfect daytrip from Athens, thanks to and proximity to Piraeus.
The most comprehensive way to see the Greek Island is to take the famous Cruises sailing the Greek seas and other destinations in the Mediterranean. What a relaxing holiday. Enjoy the affordable luxury of a cruise onboard a comfortable "floating hotel" and visit the Greek Islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes, Patmos, Corfu and more), Olympia, Istanbul, Ephessos, Antalya, Limassol, Ashdod, Genoa, Messina, Naples, Marseilles. Shorter cruises in Greece (day tours) are available from Athens
Scattered throughout the calm blue waters of the Aegean and the Ionian are Greece's 1,400 islands - each with its own special story. The serenity of islands like Kefalonia and
Amorgos contrasts with the hedonistic party islands such as Mykonos.
A Greek island surrounded on all four sides by Tinos, Siros, Paros and Naxos, Mykonos is the ideal tourist destination with a bustling nightlife. It is a legend that the city was named after a local hero Mykonos who was an offspring of the Greek God Apollo. Right from the Aegean Maritime Museum, the Petros the Pelican to the famous Little Venice with buildings constructed by the sea’s edge with their balconies hanging over the sea, Mykonos will the a destination worth cherishing. Mykonos prides itself in having the best nightlife in entire Europe. Athens’ passionate and lively nightlife combined with its sandy beaches, Mykonos is today a mass tourist destination.
Those interested in architecture should visit the medieval fortified towns of Rhodes Rhodes (One of the most popular and best-developed islands in the Mediterranean) Rhodes offers international-class hotels, varied nightlife and good sports facilities. The monumental 14th-century Palace of the Grand Masters, The 15th-century Knight’s Hospital now houses the Archaeological Museum and 2km west of the town walls lies the Acropolis of Ancient Rhodes. Many impressive ruins can still be seen, including the Temple of Apollo, and a theater and stadium dating back to the second century BC.
The northernmost island of western Greece, Corfu is the best-known, busiest and most cosmopolitan of the Ionian Islands.(UNESCO World Heritage sites),
Crete is the largest and most southerly Greek island.The center of the oldest Greek Civilization - Minoan civilization, Crete enjoys the position of the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea apart from being the largest island in Greece. Crete is rooted to its culture and till date retains its own local dialect and music but is an integral part of Greece nonetheless. The islands, Roman cities, vineyards and olive groves, Minoan tombs and palaces- there is nothing about Crete that will not enchant you the minute you set foot in the beautiful island.
The whitewashed cubic houses of Thira and Oia on Santorini Island - typical of the Cyclades. A giant lagoon - Santorini is surrounded on three sides by high steep cliffs while the fourth side lies divided from the sea by another smaller island, Therasia. Also known as Thera, Santorini is particularly the remains of massive volcanic explosions that ruined the earliest settlements in the formerly singular island and lead to the creation a vast group of islands. Santorini is an island that remains one of a kind. One would often find towns built on top of a cliff or on the cliff itself.
The Caldera – a live volcano is Santorini’s Trademark. Take a view of the live volcano from the top of the Santorini cliff and you would find smoke and gasses erupting from the ground. Another major attraction of Santorini is the Sulphur beach with its natural hot spring. Situated right beside the volcano, the water in the hot spring is warm and muddy, contains sulphur and is said to be healing and beneficial for the skin! Santorini will give you a chance to appreciate the wonders of nature, time to relax and also an opportunity to explore Greek culture with its churches and museums spread all over the city.
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