Mykonos
Going to Greece without visiting the islands is like eating a cake and
missing out on the icing, the sprinkles and the filling. The islands are
where you find all the fun. No other group of islands shows this better
than the Cyclades. This cluster of islands in the Aegean Sea has it
all—dazzling white buildings and blue-domed churches, sandy beaches and
world-famous nightlife, all at a convenient ferry ride from Athens. If
your top priority is sun and fun, head to Mykonos. Visitors don’t come
to Mykonos to go sightseeing. They come for the beaches and for what
goes on after dark. Long the favorite of gay travelers, Mykonos attracts
a rather mixed crowd. Anything goes on this island in the northeast
Cyclades. Since the purpose of a visit is the after-dark sights, the
best place to stay is in Mykonos town. At first view, Mykonos town’s
myriad of streets seems just impossible to figure out. There doesn’t
seem to be a straight street in the whole town. Explanations to this
labyrinthine appearance vary. Some say the streets were built in a
meandering pattern to break up the wind gusting in from the sea. Others
say it was to confuse pirates. Whether meant to confuse pirates or
Mother Nature, first-time visitors agree it is indeed confusing. The
streets get so narrow, in some places you can reach out and touch both
sides of the street. Along the town’s western shore, the stilted houses
of the Venetian quarters link the town to the sea. South of the Venetian
quarters is another Mykonos landmark, a row of windmills. The best
beaches are along the island’s southern shore, some accessible by road
and others only by fishing boat.
Attractions:
The Sacred Island of Delos
Just a few miles southeast of Mykonos is the sacred island of Delos, the
mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. The island is a World
Heritage Site and considered the third most important archeological site
in Greece, after the Acropolis and Delphi. First populated in the third
millennium BC, Delos came under Athens’ jurisdiction in the fifth
century BC. To ‘purify’ the island, Athens declared that no person could
be born or die on Delos. This decree removed the native population from
the island, and strengthened Athens’ hold on the island. Wealthy
merchants from as far away as Syria and Egypt replaced the natives. To
honor the gods, Apollo in particular, these merchants built impressive
temples, parts of which are still standing today. Please note that the
site is closed on Mondays.
Little Venice
Every destination has an image that defines it, an image you see on
postcards, t-shirts and plastic souvenirs wherever you turn. For
Mykonos, that image is Little Venice, just east of Mykonos harbor. Built
right on the edge of the water, this stretch of houses with brightly
painted balconies is much more picturesque in real life than the plastic
souvenirs might have you believe. Stretching from the beach of
Aleukantras to the Castle district, Little Venice is full of
restaurants, bars and cafes, and it’s a wonderful spot to see the sun
sink in to the sea.
Super Paradise Beach
We owe many of our words to the Greek language, but modesty isn’t one of
them. You skim the map of Mykonos and think that only the Greeks would
name a beach Paradise Beach, and then to top that, another Super
Paradise Beach. That is until you board a fishing boat at Platys Gialos
Beach on the southern shore for the short trip to Super Paradise and
realize that the Greeks are on to something. The blue bay, framed by
glistening white sand, is indeed spectacular. There are arguably even
prettier beaches along the southern shoreline, but Super Paradise is the
most famous and well-worth a visit. Please note that this is a
clothing-optional beach, so is you’re squeamish about seeing pale,
northern Europeans getting sunburned in awkward places you might want to
divert your eyes to the sea.
See the write-up in context at:
www.viscape.com/destinations/259/mykonos_greece
Santorini
With its whiter-than-white houses and geranium-draped, blue-painted
balconies, and absolutely spectacular views of the sea, Santorini looks
like a postcard. And it is. As it turns out, most of the photos you see
on postcards and wall calendars were, in fact, taken on Santorini.
Santorini was once a round island and got its present crescent-shape
through one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Since
that 17th century eruption, the island’s plunging rock walls wrap around
an enormous crater or caldera. The capital city of Fira sits high up on
a cliff with a stunning view of the caldera. Santorini has long been a
favorite of honeymooners, but it attracts lots of other travelers as
well, especially to the beach towns along the eastern and southern
shore, where the best beaches are found. Along the southern shore, the
beaches are colored red and black from volcanic rock and the ash of
volcanic eruptions. The black sand gets very hot to walk on, so bring
some flip-flops. Visit the still-active volcano on nearby island Nea
Kameni, and go for a dip in the hot springs on Palia Kameni. Explore the
Roman ruins of the ancient city of Thera, perched high atop a mountain
between Kamari and Perissa on the southern shore, and visit the Minoan
city of Akrotiri just south of the capital Fira.
Attractions:
Nea Kameni, Palia Kameni, Thirasia
Just west of Santorini is the volcanic island of Nea Kameni. The volcano
is highly active, with steam oozing through cracks along the path up to
the volcano top. Depending on the weather, stop for a dip in the hot
springs, colored bright green by sulphur, on the nearby island of Palia
Kameni, or find some cooler waters. Next, make a stop at the
less-visited island of Thirasia. If you dare, rent a donkey to ferry you
up the steep path to the capital Manolas, or climb the path by foot,
while wondering why in the world the Greeks always insist on building
their cities on cliff-tops.
Sunset in Oia
Every night, hundreds of spectators come to Oia, on the northern tip of
Santorini, to watch the sunset. Perched on rooftops and the Kastro
walls, they watch the sun color Oia’s sugar cube houses red as it slowly
sinks into the Mediterranean. Little Oia is a pretty town of small
passageways and pedestrian streets, lined with galleries and jewelry
shops. The central square, Nikolaou Nomikou, faces the caldera.
Ancient Thera
The ancient city of Thera, perched atop a mountain between the
modern-day villages of Kamari and Perissa, was built in the 9th century
BC by Spartan colonists and named for their leader Theras. Thera was
excavated between 1895 and 1902 by the German archaeologist Friedrich
Hiller von Gaertringen, and the site, and its ruins from Hellenistic,
Roman and Byzantine times, is open to the public. It takes about
forty-five minutes to climb the path up to the top, but the views of the
sea and the surrounding beaches, black from volcanic ash, are
spectacular.
See the write-up in context at:
www.viscape.com/destinations/255/santorini_greece
Rhodes
Remnants of ancient wonders, white sandy beaches and all-night parties…
What more can one ask of one island? The island Rhodes was once home to
the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
At 107 feet tall, the statue was as tall as the Statue of Liberty,
which, in the year 280 BC, was a constructional feat to say the least.
The enormous statue, depicting the sun god Helios, straddled the harbor
entrance in Rhodes town for only 56 years, until it was destroyed in an
earthquake.
Helios fell in love with the nymph Rhodes, and when he shone his light
on her, she was transformed into the island that bears her name. Droves
of sun-worshippers carry on the legacy of Helios on this island where
the sun always seems to shine. Rhodes is the largest island of the
Dodecanese islands and the third largest of the Greek islands, after
Crete and Evia. It faces the shores of Turkey, which are just six miles
away. Visit the nearby islands of Patmos and Karphathos, and take a day
trip to Turkey, just an hour away by ferry. Walk the meandering streets
of picture-perfect Lindos and go for a dip at Anthony Quinn Bay, where
The Guns of Navarone was filmed. Explore the walled Old Town of Rhodes
town and visit the Castle of the Grand Master and the Castle of the
Knights. Walk quietly through the Valley of Butterflies and catch the
surf on the island’s windy, southern beaches, or the calmer, more
family-friendly beaches on the east coast. Avoid the more exploited
areas, such as Faliraki.
Attractions:
Day-trip to Marmaris on the Turkish mainland
From the harbor in Rhodes town, catch a ferry to the bustling port of
Marmaris on the Turkish mainland, only about an hour’s ferry ride away.
Practice your haggling skills at the bazaar, on leather goods, gold,
carpets and designer knockoffs. Check out the Turkish baths, and stop
for a Turkish coffee and some baked goods. For visitors really into the
sweet stuff, there’s the Gold Centre, a Turkish delight factory. Before
you leave, be sure to make a stop at the Castle Museum, housed in the
fortress in the old town. Don’t forget to bring your passport, as you
won’t be able to enter the Turkish mainland without it.
Valley of Butterflies (Petaloudes)
In late May, thousands of butterflies emerge from the pupae that have
sheltered them during their metamorphosis from caterpillars to delicate
black-and-white-winged Panaxia and flutter about the Valley of
Butterflies. Trails, following a stream, take visitors through the
valley as butterflies dance above, pausing briefly on tree trunks,
handrails, and yes, sometimes on visitors as well. Unfortunately, the
butterfly population is in decline, mainly because of visitors
disturbing their mating process. From the time they emerge as
butterflies in May, until the mating process is completed in August, the
butterflies don’t eat, but survive on energy they built up as
caterpillars. If disturbed by visitors, the butterflies keep fluttering
about without resting, consuming valuable energy. Please be sure to keep
your voice down and avoid disturbing behavior, such as clapping your
hands or whistling.
Anthony Quinn Bay
Filming the Guns of Navarone in a small bay just south of Faliraki with
costars David Niven and Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn loved the steep
rocks leading down to turquoise waters so much he bought land nearby.
The small bay, framed by rocks and pine trees, has been carrying his
name ever since. Take in the view over a drink at the beach taverna, or
get a closer look floating about the crystal-clear waters on an
inflatable beach mattress.
See the write-up in context at:
www.viscape.com/destinations/198/rhodes_greece
Athens
For some, Athens is just a polluted, overcrowded city with a poor trash
collection system—a necessary stop before heading out to the islands.
For others, Athens is the polluted, overcrowded birthplace of western
civilization—the place where Socrates discussed with Plato and great
wonders were built to please the gods. Busy and dirty, Athens is a
wonderful mix of old and new, glory and decay, class and kitsch. With
the Parthenon topping the Acropolis like a sparkling white crown, and
with archeological digs still in process across town, history feels very
close in this sprawling this city of three million people. Learn more
about Greek history in the newly built museum on the Acropolis, through
the enormous holdings of the National Archaeological Museum near Omonia,
and the wonderful collections of ancient and modern art of the
privately-owned Benaki Museum, on Koumbari Street. Check out the stadium
built for the first Olympic Games in modern times, in 1896, and the
structures built for the return of the games, in 2004. Go shopping in
the upscale neighborhood of Kolonaki and find a tavern on a back street
that serves homemade cheese, stifado (rabbit) stew, creamy taramasalata
(fish roe puree), dolmades (stuffed wine leaves) and keftedes
(meatballs). As the night falls, catch a live performance of rembetika
music in the newly revitalized neighborhood of Psiri, have a drink or
two at a waterfront club in Pireaus, and stay out all night until the
sun comes up over Lycabettus Hill. If time allows, take a trip to Cape
Sounion, some 40 miles southeast of the city, at the southernmost tip of
the Attica peninsula, to see the ruins of the temple of Poseidon.
Attractions:
Acropolis
Even visitors with no interest in archeology can’t help but be impressed
by the Acropolis, and its crown, the Parthenon. A far cry from its
one-time splendor, the Parthenon is the largest Doric temple ever
completed in Greece. It was built to house a statue of Athena, goddess
of wisdom and Athens’ patron deity. The Acropolis’ glory extends down
the southern slope with the colossal Theater of Dionysos and the smaller
Theater of Herodes Atticus. The best time to visit the Acropolis is in
the morning, before the sun gets too hot and the crowds take over the
site. Follow the Acropolis with a tour of Ancient Agora and work your
way back through Plaka towards Syntagma Square, where the famous evzones
guard the former royal palace-turned-parliament building.
Plaka and Monastiraki
The historic Plaka district, Athens’ old Turkish quarters, is a maze of
narrow streets and alleyways. Most of the streets have been closed to
traffic and restaurants and cafes line the streets. Tourist shops sell
goods ranging from nice—antiques, hand painted icons and wood
carvings—to unbearable kitschy. A glow-in-the-dark Parthenon replica,
anyone? There are several museums in Plaka, including the Children's
Museum, the Music Museum, the Greek Folk Art Museum and the Jewish
Museum. Northwest of Plaka, the neighborhood of Monastriaki takes over.
If you can, try to visit Monastiraki on a Sunday, for the flea market,
or any other day of the week for the fish and meat market, and the fruit
and vegetable market surrounded by spice shops.
Singing the Blues
It’s been called the Greek blues. It originated in the slums of the port
of Pireaus and the city of Thessaloniki in the early 20th century,
brought there by the two million Greek refugees from Asia Minor
repatriated by force in the 1920s. Today, rembetika, as the music is
known, is experiencing a rebirth. Catch a live performance at one of the
many venues featuring rembetika in central areas such as Psiri and Plaka.
See the write-up in context at:
www.viscape.com/destinations/122/athens_greece
© 2010. Karin Palmquist
(karin@karinpalmquist.com). All
rights reserved.