Greece. Terra Mediterranean. Burned by the sun, full of olive trees, orange groves, rugged mountains, endless coastline, wild, untouched.
Greece. Land of culture. Former residence of one of the people who made the history of humanity. Temples that enchant, giving rise to emotions, which hold assets by value.
Greece. Earth with simple people. Friendly and smiling. Humble and proud. Language incomprehensible, but just one look to understand all things.
Greece. Over land, the sea. And its islands. Perle indescribable. Slower pace for those who love peace. Rhythms overwhelming for those who love life. And around a sea to do envy the Caribbean!
Athens, messy but charming confusion, protected by its Acropolis.
Delphi, nestling in the mountains, considered in antiquity the center of the world.
Meteors, a place where man and nature have found the right balance.
Corfu, perhaps kissed by a goddess, as chosen by Sissi holiday, one of the many pearls in the Ionian.
Travel plan: to embark on Ancona Superfast car later (21 hours travel time). Landing at Patras and continue to
Athens. After the Apollo coast to Cape Sounion, we have achieved.
Delphi. Then we crossed the Continental Greece until all'Epiro, where the
Meteors. From here, a winding road crosses the Greek mountains covered with dense pine forests (a small Switzerland), until you reach Igoumenitsa. Boarding the ferry to
Corfu (1 hour and a quarter). Eight days on the island to discover the beaches, the city and the most beautiful sights. Return to Italy to Igoumenitsa with Superfast (17 hours).
AthensNot only Acropolis
After landing at Patras, continue towards
Athens with the highway that leads almost to the center.
Athens is really a chaotic city, always busy, fortunately for us is Saturday, and traffic, although messy, is quite smooth and without too many problems come to our hotel.
In the late afternoon we leave for the first exploration of
Athens, using the handy subway that leads to the main tourist sites: the three stations that are used most are: Acropolis, Syntagma and Monastiraki.
We decide to go down the Acropolis and Plaka, the Monastiraki to reach the main square in
Athens. First stop is the Temple of Zeus Olympus. We buy the ticket which is worth 3 days and allows you to visit the main monuments of the city (cost € 12). The columns are impressive, it is the largest temple ever built in Greece, impressive. Located at the foot of the Acropolis, is accessed across the arch of Hadrian, the ancient port built by the access.
We are therefore in the Plaka, the most characteristic of the city, with narrow streets where there are antique shops and various souvenirs, interspersed with Byzantine churches, Orthodox and Catholic. The Plakaè also the area where better to dine, with numerous restaurants where you can eat outside with a beautiful view overlooking the Acropolis. The two roads are the most characteristic and Adrianou Kydathinaion. Despite the constant influx of tourists, is the most pleasant area of
Athens. I have excellent restaurants where you can enjoy the excellent menu, fresh fish or grilled meats. Prices are not high, dinner is definitely good, unpretentious, with € 15 per person.
After dinner, we continue to Plaka up to the very long pedestrian Ermou street, street of the city that ends in the main Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) with the rear of Parliament. There fun to watch the original change of the guard: the famous Euzones, soldiers dressed quite remarkable that there are changes ahead with a strange motion.
The following day was entirely dedicated to visiting the city. We start early to try to reach the Acropolis before the heat and the groups: at 8.30 am we are already at the foot of the most important archaeological site of the West. The climb from Dionysiou lasts about 15-20 minutes, walk very pleasant view of the continuous blows to watch out that the trail offers the city. After the peak theater of Dionysus, the first great building that is encountered is the theater of Herod Atticus simply majestic. At this point you enter the Acropolis itself, beyond the monumental Propylaia (unfortunately under renovation). But before we look at the magnificent Parthenon, the temple which, more than any other symbolizes the splendor of ancient Greek civilization. The only built entirely from marble Penteli, really leaves you breathless. Fortunately, despite the continuing work of restoration, there is always a side note for the monument without the annoying but necessary scaffolding.
Imagine how this place could be the time of its ancient splendor.
We continue with a visit to the Acropolis Museum, and then we go to visit dell'Eretteo, which was the true sanctuary of the Acropolis. The beautiful porch with Caryatids (the original statues are however kept in the museum).
We finish the visit at the site and find the first stream of tourist groups that create great confusion: our decision to get there soon was well-considered.
Go to town on the other side to arrive at the top of the Plaka, which had not yet visited. The descent offers breathtaking views over the Agora, which is dominated by the Temple of Hephaestus, the best preserved Doric temple in Greece. We arrive at Syntagma Square in time for the solemn ceremony of changing of the guard Sunday in 11.00, where a parade, accompanied by the band, hundreds of Euzones under the scorching sun. What torture!
From here we head by taxi to the departure of the funicular to the Hill of Licabetto (5 euros each way). The round trip cost 8 euros, despite the far too beautiful view enjoyed from the top, at any rate comparable to what we have already admired the Acropolis.
The National Museum is a place to do really to understand the magnificence of the places visited and is home to the finest collection in the world of Greek antiquity (admission € 7).
Final stage of this long day is Monastiraki Square, a characteristic area where you will find craft shops and markets of the city, with its famous flea market on Sundays and the way of the bazaar turkish, definitely nice to cross.
The next morning we leave
Athens. It 'Monday and depart around 8, so as to avoid the traffic chaos that says a taxi driver should start around 8 and 30. The city is already very busy, and spend almost an hour to cross it completely and take Vouliagmenis leading up to the famous Cape Sounion, passing among the other next to the magnificent Olympic Stadium.
But just after the
Athens infinite, suddenly here's reign of peace. The wonderful road along the picturesque coast Apollo: beautiful bays interspersed by pleasant seaside resort with long sandy beaches, almost no traffic, a feature that will be with us from now on for the whole of Greece. After
Athens we use 45 minutes to reach Sounion, dominated dall'incredibile temple promontory overlooking the sea, in a unique position. Besides the temple, well kept, there is the infinite bay at the foot of the promontory, with a beautiful beach where advantage for a refreshing swim before departure for
Delphi.
Accommodation: Hotel Oscar (3 s
Accommodation: Hotel Oscar (3 stars), Larissa station area, in front of Subway. Good hotel, swimming pool, elegant lobby, discrete rooms, breakfast mediocre. Price triple room with breakfast € 94 (best price found on Cybertravel Network).
Subway: daily ticket € 3. Single ticket: 0.80
Menu to Plaka in 3 persons: 2 spaghetti allo scoglio, 1 Greek salad, fried mixed 1, 1 giant squid grilled watermelon, water and beer. Portions very abundant: 40-45 euros total.
Ticket valid for 3 days for the monuments of
Athens: € 12
Entrance to the temple of Cape Sounion: € 4
Children: All inputs free until 12 years
Cost of diesel in
Athens: € 0.93 - € petrol green, 098 !!!!!!!
Accommodation: Hotel Oscar (3 stars), Larissa station area, in front of Subway. Good hotel, swimming pool, elegant lobby, discrete rooms, breakfast mediocre. Price triple room with breakfast € 94 (best price found on Cybertravel Network).
Subway: daily ticket € 3. Single ticket: 0.80
Menu to Plaka in 3 persons: 2 spaghetti allo scoglio, 1 Greek salad, fried mixed 1, 1 giant squid grilled watermelon, water and beer. Portions very abundant: 40-45 euros total.
Ticket valid for 3 days for the monuments of
Athens: € 12
Entrance to the temple of Cape Sounion: € 4
Children: All inputs free until 12 years
Cost of diesel in
Athens: € 0.93 - € petrol green, 098 !!!!!!!
Notes
Tours: To reach Greece have opted for the Superfast; gone from Ancona to Patras, Igoumenitsa from returning.
Superfast is an elegant ship, the cabins are very comfortable and have private bathroom with shower. The trip is very relaxing, it can be said that the holiday begins just boarded: a self-service, restaurant, several bars and swimming pool. In addition to following the car allowing it to cross from Patras, Greece and then to re-Igoumenitsa.
Roads with the exception of
Athens, characterized by the chaotic traffic, the roads are very flowing, quite large and shows little traffic. In particular:
Patras -
Athens: highway to one lane to Corino and a half, much attention in the overtaking of trucks. From Corinth highway lanes 2-3.
Athens: very chaotic, traffic flows more smoothly on Saturday and Sunday (except on the roads leading to beaches). During the week trying to move before 8:45, but until this time no one is bottled.
Athens finished, the traffic is flowing now, few cars even in tourist areas such as Cape Sounion.
Delphi: a 3-lane highway up to Thiva, and excellent state to
Delphi, and large sliding.
Meteors from
Delphi, a first track mountain road from Lamia largely flat and smooth.
Igoumenitsa from Meteora, terrifying road, 200 km to calculate more than 4 hours. E 'comunque in building a new highway that will cover the stretch Metsovo-Igoumenitsa. There are now more than a step to Metsovo (average up to 50 kmh, narrow). Metsovo A tunnel allows to overcome the worst stretch, but after 20 km of new motorway exit and is required to climb mountains again. The landscape seems to Switzerland, between the ski slopes and trees. Bends up to Ioannina and then the road becomes wider and sliding, but always winding up to Igoumenitsa.
Ferry to
Corfu from Igoumenitsa ferries depart every hour: open takes 1 hour and 45min, while those closed 1hr 10min. The transition costs € 5,50 per person (children 50%), while the car € 27.
Language: no difficulty for the language: English is well known, also Italian is spoken in most tourist places. Even street names are in greek (garbled) and in English. People are friendly.
Cooking: simple, based on fresh fish along the coast, grilled meat (especially lamb and pork), salads, in addition to popular dishes:
Pasta (spaghetti stracotto usually tomato or ragu, but also with seafood), Pastitsio (baked pasta type), Mousaka, Souvlaki (skewer), Gyros (large vertical spit), Feta (sheep's cheese).
In Greece we eat, spending relatively little and the portions are plentiful and the cost is around 12-15 euros per meal. Given the abundance of dishes, you can order more things and then divide them into 2 / 3. Higher costs for food on the islands.
In places it move soon (inputs before 8.30-9.00), to avoid the heat and the crowds and can thus better appreciate the place. In all the sights children under 12 years do not pay!