ADDITIONAL DESTINATION INFORMATION

Capital of Greece

Athens is the capital of Greece. It was also at the heart of Ancient Greece, a powerful civilization and empire.

 

The city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with ancient buildings like the colonnaded Parthenon temple. The Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry and more from Ancient Greece.

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​Paul was invited to speak to the Areopagus (the Athenian council) which met on Mars Hill, only a short distance from the foot of the Acropolis, dominated by the Parthenon – built as a temple to Athena in the 5th century BC.

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Athens is also a contemporary city, and it’s not uncommon for the nightlife hubs of Kolonaki, Psiri and Gazi to stay busy until dawn. Some areas of the city are pedestrian-only, such as the winding lanes of the Plaka neighborhood, lined with cafes, traditional tavernas and neoclassical houses.

 

Near Syntagma Square, whose Old Royal Palace houses Greece's parliament, is the Ermou shopping boulevard. Here, fashion boutiques mix with stores selling silver and handmade art. The Grand Promenade walkway, created for the 2004 Olympics, circles the Acropolis, passing fabled remains such as the crumbling Ancient Agora of Athens complex.

Cousteau looked for the lost city of Atlantis here!  

Crescent-shaped Santorini (or Thíra), the precious gem of the Aegean Sea, is actually a group of islands consisting of Thíra, Thirassiá, Asproníssi, Palea and Nea Kaméni in the southernmost part of Cyclades.

 It was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC, forever shaping its rugged landscape. The whitewashed, cubiform houses of its 2 principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera (crater). They overlook the sea, small islands to the west and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.
Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement preserved under ash from the eruption, provides a frozen-in-time glimpse into Minoan life. The ruins of Ancient Thera lie on a dramatic bluff that drops to the sea on 3 sides. Fira, the island's commercial heart, has the Archaeological Museum of Thera and boutique shops. It also has a lively bar scene and tavernas serving local grilled seafood and dry white wine, made from the Assyrtiko grape. Oia is famous for sunsets over its old fortress.

Did you know that the whole complex of Santorini islands is still an active volcano (the same as Méthana, Mílos and Nísiros) and probably the only volcano in the world whose crater is in the sea? 

Mykonos is an island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea.

 

It's popularly known for its summer party atmosphere. Beaches such as Paradise and Super Paradise have bars that blare thumping music. Massive dance clubs attract world-renowned DJs and typically stay open well past dawn. Iconic landmarks include a row of 16th-century windmills, which siton a hill above Mykonos town.

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Chora, the local name for Mykonos town, is located in a sheltered bay on the west coast. Here, narrow, mazelike lanes are lined with white cubiform houses trimmed with bougainvillea and blue doors and shutters. Matoyianni Street is the heart of the retail scene, with chic, high-end shops, cafes and art galleries. The town's Little Venice quarter is filled with waterfront bars, seafood restaurants and houses with colorful balconies. Nearby, Panagia Paraportiani is a whitewashed church with a famously lumpy, lopsided shape.

Oia is a coastal town on the northwestern tip of Santorini, a Greek Aegean island. The town has whitewashed houses carved into the rugged clifftops, and overlooks a vast caldera filled with water. In a 19th-century mansion, the Naval Maritime Museum has exhibits on local seafaring history, including old figureheads, sailors’ chests and models of old ships. Nearby is the ruined Oia Castle, known for its sunset views.

Although a tourist spot, Oia remains an exceptionally artistic, hardly touched site; it is the part of the island least affected by tourism. 

Quiet yet cosmopolitan, Oia is chosen by those who seek serenity, calmness and luxury in their holidays, as well as luxurious restaurants, exquisite galleries and a wide range of shops. 

Monastery in Greece

6 Eastern Orthodox monasteries listed as a World Heritage site, built on top of rock pillars.

 

The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area.

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Definitely the biggest and one of the most impressive monasteries in Meteora is the Holy Monastery of Transfiguration of Jesus, best known as Great Meteoron.

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Between the 14th and 16th centuries, Greek monks built 20 monasteries atop the rocks. Access was arduous — to transport themselves and their goods up the cliffs, they used long ladders tied together and baskets attached to ropes.

Thessaloniki (520 km. north of Athens) is the second largest city of Greece and the most important center of the area. Built near the sea (at the back of the Thermaïkos Gulf), it is a modern metropolis bearing the marks of its stormy history and its cosmopolitan character, which give it a special beauty and charm.

Evidence of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history remains, especially around Ano Poli, the upper town. The ruins of Roman Emperor Galerius’ 4th-century palace include the Rotunda that has been both a church and a mosque. Much of the city center was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917. The rebuilt 20th-century city has a modern European layout.

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When Paul arrived in Thessaloniki, he came across a city like no other, large, multiracial, seat of the governor of the Macedonian province, a city that enjoyed special privileges given by the Romans.

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 On the waterfront, the iconic Ottoman White Tower has a museum on the city’s history. Nearby Aristotelous Square is the hub of city life. Tsimiski and Proxenou Koromila are shopping streets with chic cafes and boutiques. The city also has 2 universities, 2 symphony orchestras, a flourishing arts community and a renowned nightlife scene.

Archaeological site of Olympia

Olympia is a small town on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, famous for the nearby archaeological site of the same name, which was a major Panhellenic religious sanctuary of ancient Greece, where the ancient Olympic Gameswere held. The site was primarily dedicated to Zeus and drew visitors from all over the Greek world as one of a group of such "Panhellenic" centres which helped to build the identity of the ancient Greeks as a nation. Despite the name, it is nowhere near Mount Olympus in northern Greece, where the Twelve Olympians, the major deities of Ancient Greek religion, were believed to live.

The Olympic Games were held every four years throughout Classical antiquity, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD.[2]

The archaeological site held over 70 significant buildings, and ruins of many of these survive, although the main Temple of Zeus survives only as stones on the ground. The site is a major tourist attraction, and has two museums, one devoted to the ancient and modern games.

Crete, Greece's largest island, is known for its varied terrain, which ranges from fine-sand beaches at Elafonisi to the White Mountains. Mt. Ida, the tallest of the range, is home to the Ideon Cave, which was the birthplace of Zeus, according to Greek mythology.

 

The capital, Heraklion, is home to the renowned Heraklion Archaeological Museum, housing Minoan artifacts, and Knossos, a Bronze Age settlement.

Knossos was legendary for its mythical Minotaur, with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Crete was the center of the mercantile Minoan Civilization, until about 1500 BC. Other historical landmarks around the island include Venetian fortresses (such as Firkas in Chania) and 18th-century Ottoman minarets. The dry natural landscape is covered in wildflowers in spring, a habitat for rare birds such as golden eagles. A huge palm forest grows on the beach of Vai. The Samariá Gorge, a deep rift about 16km long, is a hiking destination. The local cuisine is based on seafood, fragrant herbs, olive oil and fruit.

Island in the Aegean Sea

Patmos, an Aegean island in the north of Greece’s Dodecanese island group, is a significant Christian pilgrimage site. Its Cave of the Apocalypse is where John of Patmos (St. John the Theologian) is said to have written the Book of Revelations. A fortresslike, 11th-century monastery dedicated to the saint overlooks the whitewashed houses of the hilltop capital, Hora (also known as Chora).

Inside the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, carvings and murals depict scenes from the Apocalypse, and a treasury and library contain relics and manuscripts. Island-hopping ferries and cruise ships dock at Skála, which has boutiques and a lively nightlife scene. At the popular northern beach of Kámpos, you can rent water-sports equipment. There’s a sheltered beach at the eastern village of Grikos, and northern Lámpi is covered with colored pebbles. Accessible by boat or a remote track, southwestern Psili Ammos beach is ringed by rugged rock formations.

City in Greece

Corinth is an ancient city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality of Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is the capital of Corinthia. It was founded as Nea Korinthos or New Corinth in 1858 after an earthquake destroyed the existing settlement of Corinth, which had developed in and around the site of ancient Corinth.

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for most modern ships. Nowadays it has little economic importance and is mainly a tourist attraction.

Town in Greece

Ancient Greek archaeological site with a stadium, votive sites & temples, including one to Apollo.

Delphi, formerly also called Pytho, is famous as the ancient sanctuary that grew rich as the seat of Pythia, the oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world.

The ancient Greeks considered the centre of the world to be in Delphi, marked by the stone monument known as the omphalos (navel).

It occupies an impressive site on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus, overlooking the coastal plain to the south and the valley of Phocis. It is now an extensive archaeological site with a small modern town of the same name nearby. It is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in having had a phenomenal influence in the ancient world, as evidenced by the rich monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity.

Philippi was an important city in eastern Macedonwhich flourished in the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Periods. Situated between the Strymon and Nestos rivers, the city was valued in antiquity for its nearby gold mines. Site of the famous Battleof Philippi at the end of the Roman Republic, the city prospered in the Roman imperial era and, after a visit from St. Paul, became an important centre of early Christianity. 

Today the archaeological site has substantial remains including a theatre and four basilicas. Philippi is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The first Christian church in Europe was founded at Philippi (built on top of a tomb of a Hellenistic hero) which had become an important early Christian centre following a visit to the city by Paul the Apostle in 49 CE. Lydia was notable as the first European to be baptized there. 

​One may wonder about the ruins of so many churches in a small space. This is due to the fact that each of the temples of the former many gods had to be overbuilt by a church according to the Christian understanding.

Kavala is one of the most attractive of Greece's largest cities, rising like an amphitheatre from the beautiful harbor up to a huge Byzantine fortress.

Built on the ancient city of Neopolis, the city's population doubled in 1922 when the Greeks from Asia minor made their way here during the exchange of populations. The spacious squares, contemporary buildings, and shopping centres on the west side of the city form a pleasant contrast to the traditional old houses, tiny gardens and flagged alleyways of the eastern side.The harbour is particularly picturesque with its countless brightly coloured fishing caciques moored along the waterfront. The walk up to Profitis Ilias to admire the panoramic view over the city takes you through the fascinating old district. 

The most important sights in Panayia district are the Castle, the Acropolis, the Imaret and the old Lighthouse at the end of Theodorou Pavlidou str, beneath which the rocks of Panayia are situated. The landmark of the Old City is the Mohamed Ali square, dominated by its statue, situated between the “konaki” (his house built at the end of the 18th century) and the church of Panayia, built in 1965 on the ruins of an older post-Byzantine three-aisled basilica. 

Thermopylae ("hot gates") is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs.

The Hot Gates is "the place of hot springs" and in Greek mythology it is the cavernous entrances to Hades".

Thermopylae is world-famous for the battle that took place there between the Greek forces (notably the Spartans) and the invading Persian forces, commemorated by Simonides in the famous epitaph, "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, That here obedient to their laws we lie." Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly. This passage from north to south along the east coast of the Balkan peninsula requires use of the pass and for this reason Thermopylae has been the site of several battles.

Kuşadası is a beach resort town on Turkey’s western Aegean coast and a jumping-off point for visiting the classical ruins at nearby Ephesus (or Efes),  

The ancient city Ephesus is located in Selcuk, a small town 30km away from Kusadasi.   

 

The ancient Greek city of Ephesus is in the UNESCO World Heritage List and was famous for its Temple of Artemis (near present-day Selçuk), which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

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Ephesus also attracted Christian settlers (Greeks and Jews), including St. Paul who lived in Ephesus for three years (in the AD 50s) There is a tradition that St. John settled here with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and also wrote his gospel here.

When Paul came to Ephesus, first in the synagogues and then everywhere in the city, he preached the gospel and gained followers. The church of Ephesus which became the head of the Seven Churches in western Asia Minor was established by Paul.  It was in Ephesus that Paul wrote his First Letter to the Corinthians.

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Also, according to legend, Ephesus was founded by the tribe of the Amazons, great female warriors.

Kalambaka, the town that guards the approach to the Meteora, was burned to the ground by the Nazis in WWII, and is now almost entirely of recent construction.

The most fascinating characteristic of the town is the spectacular setting of the precipitous Meteora rocks that border the northern part of the skyline.

It also holds a magnificent old Byzantine church, plus a couple of enjoyable museums – one devoted to old schoolbooks and another to mushrooms – and hosts a bustling market every Friday.

Kalambaka is known all over Greece and the world because of the famous monasteries that exist on the top of the rocks of the Meteora that are at the north-eastern side of it. Every year, millions of visitors come from all over the world in order to admire and honour them.