Tatiana Solomatina

Which resort to choose in Greece?

Hello again, dear readers! It's December and summer is still far away, but many are already thinking about vacation. I would like to draw your attention to sunny Greece.

Pieria

Pieria is a fairly large region located between the city of Thessaloniki and the capital. Vacationers will like it because they can combine an excursion holiday with a beach holiday. Not far from here are the famous ones, it is convenient to get to Athens.

The area is located at the base of the Olympus mountain range. If you have a car, you can rent accommodation in small villages in the mountainous part, this will allow you to go hiking and enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery, while being close to the sea and in complete silence.

Sandy beaches interspersed with small pebbles and a smooth entry into the water, a large selection of water activities, create the best conditions for families with children.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is the second most important metropolis in Greece after the capital. However, thanks to the competent layout of the streets, there is no crowding or feeling of a crowd here. It is pleasant to walk along the streets of the city, looking at numerous architectural monuments.

Young people will enjoy the holiday; the city often hosts various festivals and offers musical events.

Hair

Volos is not yet as famous a place as other resorts in Greece, but it is quite comfortable and beautiful. Despite the fact that all the infrastructure is there, there are few tourists. There is no airport nearby and public transport is difficult. However, if you are by car, it is better to take a closer look at the resort.

There is no beach as such in the city itself. But in the surrounding villages there are amazing bays with clean and clear water. Peace and quiet are guaranteed. It will be of interest to tourists who like a relaxing holiday surrounded by beautiful nature. Perfect for families with small children, but teenagers will find it a bit boring.

In conclusion about mainland resorts, I want to say that if you are going for a beach holiday and do not set a goal to visit certain attractions located only there, then it is better to choose other resorts in Greece. In my opinion, on the islands the beaches are better, there are more coves, the sea is more beautiful, and there are no fewer interesting historical places than on the mainland, although there are always exceptions.

Peninsulas

Halkidiki

Halkidiki is one of my favorite places in Greece. Very green, with many small beautiful coves. In some places, rocks intricately hang over emerald clear water, creating natural grottoes. There are very few people, most of the peninsula is magnificent, wild, untouched nature.

There are also some disadvantages. There are few attractions here. And those that exist are located quite far away. If you don’t plan, then you need to choose housing in towns where there is the necessary infrastructure, or take a tour to. Because in small villages it is difficult to find a good store or ATM.

This place is simply meant for a beach holiday. Here you can find quiet and uncrowded resorts or even rent a house on the beach far from everyone. Gorgeous nature and magnificent beaches will not leave any tourist indifferent.

Peloponnese

The Peloponnese is a fairly popular place, but more for active recreation; there are many ancient attractions. Sparta, which in those distant times became famous for its opposition to Athens, is located here. As a rule, tourists come here specifically to visit certain historical places.

As in all of Greece, there are excellent beaches and beautiful nature. The downside is that it is difficult to get here. In the summer, Aeroflot sometimes flies, but there is no constant connection with Russia. You can fly through other cities in Greece, but this lengthens the journey and makes the transfer difficult.

Islands

Crete

Crete is the largest island in Greece and one of the best holiday destinations. Here you can find everything a tourist needs. The unusual mountain landscape and magnificent sandy beaches, especially in the north of the island, will not leave anyone indifferent.

Suitable for relaxation for literally everyone, it’s not difficult to find something to your liking, many interesting places, a huge selection of accommodation for any budget.

You might be interested in these articles:

Rhodes

Rhodes is a favorite island of Russian tourists, thanks to a large selection of tours and reasonable prices. There is slightly less vegetation here than in Crete, there are many cozy coves, and there are historical monuments.

Everyone can safely go on vacation. Like in Cyprus, the infrastructure is well developed everywhere, there are many beaches, only the prices are slightly lower.

I wrote a separate article about this island. There is a lot of useful tourist information there. And the article contains a complete overview of the island’s resorts.

Corfu

Corfu is located in western Greece. A very picturesque green island. The coastline is winding, there are many rocks in which quiet coves are hidden. It is not difficult to find secluded places here; there is beautiful nature all around. Cozy hotels offer real European service. The island is comfortable for families with children, it has soft sand and a gentle entrance to the water. Read more about the best beaches in Corfu.

Kos

Kos is a chic and expensive resort for the elite, it is not without reason that Hollywood stars choose it for their holidays. The island is small, located in the southeastern part of the Aegean Sea. There is a lot of greenery here, the nature is very beautiful.

Prices are high, so you probably won’t be able to relax on a budget. You can see the cost here.

Zakynthos

Zakynthos is an amazingly beautiful island that you want to return to. Two rows of mountain ranges protect the valley from bad weather. Lush vegetation, steep cliffs, picturesque bays with golden sand closed from the sea - a real paradise for tourists.

Unfortunately, landing on the island is rare and can only be reached by local airlines or ferry.

Santorini

Santorini is a small island of volcanic origin, with a coastline of 70 km. The white houses of local residents are laconically integrated into the mountain landscape. It has its own, kind of aristocratic, cozy atmosphere. Life flows slowly, time seems to stop.

If you go a little away from the tourist trail, you can find wild places and enjoy solitude. The beaches of the island are very diverse, even the sand in each place has its own shade, from soft yellow to bright red.

Holidays on the island are expensive. As a rule, tourists come here for one day as part of excursion groups.

Look for information on the island of Santorini.

conclusions

There are many resorts in Greece and it is really difficult to choose. Beautiful nature and gorgeous beaches can be found in almost every corner of this sunny country. So where is the best place to relax in Greece? How many people, so many opinions. Where one person likes it, it won’t necessarily be good for another.

If you, dear readers, are interested in my opinion, then now I would act in the following sequence:

1. We read general information about the country and the main resorts
2. We look at prices for tours or accommodation and air tickets (you may come across cheap tickets and it will be more profitable to travel on your own)
3. Based on the second point, we decide how to relax, through a tour operator or on your own. I wrote how to make the right decision
4. Most likely, for my first acquaintance with the country, I would choose one of the islands, focusing on price-nature-quality-easy transfer (in that order). You may have other priorities
5. Having decided on the island, read detailed information about the resorts of this place, based on the latest reviews on the Internet
6. Next, choose accommodation, a hotel or a house (if not a tour)
7. Now buy a tour or tickets (if you are traveling on your own)

This plan is not suitable only for those who purposefully go to see certain attractions. It’s easier for such tourists; they just need to choose a resort closer to their desired places to visit.

That's all I wanted to talk about, I hope you have a general picture about the resorts of Greece.

You can soon learn about my personal impressions from the stories in the “My Travels” section. In the meantime, I suggest you read the article. It seems to me that this is a relevant question. Subscribe to my newsletter and be the first to receive new publications.

Recently, in some minor magazine, I came across a note that this country will also soon be closed to Russians. Allegedly, they will make a couple of provocations for this purpose. Haven't you heard anything? It will be a great pity. Write in the comments what you think about this. Very interesting read.

And I’ll say goodbye to you for a moment. Share the article on social networks, convenient buttons are below.

Tatiana Solomatina

In order to understand why Greece is called the cradle of civilization, you need to visit this beautiful country and its attractions. Amazing historical monuments and ruins of ancient temples allow you to appreciate how prosperous the state was. The natural beauty of the country is no less attractive. If you have not yet decided what to see in Greece, our list of the most interesting places in the country will help you navigate the issue.

What can you see in Greece? You should start exploring historical sites from the Acropolis, which is the calling card of Athens. This stunning place is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

The Athenian Acropolis has suffered numerous wars and natural disasters, which it was able to withstand. Neither people nor nature managed to destroy this stunning historical monument, which at first glance amazes with its size and grandeur. Experts say that the first temples of the Acropolis were founded during the archaic period. Later, large development of the hill began. Initially, the place was the residence of the king. Gradually the complex acquired the architectural forms that we see today. Gradually the Acropolis turned into a small town.

The sculptures that were inside the complex were replaced with copies. And the originals are now in various European institutions. The Acropolis of Athens has suffered greatly from wars and time; only ruins remain of its former greatness. And yet, architects are engaged in the restoration of individual, most significant objects. A complete reconstruction will take a very long time.

Among the most important structures of the Acropolis, the Propylaea deserves attention - a monumental covered gate made of marble with five passages. No less attractive is the Parthenon, considered the main temple of Ancient Athens. A stunning monument of ancient architecture was erected in honor of the goddess Athena.

Panathinaikos

What can people who are interested in architectural monuments see in Greece? Athens in this sense is an amazing storehouse. In the heart of the city there is a unique stadium known as Panathinaikos. Tourists usually pay the most attention to this attraction. The ancient structure was built of white marble. After the reconstruction of the stadium and the repair of destroyed elements, the first Olympic Games in modern history were organized on its territory.

If you are wondering what to see in Greece, Panathinaikos should be a must-see. In ancient times, the Panathenaic Games, considered the most important festival of Athens, were held at the stadium.

A major reconstruction of the complex took place two hundred years ago after excavations. The grandiose work was sponsored by the figure Zappas. It was he who also financed the Olympic Games held in 1870 and 1875.

Now Panvtinaikos is used not only as a venue for sports competitions, but also as a platform for exhibitions and concerts dedicated to culture. While visiting the stadium, tourists can not only admire the complex, but also get acquainted with its history.

What is definitely worth seeing in Greece is the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Without it, the list of the country's attractions would be incomplete. The complex is so huge that it even exceeds the size of the legendary Parthenon. Its construction lasted for 650 years. Myths say that the temple was built on the site of the sanctuary of Deucalion. Once upon a time, there were two huge statues within the walls of the complex. One of them was made of gold and ivory. She personified Zeus. The second was made in honor of Emperor Hadrian, who took an active part in the construction of the complex. Unfortunately, none of the statues have survived to this day; both of them were destroyed.

Of course, now the temple is far from in the best condition. Only one part of it survived. It is not known exactly what caused the destruction of the temple. Scientists suggest that the complex was so badly damaged due to the earthquake. Perhaps later people partially dismantled it for building materials.

A corner of the Temple of Zeus has survived to this day, consisting of 14 separate columns, one of which has been knocked down, and the other two stand alone.

What to see on the Greek islands? Seven of them are of interest to tourists - Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Zakynthos, Santorini, Kefalonia. On the islands you can not only have a great rest, but also see their sights.

For example, in Crete, travelers should visit the Palace of Knossos. The island is very popular among tourists. And the reason for this is the long swimming season and the amazing climate, which helps strengthen the body and restore vital energy. In addition, there are a lot of attractions on the island. Among them, the Palace of Knossos occupies a special place. The complex was excavated and partially restored at the beginning of the last century. Currently, it is one of the most visited places.

Historians consider the Palace of Knossos to be the center of the Minoan civilization, which was once a very famous state. The complex consisted of 1,300 rooms, which indicates its impressive size. The palace premises could accommodate 12 thousand people. According to legends, Knossos belonged to the Minoan king, who is famous for the famous labyrinth and the Minotaur.

Throughout history, the Palace of Knossos has been rebuilt many times, as it has repeatedly suffered from fires, tsunamis and earthquakes. Two hundred years ago, its large-scale reconstruction began. An amazing landmark was discovered by archaeologist Evans, who managed to restore part of the palace.

Currently, tourists have a great opportunity to admire the stunning architecture of the complex. Evans was able to carry out serious work so that guests can understand which archaeological sites are ancient remains and which have been recreated by archaeologists.

It is worth visiting the town of Delphi in Greece, which, like other resort regions, has attractions. Here is the temple of Apollo, for the construction of which all the inhabitants of the country raised funds. Many excursions include a visit to the amazing complex. But tourists can also visit the temple on their own. Unfortunately, the building has not survived to this day in its original form. Some parts of it were subject to reconstruction due to constant collapses. During the restoration work, the architects were guided by existing construction plans, trying to preserve the previous forms.

The external facades of the building are decorated with beautiful friezes dedicated to the war between the centaurs and the Amazons.

For quite a long time, tourists did not know about the existence of the complex, since it is located far from the main cities of the country, but gradually it turned into an important historical monument.

What to see in Greece on your own? If you are interested in natural attractions, you should go to the unique Navagio Beach. You can only get to this amazing place by ship, since it is hidden from prying eyes.

Tourists who don’t know what to visit in Greece will certainly enjoy this pearl of the region. Navagio Beach is covered in golden sand and washed by crystal clear waters. It’s not for nothing that it’s called a piece of paradise that you never want to leave.

Navagio is also known as the island of shipwrecks. The fact is that a smugglers' ship once sank here. The cause of the shipwreck still remains a mystery.

The stunningly beautiful beach will delight all lovers of relaxation away from noisy resorts. The island is beautiful because there are absolutely no signs of civilization on its coast. Here you can feel unity with nature and find an amazing sense of harmony. When going to the island, you need to take an umbrella and protective creams with you. In sunny weather there is absolutely no shade on the coast, so you need to take care of your own comfort.

Monasteries of Meteora

What to see in Greece? There are numerous attractions on the mainland, among which a place called Meteora is of particular interest. It is located in northern Greece, near Kalambaka. The region is distinguished by its beauty and interesting history. Several monasteries are located on its territory.

Under the influence of the environment, over many millennia, the formation of huge stone pillars took place, the height of which reaches 600 and 300 meters. Even modern climbers do not risk climbing their steep slopes. But the hermits were able to build their temples on them. This amazing place is amazing. The Meteora monasteries are rightfully considered one of the best attractions in the country. Currently, only six of them are operational.

Previously, it was almost impossible to reach such places. You could only climb up the rope ladder. Access is now easier as safe steps have been carved into the rocks.

What should tourists see in Greece? Monasteries are one of the most interesting and impressive places in the country. They are open to visitors from November to March and from April to September. Restoration work was carried out in the temple buildings, so now travelers can admire their beauty.

Loutraki

What to see in Loutraki (Greece)? The beautiful Greek city on the coast of the Gulf of Corinth is famous as a resort. Its numerous beaches are washed by the waters of the clearest sea. As a resort, Loutraki is valued due to its medical tourism and high level of service. Mineral springs are far from the only wealth of the region. The city boasts ancient churches, among which the Church of St. Andrew is worth highlighting. It was erected in 1345 and for many centuries retained its original appearance. The building was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1981. Architects are still engaged in restoration work to this day. On the territory of the temple there is an underground passage that leads to the cave. According to legend, Andrew the First-Called once hid there from Roman troops.

The city has the monastery of St. Marina - a beautiful complex immersed in exotic greenery and hundred-year-old pine trees.

Rhodes

One of the seven most interesting islands in Greece is Rhodes. What should travelers see on their own on the island? There are many interesting places in Rhodes. You can start your sightseeing from the old part of the capital. Here you will see the Rhodes fortress, which is considered the longest in Europe (4 km). The importance of the Old Town is evidenced by the fact that it is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. Tourists will certainly enjoy a walk through the ancient streets of the city, which are more reminiscent of the eastern quarters. Of the objects from the period of Turkish rule, only the Suleiman the Great Mosque has survived to this day. All travelers try to stroll along the Street of the Knights and take photos near the Palace of the Grand Masters. Just outside the Old Town gates is the port of Mandraki, where you can take a pleasant stroll. The city of Rhodes is incredibly interesting for tourists. However, there are still many stunningly beautiful places on the island.

If you have not yet decided what to see in Greece on your own, go on a trip to Rhodes by car. Renting a car in the capital is not difficult. With transport at hand, you can admire the most interesting corners of the island. For example, you can visit Ancient Kemiros, from which only the ruins of houses, the remains of squares and streets remain, and its palaces have only been partially restored. And yet, wandering through the ruins of the city of the ancient Greeks is very interesting.

No less interesting for travelers in Rhodes is Mount Tsambinka, on the top of which there is a monastery of the same name. The path to it consists of 307 steps. Pilgrims believe that it is necessary to climb to the temple only on your knees.

While traveling around the island, you should visit the ancient town of Lindos, which was founded in the sixth century BC. Here you can stroll along the ancient streets, see the Acropolis, and climb to the walls of the knight’s castle.

Lindos is located on the coast of St. Paul's Bay, which is considered the most beautiful in Greece. According to legend, the Apostle Paul stopped here on his way to Jerusalem. The bay got its name in honor of him.

Next, you can go to the seven springs that flow from the springs, forming a lake. But the greatest interest among tourists is not the reservoir itself, but the narrow tunnel that leads to it. Every traveler tries to walk through a dark passage. It is worth noting that the path must be made in the dark and barefoot, wading ankle-deep in cold water. This is the kind of entertainment tourists have come up with for themselves. There are two beliefs regarding the tunnel. One of them says that after passing through a dark corridor, you can rejuvenate yourself by ten years, and the second says that the tunnel allows people to get rid of the seven sins.

If you are looking for what to see in Greece, the Peloponnese should be a must on your excursion program. Here you can see Ancient Olympia, which became the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. You can visit it at any time of the year. Currently, Ancient Olympia is a nature reserve, on the territory of which ancient temples and museums are located. You can start your sightseeing from those places that are in the open air. Such objects allow you to appreciate the full power of buildings. The Temple of Zeus and Hera, built in 407-456 BC, deserves special attention. e. In ancient times, people came here not only for competitions, but also to worship the great gods. Near the Temple of Hera there is a stadium where the competitions were held. And these days, before the start of the games, the Olympic flame is lit here.

Here you can also see the ruins of the Philippeion - a round structure surrounded by columns. The construction of the building was started by Philip II, and the work was completed by the son of Alexander the Great. Not far from the building is the administrative building of Ancient Olympia.

Olympus

What to see in Greece? You can visit almost all the outstanding sights of the country on your own. If you don't like group trips, feel free to travel on your own. One of the must-visit places is Mount Olympus. It is located on the coast of the Aegean Sea in the region of Thessaly. Olympus includes three mountain ranges. The highest massif is represented by three peaks - Stefani, Skolio, Mitikas. Each of them reaches almost three thousand meters. Mytikas is the highest mountain, with an altitude of 2917 meters. Here is the picturesque Kazan abyss. It is not surprising that the gods of Ancient Greece chose this beautiful place to live. To this day, here you can admire the “throne of Zeus,” which the top of Stephanie is very similar to.

What should a tourist see in Greece? There are incredibly many interesting places in the country. But it’s simply impossible to imagine the country without the Mount Olympus. Currently, they are considered a National Nature Reserve and are listed as UNESCO sites. Such a high status was assigned back in 1981. A little later, the mountains were recognized as the country's archaeological heritage.

Instead of an afterword

Don’t worry if you haven’t decided what to see in Greece yet. Traveling around the country on your own has a lot of advantages and will allow you to see a lot of interesting places. In our article we have listed only the most significant attractions that tourists should pay attention to first of all. In fact, there are a lot of interesting objects, so you will always have a reason to return to the beautiful country again.

Greece, with its favorable climate, clear sea, and magnificent beaches, is extremely attractive for a summer holiday with children. But no matter how good a vacation on the soft sand by the warm sea is, you probably want to interrupt it from time to time with other entertainment and interesting excursions around the country.

Of course, there are plenty of famous antiquities, shrines, historical and natural monuments in Greece. They are scattered across numerous islands and the mainland of the country. You can choose to visit Thessaloniki or Kastoria, Kalambaka or Meteora, Athens, Delphi, the famous Argolis (Mycenae, Corinth Canal, Epidaurus, Nafplio), Vergina, Thermopylae, Dion, Olympus, and explore ancient cities and legendary monuments.

In just a few days, taking a short sea voyage, you can visit the delightful islands of the Mediterranean (Mykonos, Patmos, Milos, Kos, Ios, Santorini, Crete). The duration of such cruises is from 3 to 7 days, and they depart from different ports. For example, to Santorini from the island of Crete, from Rhodes or Athens, the boat will go on other unforgettable journeys.

Many who find themselves in this sunny and hospitable country for the first time have a question: how to approach Greek sights and where to start? After all, even if you come to this country dozens of times, you still won’t be able to see everything with your own eyes. But among the attractions there are some that simply cannot be missed.

It remains to be understood which of all this variety will be most interesting to your child. Of course, you need to take into account the age of the children and the location of the resort.

Sights of Greece

Since many of us, when going to Greece, begin our journey around the country from its capital, Athens, it is simply impossible not to see its best places at the beginning of your journey or, on the contrary, when completing it.

Antique monuments of ancient Athens

The Athenian Acropolis, the Parthenon (a temple with a well-preserved central part with 50 columns), the grandiose Erechtheinon, a structure with columns in the form of sculptures of six beauties - caryatids, with partially preserved frescoes and mosaics, the temple of the goddess Nike, the Theater of Dionysus, the Roman Agora with the Tower of the Winds, The solemn Arch of Hadrian is a must-see place in Athens.

Interesting places to visit are the Acropolis Museum, a repository of priceless collections of antiquity and local artifacts, and the Panathenaic Stadium (still used as a sports facility), where the world's first Olympic Games took place. You can take a walk from the Acropolis to the Ancient Agora (once the political, administrative and commercial center of the country), and walk through the cozy Kolonaki Square.

Of course, the sights of Athens are far from the only thing that you can and should visit with children in Greece.

Peloponnese – the island of myths and legends

The main stops for tourists on this peninsula are:

• Mycenae with the preserved ruins of the palace with the famous Lion Gate
• Ancient Corinth, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo (only a few columns remain from it), a local archaeological museum with ancient finds
• Remains of ancient Sparta with numerous sanctuaries
• Legendary Delphi, erected as if on the steps of mountains
• Diru Cave with a huge underground lake
• Ancient Olympia with a partially preserved complex of buildings for the games and the ruins of the temples of Hera and Zeus, the Museum of History and the Archaeological Museum, the exhibitions of which tell about the emergence and holding of the Olympic Games in antiquity
• The fortified city of Monemvasia on a huge rock opposite the city of Gefira and the fortress of Mithras
• Nafplion (the first capital of Greece) with three fortresses: Akronapflia, Bourtzi and the largest in Greece - Palamidi.

30 kilometers from Nafplion is the sanctuary of Aesculapius in Epidaurus and the famous theater, which at that time could accommodate an incredible number of spectators. It still hosts performances based on ancient Greek tragedies on Fridays.

Impressions from the Greek mainland will not be complete if you ignore some of the famous sights of Greece.

Pieria

The picturesque region of Pieria, located under the slopes of the Olympus mountain range, stretches along the coast of the Aegean Sea and is declared a national park. The path to conquering Olympus (the abode of the Greek gods), from whose mountain peaks offers breathtaking views, begins in the village of Litocho. Here, at an altitude of 1000 meters, right on the slopes of the famous mountain, for some time you yourself can turn into a hero of an ancient Greek myth, taking part in a costume performance.

Climbing Olympus does not have to be done on foot. You can go up by car or use the ski lifts.

Kalambaki - the birthplace of the mythical centaurs and Meteora

This is another point that needs to be marked for visiting on the tourist map. An asphalt road leads from the town of Kalambaki to the Meteora monasteries (one of the shrines of Greece). The excursion is not easy, it takes the whole day, and from the foot of the valley you need to climb up the steps to a height of 300 meters.

Why is Meteora so famous? If we translate their name from Greek, “meteors” means “floating in the air.” In fact, this is the impression you get when you look at the massive rocks, on the very top of which, back in the 11th century, the first hermits built themselves a shelter, cut off from the whole world. Previously, it was possible to get there only by a suspended ladder, and food was delivered using carts, baskets and horse-drawn power.

6 medieval monasteries have been fully preserved and are still active. They contain icons, valuable frescoes, monastery antiquities, manuscripts and sacred vessels.

Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki

There are especially many historical monuments concentrated on the Greek mainland. And one of these main tourist centers is the city of Thessaloniki - the northern capital of Greece with an amazing collection of attractions: the defensive fortress of the White Tower (XV century), the Basilica of St. Demetrius, the statue of Aristotle, the Arch of Emperor Galerius (3rd century AD), the Roman Forum and agora, the Byzantine Church of Hagia Sophia with unique interior and exterior decoration.

If your family vacation is taking place somewhere near this city, then at a minimum you should at least take a sightseeing tour with your children around this open-air museum city. With preschool children, in order not to get too tired and not overheat in the sun, you can travel around the historical center of Thessaloniki on a tourist train (it departs every hour from the White Tower). The tour lasts 45 minutes.

You can admire the city from boats (floating pub bars) that slowly sail along the bay. At this time, you can have a snack or drink a delicious drink. Boats also depart from the White Tower pier.

If you get tired of wandering the city streets, you can have fun with your children in interactive and educational museums. This is primarily the Museum of Byzantine Art and the Archaeological Museum.

With children interested in caves, archaeological antiquities, stalagmites and stalactites, you can go to the Petralona karst cave (50 km from Thessaloniki), in which the remains of the most ancient European were found. Not far from the cave is the Anthropological Museum with exhibits discovered during its excavations.

In the town of Stagira (Chalkidiki), the birthplace of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, there is a park-museum where you can also go with children.

Farm Platanorema

The farm, which is home to goats, sheep, horses, wild boars, donkeys, peacocks, pheasants and turkeys, ducks and geese, is located on the road to Athos near the town of Ierissos (Chalkidiki). You can not only feed animals and birds, but also, for example, ride a horse. You can also have a bite to eat in a restaurant with delicious food made from local products or relax in a mini-hotel.

Athos

The Orthodox shrine of Holy Mount Athos is also recommended for visiting. It is difficult to get into its territory (and impossible for women), but from the ship during a boat trip you can clearly see numerous monasteries.

Sights of the island part of Greece

This country is structured in such a way that some of it is made up of a whole scattering of various islands with a different climate, nature, with their own antiquities and historical attractions.

Sights of Crete

It is no coincidence that our tourists choose this sunny island with magnificent nature and clean beaches for a holiday with children. In addition to a wonderful holiday, Crete has a lot of other entertainment and activities for the whole family.

For a change, you can visit the most unusual places on the island and its best attractions:

• Knossos Palace near Heraklion and other objects of the Minoan civilization in Phaistos, Malia, Zakros
• Lasithi Plateau with its main attraction, the Cave of Zeus (Dikteon Cave)
• Lake Kournas with beautiful scenery and very clean water
• Samaria Gorge, which is also a national park with a variety of plant species growing in it
• Spinalonga Island
• Ancient cities of Rethymnon and Chania
• Archaeological Museum of Crete with artifacts of Minoan culture.

One of the most interesting events that everyone who visits this island should definitely take part in is an excursion to Santorini from Crete. The excursion is one-day, but with kids it can be quite difficult and tiring.

Why does this island attract tourists from all over the world and what can you see in Santorini?

Firstly, people come here to see for themselves that the most beautiful views on postcards exactly correspond to reality. Secondly, this island with volcanic landscapes invariably attracts all tourists with its unusualness and beauty.

When traveling with children, it is worth considering that during the season the island will be simply overcrowded with tourists. The rest of the time, you can quite comfortably admire the rays of the setting sun on the slopes of the rocks, or find a place on one of the colorful beaches with red, white or black sand.

Medieval beauties of Rhodes

• The beautiful city of Rhodes with a medieval fortress built in ancient times to protect the island, the Palace of the Grand Masters with interesting mosaics on the floor of this ancient building and other attractions in the Old Town.
• The ancient city of Lindos is a friendly, small, noisy market town with St. Paul's Bay, where it is good to snorkel. With the delightful ancient ruins of the acropolis, which can be reached not only on foot, but also on a donkey (the latter, of course, is more interesting for children). It is better to go on this excursion in the late afternoon or in the morning and with a supply of water.
• Castles near Kritinia and Monolithos
• Doric city-states of Ialyssos, Kameiros.

An excellent place for family entertainment is the unique Butterfly Valley Nature Reserve and the Ostrich Farm located nearby. These places are interesting from the point of view of the opportunity to communicate with nature and animals. At the farm you can see the fleet-footed African ostriches and at the same time look into the mini-zoo.

Corfu Island

For vacationing family tourists, we can recommend a sightseeing tour to get acquainted with the sights and history of the island, which includes a trip on small boats along the Ionian Sea with a visit to picturesque caves, a visit to one of the olive oil factories (it is believed that Corinthian oil is the best in the world ).

In the capital of the island, Kerkyra, the Old Town of Corfu deserves attention with ancient temples and fortresses, architectural structures of different styles and cultures.

Kos Island

The island of Kos is the historical birthplace of medicine. In memory of Hippocrates, the ancient healer, a very old tree grows on the island - the Hippocrates plane tree. The attractions of the island are the ancient hospital - the Asklepion temple complex, the fortresses of the knights, archaeological excavations, and the ancient agora.

Zakynthos

Zakynthos with lush vegetation and beaches with white pebbles is interesting for its Venetian architectural structures, St. Mark's Square, the Venetian Fort Castro, the Cathedral of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, Navagio Bay with the “shipwreck beach”, the Blue Caves at Cape Skinari and Cape Keri, Byzantine churches and temples . At the national marine park, children can discover the fascinating underwater world and loggerhead sea turtles.

Water parks, aquariums and zoos in Greece

If desired, leisure time on vacation can be very varied and should not be reduced only to swimming and excursions to ancient ruins. This could be hiking to caves, waterfalls and gorges, observing animals, birds, fish in aquariums, zoos or in the wild in their habitats. As well as all sorts of children's entertainment and fun in the water parks of Greece located near the hotel.

The best among them is Waterland Water Park. This is a whole city of water entertainment on a huge territory with steep slides, a swimming pool with one and a half meter waves, a “crazy river”, a children’s pool, and a pirate city for young visitors in the suburbs of Thessaloniki. You can have fun here all day long.

If you are in this city with children, you can visit the Magic Park amusement park with many attractions and entertainment for all ages, a botanical garden and a cafe, which is spread over an area of ​​28 hectares.

The Thessaloniki Zoo offers the opportunity to spend a pleasant day with the whole family in the zoological park among the lush gardens and cedar forest, watching waterfowl and wild animals or simply strolling along its alleys.

In Crete, you can choose from one of the water parks: the fun WaterCity water park with 34 breathtaking attractions (Heraklion), Acqua Plus water park (30 km from Heraklion and 5 km from Hersonissos), Star Beach Water Park (30 minutes from Heraklion airport) , Limnoupolis Water Park (Chania). As well as the Aquaworld Aquarium (Hersonissos) and the Maritime Museum of Crete (Chania).

In Rhodes, entertainment awaits you in the Water Park (Faliraki), Aqualand in Corfu, Lido Water Park on the island of Kos.

Once again I am convinced of the truth of the catchphrase “everything is available in Greece.” Indeed, this country has everything for an amazing, comfortable, interesting family holiday. Having made fascinating excursions to historical places, learned the history of ancient civilizations, admired fabulously beautiful places and received a lot of positive emotions, you can consider yourself a success. And the impressions of the trip will remain in the memory of young travelers for a long time.

Sights of Greece. The most important and interesting sights of Greek cities: photos and videos, descriptions and reviews, location, websites.

Anyone who has visited Greece at least once will want to return more than once to this country of ancient monuments, Orthodox shrines and incredibly charming people. It attracts with its architecture, natural resources, original culture and, of course, unsurpassed cuisine.

It probably doesn’t make sense to repeat the already hackneyed phrase that Greece has everything, but it really is! And the clearest example of this is the capital of ancient Hellas - Athens. This is a city that carefully preserves its history and architectural monuments, many of which are thousands of years old. In Athens, you should definitely visit the Acropolis with its partially restored ancient temples, the Temple of Poseidon, located just on the Aegean coast, the ancient Plaka quarter, practically untouched by time, as well as numerous city museums and colorful Athenian squares, where you can plunge headlong into real life Athenians

There is simply an incredible number of interesting sights concentrated in Crete. Millions of tourists visit this island to combine an entertaining excursion into the history of Ancient Greece with a vacation at one of the best Mediterranean resorts.

Here, in the archaeological reserve of Knossos, lies the luxurious Palace of Knossos, built by the legendary Daedalus for King Minos. It is distinguished by its unusual architecture (the building has five floors) and an incredibly complex system of underground labyrinths. And in Phaistos it is interesting to look at the palace of Minos’s brother, Rhadamanthus, which is not so impressive in size as in its outlandish shapes, for example, the rooms in it are located in the shape of a star with a huge courtyard in the center, and the interior chambers are connected by majestic staircases.

Also in Greece, you should definitely visit the small and very original island of Chora Sfakion-Frangokastelli, whose residents sacredly honor their national traditions and way of life. There is an Orthodox monastery of Chrysoskalitissa (that is, “golden steps”), one of the steps leading to it is really made of pure gold, but only people with a pure soul and good thoughts can see it.

Elafonissi is a Greek island, the picturesque coast of which is covered with unusual sand, its peculiarity is that it is pink.

One of the most famous islands of Greece can be called Rhodes, a beautiful resort and the largest center of knightly culture. The Castle of the Knights, built in the 14th century and restored in the first half of the last century, attracts the attention of tourists here. Today, within its walls the atmosphere in which representatives of the famous knightly order lived has been recreated, and a huge collection of antique interior items has been collected.

We should not forget about such significant monuments of Greece as Mount Olympus and Mount Athos, Golden Delphi in the vicinity of the capital, a complex of monasteries on steep cliffs - Meteora, the port of Piraeus and picturesque Macedonia.

This amazing country has a huge number of historical, cultural, architectural and natural attractions. Tourists from all over the world come to Greece not just to relax on the beaches. Here you can expand your knowledge of how modern Europe was born and formed, a huge part of which belongs to the classical era of Hellenism and pre-Hellenic history and culture.

TOP 20 attractions in Greece

The sights of Greece will also tell you about the birth of the European democratic tradition, the golden era in mythology, literature, sculpture, architecture, theater, sports, etc. Hospitable people who love Russia live in this beautiful country; they are always friendly to Russian tourists. Don’t forget the well-known phrase from Russian cinema: “Greece has everything!”

1. The ancient Greek city of Delphi

This city in ancient times was a religious center for the worship of the god Apollo. According to legend, it is named after his son Delphi. In addition, the city is known for hosting the famous Pythian Games for many centuries. Delphi is included in the UNESCO list. This is a world-class historical and cultural attraction.

Delphi arose approximately 1.6 thousand years BC. and at first Mother Earth was worshiped there. And later the myths of classical Ancient Greece arose, associated with Zeus and the pantheon of gods. During excavations in the second half of the 20th century, here, on the slope of Mount Parnassus, a temple of Apollo, an ancient theater, a stadium, treasuries, etc. were discovered.

2. Medieval city of Rhodes

And this famous Greek landmark dates back to the era of Antiquity and the Middle Ages with its crusading knights. It is also a famous beach resort. The most interesting thing you can see here is the Rhodes Fortress, which was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 13th century on the site of an ancient acropolis.

Behind the powerful walls of this fortress is the Palace of the Grand Masters, built on the site of the ancient Temple of Helios. In the old town of Rhodes, you can wander along the Street of Knights and plunge into the Middle Ages. There are ancient forts and ports that played a significant role in the history of Rhodes, and much more.

3. Palace of the Grand Masters

It is worth mentioning separately about such a historical and cultural landmark of the Rhodes Fortress as this Palace. It is also on the UNESCO list, as part of the Rhodes Fortress. This is a very impressive structure, built according to all the rules of medieval fortification.

For many centuries, the Palace of the Grand Masters served as the residence of the leader of the Hospitaller Order, which once controlled the entire Mediterranean. Today, the Palace of the Grand Masters has turned into a huge museum, the exhibits of which tell visitors about the history of the island and the city of Rhodes from Antiquity to the present day.

4. Paleokastritsa Beach

This is a world famous beach and a Greek landmark. It is located on the island of Corfu in the north of the Ionian Sea at the resort of the same name. Tourists can fully enjoy the clearest turquoise water, bright but not burning sun, as well as beautiful olive, lemon and orange groves around.

On Paleokastritsa beach you can have a great rest, it is one of the ten best European beaches, and at the same time get acquainted with cultural and historical beaches, of which there are extremely many here since ancient times.

The Acropolis is the calling card of the modern Greek capital. The first thing you should see in this city is the Acropolis of Athens. From here begins an acquaintance with classical Ancient Greece, with its myths and legends, gods and heroes, scientists and philosophers.

It should be noted that on the hill where today you can see the Acropolis of Athens, there was a royal palace back in the Mycenaean era. In the 7th century BC. e. The construction of the most famous temple, the Parthenon, began in the acropolis, and a century later the temple of Athena was erected, of which only the foundation remains today.

During the time when Greece was under the Ottoman yoke, the Acropolis of Athens was a mosque. Later it became an arsenal. At one time, the pasha’s harem was located in one of its temples. The Acropolis of Athens was repeatedly attacked by barbarians and vandals. Today it is a magnificent open-air museum.

Many tourists strive to visit Cape Sounion to see this ancient temple with their own eyes. Once upon a time, the ancient Greek Poseidon, the god of the sea, patronized fishermen and sea travelers who lived in Attica and all of Hellas. They brought gifts and sacrifices to their god, and he gave them good luck.

The Temple of Poseidon was built in 400 BC. Among scientists there is a version that it was erected by the Atlanteans - the inhabitants of the legendary Atlantis. Today, only the ruins of the temple and 12 columns remain. Archaeologists near the temple discovered a huge statue of a man, possibly Poseidon, and several smaller statues.

Olympus is the highest mountain in the country, located on the Aegean coast. But this is not what made her famous. As you know, it was this mountain that the gods of Ancient Greece chose as their place of residence, which is why Olympus acquired a sacred status. The area around the mountain range is today a national reserve.

What mere mortal does not dream of visiting the home of the gods? That is why this mythological landmark of Greece is a favorite among travelers from all over the world. Fortunately, there is also an excellent tourist infrastructure there, incl. ski resort.

8. Santorini Island

This island is considered by many to be the best tourist destination on earth. It is ideal for a family holiday. There are beautiful clean sandy beaches from white to black, houses that look like something out of a fairy tale. Santorini often hosts wedding ceremonies between couples who dream of a family life like in a fairy tale.

There are a huge number of attractions on such a tiny island. First of all, these are Catholic and Orthodox churches, there are about three hundred of them. There are also many ancient ruins of the Minoan era of Greek civilization. Stay in local hotels, sunbathe on the beaches - you will have unforgettable memories.

9. Samaria Gorge

This is a famous natural attraction of the island of Crete. The Samaria Gorge is the largest in Europe, it is named after the ancient village located nearby. This is an incredibly beautiful place, visiting which you can take many unique, beautiful photographs.

It’s worth going on a tourist excursion to this gorge to once again appreciate the great Greek past, see the ancient Cretan civilization, marvel at the beauty of the nature of Crete, its flora and fauna, and get acquainted with the ancient way of life, way of life, customs and traditions of the islanders.