Top 5 Things To Do In Greece In Winter
- by XpatAthens
- Thursday, 26 November 2015
The mention of Greece brings up images of white arcing beaches and sparkling aqua waters under sun-drenched skies. But the secret in plain sight is that this nation blessed with more than 6000 islands actually offers some of its best features outside the tourist-crazed summer season. Greece in winter is a land of glorious walks with open vistas, uncluttered ancient sites and bustling city life. Bust your stereotypes and see the country as the locals do.
Booming Athens and sleepy Peloponnese
Athens’ cafe culture and zippy late-hours, hard-partying nightlife is at its best in winter when locals are in town, not out on the islands. Athenians love a good, long, ouzo-soaked lunch or a multi-hour chat over coffee as much as they do all-night bar crawls and glittery bouzoukia nightclubs. By day, the visitor can take in a much less impeded Acropolis and other ancient sites, as well as uncrowded world-class museums, such as the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine & Christian Museum and the Benaki Museum.
Just a stone’s throw from Athens, the Peloponnese offers some of Greece’s most accessible, beautiful country lanes lined by stone walls and olive groves, and ancient sites spanning eons. Make a base in Nafplio, the charming seaside Venetian city topped by a fortress. Its tiny streets are lined with creative craft shops and boutique hotels, while Fougaro cultural centre hosts a winter program of arts and musical events.
Just a stone’s throw from Athens, the Peloponnese offers some of Greece’s most accessible, beautiful country lanes lined by stone walls and olive groves, and ancient sites spanning eons. Make a base in Nafplio, the charming seaside Venetian city topped by a fortress. Its tiny streets are lined with creative craft shops and boutique hotels, while Fougaro cultural centre hosts a winter program of arts and musical events.
Island hopping – yes, they are open!
Let the cascade of tourists abate, and winter-time island life becomes something quite special. Convivial locals make for interesting, friendly visits. Moody skyscapes and changing light conditions make walking a wonderful, dramatic pastime. Larger islands remain the most vibrant, with their substantial local populations.Corfu boasts a fine old town and rich cultural life, from orchestras to art shows and its Palace of St Michael & St George. Crete sprawls from quaint, eye-dazzling harbour towns of Hania and Rethymno to its myriad mountain villages. Lesvos (Mytilini) offers ouzeries and 11 million olive trees (October and November are the olive harvest season; drop in at a local press to see it in action). Each of those large islands has some of the best regional cuisine in the country, with fresh local produce and creative recipes.To read more, please visit: Lonely Planet