Greece - the country chosen by the ancient Gods !!!

Welcome to Greece, the country where European civilization was born, is situated in the South-East of Europe and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and Ionian Sea.

The country is divided in two parts; the mainland and the hundreds of Greek islands.

Greece is a polyvalent country where ancient art and modern structures are combined, beautiful nature, endless beaches and deep blue seas are omnipresent, enjoying a pleasant Mediterranean climate. The images of the dazzling white houses set against a backdrop of the blue sky and crystal waters definitely typify Greece. Greece is a country of beautiful contradictions, a constant journey in time, from the present to the past and back again.

It is one of the oldest travel destinations in Europe, famous for its architecture, history, cultural heritage, beautiful beaches, healthy food and friendly people.

In 2006 Patras (one of Greece s ancient cities) was chosen to be the European cultural capital city of the year.

The main holiday destinations are Athens and the Peloponnesus for the ancient part, Santorini, Naxos and Mykonos which are part of the Cyclades, Corfu, Zakynthos and Kefalonia (Ionian Islands) Rhodes and of course Crete, the most southern and biggest island in the Aegean Sea. The islands and mainland are connected by many sea lines so when visiting Greece, island hopping is a must.

Throughout Greece, you can find interesting ancient sites such as the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens, the sacred temple of Delphi ,Olympia (the birthplace of the Olympic Games) ,the ruins of Knossos Palace on Crete and many more.

Situated between Europe, Africa and Asia, Crete can be considered as a continent on its own. The Byzantine heritage is visible everywhere on the island through the early Christian monasteries and churches. The architecture of the main cities has been influenced by the Roman, Venetian and Turkish occupations which results in charming buildings, old Venetian walls and stylish taverns and shops. In the many archeological sites you can discover the remains of the Minoan culture. The natural beauty of the island is stunning, mountainous landscapes with olive trees, many gorges, endless beaches and crystal clear waters. Crete offers more than 1000 km of coastline, from big developed beaches on the north coast to small private beaches on the south coast.

The national language is Greek but English is widely spoken as well.

The Greeks are very proud of their country and traditions, which they kept throughout the centuries, like folklore dances, saints days and they are very religious too. Orthodox churches are present everywhere and can even be found in isolated regions.