Greece Holidays
• 
Introduction
Greece is situated in the south of the Balkan Peninsula, and borders with
Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Skopia. The landmass of Greece is just over
131,000 sq km. It has a huge coastline of over 13,000 km and not a single
area in Greece is over 100km from the sea. Greece consists of a Peninsula,
and about 1400 islands, of which just over 160 are inhabited.
Most of Greece is mountainous and the majority of land is at an altitude of
1500m above sea level. The highest mountain in Greece is Mount Olympus, of which
its peak is 2,917m.
Due to the mountainous environment and the dry climate in Greece, agriculture
is occupied by only a quarter of the land. Only about 8% of land is used permanently
for growing crops.
However, Greece has great natural resources in the forms of oil, magnesite,
petroleum, bauxite, lignite and marble. There is also potential for hydropower.
The capital city of Athens is also plagued by problems of air pollution. This
is due to Athens being surrounded by three mountains, and the pollution from
cars and factories stays in the air, due to the wind being unable to reach it
and clean up the atmosphere.
However, measures to combat the pollution have been put in place and it is
soon hoped that the problem will soon start to improve.
• When to Visit Greece
CLIMATE OF GREECE
The climate in Greece is one that can be described as relatively normal. Summers
are usually very hot and dry, and the winters can be quiet cold and wet. The
upper part of Greece can be very cold during the winter and snow is not uncommon.
However, for the south of Greece and the islands, the winters will be milder.
During the winter
much
of Greece will have snow, and the high mountains of Greece will see much snowfall.
It is this that makes Greece an ideal place for winter vacations as well as
summer vacations.
There are several ski centres operating throughout Greece and these attract
thousands of visitors every year. In Athens snow is less common, especially
in the south, but there was quite sufficient snowfall in the beginning of 2002
and in February 2004.
Summers in Greece are usually very hot, and in July and August temperatures
can go over 40 degrees. It is recommended in these temperatures to stay out
of the sun from 11.00 to 14.00 when the sun it at its strongest. There is a
strong northern wind called the "Meltemi" which usually sweeps through
the east coast of Greece during July and August, and this offers a welcome relief
to the heat.
However, these winds can at times be very strong. This can lead to the schedules
of the ferryboats to the islands being severely disrupted. If you are planning
on using the ferryboats, it is advisable to check with the operators if they
are running on time.
ANCIENT GREEK MYTHOLOGY GODS
ZEUS:
Zeus was the King of All Gods and the ruler of the world, residing on the top
of Mount Olympia. Olympia and Dhodhoni are the two places where he was predominantly
worshipped.
APHRODITE:
Aphrodite,
born
from the sea was the Goddess of love and beauty. The region of Corinth is where
her most important temple was built.
APOLLO:
God of male beauty and Patron of the Arts, Apollo's chief sanctuary was at Delphi.
However, he was also worshipped at Corinth and Vassai.
ARTEMES:
Artemes the huntress, and twin sister of Apollo, is the Goddess of chasity.
Her most important temples were situated in Delphi and Vravrona.
ATHENA:
Athena, the Patron Goddess of Athens was one of the most important Gods, and
the Parthenon temple, residing on the top of the Acropolis in Athens, is her
greatest temple. Athena was also the divinity of art and crafts, wisdom and
of course, victory.
ARES:
Ares was the God of war, and also the lover of Aphrodite.
POSEIDON:
The brother of Zeus, Poseidon is the God of the sea, storms and earthquakes.
Though he lost out to Athena for Athens, he was built an equally impressive
temple which resides at Cape Sounion.
HERMES:
The God of
communication
and commerce, Hermes was the Messenger of the Gods.
DEMETER:
Worshipped mainly at Elevsis, Demeter was the Goddess of fertility.
HERA:
Wife of Zeus, Hera was the Goddess of marriage, with her main temples being
found at Olympia and Argos.
DIONYSOS:
The God of Wine and Celebrations, Dionysos was worshipped in Athens as well
on Mount Parnassos.
• Attraction
in Greece
Athens - The Acropolis
Say what you like (or don't like!) about Athens, no one's trip to Greece can
be complete without a visit to its supreme symbol, the outcropping of rock called
the Acropolis, crowned with the Athena's sacred temple, the Parthenon. It looks
great all day, but visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the
crowds. Skip the Sound and Light show - cold in temperature and corny in tone.
New pedestrian pathways make it easy to visit via the Athens Metro.
The National Archaeological Museum - Athens
Even if you hate museums, grit your teeth and get cultured here. It's a world-class
display of seemingly endless artifacts. Most dramatic are the tall, enigmatic
kouroi,
archaic statues of godlike young men or man -like young gods, displayed against
a rich red background that reminds us that the real temples, statues, and walls
of Ancient Greece weren't bleached white by centuries of sun and rain. If you
can bear to be (briefly) unfaithful to Greece, the Egyptian antiquities collection
upstairs and in back is well worth a look. Note: The museum is closed for renovations
until June, 2004.
The Island of Santorini (Thira, Fira)
Atlantis legends, missing Minoans, a living volcanic legacy, swell sunsets,
good local wine, fine restaurants, vampire stories, oodles of tourists. There's
nothing like it. But rearrange your trip, cancel your tickets, do anything
in your power to be able to arrive by sea, slowly crawling up the coast watching
the banded cliffs of brown, black, and red crowned by snow-white tufa, a light
lava which still clings to parts of the island like frosting on a cake. Signature
sight of the once-buried city of Akrotiri is under a tin roof, gets extraordinarily
hot - go early in the day. The hotels carved into the cliffsides are not for
those with vertigo. Looking for activity, bustle, lots of restaurant choices?
Stay in Fira. Want more of a retreat but still with all the amenities? Stay
in Oia.
The Island of Mykonos
The most famous Greek island got that way for good reason. It's charming,
fun, beautiful, and now, renowned for sophisticated, international goings-on.
Vibrant nightlife, terrific shopping, more nude and non-nude beaches per square
mile than anywhere else in Greece, loved by gays, straights, honeymoon couples,
Greeks, tourists...though half of all these groups will insist that the island
is passé or over-developed, they still come in droves. Genuinely sick
of the frenzy? Get over onto the other side of the island for an entirely
different Mykonos, one which boasts a chapel for every day of the year.
The
Ancient Theater of Epidaurus
A relatively easy drive from Athens, the site of Epidaurus on the Peloponnese
Peninsula is worth a special trip. The Theatre, functional enough for plays
to be regularly presented during the summer Epidaurus Festival, has unbelievable
acoustics. Enjoy the small, good onsite museum. On your way, there's a great
little village bakery/liquor store in Adami.
Mycenae
Combine this Peloponnesian stop with your trip to Epidaurus. This Mycenean
fortress disengorged much of the gold displayed at the National Archaeological
Museum, and is a fascinating place, with gargantuan walls, cylindrical tomb
shafts, and the double-lion gate.
Wear good shoes and watch your step - the rampway leading to the gate was
made steep to permit easy defense of the palace from marauders, and guess
what, tourists still qualify. The snack bar has been known to run out of water
on hot days...bring your own for this hot, dusty, but intriguing site.
• Off the Beaten
Track
The Island of Crete
The big island of Crete is like a separate nation within Greece, with a bit
of everything, from party-hearty beach towns like Mallia (practically on top
of the remains of the Minoan palace) to the sophisticated, expensive little
city of Agios Nikolaos, or the natural wonders of the Samaria
Gorge,
the "real Crete" city of Chania, or the counterculture enclave of
Matala near the Roman ruins of Gortyn and the Minoan palace of Phaistos. The
Heraklion Archaeological Museum is world-class, and the Minoan site of Knossos
is a must-see.
The interior is filled with steep mountains, obscure villages, the windmill-jammed
Lassithi Plain, and some challenging roads. The southern coast is wilder,
with some great retreat spots including nude beaches.
Don't trust the maps - roads are much wigglier, often high-altitude, when you
meet them in person. Exception: the north coast road from Iraklio to points
east is freeway-wide and quick.
The Minoan Palace of Knossos
Irresistible, labyrinthine reconstruction of a destroyed Minoan palace from
the time when King Minos ruled the Aegean and the mainland Greeks paid tribute,
long before the Golden Age of Greece. Disorienting, easy to get lost even
today, with a mystery around every corner. It seems strange to be able to
just hop on a public bus to get to this ancient, enigmatical place, but the
Number 2 Knossos bus from downtown Iraklion does just that. Definitely not
a retreat from the city, Iraklio has grown up around it and it's approached
by a busy, narrow road. Once inside the Cretan landscape visible from the
palace looks untouched since ancient times.
The Island of Hydra
Easy hydrofoil access from Athens makes this sophisticated little island which
bans vehicle traffic a local version of Mykonos - with the shopping, without
the nude beaches. Charming harbor, nice church architecture, fun shops, and
pricey but generally good quality tavernas. Feel like a day's pilgrimage?
Walk to the monastery above and behind the town... making sure that, whether
you're a man or a woman, you have something to cover those illicit bare arms
and legs once you arrive.
—›
When to Visit Greece 
Copyright©,
Swagatam Tours . All Rights
Reserved