Greece

The country has traditional charm, particularly on its ever-popular islands. Black-clad women still deliver vegetables to island tavernas on panniered donkeys, while bronzed, lined fishermen sit in the sun, drink thick coffee, and play dominoes or dice. The tourist infrastructure has intruded in many respects, but the timeless aspect of whitewashed buildings clustered on hillsides around narrow pebbled alleys has been retained.

The myriad islands in the Aegean Sea are easily accessible from Piraeus, the historic harbour of Greece's mainland capital, Athens, by ferry or hydrofoil, offering a unique chance for 'island-hopping'. Many of the larger islands also have airports with connections to Athens or seasonally with major European cities.

On the mainland the city of Athens in the south is sprawling, overcrowded and polluted but nevertheless enthralls visitors, while Thessaloniki in the north is vibrant and modern with a Byzantine flavour. Athens is dominated by its major landmark, the Parthenon: the remains of other wonders of the ancient Greek classical world are to be found mainly on the Peloponnese Peninsula, south of Corinth, the gateway to a veritable treasure trove of history.
Greece and Greeks welcome with open arms the thousands of visitors that flock to admire their national assets every year - no-one leaves without having been warmed, both by the sun and the hospitality.

The Classical Period of Greece History (6th -4th centuries BC) was the Golden Age and the most famous world wide; during this period lived the greatest philosophers and mathematicians.

Then, the history of Greece is a succession of various invasions and dominations: the Macedonians formed a strong Empire, followed by the Romans and the Byzantine Empire which ended with the invasion of the Turks. The Ottoman rule lasted for 400 years and was a dark period for the inhabitants of the ex-Byzantine Empire. Wanting to finally win their freedom, people of the Greece territory started to organise themselves and various revolts exploded against the Turkish oppressor.

The Independence War started from the Peloponnese in 1821 and ended on March 1831, with the establishment of the new and independent Greek State. A monarchy was established a few years after that by the Great Powers. Then Greeks elected Eleutherios Venizelos as their Prime Minister; but only a few years after, he was assassinated. A civilian war followed as well as the terrible German and Italian occupation and the dictatorship of Metaxas (1967), which ended in 1974.
This very incomplete and summarized recapitulation of the Greek history gives a taste of its complexity and of the sufferings alienation of its population who often fought for its freedom.

Greece Food and Wine is famous for its good quality products and the amazing taste. Some dishes are the same everywhere in Greece and the Greek Islands, whereas some others are local culinary specialties or same dishes cooked in different manners (in islands, Crete, Thessaloniki, etc). Tzatziki, moussaka and saganaki are only a few of the well known greek specialities to enjoy with an ice cold ouzo or a glass of retsina!

Athens   Cephallonia   Corfu   Cos   Crete Chania   Crete Heraklion   Crete Hersonissos   Crete Rethymnon   Naxos   Paros   Rhodes   Thessaloniki