Greece
Greece is a country where ancient places are at every turn: Athens, Delphi, Thebes and Meteora, rock monasteries and the holy Mount Athos. There are also cool beaches, clear sea, picturesque islands and spa hotels. Rhodes, Halkidiki, Kos — it’s all about Greece.
Hackneyed and old, but true: Greece has everything! This amazing Mediterranean country has collected, it seems, absolutely all the benefits of the tourist world.
The capital of Greece is Athens and it is divided into 2 parts: the island and the mainland, on which the capital is located.
Time difference from Moscow — 1 hour
Greece has always been not only the guardian of ancient culture, but also the stronghold of Orthodoxy.
About 98 % of the country’s population are Orthodox Christians.
The currency of the country is the Euro (EUR), in 1 euro 100 euro cents. Current exchange rate: 1 EUR = 89.59 RUB.
In Mediterranean Greece, summers are hot and dry, and the number of sunny days per year exceeds 300. The hottest period lasts from mid-July to mid-August, so lovers of recreation in moderate temperatures are better off here in May, June, September and October — in Crete and Rhodes. The islands are always hotter than Northern Greece. Athens has about the same average temperature as the islands, but the latter have a milder climate, and the heat is easier to bear.
Greece is a popular tourist destination, especially in summer, so there are many charter and scheduled flights to the country. Direct scheduled flights from Moscow to Athens are operated by Aeroflot and Aegean Airlines; Ellinair, UTair, Aeroflot and Aegean Airlines fly from Moscow to Thessaloniki, and there are also direct flights from St. Petersburg. You can get to the Greek islands by connecting flights in Athens, although there are enough direct flights from the same airlines during the season.
For example, in the summer, air transportation is expanded by charters to Crete, Corfu, Kos, Rhodes, Zakynthos (Aeroflot, Nord Wind, Aegean Airlines).
In summer, there are charter flights of different airlines from: Krasnodar (Crete), Rostov-on-Don (Rhodes, Thessaloniki), Kazan (Crete, Rhodes), Perm (Crete). In winter, the Greek islands can only be reached by connecting in Athens or Thessaloniki.
As you know, Greek hotels are not assigned “stars”, but categories: deluxe (5*), A (4*), B (3*) and C (2*). Under the “excursion”, establishments of categories B and C are usually offered-simple, but clean and with everything you need in the rooms.
Greek cuisine is an abundance of vegetables and herbs, dairy products (especially soft cheeses), olives and olive oil, bread and wine. Lamb and poultry are most often prepared from “heavy” meat, and beef and pork are also not shunned.
To go to Greece just to see the sights at a furious pace or, on the contrary, to lie lazily on the beach is a crime. In this country, you should enjoy: food and wine, the sea and the midday heat, communication with the locals and nature, antiquities and silence, discos and fun.
All at once — there is no other way here anyway. So, this time, I decided that I would try to generate an absolutely ORIGINAL tour of Greece. However, this is not an easy task at all…
So
We will be like robotic navigators “Route built”
As I said, the best transport is ferries and planes. It is on these “ boards” that we will travel.
7 days/6 nights of incredible holidays and exciting places!
- City Athens
- Corfu island
- Lefkada peninsula
- Kefalonia island
- Zakynthos island
- Crete island
- City Athens
Day 1: the capital city is Athens
First of all, of course, we will visit the Acropolis of Athens. Each polis of Ancient Greece had its own Acropolis, but none of them can surpass the Athenian One in scale, layout and number of so many monuments of past eras. Without it, the capital of Greece is simply unthinkable, it is rightfully considered its business card, a real mecca for tourists from all over the world.
Next, we will visit the oldest quarter of Athens — Plaka, it has almost preserved its original appearance, features of Greek culture and its unique flavor.
It was on the stage of the Dionysus Theatre that the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, the comedies of Aristophanes and Menander were first shown. This ancient open — air theater is the oldest in the world, it originated in the 5th century BC. The Dionysus Theater was designed for half of the population of Athens and could accommodate up to 17 thousand spectators! And it will be the third “ point on the map of visiting the capital”.
Day 2: Athens
One of the favorite places of tourists visiting Athens is the temple of Hephaestus. Here you can almost fully plunge into the era of Ancient Greece, because the temple of Hephaestus is considered one of the best preserved buildings of that distant time.
Of course, the construction of the most impressive building in the ancient world-the famous temple of Olympian Zeus-began long before our era. The master’s plans were truly ambitious: the new giant structure was bound to outshine all the existing wonders of the world at that time, which I think it has become.
I think that time would allow us to visit one very interesting place. If you drive from the center of Athens along the former Sacred road to Eleusis, then on the 11th km on the left you can see the stone walls of the dilapidated walls. Behind them lies the monastery complex of Daphne, a monument of Byzantine architecture.
Perhaps nowhere else in the world can you feel the spirit of history as much as in Athens. The capital of Greece simply amazes with the number of ancient and significant monuments, not only the majestic ruins of Ancient Greece are preserved here, but also the atmosphere of a constant holiday reigns, which makes this city unique and unlike any other in the world.
And we are moving on, as we said, “haphazardly”.
Day 3: Athens to Corfu, city Kerkyra
We will fly from the airport of the capital to the capital of the island-the city of Kerkyra. From where all the roads on the island lead.
The capital of Corfu bears the name that used to belong to the whole island. The Greeks themselves often call Kerkyra both a city and an island. It is, by the way, small, cozy, interesting and somewhat similar to Italian towns, and that’s why we will walk around it first.
From the ground to the air! The Angelokastro Fortress, also known as the Angel Castle, is one of the most important fortifications of the Byzantine era and the brightest architectural monument in Greece. It is a well-fortified acropolis, which played an important strategic role in the life of Byzantium.
And of course, a Saint! The most revered Saint in Corfu, Saint Spyridon, concurrently, he is also the patron Saint of the island. The temple contains his relics, but to see them, you need to defend a huge queue. Believers from all over Greece come to Kerkyra to venerate the relics of Spyridon.
Day 4: a Peninsula of Lefkada, the capital of Lefkada
Connected to the coast of Western Greece, Lefkada was a peninsula until the 7th century BC, when Corinthian settlers dug a canal, thus separating Lefkada from the mainland, so that now there is a bridge.
We will devote the 4th day to chill. The chic beach holiday of this place.
Porto Katsiki beach in Lefkada is one of the most famous places in Greece. Surrounded by a picturesque bay with high white rocks, a semicircle framing the coast with soft, clean sand.
It’s hot in Greece! Until the most difficult time is over, we will visit one amazing place.
Themed tours of the ancient cities that were built on Lefkada in ancient times are popular. One of these villages is Lygia, which is located on the very shore of the sea. This is an ancient Greek polis, which in the past was one of the largest trading cities in the region. However, in the following because of the numerous destructive earthquakes local people gone from Lygia, choosing the safer of the island, where they founded new settlements.
Let’s go back to bask!
In the northern part of the island there is a beautiful and long beach called Agios Ioannis. It has a mixed type with tracing paper and white sand. Here, strong winds prevail and there are often powerful waves. This beach is chosen by fans of kiting and windsurfing. Not far from Agios Ioannis, there are comfortable, inexpensive hotels that attract such fans of outdoor activities.
Day 5: island of Kefalonia
From the Lefkada Peninsula, the easiest way is to take the ferry back to Kefalonia. A very small but very unique island!
As I have already written, despite the fact that Kefalonia is a small island, the national park here occupies a fairly large area. This is due to the fact that most of the island’s area is a mountain of the same name, high enough for such a “baby”.
Every island in Greece has its own Saint, and Kefalonia is no exception. Saint Gerasimos, the patron saint of Kefalonia, moved here from the noisier Zakynthos in 1555, seeking peace and quiet. The scion of a noble Byzantine family, Gerasim took the tonsure on Mount Athos and then served in the Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of Christ.
Despite the oxymorons, Kefalonia is the largest island in the Ionian Archipelago, but at the same time it is small, cozy and calm. In terms of evening and night entertainment, the neighboring and more youthful Zakynthos has much more to offer, which, by the way, we will go further!
end of day 5-Day 6: Zakynthos Island
And the ferry again!
Our tour will be quite incomplete if there is no museum there. We will give this right to Zakynthos.
Greece was conquered by many people, including the Byzantines, now just the Turks.
The Byzantine Museum is one of the largest and most interesting on the island. Visiting it allows you to get an idea of the development of Christian culture in Zakynthos. The Byzantine period gave the island many monasteries and temples, icon painting and wall painting were actively developed.
Now we’ve certainly seen everything, or almost everything. Askos Stone Park on the island of Zakynthos is a unique monument not only to man-made creations made of stone blocks, but also to wildlife. The reserve stretches for almost 500 thousand square meters, and hundreds of rare species of animals and flora live in absolute harmony on this piece of land.
Finally, we admire the beauty! The Transfiguration Monastery (Metamorphosi Sotiros) was built in 1241 by order of the Byzantine Princess Irene, daughter of Emperor Theodore. It occupies the larger of two small islands, known collectively as Strofades, located 45 km south of Zakynthos.
I have a great desire to finally reach the main island of the archipelago — Crete! That’s where we’ll go! In the air! Yes, Yes! Exactly!
Day 7: island of Crete
Crete is the largest Greek island, the birthplace of Zeus and the tourist center of the Mediterranean. It was here that one of the oldest civilizations — the Minoan-was born.
The southernmost island of the archipelago is surrounded by three seas: the Aegean, the Libyan and the Ionian.
One of the most impressive monuments of Cretan architecture is the Palace of Knossos. It is there that we will go first, its image adorns tourist avenues about Crete, postcards and souvenirs, so that anyone interested in this region, has repeatedly encountered photos of this unique attraction.
Dikti Cave in the east of Crete — here, according to legend, Zeus was born. The entrance is not so easy to find: it is inconspicuous. But when you get inside, you are amazed at this centuries-old beauty, frozen in stone. Giants-stalactites as if in the growth of Zeus make a strong impression.
A lot of antiquity in 3 days, it’s time to visit something modern. I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled with just one mention of the water park. That’s where we’ll go!
Acqua Plus is not only fun, but also beautiful: one of the largest water parks in Crete is located in a paradise — on a high hill covered with blooming gardens.
Water slides hide in the shade of weeping willows, playgrounds are located on green lawns between slender palm trees and lush bougainvillea.
Just east of Heraklion, between the towns of Kokkini Hani and Kato Gouves, there was once a large air base. But we are interested in something else. Today, the military personnel serving it have been replaced by zoologists, and the repair hangars are the huge aquariums of the ultra-modern entertainment complex Cretaquarium. I suggest we continue with the water story.
All this is wonderful, but we need to move on, or rather fly! Fly back to fly to Russia… to do this, we return to the capital of all Greece.
In a nutshell, it is simply impossible to describe the main riches of the country’s regions, so on this route I briefly but succinctly told about the main directions and interests of the blessed homeland of Odysseus.
