Introducing Greece

Greece offers a myriad of experiences, landscapes and activities. It is the pulsing nightclubs of Mykonos and the ancient beauty of Delos; the grandeur of Delphi and the earthiness of Ioannina; the rugged hillsides of Crete and the lush wildflowers of spring. It is the blinding light of the Mykonos sun, the melancholy throb of Thessaloniki's rembetika (blues songs), the tang of home-made tzatziki, the gossip in the kafeneia (coffee shops). It is the Parthenon - solitary and pristine - lording it over the hazy sprawl of Athens.

santorini

Greece is a country with a hallowed past and an at-times turbulent present. Appreciation of the achievements of its classical past has tended to overshadow its development as a free nation since the War of Independence from the Ottomans in 1821. Many foreign Hellenists imbued with a romantic ideal of the Greece of Pericles and the Parthenon are blithely ignorant that Greece today is a vibrant modern European country. It is equally a land where the languages of recent migrant communities from the Balkans, Africa and Asia - not to mention the English and German of EU migrants and retirees - contribute to Greece's status as one of Europe's more recent multicultural societies.

As recently as 1983, when it acceded to the EU, Greece was essentially a conservative, agrarian society famous for olive oil, coups, beaches and islands. Its transformation since its induction - alone, at the time, among the southeastern European nations - to the Brussels-led club of prosperous nations has been no less than dramatic. It could once take up to two years to obtain a landline for a home - now Greeks boast more mobile phones than fixed-line phones. Internet hotspots pop up like mushrooms, while car ownership, once the privilege of the affluent few, is now a consumer commodity enjoyed by the majority. While sleeping on beaches was once de rigueur for travellers in the carefree '70s, tourism is now most definitely pitched to the middle to upper-end markets and sleeping rough is now oh-so out.

This has created mixed blessings for visitors: better facilities inevitably come at higher prices; faster and safer sea travel has replaced more romantic slow boat voyages to rocky isles; wholesome, home-cooked food may be hard to find amid the surfeit of tacos, sushi or stir-fried lamb; homey, boxlike rooms tended to with a smile have been usurped by airy, air-conned self-catering apartments with nary a Greek face in sight to say kalimera (good morning).

Yet the fact that Greece continues to enjoy a steady influx of foreign visitors is easy to explain. The Greek people still have the welcome mat out. It is they who, after all, make Greece. Without the indomitable bonhomie of the Greeks themselves, Greece would be a different place altogether. Their zest for life, their curiosity and their unquestioning hospitality to the visitors in their midst is what makes a visitor's experience in the country inevitably unforgettable. The Greeks may curse their luck at times, distrust their politicians and believe 'oiling' the wheels of bureaucracy a fact of life, but they maintain their joie de vivre, their spontaneity, their optimism.

Greek islands

The islands are the main characteristic of Greece’s morphology and an integral part of the country’s culture and tradition. Greek sovereign land includes 6,000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 islands are inhabited. This is a truly unique phenomenon for the European continent.
The Greek Archipelago takes up 7,500 km of the country’s total 16,000 km coastline, offering a highly diversified landscape: beaches stretching over many kilometers, sheltered bays and coves, sandy beaches with sand-dunes, pebble beaches, coastal caves with steep rocks and dark colored sand typical of volcanic soil and coastal wetlands.

Corinth Canal, Greece

Many of these Greek beaches have been awarded the blue flag under the Blue Flags of Europe Program, providing not only swimming, but also scuba diving, snorkeling, water skiing, sailing and windsurfing.


Some of the oldest European civilizations developed on the Greek islands (Cycladic, Minoan civilizations, etc.), so therefore the islands have unique archeological sites, a distinctive architectural heritage and the fascinating local traditions of a centuries-old and multifaceted civilization.
Moreover, 58.5% of the country’s hotel units and 62.6% of hotel beds are found on the islands (2003 data). This data, in conjunction with ideal climate, safe Greek waters and small distances between ports and coasts, have made the Greek islands extremely popular among Greek and foreign visitors.

Hera's temple, Greece

Most of the islands are found in the Aegean Sea and are divided into seven groups (from north to south):

The Northeastern Aegean Islands
Agios Efstratios, Thasos, Ikaria, Lesbos, Limnos, Inouses, Samos, Samothrace, Chios, Psara.
The Sporades
Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros
Evia
The prefecture of Evia (which also includes the island of Skiros), is next to the prefecture of Viotia on the east and on the south touches the Aegean Sea, on the north and northwest to the Pagasitiko and Maliako Gulf, while on the west and southwest with the north and south Evian Gulf.
Islands of Argosaronic
Angistri, Aegena, Methana, Poros, Salamina, Spetses, Hydra.
The Cyclades
A group of 56 islands, with the most important being Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros, as well as the “Minor Cyclades” comprising Donousa, Irakleia, Koufonisia and Schinousa.
The Dodecanese
Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kos, Lipsi, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Chalki.
Crete
Crete is divided in to four prefectures. From west to east there are Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi.

The Ionian Sea has only one island complex:
The Ionian Islands
Zakynthos, Ithaca, Corfu, Kefallonia, Lefkada, Paxi, and Kythira which is situated opposite the southern Peloponnese (Lakonia), the biggest islands in Ionian Sea, constitute the Eptanissa.
Antipaxi, Ereikoussa, Kalamos, Kastos, Mathraki, Meganissi, Othoni, Skorpios, Strofades are smaller islands in Ionian Sea.

The islands of Gavdos (situated south of Crete), Elafonissos (in the Gulf of Laconia) and Trizonis (in the Gulf of Corinth), do not forming a group but are still of unparalleled natural beauty.

Nafplio harbor, Greece

Varvara Rousanour, Greece

Sailing

Sailing in Greece is a richly rewarding experience. An insider's tip: the best period for those who wish to sail during winter, is the “Alkyonides” days, the so-called “short summer”, in the middle of January. This is a good time to appreciate the beauty of stunning seascapes, picturesque villages, archaeological sites, and wonderful pine-clad landscapes.
In the serene atmosphere of the islands enjoy real Greece as you mingle with the locals in tavérnas and in “kafeneía”, and become part of the true “Island culture”.
Feel free to create your own itinerary; sailing really is the only way to get away from it all!


Sailing in the Saronic Islands and Argolic Gulf
If you are willing to sail near Athens, the Saronic Islands and the east coast of Peloponnese will satisfy your demands for a safe trip in calm waters. In close proximity to the Attica Prefecture (where Athens belongs) are some wonderful sailing routes that offer ideal sailing conditions, clean and calm waters, splendid coasts and different Islands to explore. The Saronic Islands of Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses are the most popular sailing destinations.

In the Argolic Gulf and along the east coast of Peloponnese you can make use of superb sailing and well-organized port facilities in the historical cities of Nafplion and Tolo, and marinas in Porto Heli, Astros and Leonidio.

Sailing in the Cyclades Islands
Sail across the deep blue of the Aegean Sea, amongst the island cluster of Cyclades, famous for its picturesque whitewashed houses, traditional character, cosmopolitan lifestyle, sun-kissed beaches, thousands of bays and creeks, and superb clear crystal waters. Sailing in Cyclades Greece is a wonderful and memorable experience!

The Cyclades Islands Cluster is split up into 3 groups:
* the Southern Cyclades Islands: Milos, Kimolos, Folegadros, Sikinos, Ios, Santorini (Thira) and Anafi
* the Middle Cyclades Islands: Serifos, Sifnos, Paros, Antiparos, Naxos and Amorgos
* the Little Cyclades Islands: Schinoussa, Iraklia, Koufonisia and Donoussa
* the Northern Cyclades Islands: Kea, Kythnos, Andros, Syros, Tinos, Mykonos, Delos and Rinia.

Sailing the Dodecanese Islands
The beautiful Dodecanese Islands are located in Southeast Aegean. They are known for their excellent climate, clear sandy beaches, exquisite natural attractions and impressive historical and religious monuments.

The Dodecanese Islands Cluster is comprised of Rodos (Rhodes), Kos, Kalymnos, Patmos, Leros, Astypalea, Kasos, Karpathos, Nissiros, Symi, Tilos and Kastelorizo, as well as a number of smaller islands.

Sailing the Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are considered as the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. They are located in the Ionian Sea, off the west coast of Greece, and they are composed of the beautiful islands of Corfu, Paxi and Antipaxi, Lefkada, Ithaki, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Meganissi, Kalamos and Kythira. Go on a leisure cruise along the open Ionian Sea, and take enjoyable and relaxed sailing holidays!