Tag Archives: Greece

NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 127

Posted on by
Reply

In the central north of or mystery country, a collection of  monasteries perch 1,000 feet above the Plain of Thessaly at the top of titanic natural pillars. This is Meteora, first inhabited by Christian hermits seeking solitude and security in the 11th century.
These first settlers scaled the towers and lived in caves and cracks in the stone.
In the 13th century, groups of monks came to the area and began to build. Over the next several hundred years over 20 monasteries were built. Today, six of the surviving monasteries are open to visitors.

Can you name that country? 
See below for answers.

Continue reading →

NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 117

Posted on by
Reply

With its elegant design and amazing acoustics, the theater at Epidaurus is widely considered to be the pinnacle of ancient performance venues. The theater was built as a compliment to the nearby Asclepeion health center. Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing, was born at Epidaurus, and his sanctuary there drew health-seekers from around the known world for almost a millennium, from the 6th-century BCE to the 5th-century CE, well into the Christian era. Dramatic performance was considered therapeutic and Asclepeion patients were often prescribed an evening at the theater.
The theater is still in regular use, especially during the annual, summer Epidaurus Festival.

Can you name that country? 
See below for answers.

Continue reading →

NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 108

Posted on by
1

On the island of Milos, Kleftiko, also known as “Meteora of the Sea,” is a popular excursion for swimming, snorkeling, diving and kayaking. Shapely gray-white rock formations make a striking contrast to the clear turquoise water and harbor caves and little coves for exploring. Kleftiko is in a remote part of the island and predominantly reached by sea, although there is a hiking trail. Group tour boats and private yachts depart regularly from Adamas and Pollonia.

Can you name that county? 
See below for answers.

Continue reading →

Hotel Favs – Petasos Beach Resort & Spa, Mykonos, Greece

Posted on by
Reply
Le Club Restaurant, Petasos Beach Resort & Spa, Mykonos

Le Club Restaurant, Petasos Beach Resort & Spa, Mykonos

Located about 5km from Mykonos Town and its famous nightlife, Petasos Beach Resort & Spa is an oasis of relative peace and quiet. With a bus stop right outside the front door, the bustle of town is an easy 10-15 minutes away. In season, the bus runs every 30 minutes and tickets are sold at the hotel desk, for 1.80 euros.

The hotel is positioned at the end of a rocky outcropping, with its own small private beach. The large public beach Platys Gialos is right next door and Psarou beach is a five-minute walk away. Other beaches can be reached by water taxis from Gialos. (American travelers should know that, in terms of pillowy sand, most Mediterranean/Aegean beaches do not compare with those of Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. Don’t go to Greece for the beaches; go to Greece for culture, both past and present, great food and rugged natural beauty, all with a side of beach.)

Pristine, multi-level patios around the pool have gorgeous views of the little bay and sea beyond. Guest rooms are spacious and some deluxe rooms and suites have their own pool. The two on-site restaurants are excellent and plenty of dining options are within an easy walk. Behind all the crisp beauty and comfort of Petasos Beach is an outstanding staff – sincerely friendly and eager to serve. We get nothing but raves from Ya’lla travelers about this hotel.

private pool suite

private pool suite

Classic Room

Classic Room

All photos courtesy of Petasos Beach Resort & Spa

Day Trips from Athens – Hydra Island

Posted on by
4
Hydra island, Greece

Hydra island, Greece

With Saronic Islands day trips from Athens you visit three islands – Hydra, Poros and Aegina. If you’re short on time and really want to see more than one island in an organized, semi-escorted way, this is a good way to do it. On the other hand, you spend a lot more time traveling between islands and boarding and disembarking than you do on the islands. Personally, I’d rather have time to linger and soak up one place, and Hydra would be that place. Hydrofoils depart several times a day from Athens’ Pireaus port during the tourist season (March/April-October). The one-way trip takes about 1 ½ hours. The island is idyllic, with the pretty, whitewashed town tucked between amphitheater hills and the harbor, cobbled roads and no motorized traffic – the perfect recipe for lazy poking around and a long harbor-view lunch.

NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 99

Posted on by
Reply

According to legend the island of Delos, pictured above, was the birthplace of the twin Olympian gods Apollo and Artemis, making it a sacred place. In antiquity it was a major religious, political and trading center. The Cyclades island group is so-named because it encircles and protects Delos. That a group of islands should be named based on their position in relation to Delos, is one indication of its importance. Today, the island’s only permanent inhabitants are the toppled remains of an illustrious past, and those remains are some of the best we have from Classical antiquity. Modern visitors to the island come on short excursions from neighboring islands. The 6th-century BCE lions lining the Sacred Way once numbered 12. What we see in the open air today are replicas, with the remaining originals protected from the elements in the nearby museum.

Can you name that county? 
See below for answers.

Continue reading →

Athens Day Trips – Corinth

Posted on by
Reply
Temple of Octavia, Corinth, Greece

Temple of Octavia, Corinth, Greece

The ancient site of Corinth is about an hour drive west of Athens on the isthmus that connects mainland Greece to the Peloponnese. There has been significant development there since the 8th century BCE. With ports on the Corinthian Gulf and the Saronic Gulf, Corinth controlled a great deal of trade and was very wealthy and powerful, especially in the Classical period, when the city was known for decadence. The flamboyant Corinthian Order (column) originated in Corinth and is a good reflection of the city’s character at its peak.

Ancient attempts to dig a canal through the isthmus failed but, after the first try in the 7th-century BCE, a paved ramp was built so ships could be moved overland to avoid sailing around the Peloponnese. In the late 19th century, the canal was finally built, 4 miles long and only 70 feet across, too narrow for most modern seafaring traffic.

Many visitors to Corinth are interested in its biblical significance. Paul the Evangelist established a church there and visited several times. Two of his letters to the congregation in Corinth are part of the Christian Bible – 1st & 2nd Corinthians. Among the ruins are a 6th-century BCE Temple of Apollo, one of the oldest surviving Greek temples, a Roman Temple of Octavia, the Roman agora, and the Bema, a public square where Paul was judged after some of the locals complained about his preaching.

NAME THAT COUNTRY Episode 89

Posted on by
Reply

Ancient Aegae or Aigai (modern Vergina), in the north of our mystery country, was the 1st capital of the kingdom of Macedon, which produced Philip II and his son Alexander the Great. Even after the capital was moved to Pella, Aegae remained an important religious and ceremonial center and a sophisticated, cultured city, which attracted great thinkers and artists.

The 4th-century BCE royal palace at Aegae rivals the Parthenon in terms of architectural innovation and influence. In 1977, the discovery of the royal necropolis, including the tomb and remains of Philip II, was one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Excavation and restoration is ongoing on the large site. Funeral objects and several tombs are on display in the excellent Museum of the Royal Tombs, which is cut right into the tumulus (burial mound). The fresco of the abduction of Persephone pictured above is from one of the royal tombs.

Can you name that country?
See below for answers.

Continue reading →