Its modern ski resort, its close proximity to Athens, and its breathtaking mountainous landscape are the strongest reason why. Apart from the mountain activities, Aráchova is also famous for its bustling nightlife!

Must visit: The Byzantine churches of the village with their well preserved frescos.

Activities on offer: Get involved in outdoor activities such as hiking or ski down the slopes of Mt. Parnassós at the biggest downhill ski resort in Greece. The mountain’s high altitude offers ski lovers long-lasting snow cover at the peaks.

Hot tips:

• Discover the traditional character of the village by taking leisurely walks through its narrow cobblestone streets. Enjoy hot and sweet or soft and fruity drinks in cafés, or traditional kafeneia (coffee shops).
• Stay up all night and enjoy the village’s bustling nightlife. There are a plethora of bars and clubs up and down the streets of Aráhova.
• Visit the nearby archaeological site of Delphi.

Accommodation: Various elegant first-class hotels or traditional guest houses offer luxurious accommodation.

Famous local products: Aráhova offers a memorable gourmet experience; taste local specialties: kontosoúvli (big hunks of pork skewered and put on a rotisserie with onions, tomatoes, peppers and seasoned with salt and pepper, garlic and oregano), kokorétsi (the intestines of the lamb stuffed with offal), sarmádes (stuffed grape leaves), traditional pies, handmade trahanás (pasta soup, can be sweet or sour), and hilopites (egg noodles made in linguine-sized strips, cut into small pieces).

Aráhova also produces the famous cheese “formaéla”, a sweet smelling hard rind cheese of with a relatively mild flavour that you should definitely taste!
Have a sip of the divine Parnassós local wine, the red “Mavroudi”, which achieved Protected Designation of Origin status in 2006. The “Black Aráhova vine” is a full-bodied prolific variety that produces wines of a deep red hue with a high alcohol content.

Complete your meal with traditional “spoon-sweets”, or even better, try yogurt with honey, a dessert served compliments of the house. Before you leave Aráhova, pick up some hand-made beautifully coloured woven carpets (flocati rugs) and textiles to take with you as a going-away present.

Karpenissi

Where: A mountain village situated in Evritania, Greece.

Why: Towering snow capped mountains; deep ravines; fast-flowing rivers and lakes; impressive gorges; Byzantine monasteries and tiny mountain villages make out an form an alpine landscape that promises to offer the ultimate winter experience!

Must visit: The most popular sights of Karpenissi: The Byzantine Church of Agia Triada in Karpenissi, the Church of Panagia in Fousiana, Agia Paraskevi in Vraggiana and Proussos Monastery, the Library and the picturesque squares of Markos Botsaris and Katsantonis, both famous heroes of the Revolution.

Activities: Trekking along winding mountain paths; canoe-kayaking in Kremaston Lake; kayaking and rafting down the Aheloos, Tavropos and Trikeriotis rivers; horse riding; canoeing through the gorges of Viniani and Vothonas; jeep safari and skiing at the modern ski resort of Karpenissi, one of the biggest and most popular in Greece.

Follow scenic routes and admire the undulating natural surroundings. Two suggested routes are: Karpenissi - Gorgianades - Korishades - Klausi - Voutiro - Nostimo - Megalo Horio - Mikro Horio - Palio Mikro Horio – Proussos and Karpenissi - Viniani - Kerasohori - Marathos - Monastiraki - Epiniana - Agrafa - Tridendro - Trovato - Vraggiana – Agrafa.

Hot tip: Visit the beautifully preserved district of Korishades and tour its fascinating museums such as the National Resistance Museum; visit restored manor houses, Byzantine churches, schools transformed into museums and the arched bridges of the area, wonderful examples of local architecture.

Accommodation: Choose from among family run pensions, welcoming guesthouses or luxurious hotels!

Famous local products: Taste fried trout and mushrooms (morchella) in red sauce. Other exquisite local products on offer include Katiki, which is a Euritanian goat cheese, feta cheese, yoghurt and butter, local meat, beans, noodles, pasta, chestnuts and walnuts, berries, black cherries, crab apples, figs and kumquats, honey and superb “spoon sweets” as well as wine, tsipouro and liqueurs. Don’t forget to buy folk art products, like handmade rugs and woven fabrics of exceptional quality.

To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

Olymbos, in the mountainous, inaccessible north, feels worlds away from anywhere. The village’s first residents were refugees from the island’s seaside towns who fled into the mountains in the 6th century to escape marauding Arab and Syrian pirates.

While their prospects for life on top of a desolate mountain might not have seemed all that promising, they found plenty of fresh spring water; steep, lush valleys for terraced farming; and a superb vantage point that allowed them to see approaching enemies.

Years passed and although the pirates faded into history, a steady stream of subsequent invaders to the island made Olymbos a continued safe haven. There was no road to Olymbos – the rest of the island remained a long, steep hike down to the shore and a boat ride away. Yet, clinging to the side of Mount Profitis Elias, the community not only thrived as an agricultural centre but at times supported the entire island. The residents herded goats, farmed wheat, barley, olives and grapes and built more than 75 windmills. At its height, the population reached nearly 1500.

Not surprisingly, Olymbos’ seclusion from the rest of the world has engendered a unique culture, and in recent times it’s been labelled a living museum. Ethnographers are entranced by a distinct dialect that continues to contain words from ancient Dorian Greek. Foodies are intrigued by the local cuisine – the bread, cheese and sweets found only here. Anthropologists are fascinated by the women’s traditional dress, with its bright embroidering and goatskin boots, and by the one-room homes that line the winding streets. And musicians come to hear the age-old songs with fifteen-syllable lines and themes of migration and survival.


To read more, please visit lonelyplanet.com

By Korina Miller

The picturesque old harbour and Dápia, a tourist and commercial centre where the heart of the island’s entertainment beats, are the trademarks of the town of Spetses. Take a romantic trip around the island in horse-drawn carriages and admire the grand mansions adorning the narrow cobbled streets of the island.

The best time to visit Spetses is during September, when “Armata”, a truly impressive re-enactment of a naval battle takes place ever since 1931. The rich history and naval tradition of the island is reflected on numerous sites that are definitely worth visiting:

• The House of Bouboulina

Built around the end of the 17th Century, the building is shaped like a Π, a detail which at that time indicated the importance of the owner. Bouboulina was a heroine that played a significant role in the 1821 War of Independence. Visit her house, which now operates as a museum to admire its wood-carved Florentine ceiling, 18th and 19th century furniture, interesting collection of old weapons, fine porcelain and rare books.

• The House of Hatzigiannis Mexis

Today the house hosts a museum exhibiting relics from the War of Independence, letters written by war heroes like Kolokotronis and Athanasios Diakos, a folk art collection and the relics of Bouboulina. The house was built between 1795 and 1798, and was donated to the Greek state in 1938 by the heirs of the Mexis family. The objects on display represent more than 4,000 years of the island’s history.

• Church of Panayia Armata

This rural church was built between 1824 and 1830 to honour the victory of the Greek warriors against the Ottoman fleet.

• Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos

The island's Cathedral is of great historical importance as it was here where the island's Independence flag was raised on 3rd April 1821. It was also here where the dead body of Paul Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte who came to Greece to fight on the side of Greeks, was kept in a barrel of rum for three whole years!

To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

The isolated aspect of this beautiful area, combined with the independent nature of its inhabitants meant that some traditions developed separately from the rest of the Peloponnese and Greece so that a distinct society made its mark on the landscape. To this day the architecture of the area is famed for the tower houses and fortified family dwellings from the period of the Ottoman occupation of Greece.

Olive groves opaque with pollen, meadows carpeted with wild flowers, melting snow water gushing down mountain-sides before sinking into underground streams to reform as icy tendrils that curl about one's feet on early morning swims from empty beaches. This is springtime in the Mani. Uncluttered and pristine, it is a wild place; the people once infamous for banditry and the landscape contrasting between arid, ochreous rocks scattered with ruined tower citadels and cypress-strewn olive groves leading to the clear, blue Ionian sea.

Byzantine streets lined with castellated houses of golden stone lead to the sparkling sea. Tiny domed churches, some little bigger than beehives, pepper the hillsides, each one filled with colorful frescoes like Byzantine jewel boxes. The perilous road to the Inner Mani leads from the lush hill groves of Kardamili to a bleached splendor of rock and tower, and there are many nameless little beaches along the way.

Until recently, many Mani villages could be reached only by sea or precipitous donkey tracks. This was due in part to the topography and poverty of the area but also a strategic defense against frequent coastline attacks from invading armies, not to mention pirates. Over the centuries, homes became increasingly like fortresses and as the population grew they turned in on themselves to fatal effect.

The villages are famed for their tower houses from which rival families shot each other with cannons in vendettas that lasted generations. Shattered towers scatter the hilltops like miniature castles and the feeling of a shuttered inner-world remains in the crumbling hamlets, silent and brooding under the glare of the southern sun.

To read more, please visit ManiGuide and The Guardian

Given that focus, here are the top 10 stops — in itinerary order — that make what I consider the best two weeks Greece has to offer...

Athens

Athens, a big city, has obligatory ancient sights (the hilltop temple of the Acropolis, and the ruined forum of the Agora); an extremely touristy old quarter (the Plaka); and fine museums — the best in the country. Its four million people sprawl where no tourist ventures, including new immigrant zones with poor yet thriving communities. The joy of Greece is outside of Athens. See it and scram.

Delphi

Delphi is a touristy little mountain resort with a breathtaking, mountainous setting. It's a long way to drive (three hours from Athens) for some ancient ruins. But learning about the oracle (whom the ancients consulted for advice) and being there in the empty cool of the early evening, you know why, in ancient times, this was considered the center of the world.

To read more, please visit edition.cnn.com

By Rick Steves

Though Veria has been an important settlement since ancient times, the Roman statesman Cicero (100-43 BC) described it as an "out-of-the-way town" because of its distance from Thessalonika (68 km) and the Roman Via Egnatia.

Today, despite being close to a throbbing motorway, it remains a small, neat provincial town amongst the hilly farmland of central Macedonia, with a view across the broad plain below.

Saint Paul the Apostle preached in Veria on his evangelical tour of Macedonia (around 49-51 AD) and found a very receptive audience. A grand outdoor marble and mosaic monument to his visit has been built on the Víma, the square where he preached, at the edge of the town.

One of the main mosaics depicts Paul's "Macedonian vision", a scene found in many churches in Macedonia.

Downtown has a couple of main streets lined with smart shops, cafés and offices full of well-dressed young people. Pleasant but unremarkable. As ever, it's when you go behind this modern veneer and explore the side streets and alleys that things get interesting.

As so often in Greece, one comes across the widespread ambivalence to its own history and heritage. Ancient mosques, churches and houses have been left to decay.

During the five centuries of Turkish occupation, churches were disguised as barns and warehouses. There are said to be 48 of these, which explains Veria's epithet "Little Jerusalem". But the stories of disguise seem odd, as you only have to walk past one and peer into a window to see the magnificent frescoes or smell the incense. It is impossible not to conclude that there must have been a degree of collusion or laissez-faire between the local Greek and Turkish populations. This was certainly not always the case, and the Turkish authorities were known to inflict vicious retribution, such as the hanging of the archbishop in 1436.


To read more, please visit my-favourite-planet.de

By David John

Kaládi: A beach that should not to be missed when visiting the island: with crystal clear turquoise waters and greyish pebbles, the beach of Kaladi is one of the most beautiful ones. It is located in the eastern part of the island, close to Paleópolis. A dirt road and 120 steps will take you down to it. Don’t expect to find a beach bar so be well-prepared in the event of hunger or thirst.

Melidoni: Clear waters and sand with small pebbles, in combination with a spectacular view overlooking Chytra. Visitors will find a canteen in which beach parties are organized day and night. This small creek is located in the southwestern part of the island and it is accessible by car through the dirt road for Drymona.

Chalkós: With pebbles and fine turquoise waters, this popular beach lies a few kilometers away from Kálamos. It is well organised, with canteens and a spacious car park.

Fyrí Ámmos: There are two beaches with this name on the island. If you must choose which one to visit, we would suggest the one located just outside the village of Kálamos. Awarded for its natural beauty and crystal clear waters, the beach is a popular attraction. Its being well organised contributes to that.

Kakiá Lagáda: Another Blue Flag (=the international symbol for quality) award winner, this very well organised beach is also know for the “Barbarossa Days” (pirate games) i.e. a beach volley tournament. This is the place for relaxed swimming with a view towards the coast of the Peloponnese.

Fournoi: Clear waters and greyish pebbles form an idyllic landscape that offers peace and relaxation. Indulge in the deep blue of the sea and the beautiful music coming from the nearby canteen (jazz, soul etc.) and let your mind travel along.

Diakófti: As if it came out of a fairy tale featuring pirates and heroes, the beach seems to be made in heaven. White sand and shallow waters make it ideal for children of all ages. Visitors will find many tavernas with fresh fish and traditional Greek dishes. The shipwreck "Navagio"; a popular tourist attraction, is not far from here either.

Taste:

Kýthera’s honey is probably the best in Greece. Tourists leave the thyme-clad island with jars of honey in their luggage. It is believed that it had been the Minoans who taught bee-keeping to the Kytherians. Apart from the prevailing type of thyme tea, erica (white heath) tea is made here too.

Kythera's Melba toast is produced from cereals and is one of the island's best-known products throughout Greece. The unique taste of the local olive oil gives the toast a touch of divine.

Getting there:

By plane: flights every day from and to Athens.

By boat: The island is connected to the ports of Neápolis and Gýtheio in the Peloponnese, to the port of Kíssamos in Crete, and directly to the port of Piraeus too.

To read more, please go to visitgreece.gr

Apart from the little church of Ayioi Theódoroi, other things to see on the island are Metopis and an 1812 windmill at Megalohóri. Don’t miss the opportunity to follow beautiful walking routes through the island’s dense pine forest.

The most known beach of the island is the sandy sparkling beach at Skála; other beaches worth exploring are Limenária, Drayonéra, Maréza, Apónisso, Mýlos (consists of two beaches, one sandy and one with pebbles) and Halkiáda, an isolated beach with white pebbles, mostly preferred by nudists.


To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

The tangible reminders of a history both triumphant and traumatic remain scattered throughout northern Greece. Although the region has only been part of Greece since the Balkans were carved up in the 1912-13 Balkan Wars, it is hardly a young territory: Macedonians, Illyrians, Thracians and Romans all ruled in ancient times, while the Byzantines, Slavs and Turks later held sway for lengthy periods. Myriad monuments, fortresses, churches and mosques attest to their diverse influences.

Today, with the grand Egnatia Odos Highway spanning the region completed, northern Greece is also getting easier - and quicker - to navigate. It is also becoming a pretty happening place.

Thessaloniki, Greece's second city, offers outstanding eateries, nightlife and culture, while Epirot university town Ioannina is a lively spot close to the magnificent Pindos Mountains.

Even fairly provincial Thracian cities such as Xanthi, Komotini and Alexandroupoli offer a piece of the action. And northern Greece even boasts great beaches - both for those seeking summer nightlife and for others seeking more secluded spots.

However, the most spectacular sights are surely held at those of Epiros, a place that will take your breath away. The lofty Pindos mountain range has for thousands of years been safeguarding civilisations and confounding invaders. Bisecting the Pindos is the stunning 12km-long Vikos Gorge - probably the world's deepest - and now a national park filled with leafy forests, waterfalls and ice-cold mountain lakes, and surrounded by immaculate traditional stone-and-slate villages, the Zagorohoria.

 

To read more, please visit lonelyplanet.com