Greece seems to be a small country, but appearances are deceptive especially when it comes to travelling around in Greece. The landscape on the mainland is quite mountainous and ferries to the islands operate just within island groups, and sometimes just between certain islands within those groups. Therefore, to make the most of your the time you have, it is essential to choose one region or island group to explore. I have been living and traveling in Greece since 1987, and have visited every region on the mainland and around 45 islands--and still feel that I have so much more to discover! Thus, I can say with authority that there are so many amazing places to discover in each region that there is no need to traverse the country just because some travel blogger after visiting once or twice made a list of "must see and do's". What has always enchanted me about Greece in addition to the breathtaking beauty that you find just about everywhere in the country is the entire experience of Greek hospitality and way of life--amazingly friendly people who love their home and are so excited to share their local knowledge and colorful traditions, delicious food, long lunches, dinners and coffees in gorgeous spots. A great trip is about savoring the place and moment. It is not a race to check off as much as possible, just to become a blurry memory of an exhausting trip when you return. For travelers who do not mind driving and want to see a bit of everything--historic sites, seaside & mountain villages, Medieval fortresses, beaches, hiking trails, and all types of activities then one of the regions of mainland of Greece or one of the larger islands is the best place to start your first adventure. Here is a very summarized list of some possibilities: ON THE MAINLAND The Peloponnese: The island of Pelops, which was the heart of Ancient Greece and is full of bronze age, classical ancient Greek, Byzantine and medieval sites as well as lovely mountain & seaside villages, beaches, waterfalls, rivers, islands off the coast--just about everything! This is a large region and exploring all of the Peloponnese would take at least a month, so travelers need to choose which part to explore. The Rio-Antirio bridge which crosses the Corinthian Gulf means that it is easy to visit Ancient Delphi located across the gulf as well AND the ferries that take you to the Ionian islands of Kythira, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Corfu leave from ports on the Peloponnese, and the Saronic islands of Hydra, Poros and Spetses also connect with ports in the Argolid, as well as Elafonisos with its fantastic sandy beaches. The Peloponnese is close to Athens and has excellent roads and is great for visiting at all times of the year. Here are blog posts about one part of the Peloponnese very close to Athens called the Argolid: Nafplion , Epidaurus and Mycenae Also all six of the sample itineraries are in the Peloponnese: 10 Days in the Amazing Peloponnese, Fitness Retreat, Seaside cooking retreat, Olive Oil Roads, In the Steps of Heracles, Easter in Greece Central Greece: This part includes the area surrounding Athens all the way to Parnasos Mountain where Delphi and the Byzantine monastery of Hosios Loukas is located, as well as many other ancient and Byzantine sites, lovely mountain villages, ski resorts, seaside villages, beaches, rivers and the town of Nafpakto (Lepando in the Middle Ages). High season is in the winter because of the popular ski resorts, but anytime of the year is a great time to visit. The ferry to the island of Ithaka is in this region. Here is a blog post about this region Thessaly: To the north of Athens and this region includes the famous Meteora monasteries, located on top of tower like monoliths, Mt. Olympus, the absolutely gorgeous mountain villages and coast of Mt. Pelion (home of the mythic centaurs) and town of Volos, where one can eat delicious mezedes or tapas and take a ferry to the Sporades--the "Mama Mia" islands of Skiathos & Skopelos and Alonisos. Epirus: The northeastern part of Greece is not high on the tourist radar, but it is an amazingly beautiful part of Greece, characterized by the Pindus Mountain and traditional Zagori villages and the lush coast opposite the islands of Corfu and Paxos, which can be reached by ferry via Igoumenitsa. The capital of the region is Ioannina, located on the shores of Lake Pamvotida with remnants throughout the town from the Ottoman Empire. There are also important ancient sites such as Dodona and the Necromanteion of Acheron and lovely seaside towns of Parga, Syvota and Preveza, where there is a bridge to the island of Lefkada. Here is a blog post about Epirus Macedonia: The central northern part of Greece is crowned by the lovely Thessaloniki, which was the second city after Constantinople during the Byzantine Empire and is now the second city in modern Greece after Athens. Western Macedonia is lush with rivers. lakes and mountains--on the western border is Nymfaio--one of my favorite villages and named one of the ten most picturesque villages of Europe, according to UNESCO. It is a cobble stoned village without cars, but with stone guesthouses, delicious restaurants, fringed with forest and a wild bear refuge. Moving eastward, there is the lovely town of Kastoria with its grand lake, Florina and her waterfalls, Nemea with excellent wines, Vergina with the magnificent tomb of Philip of Macedon (Alexander's father), and the lovely towns of Veria, Kozani, Grevena and Litochoro on Mt. Olympus. Below Thesaloniki are the three peninsulas of Halkidiki--Cassandra, Sithonia (my favorite) and the third is Mt Athos (only for men who want to visit the monasteries). Halkidiki has amazing tree lined sandy beaches. To the east are the wine famous areas around Drama, the biblical Philippi, the lovely town of Kavala, which connects to the beautiful, foresty island of Thassos. Here is the Greek tourism site for more information about Macedonia. Thrace and the islands of Thassos and Samothrace: Thrace is the eastern most part of the Greek mainland that borders Turkey to the east and Bulgaria to the north. The towns in Thrace have a timeless Balkan feel--it is the meeting point of east vs west--Greece with a bit of Turkey. . On the border between Macedonia and Thraces lies the beautiful city and harbor of Kavala, crowned by the fortress built by the Byzantines and re-built by the Ottomans. The city is built amphitheatrically around its harbor and has Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman elements throughout the city. There are many lovely beaches, but one can also take a ferry from Kavala to visit the very lush island of Thassos. Moving eastward, we encounter Xanthi and Komotini, with their covered markets and minarets. And on the border with Turkey is Alexandroupoli, where one can reach the amazing, timeless and devoid of tourists island of Samothrace--a mountain rising from the Aegean Sea and a paradise for hikers with rivers and mountain pools and the Sanctuary of the Great Gods where the Kaviria Mysteries were held– an ancient religious event of great importance, equal to that of the Eleusinian Mysteries - that brought the island’s fame to the top during ancient times--and in modern times as the famous Nike or Winged Victory of Samothrace was found there and now displayed in the Louvre in Paris. ISLANDS Ferries only connect between islands in the same group and sometimes between islands located close together, but in different groups such as Amorgos (Cyclades) and Astypalaia (Dodecanese) or Ikaria (Northern Aegean) and Patmos (Dodecanese). Some of the larger and busier islands also have airports. Crete: Crete is the largest Greek island and is almost a country of its own! It would take about a month to completely explore--I have been 3 times and have visited the western and north eastern side, but there is still so much to see! It was home to the Minoans--an amazingly advanced ancient civilization that flourished from 3000-1100 BCE and visitors can see the remains of their cities across the island. It also has two tall mountains, gorges, amazing beaches--organized and easy to access on the north side and the much less touristy ones on the south side. There are small islands one can visit in the summer and the lovely cities of Chania, Réthimno and Iraklion each with Greek, Venetian and Ottoman elements that make each one utterly charming to visit in any season of the year (although they can get quite hot in the midst of summer). Crete is the southern most island and has two airports (Iraklion and Chania) and numerous ports, which connect with the Cyclades, Dosecanese and Kythira twice a week (and thus the Peloponnese if you have plenty of time!). Here is a blog post I have written about Crete. Evia (Euboia) is the second largest island and is very close to the eastern coast of mainland Greece--and there is even a bridge that connects it to the mainland. It is lush in the north, like the Sporades, and dry in the south, like the Cyclades. You would need at least 2 or 3 weeks to explore the whole island. I would say that for its size, it is one of the least visited of the Greek islands, even though it has gorgeous beaches, lush mountains, lovely villages and the city of Eretria was very important in Ancient Greece. Other than the bridge at Chalkida, there are numerous ferries one can take to arrive at various spots on the island and also one can visit the island of Skyros and other Sporades from Kymi on the west coast. The Ioanian Islands also called the Eptanissa (7 islands) are the group of islands off the western coast of Greece (between Greece and Italy), which consist of Corfu, Paxoi (Paxos and others close by), Lefkada (which also connects via bridge from Preveza in Epirus), Ithaki (Odysseus home Ithaca), Kefalonia (Capitan Corelli's mandolin), Zakinthos (with the shipwreck beach--perhaps the most photographed beach of Greece), and Kythira. These are very lovely, green islands with a distinct Italian feel--they were occupied by the Venetians for centuries. There are airports on Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Kythira and can be reached via ports in the Peloponnese and Epirus. The Saronic Islands are the islands closest to Athens and the Argolid peninsula, which make them easy to visit or even as day trips from Athens. The island of Aegina and Agistri are closest to Athens. Aegina is famous for its delicious pistachios and beautifully situated Temple of Aphea Athena, built around 500 BCE. The other islands of Hydra, Poros and Spetses are also easily reached from Athens as well as from the Argolid Peninsula and have many daily connects between them so that island hopping or day trips are very easy. Poros has the added advantage of being just 5 minutes from the coast with ferries crossing every hour. The Cyclades are the most well known group of islands. They are quite dry and have the iconic whitewashed houses and blue domed churches that many visitors have in mind when thinking of Greek islands. This is a large group of 22 islands, many of which are very close together, making it easy to island hop. However, the ferries have separate routes for the western and eastern islands. This is the group that includes the famous islands of Santorini and Mykonos, but there are many that are much less touristy. Here are some blog posts I´ve written about some of them: The Iconic Cyclades, The Western Cyclades, Tinos, the island of marble, The small Cyclades , My Cycladic Summer The Dodecanese(the 12 islands) are to the east of the Cyclades and include the famous island of Rhodes, Kos and Patmos. The other islands are Agathonisi and Leipsoi, which are small islands close to Patmos. Astypalaia is the Dodecanese island link to the Cycladic islands of Naxos, Amorgos and Donoussa, and connects with Kalymnos. Karpathos and Kasos are located between Crete and Rhodes and connect to both (from Sitia on the eastern shore of Crete). Leros, Halki, Nisyros, Symi and Tilos are smaller islands located around and between Rhodes and Kos with easy connections in between. Kastellorizo is the easternmost Greek island and connects via ferry with Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Tilos and Nisyros. Smaller islands in this group are Alimia, Arkoi, Farmakonisi, Gyali, Kinaros, Levitha, Marathos, Nimos, Pserimos, Saria, Strongyli and Syrna. The (Northern) Sporades --These are 24 islands, but only 4 are permanently inhabited, located along the east coast of Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea, in the Aegean Sea. Skiathos and Skopelos are the most well known and sometimes known as The "Mama Mia" islands, because the island of Kalokairi (which means summer in Greek) was actually Skopelos. These two islands are very lush, green islands with sandy beaches. I lived on Skiathos for over a year and in my opinion offers some of the best beaches, swimming, sailing and boating in all of Greece, because of the fact that it is protected from the winds by the peninsula of Mt. Pelion to the north. It also offers the natural shade from trees on its sandy beaches. The islands of Alonissos and Skyros are less visited, but gorgeous as well, however slightly drier. Skiathos has an airport and the four islands connect via ferry from Kymi in Evia, Agios Constantinos & Volos in Thessaly, and Thessaloniki in Macedonia. The Northern Aegean Islands are the group that I would say are the most unspoilt by tourism. They include Samos, Ikaria, Chios, Lesbos, and Lemnos, which have substantial permanent populations and airports--and the lesser known, Agios Efstratios, Psara, Fournoi and Oinousses. I have been to Samos, Ikaria, Chios and Lesbos and have been enchanted by all of them. They each are charming in their own unique way and large enough to have plenty to do for a week or two. I have had some of the most delicious food on these islands and lovely accommodation well within even the tightest of budgets. All are lovely destinations, made easy to visit because they have airports and connect easily between each other via ferry. One can also day trip to Ephesus from Samos. Region and time of year Greece has 4 distinct seasons and some destinations are better in certain seasons. In general, the mainland and larger islands are nice to visit during the whole year, but at the height of summer, cities can be quite hot and archaeological sites are best left until the late afternoon. The smaller islands are best to visit in the summer and early fall. Spring: March 15-June 15 : The temperature ranges from around 45F in the early spring and evenings to the 70s in the late spring and at midday. It is usually warm in the sun, but quite chilly in the shade and in the evening. There are beautiful wildflowers, amazing Easter celebrations and some rainy days. Spring is a lovely time to visit the mainland and the larger islands. However, it is too cold to swim until around June 1--and the water is really quite chilly until around June 15. However, it is possible to bite your lip and swim on warm sunny days from May 15 at midday. Summer: June 15-September 15 The temperature ranges from around 70F in the early summer and in the evenings to the 90s in the late summer and at midday. Almost no rain, but very strong midday sun, which is quite hot when not in the shade. Temperatures in the shade are usually very pleasant, unless there is a heatwave--and one always eats outside in the shade during summers. Around the sea, there is usually a pleasant breeze. Bad summer weather is caused by the strong winds which can ruin boat trips or island hopping, especially in the Cyclades which usually have the strongest winds. The occasional heatwave is felt much more in the cities and on the mainland, where there is no sea breeze. Mountains are also lovely havens of cool pleasant breezes with great hikes and mountain river and lake swimming. Days are very long and sunset is around 8:30-9:30 during summer. There are also many village festivals, celebrating their patron saints, and especially around August 15, which is a major religious holiday for the entire country. Autumn: September 15-November 15: The temperature ranges from around 80F in the early fall and at midday and in the 50s in late autumn and in the evenings. Days are shorter--sunset from 6:30-8, but the sea is warm until mid October. There is more rain--especially in November. Grapes are harvested and wine is pressed in early September and many festivals take place at this time. Olives are harvested in November--and tsipouro is distilled in November or December. Also, the national celebration of "no" and St. Demetrius in Thesaloniki. Winter: November 15-March 15: The temperature ranges from around 50F in the early winter and at midday and in the 30's or 40's in late winter and in the evenings. There is more rain in the winter and sometimes even snow, especially in Northern Greece and in the mountains. Days are short, but it is a lovely time to visit cities and destinations on the mainland and spend time around the fire. The holiday season starts with the celebration of St Nicolas on December 6 . Then continues with holiday cookies, carolers on December 24, Christmas and Boxing day follow. Then December 31 and january 1 celebrating the new year with St Basil's day and cake. January 6 is the day of enlightenment and January 7 is dedicated to St. John (the baptist). Soon after the holidays, comes carnival time and the "Clean Monday", the festival that will begin Lent--40 days of a vegan diet for the pious Greek Orthodox.
0 Comments
Photos from Therma, Ikaria Ikaria is unlike any other place in the world-- not because of its undeveloped, wild, but beautiful landscape or gorgeous seascapes with crystal clear sea or picturesque villages, amazing food, or absolutely amazingly hospitable islanders. You can find these things on some of the other islands as well. What really sets Ikaria apart is the feeling of tranquility, serenity and timelessness that imbues visitors. I visited in 2014 and felt like I had gone back in time to the Greece I had fallen in love with in 1987. It is the kind of place where you feel like you can stay forever--we were there for 1 week and stayed 2 without ever wanting to leave--and I could have easily stayed all summer without feeling the least bit bored. It is the kind of place that fills your soul with peace and happiness. In Greece, they say Ikaria is the island where people forget to die --and has gained fame in the last 20 years as being a "Blue Zone" where inhabitants enjoy longer and higher quality of life in comparison with most other places in the world. When you visit, you can understand why this is true. Perhaps part of the reason could be that the islanders for whatever reason did not want the Greek government to invest in developing Ikaria after it became part of Greece in 1912--and until 1973, it was the island of exile for political prisoners and communists. These factors led to a diverse and independent community that worked together to achieve a completely self-sufficientand tranquil existence. So, perhaps this is why Ikarians do not pursue the stress of mass tourism that might ruin their lifestyle and thus, have remained completely genuine and unpretentious. They could care less about catering to difficult tourists who want 5 star luxurious resorts and instagram pics. What is important to Ikarians is having a stress-free everyday life, by being optimistic, enjoying a rich sense of community with regular village feasts and festivals, walking more than driving, following a nutritious diet of fresh local ingredients & herbs and drinking local herbal teas and red wine. Be My Guest in Greece's retreat on Ikaria will be based in the town of Therma on the south coast of the island, which has been celebrated since ancient times for its therapeutic radioactive hot mineral springs and always has calm seas in summer. We will be staying on the peninsula overlooking Therma with a lovely beach just down the hill and a path to a swimming spot with hot springs coming out from the rocks like a natural jacuzzi! Also, the town has delicious restaurants with unpretentious, delicious home cooked local dishes, traditional coffee shops and bakeries with welcoming locals. Therma's highly therapeutic radio-energized springs are regarded as some of the best in the world and has been a very popular place particularly for hydrotherapy since the 4th century BC. There are 3 main therapeutic springs in Therma--two are housed --one in a natural cave sauna (the cave spring) and another built just a few yards away over the Apollo spring--and also one that is a short swim away in the sea. It is said that the therapeutic springs are radio-energic and is known to heal and relieve a variety of diseases, ailments and disorders including: Rheumatic, Endocrine Gland, Gynecological, Respiratory, Kidney, Bladder and traumatic-postoperative diseases; Neuralgia, Neuritis, Arthropathies, skin problems, Gout, lower back pain, Sciatica, indigestion, fatigue, anxiety and stress. The Northern side of the island has the unique village of Raches that is famous for sleeping late and staying up all night--when I visited the village one day at 12 noon, there were very few people out or shops open. The village comes to life after 6pm and stays up until the sun comes up. In fact, the bakeries leave doors open in case people need bread before they open & people just leave the money on the counter. This mentality of communal trust, tranquility and well-being permeates the island and I feel that it is a big part of why one in three inhabitants lives a healthy life well into their nineties.
The island also produces delicious wine, honey and herbs. It has an impressive monastery and ancient temple to Artemis as well as medieval fortress remains, rivers and lovely hiking paths--and many local festive feasts--all of which we plan to visit and enjoy during our retreat July 12-19, 2024. Summers in Greece are always amazing! This summer I visited 8 islands--Tinos, Paros, Anti-Paros, Santorini, Ios, Anafi and Folegandros from Cycladic group and Asypalaia, one of the Dodecanese. Four of these were new to me, thus bringing my total to 42 Greek islands that I have visited so far of the 227 which are inhabited. Greece may be a small country in square miles, but it has endless beautiful destinations, each with its own character and charm. I began by guiding a small group for 5 days in Tinos and 5 days in Paros. Tinos is always amazing! It is a serene, warm and friendly island with amazing food and gorgeous views. I was there for the first time in 2019 and have written a blog post here. Paros is a very popular island that is big enough to also have quiet corners, like Drios where we stayed. I had visited the island over 30 years ago, and although it has been greatly developed since then, it is still absolutely beautiful. There is something for everyone on the island--and plenty of great day trip options to other islands. Our daytrip was to Antiparos, an island made famous by its celebrity residents such as Tom Hanks and friends. Of course, we did not spot him, but the island has a very lovely town (called Chora on most islands) and beaches. Then two of my closest friends, Afrodite and Athina, met me on Paros and we continued to Ios by way of Santorini. I have a small Fiat Panda 4x4 in Greece that I always have with me and is absolutely perfect for island hopping. Afrodite had never visited Santorini, so we took the morning ferry from Paros-Santorini and the evening ferry to Ios, giving us 6-7 hours to explore, which is enough to get a good taste while not getting too overwhelmed by the crowds. We drove off the ferry and I took them to Akrotiri--the very impressive bronze age city, complete with apartment buildings, buried under volcanic ash and excavated (archaeologists say just 10% has been uncovered!). It is the little known Pompeii of Greece--and just a short walk to traditional cave restaurants, where there is also a pier where one can take the boat to white, red and black beach. I have been on the boat tour, so I waited at my favorite Santorini taverna--Cave of Nicolaos--while Afrodite and Athina saw the beaches and amazing volcanic rock formations on Santorini's quiet backside. When they returned, we had a delicious lunch--and Afrodite joined the owner and his daughters in dancing to traditional island music (ta nisiotika). Then we went to Oia--the famous cliffside town and instagram photo spot after 5pm when the cruise ship crowds had left and finally back to the port for the ferry to Ios, which is 2 hours away. It was a perfect day on Santorini! Next we went to Ios, the famous "party" island with beautiful beaches, which I had never been to. This was the most disappointing of all the islands and ranks among my least favorite of all I have ever visited. Although the beaches are beautiful with golden sand and we did find one lovely taverna with very good food on the opposite side of the island, they were all a long distance by car from the Chora--or town. I had heard that it had changed from being the hippy, party island of days past, but to me it seemed a change for the worse. The town was full of very drunk 16-25 year-olds passed out on the winding alleys of the old town and with cars on the main road through the town zipping by so quickly, one had to be very cautious when crossing the road to get to the old town. And all was quite expensive for Greek standards--and perhaps worst of all (at least for me!) the food, while expensive, was not anything to get excited about. I do not think I will ever return. Then on to one of my new favorites--Anafi! From my perspective, it a perfect island with charming, authentic, amazing food, friendly people, and lovely quiet beaches. The Chora is perched high with breathtaking views. Fish tavernas are owned by fishermen who bring their fresh catch every day. Other tavernas offer AMAZING goat--goat on the islands is so delicious, tender and flavorful & naturally seasoned as they drink sea water--with live music. A seaside taverna that has its own vegetable garden and situated next to a gorgeous sandy beach with crystal clear water. All the locals were super friendly and extremely reasonable prices everywhere! This is an island I cannot wait to return to!
From Anafi, we left on the morning ferry and spent the day on Folegandros, where I had never been, before returning to Piraeus (Athens)on the evening ferry, where we had a cabin. Folegandros is a lovely island with one of the most beautiful Choras of all the Cyclades. There is an old town surrounded by Venetian fortress walls and two village squares with large plane trees, winding alleys with bright bougainvilleas contrasting the impeccable whitewashed village buildings. I thought my island travels had finished for the summer, but when I called a friend who lives on Astypalaia to say hello, she told me to come visit! And since a horrible heatwave was predicted (and where I stay in Rafina does not have AC & usually never needs it), I decided to take her up on her sweet offer! Her house also does not have AC, but a fan sufficed in the heatwave, which can hardly be felt on the islands, where there is always a breeze--and strong winds many times and the sea is always so refreshing. Astypalaia is also one of my favorite islands --this was my 4th time there. It has a lovely Chora crowned by a Venetian fortress--and many, many lovely beaches --you can even find some completely private! And the food, what can I say but wow....the very best goat I've had anywhere and other dishes also delicious --and all extremely reasonably priced! Astypalia has a place in my heart!
Located just 2 hours from Athens, Nafplion is not only one of the most beautiful towns in Greece, but also the perfect base for exploring the many ancient wonders, including the UNESCO heritage sites of Epidaurus and Mycenea as well as the Greek wine country: Nemea and Mantinea . The old town consists of narrow marble paved streets around a large square, full of cafes, restaurants, shops and is crowned by the magnificent Venetian fortress called Palamidi, located at the very top of the old town. Nafplion is lovely and lively all year round and a definite must when visiting the Argolid in the Peloponnese.
Another must-see in the Argolid peninsula is the magnificent site of Mycenae, which transports visitors back 3,500 years. In fact, the powerful bronze age civilization called the Mycenaeans take their name from this famous city. In Greek mythology, Atreus the son of Pelops (Peloponnese= the island of Pelops), was one of the first kings of Mycenae as well as the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus, whose wife Helen was taken to Troy and set off the Trojan War as described in the Iliad by Homer. Mycenae is also the setting for Aeschylus's tragic trilogy, The Oresteia. It was last inhabited over 2,000 years ago and even though its huge, "cyclopean" walls and its famous "Lion Gate" were visible, it wasn’t until it was completely excavated around 150 years ago that Mycenae emerged from being just a city of myths and legends. The archaeological remains date back to the 14th & 13th century BCE, when scholars agree that Mycenae was at the peak of its economic, political and religious power. Heinrich Schliemann, the German businessman who excavated the site, was the person who made Mycenae world-famous again by finding beautifully crafted gold objects, such as: death masks, including the famous Mask of Agamemnon, diadems, drinking cups, bronze swords and daggers with gilded decorations, and other beautifully crafted objects such as the famous bull's head. Most of these treasures came out of the shaft tombs of so-called Grave Circle A, a very special burial place which is situated on the right hand side just after entering the citadel through the Lion Gate. Also intriguing are the Tholos or beehive tombs which replaced the shaft grave as the burial of choice for the Mycenaean elite at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age. These tombs can be found all around the southern Peloponnese, but one of the largest and most famous is called the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae, which is located just outside the citadel walls. Closeby are the Mycenaean citadels of Midea and Tiryns, whose ancient king, Eurystheus, famously imposed the Twelve Labors onto Herakles. Tiryns is located next to the lovely city of Nafplio (more on that next week) and both Mycenae and Tiryns are UNESCO Heritage Sites Another amazing site and "must-see" is Epidaurus. In the summer, it can be overrun with tourists, so it is perfect for exploring during the other seasons.
Nestled in the slopes of the Argolid Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Epidaurus is one of the most famous ancient sites, steeped in history and myth. The site was home to the Temple of Asclepius – the Greek god of healing – as well as the renowned Asklepieion, the ancient term for healing center or spa. Patients would come to be healed by visiting priests as well as to consult Asclepius himself. Here they would receive treatments such as herbal remedies, hot springs, and other forms of healing. It is considered one of the most important locations in the history of ancient medicine and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, today Epidaurus is most famous for its large amphitheater – one of the most well-preserved ancient theaters in Greece. It is where you can famously drop a coin in the center of the stage, which can be heard all the way to the very last seat at the top. (And I have tested this each time I've been there and the acoustics never fail!). In ancient times, the theater was part of the healing treatment as a type of catharsis. The theater still holds performances in summer as part of the Epidaurus Festival. Greeks LOVE festivals and the 20 days before "Sarakosti" or Lent, is a period of costume parties, carnival festivities with much fun, drink and revelry for all ages! The Greek word is apokreas (απόκρεας--but written in English more phonetically as apokries,). The word means "from meat" as it is the time of eating and excess that will be cut from daily life during the 40 days of Lentin fasting (vegan diet, but with seafood--more on that later!) before Easter. This year it started a week ago and the children have already started going to parties and will even celebrate at school. The adults begin the parties this week and especially this coming and the following weekends.
This Thursday, February 16, is called Tsichno Pempti (tsichna is the mouth-watering smoke created by meat on the grill and Pempti is Thursday). For the pious, this is the last day to eat meat before the fast that will last until a minute after midnight when Great Saturday turns to Easter Sunday. On Tsichno Pempti, everyone is eating grilled meat somewhere--either at home with friends and family or at one of the packed tavernas. The next week is the week of cheese, where the pious will have their last dairy products until Easter arrives. Within the next two weeks, and especially the weekend of Feb. 24-26, thousands flock in costume to the downtown Athens neighborhoods of Plaka and Psiri where the streets are packed, as are the clubs, bars, restaurants and discos. Visitors to these neighborhoods must sometimes dodge plastic clubs that are a traditionally used to whop revelers on the head, which don't hurt but can be pestering at times! These clubs are thought to be a remnant of the phallus cult from the ancient Dionysian festivals of Athens. Confetti is also constantly being thrown. There are also big Carnival parades on the last Saturday and Sunday. The biggest takes place in Patra (Greece's 3rd largest city, located in the Peloponnese). Patra is on the west coast, has ferry connections to Italy and has been greatly influenced by Venetian traditions. The parade is always televised and has colorful floats, singers, dancers, fabulous costumes and all sorts of masked revelers in attendance! In Athens, the Carnival parade is in the neighborhood of Moschato, where the streets are closed to traffic and filled with people. There are also celebrations on the island of Skyros where people dress in goat skins covered with bells. In the town of Tyrnavo in Thessaly giant penises are paraded through the streets accompanied by special and very "spicy" songs to match. The town of Rethymnon, Crete also has a large Apokreas celebration as does Xanthi in Northern Greece. In fact there is fun and revelry everywhere this time of year in Greece! Winter is a great time to visit the ancient sites in Greece without the summer crowds or scorching sun. Delphi is one of the most important ancient sites. It was home to the famous oracle and considered the navel of the ancient universe, which one can understand and feel when there. Personally, I love visiting Delphi and spending as much time as possible, soaking up the energy. Delphi is located on the northern side of the Corinthian gulf, across from the Peloponnese and is quite a large site, so you should plan to dedicate at least a whole day there.
However, there is much to see and do around Delphi and one should plan at least 2-3 nights in the area. If you start from Athens, you can stop at the archaeological museum in Thebes on the way and then for coffee in the lovely part of Livadeia, called Kryes Piges. Between Livadeia and Delphi is the Byzantine Monastery of Osios Loukas with its absolutely amazing mosaics and then the charming mountain town of Arachova. My favorite town to stay in the area is Galaxidi--a beautiful, quiet seaside village. Also close by is the town of Amfissa, famous for its olives and delicious food. The drive west from Galaxidi to the bridge of Rio-Antirio, which will take you across the gulf to the Peloponnese, is absolutely gorgeous. You will pass through the historic town of Nafpaktos, where you should definitively stop for at least a quick coffee in the old harbor. If you like traditional villages, mountain hiking or river rafting, the mountainous region above Nafpaktos is amazing. These are just a few of the treasures of mainland Greece, which can be visited anytime of year! Friday January 6 was Epiphany or Ta Phota--the day of the light. And although in Mexico and other countries, Jan 6 is Three Kings' Day, in Greece it has no relation to the three kings or directly to the story of the birth of Christ. As my brother who is a theologian describes, Epiphany predated the Christmas holiday, on which it "piggy-backed". It is the coming of the light celebrated during the darkest days of the year in the northern hemisphere and symbolizes the spiritual light. Christmas was the material manifestation of this light and is therefore celebrated beforehand right after the winter solstice. Here is a wonderful blog article about the holiday from a great Greek Chef--Aglaia Kremezi.
"Despite the usually bitter cold of the January morning, there are always brave young men, different each year, who dive to retrieve the cross the third and final time the priest casts it into the sea… Epiphany (January 6), or Day of the Light –ton Photon in Greek— is an important religious and cultural celebration that marks the end of the holiday season. Up until the 4th century A.D. Epiphany was considered the first day of the year, observed as a three-day commemoration of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. People believed that on the eve of the 6th the skies open, granting the prayers of the devout. Some anthropologists link Epiphany with the ancient Athenian ceremony of plynterion, the cleansing of the goddess Athena’s statue. During that ceremony, she was taken to the seaside in Faliron to be washed in the sea, thereby renewing her mythical powers. Similarly, as the anthropologists have noted, the church icons are often washed prior to the Epiphany celebration. Nearly 2000 years ago the first Christians celebrated with long street processions, white candles in hand (a tradition modern Greeks preserve during the Resurrection ceremony, on Easter), hence the term Epiphany, the Day of the Light. Jesus intrinsically blessed the water by his immersion in it, and each year Greek Orthodox priests perform a ritual, casting the cross into the water, replenishing Jesus’ blessing in the water and on the community, as well. Despite the usually bitter cold of the January morning, there are always brave young men who dive to retrieve the cross the third and final time the priest casts it into the sea."The person who finds and returns the cross is considered particularly blessed and lucky. In the old days, money was collected by the people who attended the ceremony and given as an early reward, and encouragement, to the diver who would bring back the cross. All over Greece different forms of fried pastry are prepared in celebration: dilpes, pastry squares or ribbons, like the spectacular kserotigana of Crete, and loukoumades, dough puffs similar to Italian zepolli; photopites, the spicy-sweet fritters of Amorgos are the most interesting of the kind.In southern Peloponnese the wonderful lalangia are made with a yeasted dough of flour, orange juice, and olive oil, scented with cinnamon and cloves." Friday was October 28, which is one of the two most important National Holidays in Greece--the other being March 25, Greek Independence day. October 28 is "Oxi"--pronounced "Oh-hie", which is the word for "no" in Greek. On October 28, 1940, "the Prime Minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas denied Benito Mussolini’s request to allow Italian troops to cross the border into Greece. He responded to the Italian ultimatum in French, the diplomatic language at the time, “Alors, c’est la gueree!” or “Then it is War!”.
In the days following, the word of Metaxas’ denial had spread around the capital and the Greek population took to the streets shouting “Oxi!”. His decision made on 28th October 1940, is commemorated each year as a day that represents bravery, solidarity and heroism for millions of Greeks all around the world." (derived from this source) It is usually celebrated with processions of students--and the top student of each school is the flag bearer at the head of the procession, as well as military processions in Athens and Thessaloniki. It is a National Holiday, and all schools, state employees and most businesses are closed--schools usually have the eve off as well to prepare for celebrations. |