Monday, September 15, 2008

Santorini Island

Continuing our Greece trip I would like to speak about wonderful and charming place – about Santorini Island.

Santorini is unique. Present island will draw your attention with adorable picture - beaches, covered with black volcanic sand and local snow-white houses. They say, some time ago Island had round shape, but after 1580 B.C., when powerful volcanic explosion damaged whole Minoan civilization, Santorini become half-moon island.

Given place was named after Saint Irina. Now island is huge mass of volcanic lava, which came up from sea depth and fixed above ground. Santorini consists of general island with some small islands around.

Santorini is also famous like church-city. There are a lot of small churches. Some people say, there are more churches then common houses. And it is really true. It creates special and unforgettable atmosphere. Just imagine snow-white houses with bright blue roofs, plenty of various small shops, craftsmen' stores, narrow and twisting streets, archaeological monuments of Minoan era and so on and so forth. I think, you would value Santorini.

Present Island is southernmost among Kikladian islands. Santorini' s area is 76 square km, coast line length is 70 km, its' population is about 8 thousand people. As you see, Santorinin is compact and comfortable small island.

If you would like to find place for the rest, where you will spend time actively, take part in nightlife and so on, I have to upset you, Santorini is calm and quiet place for even rest.

Santorini has perfect transport connection. You will get to the island with no problems and difficulties.

If you travel by air, you may come to Santorini from Athens, Mikonos, Rhodes, Iraklion, etc. If you would like to ferry, you may realize this dream and come Santorini from Piraeus (Athens), Crete island, Thesalinniki, Kikladian islands and so on. In summer period you may take advantage of the opportunity and travel to Santorini by high-speed catamaran.

So, if you have means, free time and overwhelming desire to look at Greece, come to Santorini Island. There are no doubts, you will fall in love with this place!

Monday, September 1, 2008

What to look at?

Ladies and gentlemen and all, who gonna spend time and rest in this wonderful country Greece. This post is devoted to all, for whom the word «rest» - isn't a synonym of boredom and passivity.

I won't stop to repeat, Greece is – one of the most hospitable country! I gonna present you selection of Greek places (cities), which you have to visit. Well, there is so-called Top 6 cities, which are worthy of your attention.

And number 1 is Athens.

It would be right to say, this city is one of the chiefest in whole country. First off, Athens – is a capital of Greece. Secondly, there is an expression «Athens is school of Hellas». It is hard to argue against this. Here you will see plenty of ancient monuments. Grand Acropolis is exactly that «magnet», which draws attention of may people all over the world. In ancient times, residents from each corner of Greece could see elevations of Acropolis.


Thessaloniki


- is main center of Greek cultural and spiritual life. The history of given city is long and it was started in far 315 year B. C. The first governor and founder of it was king Cassandr. Thessaloniki is also famous as a place, where speaker Ciceron lived in exile. Later on city became famous as the first seat of Christianity.

Delphi

Present city is famous with beauty mountain Parnassus, at the foot of which were cult monuments (holy place of goddess Gaia, Apollo Delphic Oracle...). Also you will see here ancient athletes' statues of Kleobis and Biton, well-known bronze Charioteer statue. There are no doubts, your travel in Delphi will be unforgettable and all what you see there (beauty and charming spots, ancience monuments) will impress you!


Peloponnesus


This place is also famous with legendary ancience monuments. By the way, it is hard to find out the place in Greece, which has no history and myths, which are devoted to present city. Peloponnesus will bewitch you at first sight. As it is hard don't fall in love in Mycenae (which was founded by Perseus), Lion Gates, ruins of an ancient town, Agamemnon' tomb, king castle «Gold Mycenae».

Meteora

Name of given place which in translation from Greek means «air rocks», reflects reality quite strictly. Water, knocked stones down in fanciful shapes at the bottom and showed them on surface, after that, when sea subsided, very looks like Salvador Dali' pictures.


Crete Island


Island of an amazing beauty. Here modern and ancient times are interlaced with each other. Comfortable beaches and hotels look well against archaeological Minoan civilization monuments background.

Of course, there are much more places (then I had mentioned in present post), which you have to visit, arriving to Greece. Have a nice travel & impressions! Fill up your Greek visit places list.