Most people think of the whites and blues of the pretty Cyclades when they hear of Greece, and this is understandable, given how ridiculously gorgeous the islands are with dreamy cloud fluffs and a sky so blue you’ll find yourself looking up often. While the islands deserve all of their stardom, Greece is also home to interesting cities such as Athens, a modern city of a resilient people that thrives in the shadow of the Acropolis, a remnant of the country’s distinguished history. And not to forget the ruins of Delphi, Olympia and Knossos, all reminders of the great civilizations that once existed in Greece.
For those looking to get off-the-beaten-path, the monasteries of Meteora are only a half day’s journey from Athens but centuries of travel back in time. Here monasteries stand perched on giant rocks, their red-roofs making appearances through the heavy blanket of fog, beckoning to the intrepid traveller to come explore their legends. My first trip offered a taste of everything that makes Greece one of the most visited countries in the region but has left me hungry to go back and explore some more. Expect this page to be a work-in-progress with more information to be added with each trip.
What To Pack
For the cities: In Athens, the general attire is both casual and smart. Locals look effortlessly chic with women in jeans, leggings, pants and short dresses (weather appropriate) and men in cool casual shirts and tees. Jackets, scarves etc should be packed depending on the weather. You will find yourself walking and taking the metro a lot, so carry comfortable walking shoes.
For the outdoors: Carry appropriate clothing for hikes in the countrysides or mountains. If you plan on hiking, bring good hiking shoes, layers (jackets, wind-cheaters etc.) that you can take off or put on while hiking.
For the islands: Carry cool, breathable clothes- tank tops, shorts, swimwear, flowy dresses, skirts etc if you’re traveling to the islands in summer. For the evenings, carry smart outfits- elegant dresses, tops and skirts for women, and smart shirts and pants/jeans for men (and shoes) as some restaurants and bars may have dress codes.
Languages Spoken
Greek is most widely spoken in the country and English is spoken and understood in cities and other areas that see a lot of tourists. The other languages spoken in parts of the country are Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Arumanian and Bulgarian.
Good Morning/ Good Day: Kalimera (a common greeting)
Thank You: Efharist
Getting Around in Greece
Train, ferry and bus travel between cities and towns is easy and reliable and tickets can be purchased online in advance. It’s advisable to book ferries in advance, especially if you intend to travel on fixed dates
Need To Know
Popular hotels, hostels and other accommodation can get booked up quickly during high season, so it’s advisable to book in advance if you’re traveling to popular islands like Santorini or Mykonos or cities like Athens. In the low season, it’s easy to find accommodation with little advance planning. The shoulder season is a great time to visit the islands because prices are more affordable, the crowds are lesser and the weather is still great.
In Athens, be careful about pickpockets. It’s best to keep your purse close to your body in front of you (use cross-body bags with zips) and backpacks strapped in front of you rather than behind in busy areas and the Metro. Taxi drivers can often ask for a high fare once at the destination, or take you for a ride, so ask beforehand.
Let’s Go to
Crete is
The largest island in Greece. Crete is a feast for the senses: wild natural beauty and thousands of years of culture, history and exquisite cuisine. Find out about the top things to do in Crete.
Pictures of the heavenly Balos lagoon in Chania are featured in all the travel guides and glossies, as is the endless beauty of famous Falarsana, one of the best beaches in the Mediterranean. Exotic Elafonissos attracts thousands of visitors every year. Crete’s ‘hidden jewel’ and the largest beach on the island is located on the outskirts of Rethymno – 12km of sand that boasts a Blue Flag.Episkopi and Petres have fervent young fans, while noteworthy in the south are the alluring beaches of Preveli, Plakia, Ligres, Triopetra and Agios Pavlos, with its huge sand dunes. In Heraklion, Malia and Hersonissos attract tourists from all over the world. Endless kilometres of golden coastline surround Ierapetra, in the Lassithi prefecture. The celebrated palm forest in Vai is one of the most spectacular sights in Crete, where palm trees embrace the golden sand, while the beaches of Elounda and those around Agios Nikolaos are not to be missed.Crete: A priceless gift of culture and history
On Crete, you’ll find some of the most significant attractions in Greece: famous archaeological sites such as the Minoan palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and Kato Zakros. You’ll also visit important monasteries, some built in the 15th century or even earlier, including Preveli monastery in southern Rethymno, the monasteries in southern Heraklion and the historic Arkadi and Toplous monasteries.You’ll be transported to another time wandering around the castles of the region erected by Venetians and Byzantines. Particularly noteworthy are Kastelli in Chania, the Fortezza in Rethymno, the castle of Heraklion, Frangokastello in southern Chania, the Kazarma castle in Sitia, and the Monte Forte in Lassithi. More of the island’s riches are displayed in its many museums. Visit those in Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion. Impressive also are the Cretaquarium, the Museum of Natural History and the Historical Museum of Crete. In Myrtia, there is the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum and in Fodele you’ll find the El Greco Museum.
Athens
Athens
Athens is the historical capital of Europe, with a long history, dating from the first settlement in the Neolithic age. In the 5th Century BC (the “Golden Age of Pericles”) – the culmination of Athens’ long, fascinating history – the city’s values and civilization acquired a universal significance. Over the years, a multitude of conquerors occupied Athens, and erected unique, splendid monuments – a rare historical palimpsest. In 1834, it became the capital of the modern Greek state and in two centuries since it has become an attractive modern metropolis with unrivalled charm.
A large part of the town’s historic centre has been converted into a 3-kilometre pedestrian zone (the largest in Europe), leading to the major archaeological sites (“archaeological park”), reconstructing – to a large degree – the ancient landscape.
Around Acropolis
The tour starts at the temple of Olympian Zeus (6th c. B.C.), one of the largest in antiquity and close by Hadrian’s Arch (131 A.D.), which forms the symbolic entrance to the city. From there, walking along Dionysou Areopaghitou Street (on the south side of the Acropolis) you pass the ancient Theatre of Dionysos (5th c. B.C.) where most of the works by Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylos and Aristophanes were performed. Continuing, you will reach the ruins of the Asklepieion (5th c. B.C.) and the Stoa of Eumenes (2th c. B.C.) and from there the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, which was built in 161 A.D. and is nowadays the venue of the performances of the Athens Festival.
From there you climb up to the sacred rock of the Acropolis, the site of some of the most important masterpieces of worldwide architecture and art, the most renowned of which is the Parthenon temple. Apart from this, also impressive are the Propylaea, the temple of the Athene Nike and the Erechtheion, while you must not skip a visit to the Museum, located close to the Parthenon. Moreover, from the rock you have an impressive view of the city.
Only 300m away from the sacred rock of Acropolis stands the impressive Acropolis Museum, one of the most important contemporary works of architecture in Athens. It is made of steel, glass and concrete and it houses 4,000 priceless finds from the Acropolis monuments that represent its history and function as the most important religious centre of ancient Athens.
Delphi
At the foot of Mount Parnassos, within the angle formed by the twin rocks of the Phaedriades, lies the Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which had the most famous oracle of ancient Greece. Delphi was regarded as the centre of the world.
According to mythology, it is here that the two eagles sent out by Zeus from the ends of the universe to find the navel of the world met. The sanctuary of Delphi, set within a most spectacular landscape, was for many centuries the cultural and religious centre and symbol of unity for the Hellenic world.
The history of Delphi begins in prehistory and in the myths of the ancient Greeks. In the beginning the site was sacred to Mother Earth and was guarded by the terrible serpent Python, who was later killed by Apollo. Apollo’s sanctuary was built here by Cretans who arrived at Kirrha, the port of Delphi, accompanied by the god in the form of a dolphin. This myth survived in plays presented during the various Delphic festivals, such as the Septerion, the Delphinia, the Thargelia, the Theophania and, of course. the famous Pythia, which celebrated the death of Python and comprised musical and athletic competitions.
The earliest finds in the area of Delphi, which date to the Neolithic period (4000 BC), come from the Korykeion Andron, a cave on Parnassos, where the first rituals took place. The remains of a Mycenaean settlement and cemetery were discovered within the sanctuary, but traces of occupation are rare and very fragmentary until the eighth century BC, when the cult of Apollo was established and the development of the sanctuary and the oracle began. The first stone temples of Apollo and Athena, who was also officially venerated under the name of “Pronaia” or “Pronoia” and had her own sanctuary, were built towards the end of the seventh century BC. According to literary and archaeological evidence other gods were associated with the sanctuary; these included Artemis, Poseidon, Dionysus, Hermes, Zeus Polieus, Hygeia and Eileithyia.
The sanctuary was the centre of the Amphictyonic League, an association of twelve tribes of Thessaly and the Sterea (south-central Greece), with religious and later political significance. The Amphictyonic League controlled the operation and finances of the sanctuary, as it designated its priests and other officials chosen from among the inhabitants of Delphi. In the sixth century BC, under the League’s protection and administration, the sanctuary was made autonomous (First Sacred War), it increased its territory and political and religious influence throughout Greece, and reorganised the Pythian Games, the second most important games in Greece after the Olympics, which were held every four years.
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