Greece sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

Athens is known as the most famous tourist destination in Greece. The city is included in the list of the oldest settlements in the world. It’s a true treasury of historic and archaeological landmarks. Tenths of thousands of tourists come to Athens to see Mount Lycabettus and the Acropolis of Athens as this is where first settlers appeared on the territory of modern Athens 6 thousand years ago. The city was formed around these two landmarks.

Aphrodite Temple, better known under the name Parthenon, is considered the main historic landmark of Athens. The building has a miraculous construction from an archaeological point of view. Built in the 5th century BC, Parthenon consists of numerous columns and looks very light weighted at a glance. There is another important landmark nearby – the Erechtheion that was constructed in the 5th century. Many centuries ago a beautiful palace stood on the site of the ancient temple. According to a legend, the dispute between Poseidon and Aphrodite took place at that palace. The territory around the Erechtheion is decorated with beautiful statues, the most famous of which are Caryatid sculptures. One of the statues was brought to the British Museum in order to keep it in safety.

Many tourist destinations are located in the territory of Attica – the capital region of the country. The most famous landmarks of the region include Delphi and the Apollo Temple, the Oracle and the Sybil Stone. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The city of Piraeus is famous for its magnificent nature and rich choice of cultural places of interest. The most famous tourist destinations are open air theatre on a hill, Navy Museum, the Museum of Archaeology and several local villages. The most famous and interesting villages of the region are Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Mati and Daphni. Kaisariani village is famous for its ancient monasteries located in the piedmont region.

Peloponnese Peninsula is an important tourist object of Greece. There are many legends connected with the peninsula. Most of them are about the ancient city of Corinth and its grandiose temples and acropolis. The temples of Athena and Apollo have survived in best condition. Both the temples were constructed in the 6th century BC. Macedonia is another popular tourist destination. This part of Greece is not only rich in historic landmarks, but is also very beautiful. Spectacular waterfalls, ruins of ancient settlements, odea and oases – you will see all these and even more in Macedonia. Crete Island is simply adored by travellers as this is a wonderful place with rich history. The most famous sights of the island include Minotaur Labyrinth, Minos Palace and around a hundred of other ancient monuments that tell more about Greek gods and heroes. Every city and region in Greece can strike visitors with their rich heritage and share many interesting stories about past centuries.

History and Entertainment

Greece is considered as the oldest country in Europe. The western civilization began forming exactly here. The first settlers on the territory of modern Greece were representatives of the Minoan civilization. Their settlements appeared in the 3rd century BC. Already in the prehistoric period, ancient Greek cities called polises were established. Athens was one of such cities. Over hundreds of years, they were conserving military and political power until they fell under the Macedonian Reign.

In the 2nd century AD, only Romans were able to overpower the reign that had been unrivaled for hundreds of years. The ancient Greek cities underwent the times of the Byzantine and Ottoman influence. The country gained independence from the Ottoman Empire only in 1830. The culture of this old country has been fostered for thousands of years and now has different embodiments.

The country is very popular with its picturesque beaches, some of which are perfect for diving and snorkeling. There are no coral reefs in the waters around Greece but you can see here ships sunken hundreds of years ago and admire exotic dwellers of sea depths.

During the year, a lot of interesting national holidays are celebrated in Greece. For instance, the Saint Basil Festival is traditionally held in early January. The main national holiday in the country is the Independence Day celebrated on 25 March. On this day, there are festive military parades, as well as outdoor musical and theatrical performances in all Greek cities. The city where the Wine Festival is annually organized is Rethymno. The themed holiday is celebrated in early autumn.

Not so many people know that there are excellent ski resorts in Greece. The most famous resorts here are located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The most well-equipped resort from a technical point of view is Pigadia. It is located in the surroundings of Thessaloniki. At the resort, there are powerful snow-making machines, due to which it is possible to ensure excellent conditions for skiing in any season. Greece is also notable for wonderful conditions for shopping. Traditional tours for fur and leather clothes and accessories are still popular. Also, high-quality knitwear is produced in Greece, so you can take part in shopping tours at any time of the year.