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About Greece

Greece is a small country, having a location within the triangle consisting of Europe, Asia and Africa. Our climate is primarily Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Our population is just under 11 million people and there is more than 13,000km (8,000 mi) of coastline, which means that there are plenty of pristine Blue Flag beaches and crystal clear waters for everyone. 

Yet, eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains or hills which makes this one of the rare places in the world where you can stand on top of a mountain and capture views that reach out to the sea.  Or sit in a valley soaking in the sun on a warm spring day with the snow-capped mountains above.  The natural landscapes of Greece are absolutely spectacular, like the caldera and volcano of Santorini or the lush green valleys of Crete with its olive and orange groves, above and below.  All of this is even more captivating when you add in the storybook whitewashed houses dotting the hillsides on the islands or the charming little villages climbing down the mountainside. 

The locals of Greece pride themselves on offering their hospitality to strangers and this will be evident in every part of Greece that you visit.  Greek hospitality or “Filoxenia” is something handed down from the Ancient Greeks and is still practiced today. 

We all know about Greek food but you haven’t had Greek food until you have eaten a meal in Greece.  Foods are prepared from very fresh ingredients, often from local gardens and local livestock.  Wines are produced locally and you should certainly try the different varieties in each area you visit.  If you are a fan of feta cheese, you are in for a real treat.  Even fast food in Greece is a much healthier alternative to what fast food is in other places.  We use real meat, cheese and vegetables to make our tyropita and souvlaki. 

The Greek people are all very fond of their music and dancing.  It’s an integral part of our culture.  Do take part in any possible event where you can join in as it will certainly be one of the most fun experiences of your life. 

Visiting Greece should include at least one mainland trek to see the most important sites of the country.  Sites such as the Theater in Epidaurus where you will also find the world’s first Medical Center.  Maybe, King Agamemnon’s Mycenae, or Ancient Olympia where the first Olympic Games took place. Perhaps, the ancient city of Delphi with its Oracle and of course, Meteora with its amazing rock formations that house incredible Monasteries at the top. 

Yet the exceptional Minoan Palace of Knossos is only found in Crete, the largest and most impressive of our islands.  And the incredible island of Delos which is a museum in its entirety is easily accessed from Mykonos Island.  No matter which of the museums, landmarks and ancient sites you choose, the Acropolis in Athens will certainly be one of the highlights of your trip. Don’t forget to stop in at the new Acropolis Museum and have a look at the impressive Temple of Zeus, right in the heart of this big modern city. 

You might also couple some time on the mainland with a little island hopping.  Our islands range from barely touched by tourism to those having a very organized tourism infrastructure.  The islands best for first time visitors would be Mykonos, Santorini and Crete.  Those great for seasoned travelers would be Tinos, Folegandros and perhaps Milos or Sifnos.  For those seeking privacy and a very quiet stay, Paxos is ideal and works well with a visit to Corfu.  If you only have a short visit and will be in Athens, take a day or two to visit Aegina, Poros or Hydra. 

Greece is unique and will certainly offer the adventure and experience of a lifetime.  You will quickly and easily fall in love with its natural beauty and its people.  You will also partake in its history and see evidence of thousands of years of life no matter where you go.  

A word of warning though… once you visit Greece, you will long to return all the days of your life.

Photo Tour: My Favorite Beaches in Greece

Paradise Beach, Mykonos Greece

Having only been to the beach in the USA, I have swam in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans many times.  The first time I visited the beach in Greece was on Paradise Beach on the Island of Mykonos.  I was surprised.  Not because the water was so crystal clear that you could see your feet clearly even when you were in the water up to your neck, not because there was not a scrap of paper or any kind of debris floating in the sea, no it was because it was so windy but there was barely a ripple of a wave in the water.  This of course made for an excellent start on my voyage of learning to scuba dive.





I then visited Santorini where I found something even more surprising. The water in Santorini is not only blue like that of Mykonos but it is a truly rich and royal blue.  This is because of the depths of the sea in the area, caused by the volcano that erupted thousands of years ago. Diving here was like sinking into an abyss.

Kamari, Santorini

Here are what I feel are the most amazing places to visit the sea in Greece.

Balos Lagoon, Crete

Loutro, a small fishing village in Crete

Crete

Milos

Milos

Milos

Cave on Milos

Ready for a swim yet?  How about some snorkeling??

Koufonisi Island, Greece

Symi is just amazing!

Folegandros, Greece

Skyros, Greece

Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos, Greece

Perfect spot for a swim! 

It just would not be complete without a visit to Zakynthos and the famous Navagio (shipwreck) Beach!

Here are a few more worth a peek and I realize there are thousands more but you will have to visit Greece to discover your own favorite beach!

Crete

Crete

Kos

Thassos

Balos Lagoon, Crete.

Giola Lagoon, Thassos Greece

Lefkada, Greece

Photo Tour: My Favorite Archaeological Sites in Greece

The Acropolis

The Acropolis with snow, Athens

The Temple of Olympian Zeus

Delphi

Theater of Epidaurus

The Akrotiri of Thera

Akrotiri Dolphin Fresco

Akrotiri, Santorini

Akrotiri

Ancient Olympia

Ancient Olympia, Temple of Hera

The Lion Gates of Mycenae

Mycenae

Tomb of King Agamemnon

The Palace of Knossos, Crete

Knossos

Prince of the Lillies, Knossos

Knossos Room with Fresco

Knossos, Queen's Chambers with Dolphin Fresco

There are many more, but I'm not finished traveling yet!  Follow me for updates!

Easter in Greece: Pascha The Feast of Feasts

The Greek people are very religious and their religion is a part of everyday life here in Greece. The dominating religion here is Greek Orthodox which is Christian and very similar to the Catholic religion. This year, 2009, Easter will fall on the 19th of April in Greece.

The celebrations begin about 7 weeks prior to Easter with the Carnival Season, called the “Apokreas.” The last two days of Carnival boast parades all over the country but the biggest is in Patras which is about 3 hours south of Athens in the Peloponnese area. The last day of carnival is marked with a burning of one of the floats at midnight and the next day is the first day of Lent, called “Clean Monday” or in Greek, “Kathara Defthera.” Clean Monday is the day that we clean up after the carnival and we clean out our fridge for fasting. Eggs, meat, cheese and depending upon how rigorous you plan to fast, you may even put the oils away. The day is celebrated by going to the countryside to enjoy a meal and fly your kite. This year we were in a small mountain village in Northern Greece where the municipality offered bean soup “Fasolada”, halva, “Lagana” (which is a bread specially prepared for this day only and it is made for fasting), olives and of course wine and music; all for free! The day was perfectly sunny and a warm 75 degrees with a breeze strong enough to get the kites up high. Fasting will continue for the next 7 weeks until Easter Sunday.

Holy week is the 7 days before and including Easter Sunday. This is truly the best time of year to be in Greece no matter what you believe in. The locals will go to Church every day throughout this week as special liturgies are read each day. In the morning on Holy Thursday the parishioners are called to receive Holy Communion which represents the earthly presence of Christ as it did at the last supper. In the evening of Holy Thursday the Greek Orthodox Church will have the preparation for the “Epitafi,” which literally translates to funeral. That evening parishioners will prepare a symbolic coffin, lavishly adorned with flowers and have it available for viewing at the Church. It is the reliving of events leading up the crucifixion and burial of Christ.

Waking up for your first time on Good Friday is something you will never forget as long as you live. The church bells start ringing very early in the morning with a slow ominous “ding… ding, ding… ding.” This goes on throughout the day at specific intervals. In Greece when a person dies the Church rings the bell in the morning to notify the parishioners that there will be a burial that day. On Good Friday the bells ring throughout the day as a constant reminder and the quiet of the day will bring upon a sort of gloom in the air that is undeniable. In the afternoon the priest will take the body of Christ down from the crucifix, wrap it in a shroud and place it on the altar. Following the service called “the Lamentations at the Tomb,” the priest will carry the Epitaphios (which is a painted cloth likeness of Christ) and place it in the coffin as a symbol of the Tomb of Christ. The priest will then lead a procession out of the Church and into the village square. Each parishioner will hold a lit candle and chant as they walk around the square.

I can describe Good Friday in as much detail as possible but there is one aspect present that you can only understand if you are physically there to experience it. As you are walking with your lit candle in the procession or if you are just looking upon it from the sidelines, you will become overwhelmed with a feeling of unity. Looking over thousands of candles in the hands of men, women and children, people in the square, those on their balcony overlooking the square, shop owners standing on their doorsteps with a candle in hand, the chanting, the mourning… This is an entire community coming together in lamentation over the death of Jesus Christ. It is not the typical Sunday and dragging yourself out of bed to be a good Christian who goes to Church. This is people out in the street, rain or wind and holding a candle and being part of something. So many will have tears in their eyes, it is the mourning of the death of Christ and it is overwhelming. Then, when thinking about it even more you realize that it is not only this small community but the entire country has stopped everything completely to take to the streets and join a procession of mourners. Then you realize… it is not only in Greece but this is happening all over the world. You become part of something so very important, so vast that it has transcended more than 2000 years and has landed right in your hands as you hold a candle and begin to weep in awe of it all. It gives rise to so many other realizations and questions and once you have experienced this, life has changed somehow.

By now you and your family will have purchased your “lambadas.” These are the candles you will use on Holy Saturday to receive the Holy Fire. Lambadas are a huge business in Greece as everyone must have one and they are decorated lavishly. For the children they come with game packs, toys and in just about every theme you can imagine. You might also want to get a small lantern to bring the flame home with you, burning the doorframe slightly as you enter to keep evil out.

Holy Saturday is marked with the Greek Patriarch receiving the Holy Fire from Jerusalem. This is another amazing event and a true miracle that takes place every year. There is a church called the “Church of the Resurrection” located in the Old City of Jerusalem (also called the “Church of the Holy Sepulchre”). The Tomb of Christ is located here and at noon on Holy Saturday, several important Patriarchs enter the area known as the “Sepulchre” and pray. After their prayers a miraculous light emerges and two candles are lit from it. The area is packed with people and as soon as the first two candles are lit, other candles light spontaneously. At first the fire does not burn to the touch and many people will put their hands and faces into the flames without being burned. The flame is handed from person to person by candle and flown all over the world. Throughout the day the candle is passed from priest to priest, church to church and finally just before midnight the parishioners will go out into the courtyard of the Church and receive the flame for their lambadas. Moments later at precisely midnight, the church bells will ring frantically signifying the resurrection of Christ. The priest will loudly proclaim “Christos Anesti,” (Christ has risen)!! Fireworks and fire crackers can be heard everywhere; there is no sleep for the wicked this night!

The lamb has been slaughtered and we return home after midnight to eat a meal of soup made from the entrails of the animal, it is called Margaritsa and it is the first meat consumed in more than 40 days. In the morning after the Easter service we set to work in preparation for the feast. Easter is called “Pascha” in Greek and it refers to “The Feast of Feasts.” People gather together to celebrate and roast a lamb on an spit over an open flame. Easter eggs have been dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ and will be present on every Easter table. There will be home made wine flowing, music playing and a lighthearted feeling throughout the countryside. In some areas of Greece rows of lambs are roasted in the village square, in other areas the town shouts “Judas!” Mykonos is one of the biggest destinations for celebrating Easter and every year the island is packed to full capacity for a few days. No matter where you celebrate Easter in Greece, it is sure to be an experience you will never forget.