Every year over 20 million tourists flock to Greece for a holiday in Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete, Santorini, Rhodes and other resorts and islands. Want to know what to see in Greece? We offer you just a few of the thousands and thousands of attractions that enthusiastic connoisseurs expect.
Holiday season in Greece
For those who lack beaches for complete happiness, it is advisable to plan a trip to Greece in June or September, a rich excursion - in April-May and September-October, and alpine skiing (pay attention to Fterolaka and Kelaria) - in December-March. As for the fur coats hunters, they should be engaged in the "occupation" of Greek shops during the summer and winter sales.
January will delight tourists with the Carnival "Raguzaria" (Kastoria) and the Parade of Lights (Thessaloniki), March-April - carnivals in Athens, May - the Medieval Rose Festival (Rhodes), June-July - the Hellenic Festival (Epidaurus).
Top 15 places of interest in Greece
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Temple of Olympian Zeus
The Temple of Olympian Zeus was built in the period from 6 thousand BC. 2 thousand A. D. in the place where the sanctuary of Deucalion used to be. The temple was once famous for its 17-meter Corinthian columns (there were over 100 of them), statues of the god Zeus (gold and ivory were used in the decoration) and the emperor Hadrian, and today its ruins in the form of an angle with 14 columns rest near the Acropolis, and one one of them has been knocked down, and one more stands separately.
Trams no. 5, 15 or 1 and buses no. 230, A2 or 040 will take tourists to the ruins of the temple.
Delphi
Delphi
Once ancient Delphi was the site of the Pythian Games, and today tourists are invited to pay attention to the temple of Apollo the Pythian (IV-VI centuries BC), the altar of the sanctuary (V century BC; built of black marble), statues of athletes, a colonnade with 7 fluted columns (478 BC), a stadium (5th century BC; it once housed 5,000 people).
Here you should enjoy the taste of roasted lamb in the Gargadouas tavern, a rooster in wine sauce and a view of the Corinthian Gulf - in the Vakhos tavern, as well as see the exhibits of the Archaeological Museum (there are statues, sculptures and other objects on display).
Palace of the Grand Masters
The Palace of the Grand Masters was erected in Rhodes in the XIV century (before him there was an ancient pagan temple in honor of Helios). Tourists will have a chance to admire the power of the fortress walls of the palace, see some of its 200 halls (their decoration is frescoes, tapestries, mirrors, mosaics, walls with stone carvings, handmade furniture), examine the exhibits (icons, costumes and other items) located in medieval and antique parts of the museum.
Visiting the Palace of the Grand Masters, which is a venue for exhibitions and cultural events, is allowed from 8 am to 7:40 pm (entrance will cost 6 euros).
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis in Athens is a hill with a height of 156 m. Here you can see the Parthenon (formerly there was a statue of Athena made of gold and ivory), the Erechtheion (the sanctuary of Pandora was a repository of an olive branch and a place where a source of seawater flowed; friezes, mosaics, 6 sculptures of the Caryatids), the temple of the goddess Nike (it was built of marble, and inside there was a statue of Athena with a helmet and a pomegranate), the Adonis theater (up to 17,000 people could be present at theatrical performances there, and the first row was occupied by marble chairs for 67 honorary spectators), the gates of the Propylaea (were created from gray and white marble).
Meteora monasteries
Meteora monasteries
Meteora are rock-topped monasteries located 2 km from the town of Kalambaka. There were 22-24 monasteries in total, six of them are the most popular:
- Monastery of the Holy Trinity (140 steps lead to its chapel, which are carved into the rock);
- Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapavsas (painted by Theophanes of Batas-Strelitsas);
- Monastery of St. Stephen (an 8-meter pedestrian bridge leads to it);
- Monastery of Varlaam (it stores rare manuscripts, icons, relics, wooden crosses);
- Rusanu Monastery: the wooden altar (gilding + carving), paintings, interesting icons brought glory to it;
- The Transfiguration Monastery (famous for valuable icons of the XIV-XVI centuries, frescoes created by the master Theophanes, and a museum with monastic treasures in the form of the Crucifixion of Christ icon, an embroidered shroud of the 14th century, manuscripts of 861 and others).
Athos
The third “finger” of Halkidiki is the location of a sacred 2033-meter mountain and 20 monasteries, entry to which is prohibited for women, and men will need a special permit (diamonithirion) to visit them.
The Great Lavra is open for visiting (here you will be able to see the tomb of St. Athanasius, the icons "Kukuzelissa" and "Economissa"), Simonopetra (Latin and Greek manuscripts are kept in the local library; and also the monastery - the repository of the right hand of Mary Magdalene, parts of the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara and other shrines), Hilindar (famous for the vine, the fruits of which are able to heal women from infertility) and other monasteries. The final way to them can be overcome only by boat by sea and after strict "customs control".
Knossos palace
Knossos palace
The Palace of Knossos, with an area of 130 by 180 m (equipped with at least 1000 rooms and halls for various purposes), is a landmark of Crete and the largest palace built by the Minoans. The center of the Knossos Palace is occupied by a courtyard, and the area around it is occupied by stairs, walkways, colonnades, galleries and halls. The walls of these rooms are decorated with frescoes depicting girls (they jump over a bull) and boys (they go in for sports). As for the western part of the palace, it is the location of three wells (they were necessary for ritual purposes).
The entrance ticket costs 6 euros.
Acropolis of Lindos
A visit to the Acropolis in Lindos, where it is worth going with enough water, is advisable to plan for the evening or morning. For sightseeing, you need to enter the gate of Lindos and head to its highest point (this can be either on foot or on a donkey). During the walk, tourists will come across taverns, stone fountains, houses with courtyards, the ruins of the Pythean stadium, the temple of Apollo Pythia, and a marble amphitheater. Well, from above, an amazing panorama will open in front of everyone.
Throne of the Kaiser
Throne of the Kaiser - a viewing platform above Pelekaso (from the village to the Throne - 800 m leading up the mountain) on the top of the cliff. It allows everyone to admire the wonderful sunsets and survey the vast territory (from here you can enjoy the views of the island of Corfu, the sea, Pantokrator and the fortresses of Kerkyra). Tourists climb a stone staircase to the area where there are binoculars, and next to the Kaiser's Throne, they will find a cafeteria and a hotel.
Phaistos Palace
The Phaistos Palace is an excavation zone and an area of 8000 sq.m. is open for tourists. Of the ruins in several tiers, staircases, boxes, galleries, storerooms and what has been preserved from ceramic vases and columns, as well as royal chambers deserve attention (it is forbidden to go inside, but outside you will be able to see a tiled floor with paintings on it). Of particular interest is the Phaistos disc, about 3700 years old).
Samaria gorge
Samaria gorge
The Samaria Gorge, 18 km long, is located in the southwest of Crete. Here, during a 6-8-hour excursion, travelers will see at least 450 species of plants, meet a wild cat, mountain goat kri-kri, marten, badger and other animals, see ancient churches (Osia Maria, Church of St. Mary of Egypt with frescoes 1740), restored Cretan houses (people from the former village of Samaria were resettled in 1962).
You can walk along the Samaria Gorge in April-October for 5 euros. The route will begin at an altitude of 1250 meters above sea level, and on the way tourists will encounter amenities in the form of toilets, sources of drinking water, places for recreation, a pharmacy, and a forest guard post.
Petralona cave
The bones of rhinos, lions, bears, hyenas were found in the Petralona cave (Halkidiki). The remains of animals are exhibited in the Anthropological Museum (opened at the entrance to the cave), as well as household items of ancient people, and a copy of a female skull, over 260,000 years old (the original is exhibited in the Museum of Thessaloniki). Today you can also admire stalactite and stalagmite patterns, stone vaults, underground lakes and springs.
Access to the cave, where it is + 17˚C all year round, is open from 9 am until sunset.
Paleokastritsa
Paleokastritsa on the island of Corfu attracts lovers of picnics in the middle of untouched nature, divers (the underwater world is very diverse, but the water in local bays is slightly colder than in other parts of the island), lovers of lobster dishes (local restaurants prepare the most delicious lobsters in Corfu), who want take a boat trip to the beautiful grottoes of the coast, as well as visit the monastery of Teotoku in honor of the Virgin (17th century) and the church of Agios Spiridonos (was erected in 1590 on the site of an ancient temple in the Italian style).
Paxos island
Paxos island
Paxos belongs to the Ionian Islands (of which it is the smallest). Paxos is 13 km from Corfu and 12 km from Parga, and you can get to the island by sea by ferry or catamaran. Here vacationers will find pebble beaches, Blue Caves (in fact, they are creamy champagne), olive groves, an English reservoir of 1833, the Church of St. fortress on the islet of St. Nicholas.
Blue caves of Zakynthos
In the north of Zakynthos, 3 sea grottoes deserve attention. An excursion boat or motor boat from Agios Nikolaos will take tourists to the unusual stone arches (it is better to visit the caves at dusk or dawn). Here you will be able to enjoy the beauty of azure water and bizarre arches, as well as go snorkeling.
It is not recommended to go here, and even more so to swim (due to calcium and various minerals in the composition of the water, the skin becomes pleasantly smooth), it is not recommended in bad weather.
