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Surrounded by miles and miles of clear blue Aegean Sea waters, Greece lies along the eastern edge of Europe- a tiny country, jam-packed with everything a tourist destination could boast of. Oodles of history and culture; towering mountains and golden beaches; wooded hills and ancient ruins: not much is missing in Greece. The land of Socrates and Plato, Greece was the abode of fabled gods and mythical goddesses and home to some of the most brilliant architectural works of all times, Greece is today a revelation of history. No, you won't have Greeks quoting from Plato and Aristotle at every street corner, but you will see vibrant dancing, you will eat sinfully delicious Mediterranean food and you will- like thousands of other visitors- gaze in awe at the majesty of temples which were built before the birth of Christ. Greece is a land rich in culture, a culture which continues to enthrall long after you've returned from your trip. From the ageing splendor of the Acropolis and the Parthenon, all the way to the vineyards of Crete to the ancient Temple of Delphi, to the whitewashed buildings in Mykonos, Greece will be a voyage

that is an explorer’s delight and will never cease to overwhelm you.

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Did you know that the Greeks prefer to celebrate their Name Day rather than their birthday? Most Orthodox Greeks are named after a saint and they celebrate the birthday of their patron saint as their Name Day. On name days there is celebration and partying and the appropriate phrase to wish the person is "CHRONIA POLLA", Those who are not named after a saint, celebrate ‘Name Day’ on All Saint’s Day , 8 weeks after Easter.

Historically Speaking

Greece and history are practically synonymous with each other. One of the most ancient civilizations in the world, Greek history dates back to the Bronze Age in 1300 BC. During this time, the mighty Mycenaean, Minoan and Cycladic civilizations flowered. With an intermittent Dorian invasion and a concurring "dark" period, Greece once again got back on track by 800 BC, with the emergence of city-states, and witnessed a cultural and military renaissance of sorts. Athens and Sparta were the two jewels in Greece’s crown, and southern Italy became a part of Greater Greece too and the Classical or Golden Age ensued. Architecture flourished with the commission of the Parthenon, and timeless classics like Oedipus were written during this time. But unlike the culturally inclined and peace loving Athenians, the Spartans were an aggressive race and eventually in 401 AD they defeated their neighbors in the Peloponnesian Wars . Victory wasn’t too sweet or durable, because Philip in the north – father of Alexander the Great – was busy amassing an empire and conquered the two war torn city states.

The glorious reign of Alexander ensued, and was followed by the Hellenistic Rule merging Macedonia and Greece. By around 205 BC, those crafty Romans were at it again, and conquered both Greece and Macedonia. The Greek Renaissance movement started under the rule of Emperor Hadrian but this was halted in the 3rd century AD by the Goths who invaded the territory and razed it to the ground. By the 6th century the Byzantine Empire evolved and Greece itself faded into oblivion and passed through a dark period, as the Middle Eastern influences and Christianity were the all powerful influences. The Frankish leaders interrupted the Byzantine rule in the 13th century and they divided the peninsula into local fiefdoms. But this empire was taken over by the Ottoman Empire by 1460 and remained under their domination till the 19th century. Under Turkish rule another dark age followed, with Greek merchants and artisans exiled for good. However, despite invasion, a sense of Greek nationality persisted in the villages, owing to factors like a common Orthodox religion. A War of Independence erupted by the early 19th century. Unfortunately, it was fraught with divisions and internal power struggles and even after independence came, a non Greek monarch was installed by Russia, France and Britain in the country. The new Otto of Bavaria wasn’t too popular, but ruled till 1864 when George I enforced a democratic constitution and shoved Otto to the sidelines. During WWI, Greek troops fought on the Allied side and after the war, Prime Minister Venizelos sent forces to 'liberate' the Turkish territory of Izmir with a large Greek population. Many Greek residents were killed as the army was repulsed by Kemal Ataturk's troops. A vigorous population exchange between the two countries followed in 1923. More than 100,000 Christian immigrants entered Greece, burdening its already not too thriving economy. By 1936, the Communists had gained major domestic support. In the same year a fascist dictator, Gen. Metaxas came to power and tried to establish a Nazi Third Reich of sorts in Greece. But when he resisted German dominance, Greek was occupied by the Nazis in 1941 and years of starvation and misery followed for the people. After the Nazi defeat, some kind of normalcy returned – although by now Greece fell under the influence of the USA. The Americans were only concerned with crushing the leftists in Greece, so they funded the country with the Marshal Plan program, and simultaneously supported a right wing royalist govt. In the 60s, Greece became entangled with the affairs of Cyprus and its Greek population, causing major enmities with Turkey, which supported the Turk Cypriots. This continues to be a burning issue for the country, which is today a multi-party democracy headed by a Prime Minister – just like the good old days of Socrates and the Golden Age …

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Habitat

Almost anywhere you go in Greece, you’ll be welcomed by scenic, vast mountains and valley lakes. Practically 80% of the country’s territory is mountainous, with the Pindus range covering land from north to south through the middle. This range also contains the highest point in Greece, the historic Mt. Olympus. Lower mountain ranges include the Taiyetos and the Peleponnisos. Greece has one of the longest islands in the world. The mainland is surrounded by about 2000 islands, of which about 160 are inhabited. Some of the famous islands are Crete, Lemnos and Icaria. Aqua blue sea laps up to clear beaches and yet the islands are as mountainous as the mainland which they surround. The average elevation of land in Greece is around 1500 m above sea level. The rivers of Greece are not long, and dry up in the summer. The main ones are the Nestos, the Vardar and the Stumos. Greece has a diverse wildlife, although a lot has dwindled and died due to felling and development – but also due to the inherent Greek fondness for hunting. Some of the wildlife you might see today includes the lynx, European black bear, boar and chamois. The

coastline has a rich marine life too. In the lower land you will find oranges, olives, pomegranates and tobacco, but as you go higher you’ll be pleasantly surprised by blooming tulip bulbs and hyacinth among the evergreen and deciduous trees.

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