- Active and athletic
- A quiet vacation is a romantic dream
- TOP 4 best beach resorts in Greece
- Treatment in Greece
- Alpine skiing in the homeland of Odysseus
The saying about “everything” that is in Greece has long turned into a pretty shabby cliche, but the country that gave the world the Olympic Games and the recipe for the most popular salad among “zozhnikov” really has something to show the visiting tourist. And we are not even talking about ancient ruins!
Do you know how beautiful are the blue seas washing the shores of the country where Homer, Socrates and Pythagoras were born? Spend your vacation at the beach! You will be convinced that on the land of ancient Hellas, guests are always very welcome, and the best resorts in Greece are waiting for your attention. Situated on the shores of the Ionian, Aegean, Cretan and Mediterranean seas, they offer a holiday worthy of kings and give you the chance to see how different the original salad recipe you usually get in your favorite restaurant in your homeland is.
Active and athletic
Ideal resorts for young people who prefer to actively go in for sports on the seashore during the day and spend time in clubs and restaurants in the evenings, there are also a large number in Greece. For example, Hersonissos in Crete, often referred to as the unofficial tourist capital of the island. The beaches are everywhere in the resort: both in the city center and on its outskirts. The cleanest ones have been awarded Blue Flags and are located near the "fives" and "fours". There are several such hotels in Hersonissos, but there are also plenty of inexpensive "three rubles" and even hotels without stars at all in the resort. Entertainment is concentrated right by the sea - taverns and discos, rental equipment for water sports and volleyball courts. There is a diving club in Hersonissos, a pretty mini golf course, an equestrian center and a water park.
Active holidays are very popular among the guests of the island of Kos. Throughout the summer, strong northerly winds blow here, raising a large wave and allowing surfers who have flown to Greece to hone their skills. Professional instructors teach how to curb the waves at Kos resorts, and windsurfing and kitesurfing equipment can be rented onshore from rental points. If the wind suddenly takes a break and dies down for a couple of days, vacationers on the beaches of Kos are not upset. A large selection of other active entertainment leaves no time for boredom. On the beaches of the island you can play volleyball, go out to sea on a catamaran or yacht, ride a banana boat or a jet ski.
A quiet vacation is a romantic dream
It often happens that a person tired of the bustle of the city seeks solitude and dreams of a vacation on a desert island or at least on a wild beach, where the nearest neighbors are so far away that they almost merge with the horizon. Greece, which is popular with tourists from all over the world, has resorts where you can meet the sunrise almost alone and enjoy the sunsets without citizens constantly getting into your lens posing against the background of a crimson sky. True, such a pleasure will cost a little more than a vacation on popular and crowded beaches.
The town of Imerovigli in Santorini can rather be called a village: there are not even five hundred inhabitants here. The place where it is located is ideal for seeing off the sun over the horizon in the evenings. There are no noisy crowds on the streets of Imerovigli, but the benefits of civilization in the form of ATMs and shops are not found everywhere here. However, for this you can always walk to Fira, the capital of Santorini, which is only a couple of kilometers away from a quiet resort.
Half an hour drive from the town of Skopelos, on the island of the same name, there is a secluded Milia beach, where fans of a quiet meditative relaxation love to sunbathe. The beach is very beautiful and clean, it is covered with white sand, and a coniferous grove shelters it from prying eyes. The island of Skopelos is entirely suitable for a vacation in the bosom of nature: it is not very popular, because its tourist infrastructure is far from modern ideas about the ideal. But the inhabitants of Skopelos are very hospitable and welcoming and take care of their guests as if they were family. In a word, for a person seeking solitude, this resort in Greece is better suited than others.
TOP 4 best beach resorts in Greece
The finest Greek beaches are located both on the mainland and on the islands, and each region is worthy of a list of the best resorts:
- On the Halkidiki peninsula, which is considered the main focus of the mainland resorts, the beaches stretch for more than 500 km. The Blue Flags proudly fly here, which are awarded for special cleanliness, and the infrastructure is perfect for any tourist - family and lonely, quiet romance and night party-goer, gourmet and healthy lifestyle fan. The main thing is to find your beach, restaurant and hotel. Kallithea beach, covered with soft sand and with a gentle entrance into the water, is especially popular among tourists with children. Night adventure lovers hang out in Nea Kallikratia. Cavurotripes, where the usual "amenities" are almost absent, were chosen by a few fans of wild recreation, and Sithonia is more to the liking of their opponents, tourists for whom perfect service and even a little luxury are essential conditions for an ideal vacation. For the curious part of the tourist brotherhood in Halkidiki, a huge number of excursions to sights, both natural and man-made, are offered. The younger generation will find something to their liking and on the playgrounds of the beaches in Halkidiki, and in the water park, and in the land entertainment kingdom Magic Parc.
- Paleokastritsa in Corfu is an ideal place for lovers of picturesque nature, diving and boat trips along the most beautiful shores of the island. The beaches of the resort are located on the cape of the same name and are covered with the purest sand of a silvery color. They are safely hidden in rocky bays, so there are no strong waves on the peninsula. This often becomes the reason for the popularity of Paleokastritsa among married couples with children. During the peak of summer, the sea temperature off the coast of Cape Paleokastritsa is always slightly cooler, and the visibility under water for divers is always ideal. The diverse underwater world is another reason to choose this particular resort. If you don’t know how to dive yet, the instructors at your local dive center will be happy to teach you the basics of this popular outdoor activity.
- Favorite among vacationers of all ages, the resorts of Rhodes are famous for their pristine beaches, most of which are covered with pebbles. Despite this, family tourists with children also chose Rhodes, because the sea off the southeastern coast of the island is especially calm and warms up well, thanks to the gentle entrance to the water. In the west of Corfu, fans of outdoor activities will find their beaches. Quite strong winds constantly blow here, and tourists practice surfing and kiting. In the northeast of Corfu, lovers of noisy entertainment, regulars of discos and nightclubs and gourmets hang out. The eastern shores of the island are favored by romantics, lovers and connoisseurs of sights that have survived from ancient times. In short, Rhodes is the perfect place for anyone and everyone. And even for those who prefer to relax without burdening themselves with unnecessary clothes: there is a nudist beach on the east coast in the resort of Faliraki.
- Of the three thousand Greek islands, Crete is the most popular and promoted in terms of mass tourism: there are several hundred beaches alone. For aesthetes, the best resort on the island is Elafonisi, whose beach is covered with pink sand and the water has a special turquoise hue. Wai Beach, surrounded by a date grove and once home to a large community of "children of the sun", looks great on the photo. With children in Crete, it is worth going to Hersonissos or Heraklion. Between these cities, the largest water park in Crete is open, in which there are more than two dozen slides alone. Nearby, in the Labyrinth Family Park, you can spend an unobtrusive day playing games and racing ATVs. Divers in Crete are also very free. In addition to acquaintance with the fauna of the Mediterranean, they are waiting for underwater cemeteries of anchors, mysterious canyons on the seabed and diving to volcanoes.
The entrance for holidaymakers to most of the beaches in Greece is absolutely free, but you will have to pay a rental fee for using sun loungers, umbrellas and other beach furniture. Sometimes a stretch of beach can be "assigned" to a restaurant or tavern located on the beach. Then, having paid for the rent of a sun lounger, you will receive a drink or a snack, and, conversely, having decided to dine at the establishment, you can be sure that you will be able to sunbathe on the sun lounger you like for the rest of the day without any problems.
Treatment in Greece
Greece is not the most popular destination for treatment, but health centers are present in some of its resorts. For example, Vouliagmeni, 25 km from the capital of the country, is known not only as a resort for wealthy Athenians, but also as a great place to improve their health and bring maximum benefits to the body. The main healing factor of the health programs in Vouliagmeni is the waters of the local lake, in which several thermal springs gush. Even in winter, thermometers in the reservoir show no less than + 20 ° C, and the high concentration of sulfur in the waters of the lake helps in the treatment of dermatological, gynecological and rheumatological pathologies.
The town of Loutraki in the south of the mainland is one of the best health resorts in Greece. The mineral waters of local springs are the basis of numerous wellness programs at the hydrotherapy center in Loutraki. Patients with joint diseases and dermatological problems feel great at the resort. The medical staff of the resort's treatment centers helps visitors to get rid of excess weight and cellulite, insomnia and endocrine diseases. The doctors' arsenal includes several types of massage, physiotherapy procedures, mud and thalassotherapy, baths with mineral water and many other health-improving procedures. Do not forget that Loutraki is a beach resort, and treatment here is perfectly combined with relaxation by the sea.
Alpine skiing in the homeland of Odysseus
Despite its reputation as a beach resort, Greece welcomes guests in winter as well. Moreover, we are talking not only about excursion programs, but also about alpine skiing. Do not be surprised, but there are winter resorts in the homeland of the Olympic gods, and their slopes fully satisfy the needs for active Christmas entertainment for both beginners and experienced skiers!
- The landscapes surrounding the ski slopes of the Vasilitsa resort are unusually picturesque even in winter. The resort is literally buried in coniferous groves, and emerald green favorably sets off the snow-white slopes of the Pindos Mountains. The skiing season lasts from mid-December to early April, but sometimes the weather allows athletes to linger almost until the May holidays. On the slopes of the mountain range where Vasilitsa is located, there are 16 tracks of varying difficulty and length. The difference in altitude from the starting point to the finish is more than 400 m, and seven modern lifts serve those wishing to fly along the slope with a breeze. The slopes are marked green for beginners, red for advanced skiers, and black for pros. Children have their own routes and their own lifts to climb to the start of the descent. After skiing, guests of the best ski resort in Greece devote their free time to excursions to medieval sights in the surrounding area, a wellness stay in spas and tasting Greek wines and dishes in authentic taverns.
- For the right to be called the best winter resort in the land of ancient Hellas, Kaymaktsalan, a resort on the slopes of the sacred mountain for the Greeks, traditionally argues with Vasilitsa. Voras is called the summit, which has a special favor from heaven. Perhaps that is why the mountain and its surroundings look very attractive, and on a clear day from its top you can see Olympus - the residence of those very gods. The starting points at the resort are located just above the two-kilometer mark. Of the 11 trails in Kaimaktsalan, half are for beginners and the rest for advanced skiers. Snowboarders at the resort will also like it: they are waiting for a very serious track and a park with rails and trampolines for practicing jumps and tricks. For lovers of flat skiing at the foot of Voros, there is a private trail. The season in Kaimaktsalan is longer - from the last decade of November to early May. From entertainment there are excursions to the surrounding villages, which have preserved the true Greek style, and walks in a natural park with lakes and gorges.
- Pigadia is equipped with the latest technology - a modern ski resort, where an artificial snowmaking system is used. The infrastructure of Pigadia will delight even advanced skiers: the slopes are difficult, the lifts are comfortable and fast, for late guests and lovers of romantic skiing, lighting of the slopes is organized in the dark, and the ApreSki entertainment system includes all kinds of joys - from tasting Mediterranean dishes and quiet wellness evenings in the spa -complexes to excursions to underground caves and dancing in nightclubs.
Surprisingly, in Greece there is an opportunity to combine a beach holiday with skiing. It is enough to choose a resort where the snow lies before the May holidays and master its tracks. After enjoying the dazzling views of the Greek mountains, it is pleasant to move to the sea, which heats up in late spring to quite comfortable values.
