Olympics Pic:http://www.thehindu.com/sport/article3648309.ece
Thinking about taking a summer trip? cheap holidays to Greece are easier to find than ever. You’ll quickly be soaking up the sun and local culture while wandering amongst historical ruins, some of which have been restored from ancient times. With the recent stir of the Olympic Games, you may be asking yourself just how the Olympics got its start.
The summer Olympics is the biggest and most prestigious sporting event in the world and it only happens once every four years. This year the honour befalls to England to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and you would think the whole country would be on their marks, set and ready to tune in and enjoy. But, according to several recent surveys from Abta, Travelzoo and holiday booking websites, bookings for overseas holidays during the games are up, by some considerable margin. In fact according to a survey by Travelzoo, as many as 30% of Britons will be heading abroad to escape the Olympics.
Kefalonia, Greece Pic source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marjolynn/5234620082/sizes/m/in/photostream/
The largest of the Ionian Islands,Kefalonia has plenty to offer visitors from beaches and water sports to churches, monasteries, castles, forts, archaeology and unique food and wine. But a primary attraction for tourists in Kefalonia is the lakes and caves, which have meaning that reach back to ancient Greek mythology.
Melissani Cave: Cave of the Nymphs
Rediscovered in 1951, Melissani is near the town of Sami in Kefalonia, and one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island. Featuring a light-blue lake surrounded by a forest of trees, the cave wasonce two big chambers that caved in several thousand years ago, leaving what looks like a lake at the bottom of a sinkhole.
Malia in Crete Pic Source: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/594946
Visit Malia in Crete
Malia is great for young travelers who like clubbing and chilling in cafes, and the beaches are sunny and warm as well. I found affordable a good package with holidays to Malia with holidayhypermarket, but there are a variety of travel agents who can organize package holidays with accommodation and car hire included.
I chose Malia because it’s on the north coast of Crete, really close to the capital, Heraklion, and easily accessible from the international airport (and just 4 hours’ flying time from London). I prefer Malia to Ibiza because it has all of the facilities (nightclubs, restaurants, shops) but it’s not quite as crowded and commercial.
Lefkada town by night Photo credit: Graham Green
My beautiful Lefkada
Close and lock the office, pack your <a href=”http://www.briefcasesdirect.com/”>briefcase</a> away, because you are coming away on vacation to my wonderful and ancient Greek island of Lefkada. It is not easy to miss the masts of all the yachts and catamarans berthed alongside the many jetties in the marina of Lefkada town. In the winter, sitting at a table having lunch in one of the many harbor front taverns, or sitting in one of the cafes, sipping a strong Greek coffee, being lulled by the sound of the rigging ropes tap tap tapping against the masts in the wind, it is easy to daydream oneself back to summer, remembering those carefree halcyon days, sailing the crystal clear waters of the Ionian sea.
Meet Stavros Melissinos - The Poet of Athens
An internationally acclaimed poet who has kept his day job as a sandal maker since the 1920′s, and who has since become a national treasure in his own right? Sounds like the focus of some small-budget movie, but it is in fact a very true story.
Parthenon - Acropolis (Athens, Greece) Image: Priya Q
After visiting UNESCO Heritage sites like Skocjanske James in Slovenia and Meteora in Metsovo (Greece) I had the opportunity to visit another archaeological marvel at Athens – The Acropolis.
The capital city of Greece, Athens, is one of the world’s oldest cities with a strong role in the Greek history. One walk around this ancient city of Greece and you will get a feeling as of being on heavenly soil. While in Athens one has the options to do very many things. One can spend hours visiting the several beaches, the National Garden, Byzantine church, the many theatrical concerts, the House of Parliament and the monument of Unknown Soldier standing opposite to it or shop away to glory on the streets, but your visit to Athens will be incomplete without visiting the stupendous Acropolis.
Zagorin Apples Image: Priya Q
Continuing from my last post – As we drove into the hills, we were welcomed by arrays of apple trees spread over vast orchards on either side of the road intermittently interrupted by huge chestnut trees. If you haven’t had chestnuts so far, then you must! Both roasted and boiled chestnuts are delectable. Talking about apples, the apple produce from Zagora is distributed all over the world and is a unique much wanted brand. They are called Zagorin. I was quite lucky to be in Zagora during the picking season which was in September.
Ionnina, Greece Image: Priya Q
My trip to Greece last year was full of cheery surprises. All I had in mind was to visit my friend in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece and a trip to Athens to dine with the Gods; I didn’t know my fate had many lucky bonuses on cards.
image:Mr.Q
My trip to Greece was more than what I bargained for courtesy my local friend who did her best to capsulate the best of things to do and see in Greece in the one week of my stay there. One such trip was made to the mystical Meteora.
Unknowingly it was my third trip to a UNESCO declared world heritage site in this Europe trip. The other two were Stonehenge in England and Skocjan caves in Slovenia. I will try to write about them soon.
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