10 Things to do when in Greece!

Top 10 things one should not miss out on when travelling to Greece!

In the summertime, or during spring and autumn, try some of our favorite things to do in Greece:

1. See the Parthenon & the new Acropolis Museum. The New Acropolis Museum in Athens has won the British Guild of Travel Writers' (BGTW) prestigious global award for the Best Worldwide Tourism Project for 2010. It is also one of the most visited Museums for 2010 and one of the highest profile cultural projects undertaken in Europe the last Decade. Join the discussion and be informed on the empty spaces exhibits and why the return of the extracted pieces of the Parthenon should be returned.  Have a coffee at the excellent cafe- restaurant at the roof and enjoy the magnificent view. Then head off to the Parthenon and the rest of the areas of the Acropolis hill (wear comfortable shoes though!) and hold the moment when as you approach the most imitated building ever build, the absolute harmony of Architecture and natural landscape and have in mind that the ruined parts only add to the charm of this 2,5 thousand year old structure.
2. Watch a play at the Ancient Epidaurus Theater. One of the most important and well preserved ancient sights hosts each summer the Ancient Epidaurus Festival with ancient Greek dramas  in Greek (with English subtitles usually, or English brochures). The perfect acoustics and the original shape of the theatre (build amphitheatrically), are unique. This 2,5 thousand years old theatre  is very close to what it used to look like originally since it‘s been protected by time grace to the layers of sand under which it was covered until 1881.
3. Stay at one, at the very least, cosmopolitan island, such as Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes,Naxos, Paros, Antiparos, Corfu, Koufonisia, Cephallonia, Crete, Patmos. Walk along the traditional alleys, enjoy the Cycladic Architecture and ancient monuments, buy ancient styled Greek sandals from real leather in color or in plain brown, go out and enjoy the night life, or spend the evening with your partner lied on a sandy beach under the moonlight, listening to the sound of the waves and keeping warm under a blanket.  Have a swim in a sandy crystal water beach, enjoy the journey with the ferry (it’s not just about the destination!)  and, of course,  sunbath and swim!
4. Visit at least one mainland destination, such as the Meteora, or the Delfi, or the Peloponnese Isthmus (Corinth Canal) and if you’re adventurous enough, try active holidays such as hikingor river rafting in the Zagorochoria region, or Epirus.
5. Indulge yourself in a Mediterranean Cruise that sales along the Aegean and the marvelous coastline. Combine it with the opportunity to visit many Greek Islands, all in one simple booking. Relax and follow the Captain!
6. Get married in Santorini, one of the most romantic places in the world! Or, if you're married already, take your partner by the hand and walk along the ancient trail from Fira (capital town of Santorini Island), to Oia, which is at the north part of the island (about two and a half hours). This experience will take you through the small white houses contrasting against the spectacular deep blue of the Aegean Sea. Approximately in the middle of the route, stop to rest on a bench by a little church and enjoy the views of the volcanic scenery, while exchanging words of eternal love! At the end of the walk, you'll reach artistic Oia, where you will witness one of the most amazing sunsets of the planet!
7. Go underwater ! Diving in Greece is a mighty experience. It combines beauty, adventure and exploring Greece with the actual meaning of the word! The Aegean Sea is a very popular destination for divers, with magical waters that offer a wonderful selection of beautiful dive spots, colorful sea life, shipwrecks, caves, and many other unique underwater settings. Specially known as “The Sponge Diver's Island", Kalymnos, is among the top destinations for diving. Sponge fishery, processing and trading were the main professions on Kalymnos Island for hundreds of years. In fact, the use of sponges was described by Aristotle and mentioned in both Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. In Kalymnos, there are a number of professional diving centers, offering you training facilities and the opportunity to be certified in scuba diving. Many of these centers organize excursions, and they even offer your children the chance to dive and get to know the underwater life, proving that the island can provide you and your family unforgettable underwater experiences.
8. Find a traditional and unspoiled place and spend a part of your holidays relaxing and breathing the freshness of the scenery! We suggest the region of Mani , where architectural Heritage preserves the rich diversity of cultural changes through space and time. Through its monuments history is transformed into powerful, living images. Traditional settlements, high quality architecture, these centuries-old residencies are also very important local tourism resources closely tied to the natural environment…
9. Learn a few Greek words. All thought, if you are speaking English, you probably already “know” 47.729 Greek words (57 Turkish words and another 34 slavic words). And if you are French, one out of six words you pronounce comes from a Greek word.  For example, telecommunication, telefax , telegraph , telephone , telemeter , telescope and so many more. If you are a doctor, the terms you daily use are 95% Greek, and if you are a scientist in general, 80% of the words you use come from Greek. The Greek language is considered among the most important and unique languages in the history of mankind. It is a living organization that has been around uninterruptedly for 9 thousand years (in it’s spoken form) and 8,5 thousand years in it’s written form. There are 3 main phases, the ancient Greek (5.500 b.C. – 330 b.C.), the byzantine Greek (330 b.C.  – 1453) and the Modern Greek (1453 – today).  The Modern Greek is the only descendant of the ancient Greek language and surprisingly survived in a remarkably clear form through centuries of foreign occupations over the Greek Lands.  In Modern Greek you should know how to say Good morning – KALIMERA (καλημέρα), Goodnight- KALINIHTA , Nice to meet you- HERO POLI (χαίρω πολύ) , Thank you – EFHARISTO (ευχαριστώ), Please- PARAKALO (παρακαλώ), I love you- SAGAPO (σ’αγαπώ).
10. Taste a real Greek Salad with pure olive oil and have a Greek Souvlaki. You’ll find it in a few combinations, with or without the pita, with chicken or with pork meet, but the most genuine is called Pita- Gyros WITH Tzatziki sauce! Have a soda drink if you’re  trying the Tzatziki sauce and avoid getting close to people right afterwards, as your breath might have a garlic scent.

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