Travel in Greece
Travel in Greece
Greece (Ελλάς, Hellas) [1] is a country in Southern Europe, on the southernmost tip of the Balkan peninsula, with extensive coastlines and islands in the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas. It shares borders in the north with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. It has an ancient culture that has had a significant influence on the arts, language, philosophy, politics, and sports of western society, including the genres of comedy and drama, western alphabets, Platonic ideals and the Socratic method, democracies and republics, and the Olympics. Furthermore it's a geographically appealing place to visit, with a mountainous mainland and idyllic island beaches.
Regions[edit]
Roughly counterclockwise from the northeast:
Thrace (Θράκη) (Alexandroupoli, Komotini, Xanthi)
East Macedonia (Ανατολική Μακεδονία) (Kavala, Drama)
Central Macedonia (Κεντρική Μακεδονία) (Thessaloniki, Serres, Chalkidiki, Vergina, Katerini, Edessa, Veroia, Naousa)
West Macedonia (Δυτική Μακεδονία) (Kastoria, Kozani)
Thessaly (Θεσσαλία) (Larissa, Magnesia, Volos, Karditsa, Trikala, Mount Pelion, Meteora)
Sporades Islands (Σποράδες) (Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonnisos, Skyros)
Epirus (Ήπειρος) (Ioannina, Igoumenitsa, Preveza, Arta)
Ionian Islands (Ιόνια νησιά) (Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Ithaca)
West Greece (Δυτική Ελλάδα) (Patra, Agrinio, Messolonghi)
Central Greece (Στερεά Ελλάδα) (Lamia, Thebae (also spelled as Thiva or Thebes), Livadia, Chalkis, Amfissa, Delphi)
Peloponnese (Πελοπόννησος) (Corinth, Sparta, Nafplion, Argos, Kalamata, Tripolis, Monemvasia)
Attica (Αττική) (Athens, Sounion, Kithira)
Crete (Κρήτη) (Heraklion, Rethymno, Knossos, Chania, Gramvousa, Agios Nikolaos, Lassithi, Sitia, Ierapetra)
South Aegean Islands (Νότιο Αιγαίο), has two main group: Cyclades: (Anafi, Andros, Amorgos, Folegandros, Ios, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Sifnos, Koufonisi), and Dodecanese: (Kastelorizo, Astipalea, Kalymnos, Kassos, Karpathos, Kos, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Symi, Rhodes, Tilos)
North Aegean Islands (Βόρειο Αιγαίο) (Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Lemnos, Aghios Efstratios, Psara, Thassos, Samothrace)
Cities[edit]
Map of Greece
Major cities include:
Athens (Αθήνα) - the capital
Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) - the country's second largest city
Patra (Πάτρα) - third largest city and gateway to Italy
Heraklion (Ηράκλειο) - Crete's largest city
Larissa (Λάρισα) - largest city of central Greece
Volos (Βόλος) - main port
Other destinations[edit]
Delphi - site of the famous oracle of Apollo
Meteora - monastery
Mount Athos - monastery
Olympia - sanctuary dedicated to Zeus, site of the ancient Olympics
Parnassos National Park
Parnitha National Park
Olympos National Park
Greece is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, ranking in the world's top 20 countries. According to the greek Ministry of Tourism, the nation received about 17 million visitors from January to mid August 2007, a large number for a small country of 11 million. Visitors are drawn to the country's beaches and reliable sunny summer weather, its nightlife, historical sites and natural beauty.
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