Traveling To Greece
December 9th, 2008
That’s a really simple title for an incredibly complicated thought! The ins and outs of Greek travel, places to go and food recommendations alone could fill a book!
Let’s just start with the size of Greece! The country of Greece encompasses more than 50,000 square miles. Yet, many people think of Greece only in terms of its beautiful islands. How many islands? There are about 140 inhabited islands, the largest being Crete.
Why travel to Greece? To learn more about its ancient civilization, to see its amazing landscape and spend some time on its beaches. Remember it is impossible to see all of a country in one trip so let’s concentrate on the mainland for this visit.
As always step one is to decide if you want to travel on your own or with an escorted tour. An escorted tour gives you the opportunity to see a variety of sights, have someone else do the planning and know up front what your price is going to be. The downside is that you move with the group and travel on their schedule. If you have never traveled to that part of the world and like the idea of being helped through all the possible travel complications then the escorted tour is for you. If you are more adventurous or more inclined to enjoy your own company then traveling on your own may be a good choice.
Traveling around Greece is not that difficult- they have a comprehensive public transportation system and English is widely spoken. Your starting point will most likely be Athens in the south. Arriving in Athens is a fairly easy task – the International Airport is serviced regularly by non stop flights from the US on Olympic Airlines, Air France and Delta. Athens is a large, crowded city that can be exhausting but is dominated by history, archeology and of course the Parthenon. There is a wide selection of accommodations with familiar names like Hilton, Westin and Marriott. There are also some excellent European chains like Golden Tulip and Sofitel.
Once you’re settled in begin your exploration. Walking is the best way to absorb the culture of this city. One of its greatest advantages is that most of the attractions are easily accessible by foot. The first stop for most people is the Acropolis – most are familiar with the image of the Parthenon sitting atop the hill and overlooking the city. The Parthenon is the remains of a temple to the goddess Athena – erected most likely in the 4th Century BC. Having explored the Parthenon however, take a further look around the Acropolis. You will find a museum, displaying carvings and friezes recovered from temples and also the Erechtheion temple. The holes in its northern walls were supposedly formed by Poseidon’s trident during his contest with Athena. The winner of the contest would have the city named after them……Athens!
Below the Acropolis are the remains of the Agora, the commercial center of ancient Athens. Here Aristotle and Socrates walked, talked – and went to the Dionysos Theatre to see the plays of Sophocles and Euripides.
Do plan on spending time at the National Archeological Museum. It houses the largest and most extensive collections in the country. There are pieces dating from 2000BC! A brief visit can be 2-3 hours but for a real understanding you may want to
One of the best bargains in Athens is the new “Line 400”. This special tourist bus departs every 30 minutes and makes stops at most of the major landmarks in the city. You pay for your ticket – currently € 5 – and can hop off and on anywhere on the route as often as you want. You can take the entire 90 minute circuit or use the bus to visit the Museum, the Acropolis, National Gallery, the shopping district and more. Your ticket price does not include admission to some of the sights but it is a convenient easy means of transportation. Check out all the stops and timetables here.
For a bit more modern culture, the city of Athens holds a festival twice a year. It is held in June-July and August-October in the ancient theatre of Herod Atticus. The program can include symphonies, classical drama and dance and opera. Two other regions to consider in your tour of the mainland are Central Greece and the city of Thessaloniki in the north.
In central Greece you will see Mount Parnassus, sacred to the god Apollo and the Muses. This peak overlooks the sanctuary at Delphi with its imposing ruins. Delphi, home to the Oracle was long seen as the center of the universes to the Greek people. You will also see Mount Olympus, home to the great god Zeus.
Traveling north to Thessaloniki you are entering the region of Macedonia. Thessaloniki is the second largest city in the country and there are few others with its beauty. Situated on the waterfront and dominated by the White Tower, left behind by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent it is the capital of the region and a bustling lively city. You will find some of the countries most beautiful beaches and best food here.
Wherever you spend your time in Greece you will be welcomed warmly by the Greek people. They are proud of their ancient heritage and their modern cities and wish to share it with you time and time again.
And be sure to book your discounted hotels here.
Categories: Destination Guides
