On Lefkada you will find noteworthy sights, churches and monasteries, picturesque villages, lush vegetation, idyllic coves of transparent, turquoise waters, busy and secluded beaches of stunning beauty, a significant cultural heritage and hospitable locals.

Lefkada town

Lefkada is the island’s capital and port town. The town planning is a very particular one and resembles a “fish backbone”. There are picturesque alleys, small squares, traditional houses, elaborate belfries and paved pedestrian zones that give this town its character. The city is surrounded by a canal and a lagoon, while, farther north, lies Gyra, a thin stretch of a sandy beach forming a circle, dotted with windmills and scant vegetation.

Things to do and see:

• Town promenade
• The lagoon, one of the Ionian Sea’s most significant wetlands, protected by the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. There is also an ivari, a fish farm where fish grow in their natural environment.
• Agia Mavra fort, at the town’s entrance, constructed by a Sicilian named Giovanni Orsini in 1300.
• Bosketo Park, where busts of the island’s eminent scholars are to be found.
• The pedestrian zone along the coast lined with the younger generation’s hangouts.

To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

The quarter of the town known as Vaporia, where the sea captains lived, is of special interest and exceptional beauty.

Ano Syros was built by the Venetians at the beginning of the 13th century on the hill of San Giorgio, north-west of Ermoupolis. The Catholic basilica of San Giorgio church dominates Ano Syros. From there visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the neighbouring islands of Tinos, Delos, Mykonos, Paros, Andros and Naxos. Ano Syros is the birthplace of Markos Vamvakaris, the most important Greek singer and composer of “Rebetiko” music.

Syros is known for the International Festival of the Aegean which takes place annually on the island and it attracts world-class musicians, dancers, and actors. There is also the festival of Ano Syros and many other cultural events like art exhibitions, theater plays and concerts.

Syros has some excellent local products, of which most known are the “loukoumia” (gummy squares flavoured with roses, pistachio and other) and ”chalvadopita”, a cake filled with almonds and nougat, a traditional, very tasteful sweet. One of the most famous local chesses is “Saint Michali”.

Some of the most innovative products for Greece are produced by a small company MuMu organic.

MuMu organic is an ethical fashion company producing high-quality women’s clothes. Created in the beautiful Cycladic island of Syros in 2009 by designer Athena Bentila and artist Roland Wakker, MuMu organic is dedicated to creating stylish and timeless handmade womenswear, produced locally in Greece.

MuMu organic uses certified organic cotton and sustainable fabrics and through responsible sourcing supports Fairtrade producers in developing countries, while providing local employment for people in Greece.

MuMu organic’s beautiful designs are inspired by the breathtaking and versatile natural environment of the Greek islands. The collections feature fitted dresses, skirts and tops, which are carefully designed and tailored. The colours are bright and intense and the forms are simple and flattering. The water-based prints, designed by artist Roland Wakker, have been inspired by his original ecological paintings, giving a fresh and modern approach to the clothes.

As MuMu organic’s designer Athena Bentila says, “Our aim is to provide high fashion from sustainable materials and to inform consumers about the benefits of organic cotton. By supporting Fairtrade producers and organic farmers, we are helping make the fashion industry more sustainable, moving from throwaway fashion to beautiful, and producing timeless and long-lasting pieces. At the same time we are providing employment for people in Greece ensuring a safe and healthy, non-abusive, non-discriminatory environment with living wages. In this difficult period Greece is going through, it is very important to invest in innovation and bloom through our environmental initiatives.”

The MuMu organic ethical garments are sold through the e-shop www.mumusyros.gr.

MuMu organic is offering 25% discount to all the readers of this article, simply by entering the coupon code VisitGreece25.

http://blog.visitgreece.gr/syros-not-just-a-beautiful-greek-island-but-also-an-excellent-cultural-destination

Most are small, but a handful are larger operations with more challenging trails, ski schools, rental shops, night skiing, and big lodges. Here are a few of the best.

Central Greece

The country's biggest ski center, Parnassos is located 180 km from Athens. Parnassos is made up of two sections (Kellaria Mountain and Fterolaka Mountain). There are 13 lifts (half of them chairlifts, the rest tow lifts) and 23 trails, with 14 km of skiing. Kellaria features mostly blue (easy) and red (intermediate) trails while Fterolaka's seven trails include the 1,500-meter black (expert) Sahara trail. Expect traffic and long lines on weekends and holidays. Lift rates: Kellaria weekends/holidays: 27 euros; Fterolaka weekends/holidays: 17 euros, or Kellaria/Fterolaka daily (includes both ski centers): 12 euros. www.parnassos-ski.gr.

Karpenisi (30-22370-21112; weekends/holidays 20 euros; daily 12 euros), 78 km from Lamia, has four chair lifts, a couple of tow lifts, and 11 trails for all levels. There are four lifts and six mostly easy trails on Elatohori (30-2351-072200; lift rates: weekends/holidays 13 euros; daily 10 euros), while farther south is Pilio (30-24280-73719; lift rates: weekends/holidays 16 euros; daily 12 euros), which has three peaks, five-lifts, a five-km Nordic run, and a resort perched over the sea.

Northern Greece

Thessaloniki residents looking for a day on the slopes head to Seli (30-23310-49226), 95 km away. Fifty thousand skiers a year visit the resort, which has nine lifts, 15 downhill trials (nine easy, four intermediate, three beginner) and two Nordic ski runs. There is on-the-premises lodging, a small base village, and easy driving access. Lift rates: 13 euros weekends and holidays; 10 euros daily.

Farther north, 17 km from Naoussa, is tree-flanked 3-5 Pigadia, which typically welcomes 65,000 visitors a year with seven lifts (including one chairlift) and 10 trails that can satisfy advanced and cross-country skiers alike. There's a snowboarding park and two rental shops. Weekend visitors can combine skiing there, or at Seli, with a visit to the wine-producing city Naoussa (18 kms from both). Lift rates: 12-18 euros weekends and holidays; 10 euros daily. www.3-5pigadia.gr/.

Thirty-nine km northwest of the town of Edessa, at the border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, is Greece's highest center, Kaimaktsalan (or "Voras"), which offers 25,000 skiers a year the best dry, fluffy snow in the country. Look for one chairlift, five tow lifts, and 14 trails good for moderate skiers. There are areas for snowboarding and snowtubing, and for those who want something to warm their bones, there's a bar. Bad weather can close the lifts and the winding mountain road leading to the center. Lift rates: 15 euros weekends and holidays; 12 euros daily. www.kaimaktsalan.gr/.

The top spot for skiing in northeastern Greece is Falakro, which is visited by more than 30,000 skiers each year. True to its name, which means "bald" in Greek, the resort features wide, obstacle-free trails. You'll also find three lodges, 9 lifts (two are chairlifts), and 20 trails, including a 2,200-metre black trail and a Nordic ski trail. It is accessed by a winding mountain road. Lift rates: 15-20 euros (depending on lift package) weekends and holidays; 10-15 euros daily (depending on package). www.falakro.gr.


To read more, please visit www.fodors.com

During the summer, you can enjoy sound and light shows here. Visit Nafplio to discover the Ancient Fortress of Akronafplio along with two Venetian Fortresses - Bourtzi in the harbour and Palamidi crowning the hilltop.

Naflio came to prominence as the first capital of Greece. When the capital moved to Athens, Nafplio settled into the role of quietly beautiful seaside resort. Located in the Peleponnese, Nafplio is a two and a half hour bus ride from Athens, or one hour fifteen minutes from Corinth. The old part of the town is situated on a spit of land that protrudes into the Argolic Gulf.

Sail out to Bourtzi Fortress

Walk along the harbourfront and you can’t help but notice a fortress covering an entire, tiny island in the gulf. The Bourtzi Fortress was built by the Venetians 600 meters from shore and can be reached by boat from the harbour along Akti Misouli. In modern times the fortress is sometimes used as a venue for the Classical Music Festival held in late May and early June.

Walk up to the Akronafplia Fortress

The second fortress in Nafplio sits on a promontory above the old city. Start from Saint Spiridons Square and walk up Potomaino, a stepped street. Enter the fortress through the gate at the top. Some of the walls here date back to the Bronze Age. Although the site was used as a political prison until the 1950s, most of it has since mouldered into the ground. The view however remains spectacular.

Hike up to the Palamidi Fortress

The largest and most spectacular fortress in Nafplio sits 216 meters above the city. The Palamidi Fortress was built by the Venetians from 1711-1714 and at the time was considered a masterpiece of military architecture.

Within the extensive outer walls are several independent bastions located across the site at strategic points. The Agios Andreas Bastion stands at the top of the stairs that come up from town. Originally the home of the Garrison Commander, it is named after the small chapel that sits in its inner courtyard.

The largest bastion, Miltiades was used as a prison for condemned criminals from 1840 – 1920. Theodore Kolokotrones, a War of Independence hero spent time there after being condemned for treason. Although you can drive up the backside of the mountain to reach the fortress, it is much more impressive to climb up the innumerable stairs– 999 according to locals. Be sure to pause along the way to catch your breath and enjoy the increasingly stunning view.

Enjoy the Ambiance

After a long day of discovering the sites, take time to unwind. Choose one of the many seaside restaurants, order a bottle of wine and revel in the fresh sea air. Remember, you’re in Greece where of an evening there is nothing more pressing than a leisurely meal in the company of friends. When the last after dinner coffee is gone, enjoy a stroll long the waterfront. The lights dazzling the Bourtzi Fortress across the water bring an excellent close to your day in Nafplio.

Source: Easy voyage
By Gwendolyn Copeman

History

The site of ancient Corinth was first inhabited in the Neolithic period (5000-3000 BC), and flourished as a major Greek city from the 8th century BC until its destruction by the Romans in 146 BC.

Its commanding position on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow strip of land that separates the Peloponnese from northern Greece, was the primary basis of its importance. Corinth controlled the diolkos (Greek for "haul across"), the 6th-century BC stone-paved roadway that connected the Saronic Gulf with the Gulf of Corinth. This overland route was highly valuable in that it allowed passengers and cargo to avoid the difficult and time-consuming trip around the southern end of the Peloponnese.

Being a leading naval power as well as a rich commercial city enabled ancient Corinth to establish colonies in Syracuse on the island of Sicily and on Corcyra (modern Corfu). These colonies served as trading posts for the richly ornamental bronze works, textiles, and pottery that Corinth produced.

After 1204, when Constantinople fell to the Fourth Crusade, Corinth was a prize sought by all. Corinth was captured by the Turks in 1458; the Knights of Malta won it in 1612; the Venetians took a turn from 1687 until 1715, when the Turks returned; and the city finally came into Greek hands in 1822.

In 1893 a 4-mile (6-km) Corinth canal was finally completed, providing an essential shipping route between the Ionian and Aegean seas. Like its ancient predecessor, modern Corinth is the center of commerce between northern and southern Greece. Today, it has a population of about 30,000.

Systematic archaeological excavations of the area, initiated by the American School of Classical Studies in 1896, are still continuing today and have brought to light the agora, temples, fountains, shops, porticoes, baths and various other monuments. The finds are exhibited in the on-site Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth.



To read more, please visit sacred-destinations.com

Its capital and main port, Gaios (Gáios), is separated from its natural breakwater, the tiny island of Agios Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas), by a narrow channel, displaying one of the most beautiful port sceneries in Greece.

Not to be missed:

• the Venetian fortress of Agios Nikolaos
• the English Governor’s House
• the Paxi Museum and the churches and chapels of the area.

Visit the picturesque villages of Lóggos, Lákka and Oziás, tucked away in pine and olive trees. In the areas of Oziás, Yaná and Glyfáda, sulphur thermal springs offer an alternative treatment for rheumatics and other health conditions. Innumerable ravishing beaches await the fitter ones as a starting point for scuba diving into underwater caves and shipwrecks, and for top-notch windsurfing.


To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

Because if health –in accordance with the definition prescribed in the constitution of the World Health Organization (1946) – is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of an illness or a disability”, a person can easily understand that the meaning of health is not given only by medicine, but also by other factors such as environment, economy, work, etc, and is based solely on a feeling of well-being.

Apart from the rare landscapes and special natural beauties, nature also endowed Greece with springs with important therapeutic properties. Spas are part of the country’s national wealth, while their therapeutic properties were already known in ancient times.

Natural therapeutic springs are found in many different places in Greece, and the water from specific springs differs from ordinary water owing either to its high temperature, or to the presence of rare active components.

Greece is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural spas. Thermal and mineral springs appear at 850 different geographical locations.

In addition to revitalising the spirit, the large number of mineral springs in Greece offers visitors an opportunity to receive treatment for chronic conditions in a natural way (hydrotherapy). Ailments like arthritis and rheumatic disorders are traditionally associated with the elderly, and therefore everyone believes that spas are for the “therapeutic” treatment of mainly senior citizens. However, the beneficial properties are much broader as they also benefit people of all ages. They start by improving appearance (concerns mainly the condition of the skin) and arrive at the more generalized feeling of relaxation and well-being.

The development of health and spa tourism in Greece has been rapid and there is to observe a significant growth of supply and service differentiation. The forms of hydrotherapy treatment applied in Greece are spa or mud therapy, drinking or inhalation therapy.

Fourteen hydro-therapeutic centres (owned by G.N.T.O.) annually treat around 100,000 persons, with 1,400,000 therapeutic treatments, while dozens of other spas operated by local authorities offer modern high-quality services to visitors. In addition, spa centers with state of the art facilities and specialized staff can be found in the majority of the five-star hotels, while other spas can usually be found in Athens or Thessaloniki.

Moreover, thalassotherapy is used as a combination of relaxation, revitalisation, recreation and healing that is achieved in the ideal climatic conditions of Greece and with the use of its excellent seawater. Natural resources are still in use but a holistic provision of body and soul is being introduced including wide spectrum of fitness and wellness products and services.

With one of the best climates in the world, with a unique variety of nature, as well as one of the healthiest diets in the world, Greece is the ideal proposal for psychological and physical health and the search for well-being!

Source:Visitgreece.gr