Tropical and gorgeous sandy beaches in Greece...

Sandy international career Lalaria located in Skiathos and the natural setting has taken part in Hollywood productions such as Mamma Mia.



.Emerges among the rocks, creating a small channel for lovers, or otherwise the famous beach of Canal d 'Amour, on the north side of Corfu.



The Kavourotripes situated at Halkidiki Peninsula and small beaches with ... τροπικά νερά! tropical waters!



The Wreck of the island is the star of the Ionian Islands and is posing in Greek and international covers of guidebooks.



 As if you walk on another planet, not earth Sarakiniko. Beach on the north side of the island facing the island of Sifnos and Kimolos.



Beach postcard registered trademark of Kefalonia, with constant Myrtou award-winning beach.



Επόμενη στάση Μπάλος! Next stop Balos! Warm sea with crystal waters and stunning color in the sand. … It is considered the most impressive part of Chania with Elafonisi ...


 ... Is the famous island of Crete with white sand that will amaze with its exotic beauty!



 Perfect semicircular shape and turquoise waters, just like the beaches of your dreams!  Voidokilia is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in West Messinia and the whole of Greece.



 The Miss Mediterranean beach is the drink Kid Lefkada. Sand and blue water is a must in the Greek summer.



 Certainly there are many more beaches that are worth mentioning as other than the view is breathtaking, at 387 beaches will fly this year and "Blue Flag".  This means that Greece is still ranks second among 41 countries, with Spain this year to keep the lead with the best beaches in the world!

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The island of Zakinthos(Zante)

 Zante Vacation - Zakynthos Island Greece

Zakynthos is one of the Greek Ionian Islands located off the west coast of the Peloponnese. The island is one of the greenest and most beautiful in the archipelago and boasts some superb sandy beaches. It's the beaches of Zakynthos that make the island a magnet for the package holiday hordes that migrate here between Easter and October. The busiest seaside resorts rival those of Corfu in terms of their frantic nightlife and all-action beach scene. But if you venture further afield than the main resort areas you'll find some lovely secluded coves, dramatic mountain scenery and unspoilt inland villages.

Tour groups fly directly to the island's international airport, six kilometres south west of the capital Zakynthos Town. There's at least one daily flight to and from Athens and regular bus services connect the island capital with the mainland port of Patras (3.5 hours) continuing on to Athens (another seven hours).

If you're an independent traveller planning to visit in high season be warned that most of the hotels, especially those in the south coast resort areas, are block booked well in advance by the tour operators.

The island's mega resort is Laganas on the south coast where 14 kilometres of golden sand gently shelves into shallow water. The main beachfront is chock-a-block with bars, restaurants, hotels and apartment blocks and you'll find all manner of watersports and leisure facilities including ballooning and glass-bottomed boat rides. If you're after 24-hour partying, Brit bars, curries and quiz nights then this is the place for you.

You may even find yourself swimming alongside the beautiful loggerhead sea turtles which use the soft sand of the south coast beaches as their nesting grounds. Sadly the turtles, which have been migrating to these shores from Africa for thousands of years, are now one of Europe 's most endangered species primarily because of the ravages of mass tourism. Environmentalists are increasingly finding themselves at loggerheads with the tourist industry which has fiercely resisted various controls designed to protect the turtles.

The tourists themselves will ultimately have to take responsibility for the demise or survival of these delightful creatures. Rules such as the ban on visiting designated areas from dusk till dawn during the breeding season should be strictly observed.

A favourite island excursion is a boat ride to the Blue Caves in the north where the sea is so clear and such an exquisite colour that your skin appears blue when you swim in it. The famous Shipwreck Beach, at the north western tip of the island, is also on most excursion boat schedules. It's a superb beach, named after the skeleton of the cargo ship which ran aground here in the 1960s, and despite the hordes of day trippers who arrive here daily in the summer months it's mercifully free of tourist trappings.

If you hire a car or sturdy motorbike you'll be able to explore the island's pretty inland villages and impressive western coastline with its dramatic cliffs and breathtaking sunsets.

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The island Mykonos...

Mykonos is part of a cluster of islands including Delos, Rhenia and some rocky islets. Mykonos, already inhabited since the 5th millennium B.C. (prehistoric settlement of Ftelia), has shared with them a long and copious history with them. Its intense tourist and cosmopolitan activity, which has continiously kept Mykonos in the foreground, inevitably reminds us of the cosmopolitan ancient Delos during the period of its commercial peak (Hellenistic-roman period). Since the fifties, Mykonos has always been one of the most popular tourist islands of the Mediterranean. Chora, as the town of Mykonos is commonly known, impresses and casts its spell on the visitor from the first moment, with its beautiful position, scale and architecture. Despite the great tourist development of the island, it manages to maintain its cycladic features and traditional look, like few other towns. Its cube-shaped, all white houses glow in the sunlight, scattered wisely and orderly in the countless labyrinthine alleys and streets with whitewashed cobbled pavements. A little further, on a low hill, the windmills, having stood for centuries, compose a picture of unparalleled beauty in combination with red domes and bell towers of the countless churches. In the harbour, a small colorful flotilla of caiques and fishing boats completes this unique picture with its vivid colors. All in all, maintaining the form of the traditional architecture of the Cyclades on the modern buildings ensures a unique feeling of harmony to the town and interior of Mykonos. Nothing can be compared, though, to the emotion inspired by the enthralling space of ancient Delos. A real town with its streets and markets, public buildings and temples, luxurious houses and shops, cisterns, columns, mosaics… Bathed in perennial sunlight sent by the god Apollo, they are all spread between the hill of Mt. Kynthos and the port with its crystal clear waters, giving the visitor the impression that they stopped functioning only yesterday. The fame of the island and the large number of visitors, among whom one can recognize some of the most famous personalities all over the world, have resulted in the commercial activity that has made the market of Mykonos so famous. So, in the streets of Mykonos, most important of which is Matoyianni, one can buy clothes, jewellery and works of art designed by the most celebrated designers and artists. One wouldn’t exaggerate if one said that, quite often, this is where the trends in fashion and style to prevail worldwide are decided. One can enjoy one coffee, or ouzo with titbit and the traditional tastes at the cafes. Bars and restaurants scattered all around, and observe at the same time, a colorful crowd wandering in the narrow streets of the town. Chora is also the starting point if you want to discover the rest of the beauties of the island, its picturesque interior and spotless beaches, using a regular bus service or other means of transport.

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Ancient Greeks: Athens

The Parthenon today. The temple stands on top of the Acropolis hill in Athens

Why Athens was great

Athens was the largest city in Greece, and controlled a region called Attica. Between the many mountains were fertile valleys, with many farms. Athens became rich because Attica also had valuable sources of silver, lead and marble. Athens also had the biggest navy in Greece.
Athens was a beautiful and busy city. People came to the city from all over Greece, and from other countries, to study and to trade. The city's most famous building was the temple called the Parthenon. It stood on a rocky hill called the Acropolis. Inside the Parthenon stood a statue of the city's protector-goddess Athena.

democracy" or "'rule by the people". Not everyone had a vote though. Only a male citizen had a say in how the city was run. There were about 30,000 citizens. The ruling Council had 500 members, all men, and chosen for a year at a time. Women could not be citizens, nor could slaves or foreigners. The citizens met to vote on new laws put forward by the Council. Usually around 5,000 citizens met, every 10 days or so on a hill called the Pnyx. In Athens, you can still see the stones of this historic meeting place.

Guilty or not guilty?

Athens had law courts with trial by jury. Juries were larger than the ones we have today - 500 citizens normally, but sometimes more. There were no lawyers, so people spoke in their own defence. After listening to the evidence, jurors voted by placing metal discs into one of two jars - one for guilty, one for not guilty. Punishments included the death penalty. Speeches were timed by a water-clock, as shown in the pictures.
Citizens also voted to get rid of politicians they did not like. They wrote the name of the person they hated on a piece of broken pottery, called an ostrakon. Any politician who got more than 600 votes was banished from the city of 10 years.

Men lead a young cow to sacrifice during the festival in Athens. This scene comes from the frieze around the top of the Parthenon temple.

Slaves

Of the 250,000 to 300,000 people in Athens (at its biggest), between a quarter and a third of them were slaves. Some slaves were captured in wars. Others were born slaves. Some people were forced into slavery when they could not afford to pay money they owed. Some slaves were owned by the state, like slave-archers from Scythia, who were used as "police" by the Athens government.
A few slaves had special skills, such as nurses, teachers, or pottery painters. Most slaves did the hardest and most unpleasant jobs. A lucky slave might save enough money to buy his freedom.

Life in Athens

Athens had yearly festivals for athletics, drama and religious occasions. The city taxes paid some of the cost, but rich citizens had to pay extra. Important people in Athens were the strategoi, who were ten generals chosen from each of the ten "tribes" of citizens. There were also nine archons. Their jobs were mostly ceremonial, to do with festivals and family matters. One of the archons had to organize the Dionysia Festival, for the god Dionysos, every year. It was a time for fun, wine-drinking, parties and plays.
Every man aged 20 to 50 or more could be "called up" for military service. A rich man might have to serve as captain of a warship for a year. He paid the crew and made repairs.

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The island Rhodes

Rhodes (Rhodos or Rodos in Greek), lies between Crete and the near East in the Aegean ocean. Rhodes is the biggest of the Dodecanese islands. Named the sun island or island of light there are hardly any days when the sun doesn't shine. With its subtropical climate and over 3.000 hours of sun per year you can be guaranteed a good tan on your holiday. Rhodes is one of the most popular holiday islands in Greece - even Greeks themselves come to Rhodes for a holiday from the mainland.

Rhodes today offers the visitor a plethora of all year round leisure alternatives, covering all types of tourist activity. The natural beauty of the island, the monuments from her long and often turbulent history, a rodosmopolitan character, as well as the warm hospitality generously offered by the people of Rhodes, and an excellent tourist infrastructure boasting the most modern hotels, all captivate the visitor.

The modern city of Rhodes is one of the biggest municipalities in the Greek islands, with about sixty thousand permanent residents. It is the financial and cultural centre of the southeastern Aegean, and successfully combines a lively present with a rich historical past. There are many reasons why Rhodes is one of the most popular resorts in the Mediterranean: the natural surroundings (crystal clear seas, many parks and recreational facilities), the bright sun and the warm hospitality of the islanders themselves.

The city has an excellent tourist infrastructure and offers a wide variety of entertainment (night-life, sports, cultural events, and day trips to wonderful Lindos and the neighboring islands like Kos, Patmos, Karpathos, Kalymnos and Leros). Finally, visitors have the opportunity to learn something of the eventful history of the city, visit the museums or go sightseeing.

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Chalkidiki....

Halkidiki is a peninsula, southeast of the city of Thessaloniki (Greece's second largest city). With its characteristic three peninsulas (Kassandra, Sithonia, Athos), it resembles a trident piercing the Aegean. Sunny, golden sandy beaches, deep and picturesque gulfs, traditional villages and modern tourist resorts, small islands and sheltered bays, pine-clad hills descending to the sea, Mediterranean climate and magnificent natural beauty compose the picture of today's Halkidiki. The capital of Halkidiki is Poligiros, located in the center of Halkidiki (69 km from Thessaloniki). Transportation is made mainly by car or by bus and the closest airport is "Airport Macedonia", near the city of Thessaloniki. History Inhabited approximately 700,000 years ago, as revealed by the foundings from the prehistoric area of Petralona. Neolithic villages and villages from the Copper Period were located in the west and central Halkidiki, many cities flourished, among which "Olynthos" was the most popular one (archaeological sites of Olynthos, Potidea, Stagira, Toroni). In 384 BC Aristotle, the great philosopher and Alexander the Great's teacher, was born in Stagira. Halkidiki took its name from city of Chalkis, located in Euboa, that colonized it in the 8th and 7th century BC. Kassandra took its name from Kassandros (King of Macedonia) , Sithonia from Sithon, a son of God Poseidon and Athos was named after a giant called Athos. In the 9th century the first monastic communities were established in Athos. Today, the monastic state of Athos (also called "Holly Mountain"), is a shelter of Byzantine monasteries, caves, monks, prayers, a "mountain-church" for the thousand-years Christian Orthodox religion. No matter where you go, Halkidiki cannot fail to please you. Throughout, an effort has been made to develop tourist facilities that are in keeping with the natural surroundings. Most of the hotels and private homes in the area are built in the traditional Macedonian style, designed to enhance rather then detract from the environment. In planning for tourism, the people of Halkidiki have tried to make their resorts as appealing and as ecologically sound as possible.

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Minoan period - Antique Greece

Crete and the so-called "Minoan period" are the starting point for the area from which they were derived (although quite different in content) polis, or city of citizens. This form,which  first created urban settlement of big format, should be put in touch with the other also a new phenomenon, namely a form of political power that was in the hands of just one man, Minoja despot, at once historical and mythical character who ruled Crete.
Both of these phenomena took the island from one civilization to another, from a civilization villages and marketplaces in the civilization of the palaces, symbol of the political, religious and economic power.This period, whose development phase flow with almost no transition can be interpreted only by influence of Egypt and Babylon dynastys.Teritorial expansion of Egypt on Asia and Babylon breakthrough in the Mediterranean area of Crete have enabled the sailors, merchants and travelers, not just to learn new techniques, but primarily to expand their use to the Cretan civilization as a whole.In Egypt, 2000. years before Christ already existed real palaces, the art of jewelry making, painting and the letter system.We can't precisly speak of a direct connection between Egypt and Crete, but the Phoenicians who have passed here have provided ample opportunity for contacts that were closer to the civilization of Crete need of improvement . It is most likely civilization was born in the east of Crete in middle minoan period. The palace in Malia was probably the first who ruled over the hitherto independent towns in the east and Malia made a kind of provincial capital. It appears that the Festus and Knossos, located in the center and south of the island, developed only later. At the beginning of the second millennium BC in these cities was a strong central government. Minoj ruler who relied on a strong bureaucratic apparatus has held important administrative function and had control over the metalworking and transport. The expression of that power was the construction of large palace, around which were formed urban settlements.

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The island Naxos

 

 

 

 

Naxos: “Big Sweet has this island, virtuous are the faces of people, piles are shaped by melons, peaches, figs and the sea is calm. I looked at the people - never this people have been frightened by earthquakes or by Turks, and their eyes did not burn out.
Here freedom had extinguished the need for freedom, and life spread out as happy sleeping water. And if sometimes was discomposed, never rose tempest. Safety was the first gift of island that I felt as walking around Naxos." (N. Kazantzaki - "A Report to El.Greko").




Naxos: In the heart of Cyclades, in the heart of Aegean, Naxos has, always, followed the destiny of adventure of residents of Aegean. This destiny is interwoven with travel, exchanges, new techniques and pioneering ideas, but also with wars and conflicts over the hegemony of sea.

Everything is big - imposing -, compared with the rest of Cyclades islands. The extent of the island is 435 sq. km and the length of coasts 91 km.
The form is an ellipsoid and with a mountainous volume from North to South across the island.
In the backbone of this ridge dominate Za Mountain (1004 m.) and Fanari (908 m.) the highest in Cyclades.

The landscape of the island has many rotations. Plains succeed barren areas, marble mountains lead in deep shadowed glens, areas with vegetation host all white villages and sandy beaches meet the sea.
The coastline of the island is almost straight and not forming large natural harbours, which affected the occupations of residents from the ancient years. In the island from end to end beautiful and clean coasts are situated next to small solitary coves. The ground of island is blessed and provides self-sufficiency to life of this place.

The rich aquifer of Naxos offers drinking water to wells and streams of the island. The fertile land produces citrus fruits, olives, fruits, vegetables, potatoes Naxos specials and amazing wine.
Livestock-farming and the apiculture are particularly developed and offer exceptional quality meats, milk, cheeses and thyme honey.

From geological aspect the subsoil presents great interest because of the presence of emery, of marble and granite that are exploitable products. The rocks constitute solidly foundations of Naxos and make the island stable against earthquake.

In this imposing and big island of Cyclades, where mountainous volumes dominate, with the highest altitudes in the Aegean, - with the highest peak of Cyclades, the top of Za (1004 m.) - immediately gives a sense of security and "stable", in this turbulent marine state of Cyclades.

Naxos itself is a whole universe.

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