Athens, Santorini and Crete

Athens

Athens, the historical capital of Europe. Welcome to the birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilization.  Home of Plato, Socrates, Pericles, Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus.  Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities. Its recorded history spans around 3.400 years and it has been inhabited since the 11th millennium B.C. E.  Today, under the shadow of Parthenon, the contemporary urban scenery of the sprawling city reflects its exciting history, its multi- cultural modern personality as well as the infrastructure and facilities.

 The perfect Mediterranean climate with the legendary Greek sunlight, the unique combination of glorious history with modern, urban innovation, the coexistence of great culture with astonishing natural beauty, the high standard hotel accommodation, modern means of transportation such as the cutting edge modern metro, the vibrant rhythm of life, the wide choice of opportunities for shopping, dining and night life and of course the warmth of the Athenians people feature Athens as the ideal all year round city break destination. The city of Parthenon is an open air museum. A large part of the town’s historic center has been converted into a 3 km pedestrian zone, one of the largest in Europe. It leads to the major archaeological sites (“archaeological park”), reconstructing – to a large degree – the ancient landscape.

Santorini island

Santorini, known since ancient times as Thira, is one of the most famous islands in the world. The fact that you can sit in front of the caldera, enjoy local dishes, a drink or a coffee while gazing at the remarkable beauty of an active volcano is priceless!

The island is actually a group of islands consisting of Thira, Thirassia, Aspronissi, Palea and Nea Kameni in the southernmost part of the Cyclades.

Santorini’s volcano is one of the few active volcanoes on Greek and European land The islands that form Santorini came into existence as a result of intensive volcanic activity; twelve huge eruptions occurred, one every 20,000 years approximately, and each violent eruption caused the collapse of the volcano’s central part creating a large crater (caldera). The volcano, however, managed to recreate itself over and over again.

Crete  

The largest island in Greece, Crete is renowned for its pin-up beaches, wild natural beauty, exquisite cuisine and thousands of years of culture and history!

As Crete’s most celebrated author, Nikos Kazantzakis (of Zorba the Greek fame), once wrote: “The mystery of Crete runs deep. Whoever sets foot on this island senses a mysterious force coursing warmly and beneficently through their veins, sensing their soul beginning to grow.”

Unsurprisingly, this mystical, pure and generous island to the south of the Aegean Sea captures the spirit of Greece and enchants everyone who visits.

Heraklio

Heraklion Greece is the most popular region of the island and is located on the eastern side of Crete, between Rethymno and Lassithi. The beautiful capital of Heraklion region, Heraklion Town, is one of the busiest city centers

in Crete. In the Heraklion region, you will find two of the most important Crete monuments: Knossos Palace and Phaistos Palace.
Being over 20,000 square meters big, the Minoan Palace of Knossos is the largest of all Minoan palatial structures. The remains of colorful murals, imposing red columns and the glorious throne room will make you feel transported into the Minoan Era.
The Minoan Palace of Phaistos is the second most important Minoan site, after Knossos. It is located on the east side of Kastri hill, boasting a beautiful natural setting and attracts history enthusiasts from all over the world!