Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What You Need to Know Before Your Greece Vacation

Greece is a premier vacation spot. More and more people are choosing to spend they few days away from work with a Greece vacation. Let’s know more about Greece history, life and culture.

Greece consists of a mountainous peninsula mainland jutting out into the sea at the southern end of the Balkans, the Peloponnesus peninsula far from the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth, and numerous islands (1400, 227 of which are inhabited).  Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands. 

The range continues through the western Peloponnese, crosses the islands of Kythera and Antikythera and find its way into southwestern Aegean, in the island of Crete where it eventually ends. The islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once constituted an extension of the mainland.

Pindus is characterized by its high, steep peaks, often dissected by numerous canyons and a variety of other karstic landscapes. Most notably, the impressive Meteora formation consisting of high, steep boulders provides a breathtaking experience for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the area each year.

In the early days of the summer of 2007 Greeks awoke to find their country burning with forest fires. Within a week or two they had also erupted with unparalleled fury across wide areas of the Peloponnese, Evia and even as far north as Epiros. Satellite pictures showed a pall of billowing smoke drifting skyward, ash covered many neighbourhoods of Athens, thousands lost their homes and 66 hapless souls their lives.

The culture of Greece has evolved over thousand of years. Greek cuisine which is a part of the Mediterranean diet is an example of a healthy diet. There are variety of dishes like moussake, stifado, Greek salad, spanakopita and the world famous Souvlaki. 

Throughout Greece, small dishes such as meze, grilled octopus, small fish, feta cheese, dolmdes, olives and cheese are being enjoyed. Olive  oil is used in almost every dish.  Sweet dessert such as galaktoboureko and drinks like ouzo are also widely accepted and enjoyed even by non-Greeks. 

Greek cuisine is always different. They change and vary depending on the location and what island they are from. 

Greece is often called the birthplace of European civilization. Greece offers a heady mix of ancient archaeological sites. Greece offers a heady mix of ancient archaeological, chic design hotels, rustic lanterns, rustic tavernas and other family oriented sea side resorts. 

Ancient Greece reached its zenith in the fifth century BC when Athens became the cultural and artistic centre of the Mediterranean, producing magnificent works of architecture, sculpture, drama and literature.

There is no denying that the historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world - in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. In fact, many travellers come here specifically to explore Greece's ancient wonders, from Athens' Parthenon and Delphi's Temple of Apollo, to the ruins of the Minóan city of Knossós on Crete. 

Scattered throughout the calm blue waters of the Aegean and the Ionian are Greece's 1,400 islands - each with its own special story. The serenity of islands like Kefalonia and Amorgos contrasts with the hedonistic party islands such as Mykonos and Páros. Those interested in architecture should visit the medieval fortified towns of Rhodes and Corfu (both UNESCO World Heritage sites), and the whitewashed cubic houses of Thira and Oia on Santorini, typical of the Cyclades.

Greece is an ideal place. It may even be a dream place. To make your Greece vacation a worthy and educational experience, then it pays to know something about where you are going. 

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What to do on Your Greece Vacation

When you think that you have already got your fill of the fantastic and beautiful sights in Greece, there are a lot of things that you can do.  Throughout the country, there are various sites to visit, beaches to swim, shops and museum to go to.  A Greece vacation is what you need whether you’re a sport bum or a museum enthusiast.

There are a lot of things to do while you are in Greece.  There are some historic sites to visit in Athens.  Athens have some of the most famous sights in Greece like Acropolis, National Archaeological Museum and the Benaki Musem.  You can also visit the Kallimarmaron stadium where the ancient Panathenaic Games were  held.

During summer, the beaches of Greece are on the top of the list.  Beaches in Crete, Santorini and Mykonos offer the best beaches during summer season.  The nightlife and beches in Greece are one of the top places in Europe.

Aside from swimming and soaking during summer, there is also the Hellenic Festival which is among the most popular and most significant events in Greece.  It celebrates the performance arts , theatre, musical and dance.  Here, you get to experience the recreation of Greek tradegy in the heart of Athens.

Greek wine is steadily gaining popularity.  On the island of Santorini, the volcanic-rich soil makes some of the unique tasting wines.  On Crete, wine production can be traced back in history to the Minoans.  There are tours conducted in wineries, these tours enable you to experience the mountains and beaches of Crete.

Aside from wine tours, Greek cuisine is something that tourists should not miss. There are restaurants and tavernas located in magnificent places.  They offer traditional Greek food and the famous ouzo.

Greece has eleven wetland areas that are of international importance.  Aside from this, there are also 190 important areas for birds.  Several top places for birdwatch are the Nestos Deltas and Prespa Lakes.  Some of the birds that can be encountered are eagles, storks, pelicans and herons.  There are turtle doves, peregrine falcons, magpies, red-rumped swallows that can also be seen.

Most people don’t think that it’s possible to ski in Greece, but it is possible!   The season for skiing starts in December and ends in April.  There are 14 ski areas of which Parnassos is the largest and most popular.

There are many options for tours in Greece.  There are outdoor tours that can be arranged.  Greece is a country with dramatic landscapes feturing soaring mountains and gorges.  There can be bike tours on the island of Crete, rock climbing in Meteora or jeep tour in some of the unknown but magnificent gorges.

If you are not of the outdoorsy type, there is another tour that can be taken advantage of when you are in Greece.  Taking a helicopter tour in Athens wull take you to a breathtaking view of the different landscapes. 

Taking part in sport events in Greece create special feeling since you are playing in a place where Olympics started.  There are marathons where you can participate.  Or at least, try to run the route where Olympic athletes ran the last time they were in town.

Don’t forget to do a good deed, even if you are in a vacation.  There are a lot of volunteer causes that you can get involved wit, like environmental organization.  For the young and funky spirits, there is a Rockwave Festival of music.  Here, for three days, audiences can listen to heavy metal, rock and roll or good old fashioned dance music. 

By balancing your time between educational and free-spirited activities that you can join, surely your Greece vacation would take a lifetime before you forget it.

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