Piraeus travel guide

Piraeus is Greece’s third largest city in terms of population and its biggest port. It was first settled in the ages of Themistocles, when the Long Walls were built (478 BC), and the town was being laid out to the plans of the architect Hippodamus. It gained considerably in importance when Athens became a naval power. The ancient harbours of Piraeus were Zea and Munichia.
   Zea, now called Pasalimani, is one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean. Munichia, also known as Mikrolimano or Tourkolimano, is a pretty little harbour with yachts and fishing-boats and ringed with fish tavernas. Above Mikrolimano is the hill of Kastella, much mentioned in popular songs, with its traditional houses and offers a panoramic view. Above it is the Church of the Prophet Elijah and the Veakeio Theatre, well known for its summer performances, is nearby situated.
    The commercial harbour of Piraeus is one of the most important in the Mediterranean. The city itself with its suburbs is an industrial zone of particular importance for the Greek economy, but nevertheless its centre has broad streets, spacious squares, tree-lined avenues, and parks.Hotel Lilia is situated at one of the most beautiful Greek harbours, Pasalimani, just 5 minutes of the Piraeus harbour. We offer to our visitors a comfortable, peaceful and clean hotel with a friendly atmosphere.We are in the center of Piraeus (the port of Athens) Away from the city of Athens only 20 minutes. We are eager to offer our best services in the cozy, comfortable, calm, tidy, friendly and not pricey environment.

 

Athens museums

Ancient Agora  Temple of Hephestus  & Stoa of Attalus Museum
inside the Stoa of Attalos, Tel. 210 321-0185. Inside one will find artifacts from the Agora (ancient market place) while upstairs visitors will see miniature models of how the Acropolis and Agora looked during ancient times. There are 65,000 finds from the excavations on exhibit.

Athens City Museum
7 Paparigopoulou St., Tel.210 324-6164. The museum contains paintings, sketches and a scale model of 19th century Athens as well as furniture, costumes and personal objects from early this century. Open daily (except Tuesdays) 10.00-14.00.

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus
31 Harilaou Trikoupi St., Piraeus, Tel.  210 452-1598. Contains archaeological artifacts from the port city, from the 4th century B.C. until the Roman period. Open daily (except Mondays when it is closed) 08.30-15.00.

Byzantine & Christian Museum
22 Vass. Sofias Ave., Tel.  210-723-2178, 210-723-1570 . It contains a large collection of icons, and other Byzantine and post-Byzantine art. Descriptions are in Greek and French. Open daily (except Mondays when it is closed) 08.30-15.00. Free Admission.

Epigraphical Museum
1Tossitsa St., Tel. 210 821-7637. A passage through the history of Greek epigraphy (the art of inscription), from ancient to modern times. Open daily (except Mondays) 08.30-15.00. Free admission.

Greek Popular Musical Instruments Musuem
1-3 Diogenous Str.Plaka,  Tel. 210 325-0198. On display are popular Greek musical instruments, old and new.Β  Open dailyΒ 10.00-14.00 (except Mondays when it is closed) and Wednesdays 12.00-18.00. Free admission.
Frissiras Museum 
3&7 Monis Asteriou St., Plaka, Tel. 210 323-4678. Museum of contemporary european painting. Opens daily (except Monday-Tuesday when it is closed), Wen-Thurs-Fri 11.00-19.00 & Sat., Sun. 10:00-15:00.

Goulandris Natural History Museum
13 Levidou St., Kifissia, Tel. 210 801-5870. ThousandsΒ Β Β Β Β  of dried plants and flowers, insects, birds, rocks and minerals, sea life of all sorts, etc. Not to be missed by those interested in paleontology, entomology, zoology, flora and geology. The displays are colorful and excellent, and well labeled. Open daily (except Fridays) 09.00-14.30

Greek Folk Art Museum
17 Kidathineon St., Plaka, Tel. 210 321-3018. On display is a vast collection of traditional art objects from the Byzantine  period until today. Embroideries, wood carvings, jewelry and traditional costumes from all over Greece are on exhibit. Open daily (except Mondays when it is closed) 10.00-14.00

 

food

Food, for the Greeks, had all sorts of religious and philosophical meaning. The Greeks, to begin with, never ate meat unless it had been sacrificed to a god, or had been hunted in the wild. They believed that it was wrong to kill and eat a tame, domesticated animal without sacrificing it to the gods. Even with vegetables, many Greeks believed that particular foods were cleaner or dirtier, or that certain gods liked certain foods better than others. The Pythagoreans, for example, would not eat beans. But even if you were not a Pythagorean, the Greeks tended to think of the god Dionysos whenever they drank wine (which was often), and to think of Demeter and Persephone whenever they ate bread. Like its Mediterranean neighbours the concept behind the Greek way of eating is simple, yet effective. Greeks make the most of their abundant seasonal produce to make meals the best they can taste, and mealtimes aren’t an occasion to be hurried.
The Greeks ate mainly the Mediterranean triad, wheat (or barley or millet), wine, and olive oil. They also grew vegetables, especially legumes (lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas). Possibly they ate more fish than most other Mediterranean people. Also, because of their feelings about sacrificing meat, they may have eaten meat less than other people did. The Greeks utilise the concept of mezze along the same lines as neighbouring Italy and Spain. The word itself means ‘middle’, possibly alluding to the fact that food eaten mezze style is not meant to constitute a full meal. Traditional mezze may contain fresh bread, creamy feta, olives, dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts and currants), marinated mackerel or sardines and grilled squid or octopus.
The ancient Greeks ate the ripe black olives and believed they were good for one’s health, perserved in vinegar and seasoned with fennel as they still are today. For someone to say that they don’t like olives is like saying they don’t like candy because once they ate one that had orange rinds in it and they have an aversion to orange rinds, like me. There are just too many varieties and too many different flavors of olives for there not to be one that you will like. Green olives are unripe. Black olives are ripe. Between these two main classifications there are all sorts of olives which are usually named after the areas they come from. The most well-known are the Kalamata olives which come from the area around the town of Kalamata in Messenia in the southern Peloponessos. When you order a Greek salad in the USA, that one olive sitting on the tiny pile of crumbled feta is most likely from Kalamata. They are just as popular in Greece where everyone has their favorite olives.Greece has the ideal landscape and climate for growing olives, and olives make up more than just part of the Greek diet. They have been integrated for thousands of years in the fabric of Greek society. Olive oil plays an important role in anything from cosmetics to religious and folk rituals, medicine, celebrating christenings and commemorating the dead. Most Greeks consumer 40 pounds of olive oil per person per year, and the country produces more than 430,000 tons annually. The famous Kalamata olive is native to Greece.One fifth of Greece’s land mass is islands, and the sea isn’t more than 85 miles away from any point on the mainland. Needless to say fish and shellfish are fresh, abundant, and while not always cheap they are certainly worth the price you’ll pay and feature heavily in Greek cuisine. Lamb is widespread and delicious, and often used in stews or roasted with lemon, garlic and herbs. Greece is known around the world for the production of sheep and goat’s cheeses, particularly feta, which has been made in the country for thousands of years.

Traditional Greek dishes are still made from recipes handed down from generation to generation. One of the best known is moussaka, the classic dish of spiced lamb mine with layers of eggplant, potato and béchamel sauce. Souvlaki is the ubiquitous Greek fast food, with lamb or chicken cooked on a rotisserie, sliced and served in pita bread with salad and tzaziki (yogurt and cucumber dip). Spanokopita are available everywhere, and the filo pastry parcels filled with spinach and feta are a very tasty treat. The famous Greek version of chicken soup for the weary is avgolemono, made from chicken, rice and lemon. Greece’s favourite alcoholic drink is ouzo, a spirit not for the faint hearted. It’s made from a combination of pressed grape skins, herbs and berries. Usually served as an aperitif, it can also be the basis of a mixed drink or cocktail. It’s ideally drunk straight and sipped slowly, with friends, over plates of meze.

 

Holiday in Greece

When it comes to plan a holiday in Greece, your first major challenge will be deciding where to start. You could spend months travelling through this fascinating country and still feel you’ve only just scratched the surface of its treasure trove of natural and archaeological wonders. Cheap flights, affordable cruises round the Greek islands and package holiday deals have combined to give the masses access to a land of legends previously beyond their reach. Until the 1960s only wealthy yachties, flower-power hippies and adventurous backpackers had the pleasure of exploring the countless delights of the Greek mainland and islands. These days more than 12 million foreign visitors pour into the country each year, aided by an ever-increasing number of tour operators, car hire firms and charter flight companies all falling over themselves in a bid to exploit the potential of one of the world’s most alluring holiday destinations. Some of the best budget air fares are to be found on the Internet so it’s worth taking the time to scout around before you hand your money over to a high street agent. The UK currently has more than a dozen airports from which you can fly straight to your Greek holiday destination. These include Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester and Newcastle. Plumping for a cheap charter flight means you won’t get all the creature comforts of a scheduled service.but just think of all that extra cash you’ll have to spend on ouzo and souvlakim, If comfort is more important to you than a cheap air fare you’ll probably want to book a scheduled flight. The national airline of Greece, Olympic Airways, serves a worldwide network of destinations including New York, Johannesburg, Sydney, Bahrain and Toronto.
 If you pay more for an Olympian Executive Class ticket you’ll enjoy all sorts of extra goodies including access to a VIP lounge at Athens and other international airports, priority baggage collection, a choice of menu and an extensive in-flight entertainment programme. Olympic Airways has regular domestic flights connecting many of the Greek islands but it’s an expensive way to island-hop. You’ll be better off getting a cheap flight to Athens then island-hopping by boat or hunt around for a low-cost plane ticket directly to one of the islands. Greece has a total of 16 international airports the busiest being, of course, Athens which handles all intercontinental air traffic. Thessaloniki in northern Greece handles both scheduled and charter flights from several European destinations including London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Istanbul. Iraklio Airport on the island of Crete has a scheduled service to and from Amsterdam and also handles a large number of charter flights. Crete also has another international airport at Hania which solely handles charter services. Other international airports can be found on the islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Kos, Karpathos, Samos, Skiathos, Kefalonia and Zakynthos. These airports are used largely by British, German and Scandinavian package holidaymakers. To reach the Ionian island of Lefkada you can fly into Aktion International Airport on the west coast of Central Greece. The island is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge and is only a 30-minute bus ride from the airport. The international airport at Hrysoupolis in Macedonia gives easy access to the northernmost of the North Eastern Aegean Islands, Thassos and Samothraki.
There is nowhere else in the world like Greece and the Greek islands for the summer and every year I try to find the best and cheapest way of getting there. Keeping in mind that airlines sell blocks of tickets at different prices, obviously the cheap seats go first so it is to your advantage to book early. How much can you save. By booking early you can find a ticket for peak season for about $900 from the USA to Athens. Less in the off season If you wait that same ticket may cost you. If you are going to Greece between now and late summer you can get incredible deals if you book at the right time but they get less incredible the longer you wait. By going to Greece in the off-season when you won’t be doing much sunbathing but you can do a lot more exploring you can find flights from the USA. Cheap flights to Greece are readily available in these days of package holiday tourism which has seen air fares falling and flight numbers soaring in recent years. You can fly direct to mainland Greece and many of the islands from several European destinations, securing a low cost flight either independently or as part of a package deal. Unfortnately with the taxes and sir-charges these now come out to about $800 and even this price takes some searching for. There are a number of companies that advertise with paid ads on various travel pages and by visiting their websites and filling out the forms you can find bargains. I recommend shopping around because what one site has, another may not. Some sites where you fill out the form and pick specific dates you should try a variety of dates to get the best price because a cheap seat that is sold out on one flight may be available on another. For those flying from the USA you can visit David at www.greeceflights.com and he does the work for you and comes back with a price.
People flying from the UK or other European cities are better off either booking locally or again looking for google ads for cheap flights on travel sites. Same with those in Australia. In Europe check with airlines like Ryan-Air, Easyjet, Air Scotland, British Air, Olympic and Condor among others. There are also ads in the travel sections of some newspapers for cheap seats on charter flights that have not been filled.You would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not realize that many airlines are in trouble. (Just check out the food they serve these days) So what happens if you have a flight to Greece and the airline shuts down, or the pilots go on strike. Probably you are out of luck. The Greek Islands offer all things to all people. There are the unashamedly hedonistic party playgrounds such as Mykonos, Kos and Ios. There are tranquil, unspoilt islands where rural life continues much as it has done for centuries. And there are islands that offer something for everyone – such as Rhodes and Corfu where you can party around-the-clock or roam the hillsides far from the madding crowds But that does not mean it can’t happen in the future and the way things are going it could happen more frequently. Anyway for what it costs it seems like a good idea. It’s about 5% of the cost of your trip.Greece has the longest coastline of any European country, its islands number more than 2,000 (though only about 100 are inhabited) and its awesome array of ancient sites are unrivalled anywhere in the world. The wondrous legacies of Ancient Greece are too numerous to take in during a two-week holiday, even if you spend the entire time dashing from one archaeological site to another. There’s the Parthenon in Athens, the most famous ancient monument in the world, the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the stadium at Olympia where the first Olympic games were held in 776 BC, the almost perfectly preserved 4th century BC amphitheatre of Epidaurus. In fact the list is endless; wherever you turn in Greece there’s another ancient wonder waiting to take your breath away. Everywhere there are reminders of that golden age when Greece gave birth to western civilisation and spawned the greatest philosophers, artists, poets, scientists, healers and warriors of the ancient world.

 

Kalymnos Holidays

Kalymnos Greece is a very beautiful island lying in the archipelago called Dodecanese, along the coast of western Turkey. The economy of the Greek Island used to be based on sponge fishing and, for that reason, the island opened its borders to tourism only recently, after the extinction of this activity.
This is why the inhabitants of Kalymnos have kept their traditional way of life and customs, which is giving to the island a unique atmosphere and a lot of charm. This section of Greece, Kalymnos Island, provides much information: pictures, map, villages, history, museums, architecture, excursions, weather and more such as a large range of hotels .The island of Kalymnos Greece is rich in picturesque villages where time seems to have stopped and hours are dropping pleasantly and calmly. The capital of the island, Pothia, is particularly lovely and attractive. Others beautiful villages can be found in Kalymnos, some boarding the wonderful coast and some others hanging on the slopes of verdant mountains. This section provides information about the majority of the villages.The beaches on Kalymnos Greece are very beautiful. Some are extending over kilometres while other are nestled in small, secluded coves. With golden sand or smooth pebbles, all the beaches of the island have mirror-like waters varying on a rich palette of blue. This section provides information about many beaches of Kalymnos, specifying the different rentals and facilities they offer and exposing some pictures
History: History has played a very decisive role for Kalymnos. During the years that have gone by, the island has suffered many attacks from invaders, last of which were the Turks and the Italians.The island of Kalymnos experienced a similar history with the rest of the islands that form the group called Dodecanese. Kalymnos has been inhabited since the pre-Minoan times. That most of the Dodecanese Islands, Kalymnos has a rich history .During the Archaic period, the distance of the Dodecanese from Athens gave autonomy to these islands, including Kalymnos, and freedom from the imperial Athens.
With the rise of the Macedonian Empire, Kalymnos, as well as the other islands of the group, became part of it.After the death of Alexander the After the death of Alexander the Great, one of its successors, Ptolemy I of Egypt, took control of all the islands of the Dodecanese.
The inhabitants of the group were the first Greeks to convert to Christianity because Saint Paul and Saint John made a stop there to preach their faith. In the 14th century, the crusaders called the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem ruled the Dodecanese, along with Kalymnos. During the Early Byzantine times Kalymnos was flourishing, like all the other islands of the group, but by the 7th century AD, the    The Turkish rule followed in 1522 and ended in 1912, when the Italians took their place.When the Italians surrendered, the Germans and the British fought to take control over the islands of the Dodecanese, causing great damages and sufferings among the population.
Kalymnos was united to the newly built Greek State with the rest of the Dodecanese in 1947.
Beaches:Kalymnos is one of the most beautiful yet unexplored islands of the Dodecanese. Here we present you some of the most attractive beaches of the island, like Arginonta, Myrties, Akti, Agios Nikolaos, Massouri, or Melitsachas, but there also many other picturesque beaches and isolated coves to discover by boat.

Platis Gialos beach.  Located 6 km northwest of Kalynos town
 The beach is characterized by its black sand and its clear blue waters.
Nearest village: Panormos The beach of Platis Yialos is one of the most beautiful beaches of Kalymnos. It is located nearby the village of Panormos, north of the beaches of Kandouni and Linaria. The fine beach has soft black sand and azure clean waters. An excellent tavern stands on the beach, serving delightful dishes.From Platis Yialos, the visitor will have the chance to admire the most astonishing sunset of Kalymnos.   A mini-market and some restaurants are available near the beach. To reach this paradise, one has to take the bus that stops at a short distance of it.

Myrties  beach located 7 km nothwest of Kalymnos town
The area proposes accommodations, taverns and cafes as well as a fine beach.
Nearest village: Massouri,This beach is located 8 kilometres north-west of Pothia, in front of the lovely village of Myrties. It is a fine pebble beach extending on the right and left side of the little harbour of Myrties.The view from the beach is wonderful. A few accommodations, fine taverns and cafes are available in the village.From there, little fishing boats sail to the opposite islet of Telendos.

Arginonta beach Located 17 km north of Kalymnos town. This sandy and pebble beach umbrellas and sun beds are available for rent as well. Taverns and hotels are located nearby.Nearest village: Massouri. This sandy and pebble beach is Located about 17 kilometres north from Pothia (the island’s capital) and is coil up in a beautiful and picturesque bay. Umbrellas and sun beds are available for rent as well as a few accommodations and taverns that can be found near the beach or in the small hamlet of the same name (just a few meters walk from the beach). From Pothia a bus regularly goes to Arginonda; the bus stop is very close to the beach.

Akti  beach Located 6.5 km south from Kalymnos town. Fine sandy beach with beautiful clear water and nearby tavern.
Nearest village: Akti  The nice and quiet beach of Akti has fine sand and crystalline waters and is located near the road leading to the valley of Vathy, on the eastern coast of Kalymnos.A fine tavern stands on the soft sand and offers excellent food. To reach this relaxing place, one has to use private transport (bike or car), since there isn’t any bus going there.

Emporios beach Located 24 km northwest of Kalymnos town, It has smooth pebbles, scattered rocks, and crystalline waters. No rentals or facilities are available, which makes it very quiet. This beautiful and serene beach is lying in front of the quiet village of the sane name, 24 kilometres north of Pothia.It has smooth pebbles, scattered rocks, and crystalline waters. There are no rentals or facilities available, which makes it a very quiet place. The local bus stops at the village near the beach but this fine place can also be reached by a little fishing boat leaving regularly from the village of Myrties.

Kalamies  beach located 23km northwest of Kalymnos town. A quiet secluded beach with a fine pebble beach.
Nearest village: Emporio.Kalamies Beach Kalymnos: Not like your regular sandy beaches, Kalamies provides vacationers with a day on the beach, of a different kind. Bring along a foldable chair and an umbrella and the possibilities are endless. Cliffs along the beach run into the blue water. The combination of the green cover on the cliffs against the clear blue sky leaves an everlasting impression on your mind. As the water ripples through the pebbled beach and reaches your feet, its gurgling noise is music to the ears. The sun shines on a wide beach with a wonderful view of the green hills nearby. Water splashing against the rocks of these cliffs is the only distraction on this -otherwise- heavenly place. Boats of local fishermen and sponge divers interrupt the view momentarily providing a peek into the lives of the people of this sleepy hamlet.

Kantouni beach located 5 km northwest of Kalymnos town, Kantouni beach has a thin stretch of coarse grey sand.
Nearest village: Panormos ,The long sandy beach of Kandouni is located about 5 kilometres north-west of Pothia, at a short walking distance from Panormos. It is the favourite beach of the locals and can get quiet crowded sometimes. The beautiful monastery of the Cross overlooks the beach. Accommodations, taverns and cafes surround the beach, while more can be found in the village of Panormos, also called Elies. The bus departing from Pothia stops regularly at Kandouni.

 

Mykonos nightlife

Mykonos  is the most famous and popular island of the Greek Islands and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Insist on a place adjacent to the port town (also known as Mykonos; don’t say you want to stay in Mykonos because this could be interpreted to mean the island and have you located halfway across to nowhere). Be persistent; ask specifically how far a walk the room is to town. Any response longer than “5 minutes” is unacceptable.Mykonos always stays right in town at a lovely Greek apartment run by the lively Evangelia. It’s capacity is just three people, so it doesn’t work for big gropus, but it’s as sweet as the owner. Finding social activities on Mykonos is as easy as going to the beach. In fact, that’s the place to start. The revelry starts late afternoon and goes until you decided to call it quits. It’s not quite morning, noon and night, but more like afternoon, night and morning. Mykonos is the undisputed party paradise of the Greek islands. It’s gay, wild, over-priced and lots of fun if you’re into serious clubbing. This is a place where bouncers with bulging, bronzed biceps wear white sequined singlets tightly stretched across their perfect pecs. Once the gay capital of the Aegean, Mykonos now attracts a broader clientele – celebrities, politicians, the beautiful people and ordinary mortals all flock here to see and be seen at the glitzy “anything goes” clubs for which the island is now world famous.

There’s still a thriving gay scene but heteros are heading here in their droves these days to sample a night life which is more than a match for the sizzling Spanish island of Ibiza. Mykonos  is an island of Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. Mykonos has a surface area of 86 sq km and about 9600 residents. The capital of the island Chora also called Mykonos. The island is one of the most popular Greek islands, In fact, one could blissfully survive here by sticking to a “Paradise Beach by day, Skandinavian Bar by night” routine. Mykonos is the most popular of all the Greek Islands, and is therefore its most crowded and expensive  at least when compared to other island destinations .
In antiquity, the only two kilometres away neighbouring island of Delos was an important cultural and religious center. Therefore, is the assumption that many people between the two islands and forth where traveling. During this time, the culture of the island and through various other peoples, like the Makedoniern and the Phoenicians and their traditions influenced. 1207, the island, like most of Cyclades, under the rule of the Ghizi dynasty. Their last ruler, Georgios Ghizi, handed over the island 100 years later, the city of Venice. 1537 was Mykonos, like many other Ottoman Cyclades islands. In the War of Independence wore them, both financially and rüstungstechnisch seen strong for the Liberation in 1830. Until the economy of these serious incidents had recovered, it took several decades. In the inter-war years, the tourism, the island is still economically supplies. Tourism is its main industry.The museum was 1902 in the vicinity of the port of Mykonos town built around it finds from the necropolis of Delos. The construction project was approved by the Ministry of Education and Archaeology in Athens funded. Worthy of note is a big vase from the 7th Century BC, with the oldest known picture of the Trojan Horse. This was 1958 in a house from the 18th Century. It is located on the Venetian mountain. There are everyday and utensils, as well as ship models and cannons from the war in the 19th Century, the period during and after the revolution. Moreover, trailing by one kitchen and one bedroom living situation at that time taught.Mykonos island is part of the Cyclades islands group located in the Aegean Sea, at coordinates 37°27′ N 25°26′ E, near Paros and Santorini.The naval museum of Mykonos was opened in 1985 construction  to the Greek shipping tradition, and the functioning of commercial vessels . The Board of Trustees was related by George M. Drakopulos created for the formation of the museum athener an award and the World Ship Trust’s Award for significant benefits received.Mykonos is the most gay island of Greece.Mykonos is a place where the afternoon scene exceeds the nightlife at many other destinations, where nights roll effortlessly into daybreak and where meeting people is as easy as seeing them.
One of the reasons of the extreme popularity of Mykonos Greek island is the many sandy beaches and their crystal-clear waters. The most popular beaches are the one located in the southern coast of the island; they are all fully organised and some of them (Paradise and Super Paradise and others)are considered as some of the best in Greece.It has a fairly well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most popular gay hangouts. True, it is very accommodating for those individuals. However, for heterosexuals, shutting out Mykonos for this reason would be akin to casting aside San Francisco. Yes, there is an active gay scene, but unless one really seeks out such activities, that aspect of the island will scarcely be noticed.There are plenty of music bars in town where you can while away the hours until the night clubs get going around 2-3am. Many of the clubs charge a high entrance fee (especially if you’re not young and beautiful with an off-the-wall fashion sense) and exorbitant drink prices. Pierro’s dance club, near Taxi Square, is king of the late night gay scene and nearby Icarus has an outrageous and popular drag show in the early hours. The Scandinavian Bar and nearby Irish Bar are both lively and relatively inexpensive party places attracting hordes of young revellers of all persuasions. For a more traditional night out try Thalami, near the Paraportiani Church, which specialises in Greek music and dancing,If parents were truly interested in teaching their kids sex education, they would take them to Mykonos and let them observe the ancient process up close. The stuff written in the books happens here in the flesh.
Mykonos is Club Med without the choreography. It’s nightlife is so active and the people so friendly, it’s impossible not to become intoxicated from its lively atmosphere and, oh yes, the endless amounts of alcohol.
In the summertime Mykonos has for sure the most vibrant nightlife in the whole Greece and probably, together with Ibiza and Ayia Napa, in the whole Mediterranean.Usually Mykonos nights start at 6-7 p.m. with a few parites on the beach and last until 7-10 a.m., when the best party animals on the island are still dancing on the various dancefloors.
Goya Bar located in Paraga beach, this is a pre-dinner lounge/disco bar (it depends on the day you go there). More calm and less crowded than Tropicana Beach Club, here you can relax yourself, drink a beer and listen to some good music. Don’t bother if you enter the Cavo Paradiso at 4 a.m. and you won’t find anybody. Here the “night” starts at 5-5:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 a.m. Don’t miss the dawn dancing next to the big swimmingpool that looks directly over the sea. Paradise Club is  a discoteque (open from 00 a.m. to 6 a.m.). The No1. Club in Mykonos with an amazing line up. In Summer 2006 played Erick Morillo, Junior Sanchez, George Morell, Todd Terry, Kenny Dope Gonzales, Matt Myer, Sander Kleinenberg, Spiller, Francesco Farfa, CJ Macintosh, Steve Edwards, Barbara Tucker, Chris Montana and many other Deejays.Scandinavian bar located in the centre of Mykonos Town. The Skandinavian is composed of 3 parts: 2 bars on the ground floor (free entrance) and one  dance floor at the 1st floor (entrance fee from 4 euro, depends on what you drink). Usually it gets crowded at 12-1 a.m.the Tropicana Beach Club gets crowded out of Italian guys and girls who go there to follow the performances of Sasa , Tropicana vocalist and animator.The most famous club on the island is trend-setting Cavo Paradiso built on a rock overlooking Paradise Beach. The party gets going at around 3-4am and clubbers dance until mid-morning either by or in the Mykonos-shaped swimming pool. The club opened in 1993 and now attracts top name DJs from the USA and Europe.the entrance and drink prices reflect its high profile and reputation.
Beach lovers and super-budget travelers should consider Paradise Beach. It’s sparse but livable, right on the sand (8 Euros a day in summer). It’s a bit inconvenient for the in-town revelry but buses run until 4:30 a.m. (1 Euro). The bars at the beach also are holding more night parties to not only keep the backpackers at the beach but also to pull people from town. Clearly-marked vans provide transport from the ferry and airport. Mykonos island is famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, its exciting nightlife, its picturesque Cycladic capital full of whitewashed houses and blue domed churches and its magnificent sandy beaches. Night life in Mykonos Greece is famous worldwide and is the main reason of the island’s huge popularity and high level of tourism. The whitewashed capital Chora has hundreds of crowded bars and clubs and the famous beach resorts offer huge night clubs and lively beach bars. Party and fun is lasting all night long. Mykonos has the best gay and lesbians spots. This section of Greece, Mykonos Island provides much information: pictures, map, villages, history, museums, architecture, excursions, weather and more such as a large range of hotels. the Mykonos Town Hotel offers you its hospitality at a unique spot at the edge of Mykonos town. The vast views towards Delos, the blazing colours of the aegean sunset, the constant sea breeze and the personalised service round the clock are but a few of the unmistakable traits which will make you feel at an oasis of calm and privacy, right at the heart of cosmopolitan Mykonos.And we must also note that while Mykonos is the adult party playground of Europe it is also ideal for couples, families and individuals seeking solace from the fast pace of life. There are many beaches and places to go that are so quiet and secluded, it is impossible to believe there is major raging happening on parts of the island.You don’t have to be an all-night party person to get the most out of Mykonos (but it helps). If you’re into early nights, make sure your accommodation is well away from Mykonos Town and the beaches of Paradise and Super Paradise on the south coast of the island. Better still, book a holiday on the nearby sleepy island of Tinos.

The early evening scene is centred on Little Venice where you can sip a cocktail at one of the many bars and cafes which are so close to the water’s edge that your feet get soaked when a boat passes. Galleraki is one of the best places in town to watch the sun go down – it has tables near the water and plays the latest chart hits. The Caprice Bar is another upmarket venue and one of the most popular places to enjoy a pre-club aperitif. The Veranda is a more peaceful spot in a great location – it’s an elegant old mansion overlooking the sea and famous windmills of Mykonos. When it comes to eating out, there’s a huge selection of traditional Greek tavernas, international restaurants and fast food gyros joints. Generally speaking you won’t find the best or most affordable food in the Greek islands but there are a few exceptions. El Greco in Plateia Tria Pigadia is one of the oldest restaurants in Mykonos Town and serves traditional but unusual Greek dishes in more elegant surroundings than you’ll find in your average taverna. Nearby Sesame Kitchen is one of the best places to go if you’re vegetarian – vegetarianism is still something of an anathema to the Greeks but this restaurant serves an excellent range of healthy and innovative dishes including many vegetarian options.
 

 

Athens nightlife

Athens is the capital of Greece , the ancient city is the Gateway to Greece and was the host city for the successful 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Well, it’s only fitting, considering the Games were created here.
Most travelers traditionally use Athens as a gateway to the islands. First-timers spend two or three days in the ancient city, see the sites, complain about the congestion then head to the islands. After a couple of days on, say, Mykonos, they look at each other and say, “Why did we spend so much time in Athens instead of coming here first.
To many, spending time in Athens is like being in downtown Los Angeles. It can seem no different than any other big city. And while it’s true that the greatest riches of Greece are on its islands, Athens is a very beautiful place in its own right.
Spending time in Athens demonstrates why things are the way they are on the islands. The late-night mentality, the seemingly chaotic method of movement of the people and kiosks selling beer, water, soda, cigarettes and other small items are on nearly every streetcorner.

For the best of Athens, get away from the tourist-heavy city center and the Plaka and instead explore the area around the port of Pireaus
a vast, modern city dominated by one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world. The inspirational Acropolis is without doubt its biggest attraction and many foreign visitors do the obligatory climb to the top before moving swiftly on to one or more of the Greek islands. But linger a while in this smog-filled, hopelessly congested, sprawling metropolis and you’ll find a feast of unexpected treasures.and you don’t have to be a history or culture buff to enjoy them. You won’t be inspired as you make the journey from the airport by taxi or trolleybus. The tendrils of modern Athens have spread far and wide since the early part of the 20th century when a compulsory population exchange between Greece and Turkey led to the hasty construction of ugly apartment blocks. As you wait with bated breath for your first glimpse of the Parthenon all you’ll see are endless lines of car showrooms, factories, high-rise housing and seedy sex clubs.Plaka is a magnet for foreign visitors at night time. This is the historic heart of Athens consisting of an alluring maze of pedestrianised streets. Few could fail to be charmed by Plaka’s fairytale quality despite the fact that the place is chock-a-block with souvenir shops and restaurants which employ some of the pushiest waiters in the world (one can only assume they earn commission for each customer they manage to drag inside, If you only have a few hours to spend in Athens a visit to the Acropolis is a must and it won’t disappoint. Grit your teeth, fight your way through the scrum of tourists on the long trek up to the top and marvel at the ancient remains of the Parthenon – the famous temple of the goddess Athena, built in the 5th century BC.

For groups of travelers, taxis are a quick and and not outrageously inexpensive method of getting around Athens. Just be sure and negotiate the rate before departure.Athens has opened a new airport, Eleftherios Venizelos International, a good hour-plus into town from the new Athens airport. Budget travelers should use the new train or bus; four public bus routes serve exclusively the airport, connecting the greater area of Athens and Piraeus (2.90 Euros). For those staying instead of headed to theislands, the stop at Syntagma Square is centrally located. From that point, it’s a five-minute walk to the youth hostel and the Plaka. has not yet flown there, it has to be an improvement over its predecessor. Actually, there were two airports, one for international travel and one for domestic departures. Illogically, they were not located anywhere near each other; buses and taxis provide service between the two. We trust the new airport has improved on this situation (although we will miss the ice-cold beers for 300dr. served at a little stand outside the old domestic terminal. Interestingly, this is where handball, fencing and even kayaking and canoeing are taking place during the Olympics).

For those heading out to the islands by boat, cold beers await your arrival at the ferry port, Piraeus (Pie-ray-us). Airplane arrivals and ferry departures are not at all coordinated, so the wait could be a few hours. Fortunately, the beers are cheap and chilly. Taxi fare is approximately 15 Euros for the half-hour-plus journey. If taking a taxi, be sure and specify Pireaus as your destination; otherwise the driver may misunderstand your instructions.Athens is a sprawling city, a massive maze of confusing streets, zipping traffic moving at high speeds in all directions and containing signs in those Greek symbols that render any college fraternity education useless. So, stick to these places.

Use Syntagma Square as the central gathering spot and landmark. There’s a changing of the guard (or evzones) who wear kilts, big white shirts and large pom-poms on their shoes. Syntagma Square is near a popular hostel and across the street from the regal Grande Bretagne Hotel, whiere a drink in its Winter Garden bar runs about 12 Euros but provides for great people-watching. The rooftop restaurant has stunning views of the Acropolis, which is illuminated at night. Around the corner is the National Garden, a pleasant enough place to spend a few minutes to an hour.A few paces down Ermou Street is Monastiraki Square, where locals – and not tourists – dine Gree-style at tavernas (which is to say they eat a lot, drink even more and treat this like a rare night on the town).

Another nearby area is Kolonaki Square has upscale shops, galleries, restaurants and sidewalk tavernas. Dining is typical European, which is to say late by American standards.Nothing before 10 p.m. and by 11 the restaurants are swarming with patrons.There’s aforementioned Metro, which is clean, safe and efficient. Look for the letter M and stations are clearly marked with signs in blue, white and green with the M. Don’t even consider renting a car. NOTE: For those coming from Pireaus, the train station is directly across the street from the port entrance. It’s not marked and what few signs are posted are in Greek. Getting there requires navigating six lanes of a very busy street with no crosswalk
Other top attractions in town include the National Archaeological Museum – one of the finest museums in the world housing a priceless collection of Greek antiquities including the golden mask of Agamemnon. There are enough museums and ancient sites to satisfy the hungriest of historians (this is a city where important archaeological finds are displayed in glass cases in the metro!). And for the less culturally inclined, there are shady tavernas, the Monastiraki flea market where you can pick up some great bargains and a huge supply of late night music bars offering traditional bouzouki music and Greek folk dancing. The city of Athens is the capital of Greece. It was about 5000 years populated. Athens is located in northeastern part of the country. This is the Athens metropolitan area of Athens understood, and not just the relatively small town in the centre of Athens metropolis.

Because of their cultural heritage and also because they – through the port of Piraeus and on the newly built international airport a pivotal point for the traffic to the many Greek islands. Athens is one of the upper ranks among the most metropolitan areas of the continent. In addition, Athens is by far the most important economic, cultural and educational centre of Greece.

According to legend buhlten the goddess Athena and the sea god Poseidon for the favor of the inhabitants of the then still nameless city. Both the residents should ever make a gift – who is the city the best gift, to be named after chosen. Poseidon gave the city a fountain. The spat, however, only salt water. Athenes gift was an olive tree. This donated food, oil and wood. So Athena won the duel, and the city was consequently named after her. With this legendary founding myth wanted the ancient city fathers even then her later penchant for pragmatism historically justified.

The history of the city of Athens goes back some 7500 years, until the Neolithic period. Around 1300 BC at the Acropolis was a Mycenaean palace built. The city’s oldest plant was limited to the upper surface of a steep, but from the west accessible rocky hill, the castle later than (Acropolis) the military, and religious center of Athens formed. The area was already very early stage and levelled with a strong wall surrounding the succession arranged with nine goals secured (Enneapylai). This facility was called after the Pelasgi, which is the excessive construction, Pelargikon. Within this castle inhabited the ancient kings of this part of Attica. Athens stood for its inhabitants have always been under the special protection of Zeus, built an early altar was dedicated, and the stadtschützenden Athena (Athena Polias), which is also the oldest temple of the city, which Hekatompedos, was consecrated. The outer gate opposite was the oldest market in town, the Agora.

The legendary King Theseus is attributed to the different parts of the landscape Attica to a united to Polis. Athens was henceforth the area after the largest Greek city-state (from the special case Sparta apart). The highlight of its political and cultural influence reached Athens as Athenian democracy and leadership power in the Attic Alliance during the 5th And 4 Century BC (classical). Even when the city 86 BC, the Roman Empire was, they retained their status as intellectual center.

The city has some 5000 years continuously populated, and thus secure one of the oldest settlements and cities in Europe. Athens 1985 was the first European Capital of Culture.
The main sources of income for the Greek economy, the shipping and tourism are mainly in Athens. An important recent years, the pharmaceutical industry, in addition to the food export the goods traded. About 50% of Greek industrial companies have their headquarters in the metropolitan area of Athens. EU trade with China has stressed the importance of the Greek shipping increase, most Chinese products on the Greek container ship to Europe.
A big problem is the textile industry, which no longer competitive, but a major employer.
The Olympic Games have an intensive building activity in Athens.

Athens has the advantage of the remoteness of Europe, because the city become an important trading post between Europe and the Orient.When you’ve finished a day’s sightseeing in Athens brace yourself for a hectic nightlife which consists of everything from sex shows and gay bars to classical concerts and Greek folk dancing.

The vast majority of tourists make a beeline for the Plaka district as the sun goes down. The old Turkish quarter is awash with tavernas and fast-food souvlaki joints and you’ll have to run the gauntlet of pushy waiters who throw themselves into your path, determined to “persuade” you into their particular establishment. Be firm and take the time to check out a few restaurants before you make your choice as standards and prices vary considerably. Some tavernas will offer inducements such as a free carafe of wine (but don’t be surprised if it arrives in a battered metal pot).

Greeks tend to sit down to their evening meal relatively late (9 or 10pm) so find yourself a bar with a roof terrace where you can watch the sun go down on the Acropolis while you sip your aperitif. Its changing hues are a truly awe-inspiring sight. After you’ve eaten these roof terraces are a wonderful place to sit and enjoy the sight of the Acropolis lit up by night while listening to some traditional bouzouki music.
Plaka is delightful but crowded,  touristy  and over-priced so for the more independent traveller the Monastiraki district is an interesting and affordable option for an evening meal. Lines of tavernas, largely frequented by Greeks rather than tourists, offer good quality fare at exceptionally low prices in the streets around the main square, Plateia Monastirakou. If you head for the more unfashionable areas such as Omonia you’ll get a decent meal for even less money – but watch out for pickpockets and be prepared to be confronted by prostitutes and some rather unsavoury types late at night. The hidden jewel of Athens – at least to most travelers – is the area along the beach in Glyfada near the old airport and on Possidonos Ave. In fact, the entire area from the port of Pireaus to the old airport is lined with waterfront dance clubs, many of which are indoor-outdoor. Note they don’t start cranking until midnight and are open until 4 a.m.

Their names change each summer, but often the locations remain the same. For instance, last year’s hottest club is gone but one of the best ones this summer, Sabbia, is located in the same building. This summer’s top club is Paradizzio in the Varkiza area. It brings in top deejays from London, New York and other major cities and holds a whopping 3,000 night owls. Prime is another popular dance spot. Yet another hot club for the “in” crowd is the 2,000-capacity Envy in Voula. It’s always crowded with a young crowd.
These Athens clubs usually require slacks for men, and 15-20 Euro cover charge (drinks prices are in the same range) but once you swallow the tab, the beachside atmosphere is quite riveting. Any taxi driver knows the location of these clubs.

A more casual alternative – and certainly a great option for those with a few hours to spend between ferry departures and a flight – are a pair of harbors a safe, 15-minute walk from Pireaus. (Just head straight out towards the tallest building and turn right eight lights later on Ger. Lambraski at the Levis store). Surrounding a beautiful harbor area are a series of cafes and restaurants and clubs.
For tasty food in a friendly atmosphere, the Collection Barbecue Caffe serves grilled meats with ice-cold draft beer and rock music supplied by a hip deejay. The top club in the area is Ttassagiloui.

The Metro goes there and nine cruise ships will serve as hotels during the Olympics. This is the most “Greek Islands” atmosphere in all of Athens – small stands selling light snacks and beverages (and yes, beer), an endless buzz of mopeds zipping through the streets and a hip casualness to the whole place.If you haven’t already done it by day, take a trip up Lykavittos Hill, either on foot or via the funicular railway. There’s a restaurant at the top giving fabulous views of the city and Acropolis. The tiny chapel of Agios Giorgios, at the summit, is lit up at night and the sight of that alone will make your journey worthwhile. The open-air Lykavittos Theatre is used for jazz and rock concerts during the Athens Festival. The Athens festival, held annually between June and September, is one of Europe’s biggest summer festivals and consists of a series of concerts as well as theatrical, opera and dance performances by top Greek and international artists. The focus of the festival is the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, constructed on the Acropolis by a wealthy Roman in the year 161 AD. The theatre is only open to the public during performances.

Athens has a plentiful supply of music bars, rock and jazz venues and discos to choose from. Head for one of the many rembetika clubs to hear this traditional Greek music (a kind of Greek-style American blues with the added twist of a bouzouki!). One of the best known clubs is Rembetiki Stoa Athanaton in Sofokleous near the meat market a little way to the north of the Monastiraki flea market. This is the place to go for quality rembetika which purists will enjoy more than the tourist orientated Greek music and folk dancing to be found in the bars and restaurants of the Plaka area.

 

Meteora

The monasteries of Meteora located east of the Pindos Mountains near the town of Kalambaka in Thessaly, Greece, is a World Heritage Site. The name meteora comes from “meteorizo”, which means “floating in the air”. This name describes the situation of the monasteries, on a high cliff were built, so they sometimes hazy air seem to float.The area of Meteora Greece is located at coordinates
39°42′ 51 ” N 21°37′ 52 “. Meteora is located in central Greece in area of Thessaly. It is a great place in Greece. Meteora is surrounded by magnificent rock formations of which have the distinction of having several monasteries built on top of them during the 14th and 15th centuries. Meteora has some of the most enchanting views of lush green hills and valleys. Kalambaka is best known today because of the proximity to the monasteries that were built by monks on the impressive rock formations of Meteora. Kalambaka offers accommodations, shops, and several traditional restaurants with the finest local delicacies. However, in the 1920s some steps have been carved into the rocks, which leaded to a bridge from the close plateau. Obviously this measure gives a much more simple access to the complex, instead of the large nets or unsafe ladders lashed together that the ancient monks used for descending.

Each one of these monasteries has less than 10 inhabitants, although they are extensively visited by tourists.In addition, the monasteries in 
This way of living resulted very safe for the difficult times that were coming to the point that by the 15th century, there were 26 monasteries functioning, 6 of which still work. 5 of them are male and 1 is female,this was not totally new, since hermits and ascetics have traditionally clambered up the peaks of the Meteora since approximately 10th century, while in the late12th century the Panaghia Doupiani, a small church also known as “Skete” was built at the foot of one of these endless rocks where monks had already established their residence.

The entire system consists of 24 different monasteries and hermitages, of which only six are inhabited. The remaining eighteen monasteries are either too difficult to reach or were due to collapse of danger.
The first proven hermitages exist in Metéora since 11 Century, overnight deliveries reported by a settlement even before the 10th Century. Over the years it grew to a hermitages organized community following the example of the holy Mount Athos together and formed the monastery Doupiani.Meteora is part of central Greece, and is placed on the north-western edge of the Plain of Thessaly near Pindus Mountains and the Peneios River. It constitutes one of the most dramatic landscapes of the country and is also its second largest and most popular complex of monasteries. The monasteries look as if they were suspended in the air, which wasn purposely done in the 14th century, in order to protect the hermit monks during the Ottoman occupation, by the inaccessibility of these huge rock pillars. Due to the safety of the location of the monasteries there were 26 of them built by the 15 th century six of which are still in use today.Kalambaka is located in the prefecture of Trikala and is the capital of the district of Kalambaka. Kalambaka has a rich history since it has existed since ancient times. There have been many significant artifacts discovered in the area of Kalambaka, that date back to Hellenistic and Roman periods.On the other hand, the name given to this region means ‘suspended in the air’ which perfectly describes its main feature, as the monasteries are placed on great natural stone pillars, which by the way is a unique architectural achievement. Therefore, the monasteries look as if they were suspended in the air, which has been purposely made during the 14th century, in order to protect the hermit monks during the Ottoman occupation, by the inaccessibility of these huge rock pillars.