Think of Greece, and the image that comes to mind is most likely a sun-dazzled Cycladic island of whitewashed houses overlooking a cobalt blue Aegean – perhaps with a soundtrack of Zorba the Greek played on a bouzouki. Think again, and it might be the names of Classical sites that swim to the surface – the Parthenon, Mycenae, Knossos, Delphi, Olympia – places heard about at school or in TV documentaries, but that many of us would be pushed to find on a map. Asked what they know about Mainland Greece away from the sites, and most people draw a blank. It may therefore come as a surprise to discover that in our experience Mainland Greece is one the most joyous and rewarding destinations for a curious traveller in the whole of Europe.
For a start there are incredible landscapes – the mountainous interiors of Epirus and the Peloponnese, the lush countryside of Arcadia, the vineyards of Nemea, the mighty slopes of Mount Olympus and – perhaps most memorable of all — the monasteries of Meteora dizzying fused atop immense pinnacles of natural rock.
Then there’s the architecture left behind by the powers who came after the fall of the ancient civilisations – Byzantine monasteries, Ottoman mosques, and fortresses (like Mystra) and towns (like Nafplio) where Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman influences are marvellously fused. Up north in Macedonia are traces of the civilisation of Alexander the Great and his father Philip – notably gold grave-goods of ethereal beauty. Add to all this the world-famous ancient sites – the oracle of Delphi, Agamemnon’s palace of Mycenae, the theatre of Epidavros, Mount Olympus – and food which is plentiful and flavoursome, authentic and healthy, and we think you’ll agree that Mainland Greece is one of those lucky places on Earth that ‘have it all’.
But how do you follow up an experience like Mainland Greece? Well, in our opinion there is only one answer – Crete. The largest of Greek islands, and once the cradle of the Minoan civilisation, Crete is not only home to some of the most incredible archaeological sites in Greece, but has dramatic land- and mountain-scapes, vibrant food markets, wonderful wineries and in Chania, a beautiful port-town peppered with Venetian and Ottoman architecture.
Our Greece and Crete tours:
Classical Greece Tour
Small group tour of Classical Greece Classical Greece Tour After running the Classical Greece Tour for several years we have discovered that many of our travellers have found Mainland Greece to be one of the…
Crete Tour
Small group tour of Crete Small group tour of Crete Once the cradle of the Minoan civilisation, Crete is home to some of the most important archaeological sites and museums in Greece. Knossos – controversially…
