Has anyone been to Greece before?

Question

Which islands would you recommend going to? Hotels? Food?
Anything/any place you found especially fascinating, please let me know.

Answer 1

I live in Greece.
There are so many wonderful places to visit in Greece that probably don't fit in a Yahoo answer. The nice thing about Greece is that it has something special to offer for everybody's different tastes. One can never see nor will ever be able to see everything Greece has to offer in just one lifetime.
What makes Greece interesting is its vast diversity. Even though it is such a small country it has so many things to offer and satisfy a person's all five senses.
First of all there is be endless blue sea with its crystal clear waters.
The most bautiful sunsets and sunrises one has ever witnessed.
There are the islands all 6000 of them, some of them serene and quite others modern and cosmopolitan, always offering something different for satisfying one's different moods.
http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?langID=2&pageID=254
Attractions
Greece has an abundance of resources that tourists with ecological and cultural interests will find attractive. The wealth of cultural as well as ecological resources, both biotic and abiotic, constitute a special comparative advantage of the country for those interested in the conservation of cultural diversity, bio-diversity and eco-systems. These resources are marked by their wide variety, rareness and distinctiveness and are found in areas many of which have already been placed under special protection.
( http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=3&langID=2 )



Then, there are the beautiful Greek mountains...

The Greek mountains are reknowned for their diversity, landscapes of singular beauty and unique forests, many of which rank among the oldest natural wooded lands in Europe. Due to the astoundingly rich flora and fauna they support, many of these environments have been designated as National Parks and are protected as such, while as a result of infrastructure developed over the last decades, they constitute today ideal destinations for winter and alpine tourism.

Mountain Holidays
Greece is above all a mountainous country, as it is occupied by more than 300 rocky masses varying in elevation. The Pindus Mountains are the principal mountain range and form the backbone of mainland Greece, extending through central Greece into the Peloponnese and Crete. The majority of islands throughout the Aegean are in fact the mountain peaks of the now-submerged landmass of Aegeis, which was once the link between mainland Greece and Asia Minor.

Mt Olympus (Macedonia), known from Greek mythology as the abode of the gods, is the highest mountain in the country, rising at 2,917 m (Μytikas peak). About forty 40 mountain complexes throughout the country reach elevations over 2,000 m.

( http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=807&langID=2 )

Only with AMAZEMENT one can speak of the Greek culture and the contribution of the Greek Civilization to mankind.

Arts and Culture
Civilisation is the sum total of the material and cultural achievements of a group of people. Culture and arts are two concepts that are closely interwoven, as art is the characteristic expression of the culture of a given period. Arts such as architecture, sculpture, pottery, weaving, music, jewellery making, and painting have a long-standing tradition in Greece, where civilisations were already established in pre-historic times.
Little is known to date about the Palaeolithic period in Greece, but quite a lot about the subsequent Neolithic period (7th – 4th millennia B.C. approximately) and its civilisation, which is found mainly in areas such as Thessaly and Macedonia.
Civilisations with impressive achievements developed during the Bronze Age (3,000 – 1150 B.C. approximately) in the Northeastern Aegean, the Cyclades (its trade-mark being the big-sized marble figurines), Crete and the Greek mainland. The civilisations which flourished during the 2nd millennium in the latter two areas, known as the Minoan and Mycenaean respectively, are considered the first two major civilisations of Greece. The architectural remnants (e.g. palaces), as well as the samples of pottery, stone carving (vessels, sealstones), metallurgy (vessels, weapons), jewellery making and painting (murals) are impressive and representative of these civilisations.
During historic times, the civilisations of the Geometric (9th – 8th centuries B.C.) and the Archaic periods (7th – 6th centuries B.C.) are considered forerunners of the culture of the classical period (5th – 4th centuries B.C.). The classical works of art, with their ideal proportions and beauty, expressed the philosophical ideals of their times and were the model of the European Renaissance of the 15th century A.D. During the subsequent Hellenistic (3rd – 1st centuries B.C.) and Roman times (1st century B.C. – 3rd century A.D.) Greek civilisation developed within the framework of big kingdoms and an empire, respectively.
Again within the framework of an empire, Greek civilisation developed during the Byzantine period - early, middle and late - (4th -15th centuries A.D.), while in more recent times civilisation is marked by the Ottoman domination and the first steps of the new Hellenic state after the War of Independence of 1821.
A visit to archaeological sites, museums and monuments all over the country offers a vivid picture of the civilisations in Greece, their achievements in arts and technology from the pre-historic era to modern times.

( http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=754&langID=2 )

As for the food...you probably already have tasted some...but there is never anything like the authentic...
Greek gastronomy
The unique tastes of Greece guarantee that you are in for many culinary surprises during your stay in the country. Contrary to common belief, you will discover that Greek cuisine is not only moussaka, souvlaki and choriatiki salata, but has a wide variety of dishes that can meet the culinary demands of both meat-eaters and vegetarians in an extremely satisfying way.
Things could not be different, anyway, in the country that gave birth to symposiums and the Epicurean philosophers. It was, in fact, Archestratos who, in 330 B.C., wrote the first cookbook in History, and reminded us that cuisine is a sign of civilisation.
Greece has a culinary tradition of approximately 4,000 years. Nevertheless, like most national cuisines, Greek cuisine has both influenced others and embraced ideas from its eastern and western neighbours.

( http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=467&langID=2 )

Do take a tour of gnto's picture gallery and enjoy some ot the views with your eyes.

http://www.gnto.gr/listing.php?pageID=13&pageCode=07.02&tablepageid=50&pageNo=6&direction=asc&orderBy=&langID=2&_hoto_lbum_ategorieid06=&pages=5

And if you ever come to Greece there is one thing I suggest to you. Saviour each sight slowly...enjoy each moment with each and every sense. And listen carefully to the calling!!! It's the Greek gods calling you to visit Greece again and again.

Answer 2

I live permanently in Greece now for 10 years!!!! I live in Rhodes!!! It ' s beautiful. The food is great! try moussaka, tzatziki, Greek salad,eggplant-salad,saganaki, bouyourdi. I have to admit that Gyros tastes better in the States.
I agree with the others it's better to visit Greece in June or September cause the other months of the summer.... Greece is packed!!!There are plenty of resorts to choose from but you have to hurry otherwise everything will b booked.
Some recommended destinations :
Mykonos:Party party party
Santorini: Couples Island
Athens : the place 2 b
Thessaloniki: Best city in Greece- It's better 2 visit in the winter
Rhodes:Beautiful the castle is breathtaking, the beaches are clean and wonderfull, night life: theres plenty 2 do especially in the summer time!!!!
Well........we r waiting 4 u!!!!!!

Answer 3

Yes! Ages ago, but I guess the sea is still that wonderful blue and the pine as green as could be, that was in Poros.
In Creta, I worked in a restaurant, Chania. Nice and lively place especially when the moon was full.
Went to Peloponnese, Corinth's and saw the isthmus.
Athens is not an island of course, but how can you go to Greece and not to Athens: Plaka, Parthenon, Mount Lycavitos, the port of Piraeus and so on....
For the food, that not easy to say, some times it is wonderful, others...
Try the moussaka anyway....
If you say Yassas, that's hello, they will be very happy.
Efkaristo is thank you.
Do think of Italian as it sounds nothing like English, for sure but young Greeks used to love speaking English.

Answer 4

Hey, Greece is a wonderful country made for vacations especially the summer time. Small islands (Siros, Naxos, Lesvos, Evia, ... ) are less crowd and you can have cheaper prices and better services. Islands like Mikonos or Santorini or Corfu,... are very touristic during the August and it's better to visit them the other months (except August).
Personally I had wonderful time in Evia island. It's an island 1,5 hours from Athens that is connected via bridge with central Greece.
I've stayed in Capri Spa hotel ( http://www.capri-sa.gr ), it has a magnificent sea view and very friendly stuff.
A good choice for June is Santorini. A great island, created from volcano. It's very rare to see something similar in the world.

Answer 5

I think it's better to travel to Greece during the summer...U'll have much more things to do...Corfu Rhodes and Crete must be the best destinations..I would surely recommend Corfu...Food?U've got plenty of choices but Greek cuisine is very fattening so mix food with salads and plenty of water ;-) Don't drink ouzo - it's dangerous keep urself on limits ;-) Now if u wana come in Greece during winter etc Athens is the best choice I think..Or Thessaloniki maybe..

Answer 6

I suppose I am not within your target group because I am Greek and live permanently in Greece, but I would recommend you any place NOT in July or August, because there is a clutter and you can not really enjoy the place!

Answer 7

Yes I was there 2 summers ago--beautiful. I went to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. Make sure you get your share of souvlaki, but don't eat too much or you'll get sick like I did. The windmills at Mykonos were beautiful. If you have the chance, visit the active volcano at Santorini--breathtaking...and worth the long hike, hope I helped.

Answer 8

i have been to several islands in greece, corfu was real nice but if you want to go to a place that has good food and fun things to do then goto a small island off of greece called crete. have fun and good luck. eat a chicken gyro for me.

Answer 9

in crete the sofitel, in mykonos the shearton, in rhodes the sofitel, in corfu the corfu palace, in santorni the the santorni palace, food is ok at the buffets at the sofitels the others not so good crete has the ruins of knossos to visit,corfu nothing, rhodes has the old city which is very cool to walk thru,mykonos has the wild beach parties and santorni the calderon

Answer 10

because there couldn't be any opposite direction that the Mesopotamians and Greeks knew about angels. that's compared to they lived quite on the breaking point of one yet another and were trading in view that about 1800BC.

Answer 11

Hello Meteor Ice!
Well, it is a function of many parameters. What do you really like? Budget? Time? Company or alone?