|
Ever read those glossy tourist brochures which promise you everything under the sun? Sun-kissed beaches, gloriously blue seas, all the culture you can fit into a single vacation. Well, even if it doesn't apply to any other place on earth, it certainly applies to Greece. This is one country where history, culture and natural beauty are in really large doses.
Quiet mountain villages, golden beaches, prettily whitewashed cottages, ancient temples and palaces- all of it is here. Packed into a fairly compact area of just below 132,000 sq km- a virtual goldmine of culture, art and exciting archaeological remains. The Greek Islands , scattered as archipelagos across the blue waters of the Aegean Sea, are amongst the country's greatest attractions.
The more prominent island groups include the Cyclades Islands, the Dodecanese Islands, the Ionian Islands, the North Eastern Aegean Islands, and the Sporades Islands . Idyllic little places which (in some cases) time forgot. Tiny havens where secluded beaches are lapped by cool azure seas, where the only settlement around is a village with a single bright blue-domed church, surrounded by stark white cube-like houses. Where the greenery of the hedges is offset only by the golden sun above and the flamboyant pink bougainvillea clinging to a wall.
Of the Greek islands, the Cyclades is by far the most touristy. Mykonos' bars are the rowdiest in the isles, its houses the whitest; Naxos is known for its beautiful old churches, while the isle of Santorini is famous for the vast volcanic lake which is its main attraction. Ithaca , home of the Homeric hero Odysseus (Ulysses), is a quiet isle with a wild beauty all its own. It's a place of barren cliffs, rocky slopes and lovely old monasteries which date back to medieval times.
Of the Dodecanese Islands, the isle of Rhodes is best known. Home to the largest medieval settlement in all of Europe (much of it dating back to the days of the Crusaders), Rhodes also has ancient temples, Ottoman baths and an impressive old fort- something from every era. Corfu , the most popular of the Ionian Isles, has deep gray-green cypresses, olive groves, wildflowers and a reputation for unparalleled beauty. It is, like the rest of the Ionian Islands, a quiet and comparatively unspoilt place. Skiathos , the chief island of the Sporades, is a hard-to-resist combination of beaches and pine woods with the odd monastery or church tucked away in the wild.
The North Eastern Aegean Islands of Thasos, Ikaria, Limnos and their neighbors are not as touristy as the Ionians, the Cyclades and the Sporades , but their wooded hills and oak forests are great for a trek.
Crete , the most popular island in the country, is the perfect place for a taste of the gorgeous Aegean coastline. But that's not all; Crete's history is amazingly eventful, and there are ancient ruins all across the isle. The best known are the Palace of Knossos, the Palace of Malia and the many monasteries of the isle.
But Greece is not all islands. The mainland has its fair share of attractions, many of which find a prominent place in Greek history and mythology. The cloud-covered peaks of Mt. Olympus , the fabled home of the Greek gods, rise 100 km southwest of Thessalonica , a city with enough historicity of its own. The second largest city in Greece, Thessalonica is choc-a-bloc with Byzantine monuments, including a number of churches.
History comes alive in other cities too; in Delphi for instance, where the ancient Oracle once wielded considerable power in the governance of the state. Spreading across the cypress-shrouded slopes of Mt Parnassos , Delphi is home to ancient temples which attract millions (no exaggeration!) of tourists every year.
The southern peninsula of the Peloponnese similarly overflows with history and serene landscapes. Archaeological sites such as Olympia, Corinth and Mycenae punctuate the peninsula as do the ruins of the ancient and haunting Byzantine city of Mystras.
Way off to the north of the Peloponnese lies the port town of Patras , dominated by the splendor of the Agiou Andrea , the largest cathedral in Greece. If you happen to be there during carnival time take part in the festivities and have a wild time amidst the fun and the frolic.
The capital of Greece, Athens has sights aplenty to last an entire vacation. You can relive the glorious past of Athens, the former "Paris of the Mediterranean", in the neoclassical remains and the colorful street life of the city. Surrender to the power of the towering white Acropolis , which is visible from almost everywhere in the city and explore the Ancient Theatre of Dionysus on the southern slope of the hill. The world famous and ancient Parthenon stands in all of its arresting splendor and beauty not very far away. Get a taste of ancient Athens in the village of Plaka to the north east of the city, and in the ancient Roman marketplace of Agora .
|