Athens antiquity ©GNTO, D Koilalous

GreeceFrom the fascination of ancient Athens to the beaches of Corfu, Crete andRhodes, Greece and her Islands offer a unique mix of sun, sand and history.

THE SUN-DRENCHEDBEACHES LEAD TOURISM INGREECE AND IT’S THEARCHITECTURE, CUISINEAND CUSTOMS THAT ENTICEVISITORS TO RETURN Greece will delight your senses in so many ways as you wanderthrough picture-postcard villages and historical sites, samplingthe fresh and unique flavours of Greek cuisine and roam frommountains to beach taking in the breathtaking scenery.

In 2009, 425 beaches and eight marinas in Greece wereawarded the “Blue Flag” for their cleanliness, good organisationand safety, putting the country in a top-ranking position amongother European countries. Half of Greece’s 16,000km coast isfound around the thousands of islands and the rest around themainland. Diversity stretches from small bays and coves to sandybeaches with dunes, pebbly shores and coastal caves.

Greece’s mainland is perfect for holidays with the perfectcombination of diving, snorkelling, Greek ruins and charmingchurches. Visit ATHENS in the south for a city break and toexplore the surrounding towns and villages orPARGA on the west coast with its picturesqueharbour, busy nightlife and ferry links to Corfu.Or relax on the white sand beaches ofHALKIDIKI in the north and let yourimagination run free!

Most of Greece’s islands lie in the AEGEANSEA and include the popular holiday islands ofKos and Rhodes (The Dodecanese) and Crete. CRETE is a very popular island with a mix oflarge tourist resorts, peaceful seaside villages andcenturies-old cities. Most of the eastern side is a meccafor package tourism, whilst the west has a more rugged coastlineand less crowded beaches. KOS was one of the first Greek Islands to open up to masstourism, owed mostly to its long sandy coastlines. It has some ofthe most interesting archeological sites in the whole

Mediterranean and daily sea crossings can be made to nearbyTurkey. Peaceful resorts can be found on the west coast.RHODES is said to have 300 days of blue skies a year andbeyond the madness of resorts like Faliraki, famed for itsclubbing scene, there is much to discover on yet another beautifulisland. Rhodes has a well-preserved medieval city steeped in

history with castle’s and fortresses waiting to be explored.The most popular beaches lie to the west and south of

Rhodes City and those in search of a more authenticGreece, should head south of the island.

The IONIAN SEA is home to one sole islandgroup, The Ionian Islands including Zante(Zakynthos) and Corfu amongst others.CORFU is the closest Greek Island to the UKand is still the most popular for Brits. All-

inclusive and cheap package deals have madeCorfu a very attractive holiday destination, although

amongst the touristy resorts north and south of Corfutown and along the north coast, romantic beaches and

traditional villages can still be found all over.ZANTE (ZAKYNTHOS) is the most southerly of the IonianIslands full of pretty villages, quiet beaches and breathtakingscenery. The major beach resorts are along the coastal stripnorth west of Zakynthos Town and Laganas to the south.

Cephalonia,enjoyed a surge

in popularity afterfeaturing in the novel

and film CaptainCorelli’s

Mandolin.

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Lindos, Rhodes ©GNTO, Nikos Kasseris

Fact fileGREEK HONEY is famous all over the worldfor its good quality, aroma and outstanding taste.It owes its wide diversity in taste and aroma to therich Greek flora which comprises a large numberof wild flowers. Honey in Greece is mainly flower-honey from the nectar of fruit and citrus trees(lemon, orange, bigarade trees), thyme honey,with incomparable aroma, and pine honey fromconifer trees.

The DODECANESE ISLANDS, includingRhodes, Kos and Patmos, are close to Turkey,while the IONIAN ISLANDS have an Italianflavour; one of these is Cephalonia.

The GREEK MOUNTAINS are renowned fortheir diversity, landscapes of singular beauty andunique forests, many of which rank among theoldest natural wooded lands in Europe. Due to theastoundingly rich flora and fauna they support,many of these environments have been designatedas National Parks.

OLIVE OIL plays a unique role in Greek dietaryhabits, being the basis of all recipes of traditionalcuisine. Greek olive oil enjoys worldwidedistinction for its purity and exceptional taste. Youwill find it everywhere in glass bottles and cans.

SUMMER CINEMAS (open-air) are one of theGreek people’s most popular forms ofentertainment during the spring and summer. Theyoperate in open-air areas (roofs, empty lots, parksetc), are usually surrounded by small natural orartificial gardens and their floor is covered withpebbles. There are summer cinemas in all theGreek cities and many holiday resorts and showsusually start at around 9pm.

Tourist Officewww.visitgreece.grinfo@gnto.gr020 7495 9300

Official language Greek

Average summer temperatures(June–August)Athens: 27ºCCorfu: 25ºCRhodes: 26ºCSantorini: 24ºC

Currency Euro

Average flying time from UK 31/2 hours

Capital Athens

Local time GMT+2 hours

Did you know? The highest point in Greece is MountOlympus, legendary home of Zeusand the other Olympian gods andgoddesses.

Crete is the biggest of Greece’sislands, followed by the lesser-knownisland of Evvia or Euboia.

The Greek territory comprises 6000islands and islets scattered in theAegean and Ionian Sea, of theseislands only 227 are inhabited.

Choice Villas & Apartments 201036

Rhodes Town ©GNTO

Athens Herodion Theatre ©GNTO

Konitsa, Epirus ©GNTO

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