WHY GREECE

Greece, because there is no other destination that can deliver such an eternal beauty…

Greece, because it is the place where the modern civilization has begun; it is the birthplace of democracy, of the western philosophy and drama…

Greece, because is a word that conjures up images of an eventful history from the Paleolithic period to the Roman, Byzantine, and the Ottoman era.

Greece, because is the word alone represents centuries of outstanding art, the best achievements of the human spirit, and the routes on which the Western civilization strode in order to reach its current form.

Greece, because is a word that brings images to one’s mind of sparkling blue waters, sun drenched beaches, white washed island houses, colorful sunsets, and lazy afternoons…

Your Information on Greece

Greece, officially called the Hellenic Republic is located in the south of Europe on the Mediterranean and bordered by Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Greece's territory includes over one hundred inhabited islands; the main groups of islands are the Ionian, the Northeast Aegean, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese. Crete is the largest island. There are numerous smaller islands of which few are inhabited.

Athens, most powerful of the ancient Greek city-states, was the world's first democracy. Nearly 40% of the country's population resides in the capital, the country's largest city and most important commercial center. It offers the visitor the benefits of two worlds: the strong echoes of the past are combined with the characteristics of the modern city. Athens is lively and vibrant from dusk till dawn, 24 hours a day.

CLIMATE
The climate is Mediterranean: hot summers with mild winters, mostly dry and temperate, though it snows in the mountains and in the north. The mild weather and sheltered valleys of the region, along with the early development of seafaring, contributed to the rise of Ancient Greek Civilization.

HISTORY
Greece has a long and eventful history. It was part of each of the great empires -the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman- that ruled the region. Greece has strong historical ties with southeastern and western Europe, Asia and Africa. At the crossroads of so many civilizations, Greece is gifted with a rich and fascinating cultural heritage. The country's turbulent history has had remarkably little effect on the Greek language. Modern Greek is easily recognizable as the language of Plato.

ARCHITECTURE
Greek architecture, along with the Roman architecture which drew heavily on its principles, has been a major influence on western building.
The Acropolis of Athens is graced by the most famous building of ancient Greece - The Parthenon, or temple of Athena. The temple was built between 447 and 438 BC, under the direction of Pheidias the sculptor.
Another great contribution to world architecture was the Greek invention of the theatre: a D shaped construction with tiers of seating round the curved sides and the stage at the straight edge.

POPULATION
The population of Greece has been estimated at 10,647,529. Many Greeks have migrated to countries around the world. Australia and the United States have large Greek communities. Sydney is said to be the world's largest Greek city apart from Athens.

LANGUAGE
Greek is the official language but many Greeks also speak English and French. Greek uses its own alphabet which is very different from the Roman alphabet used in English and the western European languages.

RELIGION
Christianity was established as the official religion in the fourth century. The Greek Orthodox Church is the official religious body. There are very small Muslim and Jewish communities.

FOOD & WINE
Greek food is traditionally Mediterranean. The long coastline and many islands mean that fish are important in Greek cuisine. Fruits such as figs and watermelon are popular.
Special foods are prepared for many of the feast days of the Greek Orthodox religious celebrations.
Greek wines are best known for the sweet dessert wines of Samos and Mavrodaphne and for retsina (wine with added pine resin). Ouzo, an aniseed-flavoured spirit, is usually drunk with water.