There are many historical and natural attractions in this country, which are visited by millions of tourists every year. Some of them are concentrated in the national parks of Greece, whose list contains more than a dozen items.
On a palm beach
Crete is famous for its beaches, where you can spend the most unforgettable seaside holidays. The main attraction of Vai Park is the palm beach, which stretches for several kilometers along the water's edge. The endemic species of pheofrast palms are protected here as a special treasure of the country and the Vai beach, which occupies about 200 hectares, is considered the largest palm forest in the Old World. And in the reserve there is an old building of the 15th century - an Orthodox monastery.
The easiest way to get to the palm beach is from the town of Sitia, located 28 km from the park.
European record holder
The Lefka Ori National Park of Greece boasts an equally outstanding landmark of a world scale - the largest gorge in Europe is located on its territory. Its length is about 18 km, its width ranges from three meters to three hundred, and the sheer walls reach a height of a quarter of a kilometer.
Important points of Lefka Ori National Park:
- Gorge Portes. The narrowest part of the gorge, where the passage between the rocks does not exceed 3.5 meters. Located 4 km from the village of Samaria.
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Ayia Roumel. The village where the exit from the gorge is located.
- Hora-Sfakion, Paleochora and Suia are settlements where motor roads lead. Further to the entrance to the gorge can be reached only by ferry.
A walking trail along the gorge runs from the settlement of Omalos to Ayia Roumeli. The length of the route is 13 km, the cost for an adult is 5 euros (prices for 2014). It is forbidden to spend the night in the gorge, but you can stay in Ayia Roumeli, where there are taverns and a hotel.
In addition to natural landscapes, several ancient churches of the XII-XIV centuries are of interest to tourists in Lefka Ori.
On a visit to dragons
The Vikos-Aoos National Park of Greece is located in the west of the country and includes the gorge formed by the Voidomatis River, Timfti Mountain Range, Vikos Canyon and Gamila Peak. The most unique exhibit on this list is the Vikos Gorge, which is more than a kilometer deep.
Dragon Lake on the slopes of Tifri is also an interesting natural site. Its height above sea level is more than 2000 meters, and it was formed by glacial waters.
Vikos-Aoos Park is of undoubted interest for speleologists - vertical caves here are more than 400 meters deep. Fans of photography come to the mountainous Zagori region for the amazing landscapes with stone arched bridges across the Aoos River, which until the middle of the last century were the only way to connect the region with the outside world.
