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Early Payment Discount !
Early Payment Discount on Daily Rental Rates on all products!
If you book and pay in full by 10th September 2010
Only Available for bookings valued over $1,000
(Offer only applies if you pay by Bank Transfer, Cheque or Cash)
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* Terms & Conditions apply, please contact us for details.
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Greece Information
Greece 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.
Athens
Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is full of beautiful neighbourhoods, historic sites, beaches and cultural attractions. The Acropolis dates back to the 5th century BC and is probably Greece’s most famous site. The Parthenon, part of the Acropolis, is an ancient temple to Athena, and needs no introduction. The Ancient Agora was where Socrates, Sophocles and Aristotle used to explain their ideas. The Tower of the Wind was built in the 1st century by a Syrian astronomer. The Arch of Hadrian was built by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 132 AD. The Theatre of Herodes Atticus dates back to 161 AD and can seat 5000 spectators. The Keramikos cemetery dates back to the 12th century BC. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was built in 131 AD by Emperor Hadrian. The Roman Stadium was built in the 4th century BC.
As well as all of this, Athens offers historic neighbourhoods, museums, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, squares, beaches and beautiful buildings.
Delphi
In ancient times, the town of Delphi was considered the centre of the world. Many would come for the Oracle of Delphi. Delphi contains many historic sites. The most important temple is the Sanctuary of Apollo. Delphi is located on a mountainside and affords great views.
Olympia
Olympia affords great historic significance and great beauty. It has ancient architecture from the 7th century BC such as the temple to the goddess Hera, and also from Roman and Byzantine times. Of course, it is most well-known for its stadium, where the ancient Olympic Games were held.
Epidaurus
Epidaurus has an ancient stadium that can seat 14,000 people. The Asklepion, named for Asklepios the god of healing, was an ancient healing centre. The Archaeological Museum contains many ancient artefacts and is well worth a visit.
Meteora
The site of Meteora has one of Greece’s most dramatic landscapes and 24 historic monasteries, which were built to protect monks during the Ottoman occupation. The monasteries are on top of a number of rock pinnacles.
Pelion
Pelion is a peninsula containing majestic coastal and mountain scenery and beautiful beaches. The area has plenty of traditional villages and was home to the mythical Centaurs. The mountains offer skiing in winter.
Halkidiki
The Halkidiki peninsula, birthplace of Aristotle, features incredible natural beauty and perfect beaches. It also features the monastery at Athos, the Holy Mountain. Some of the beaches are quiet and peaceful, with few visitors, while others pump with life.
Mykonos
Mykonos is famed as a cosmopolitan destination amongst the Greek islands and widely recognised as one of the great travel meccas. It is the most touristed island in the Aegean. This means that any visitors should be prepared for loud dance clubs, English breakfasts and over-priced merchandise.
Nafplion
The township of Nafplion features historic churches and mosques, museums, cafes, inns, taverns and a renowned waterfront square.
In addition to all the above, there are the ever-popular Greek Islands, which somehow retain a traditional lifestyle and ambience, despite being descended upon by hordes of tourists. The area is renowned for its beautiful beaches.
Santorini
Santorini is a volcanic island in the Cyclades group of the Greek islands. It is located between Ios and Anafi islands. It is famous for dramatic views, stunning sunsets from Oia town, the strange white aubergine, the town of Thira and naturally its very own active volcano. There are naturally fantastic beaches such as the beach of Perissa, maybe the best beach in Santorini, the black pebble beach of Kamari, white beach and red beach.
Santorini is one of the great natural wonders of the world, and its main attraction is the landscape and seascape of the island itself. The configuration of the present, roughly semicircular island is the result of an enormous volcanic explosion which occurred probably around 1630 BCE, literally blowing the top off the island and changing what had been a typical half-submerged mountain of an Aegean island into a flooded crescent caldera, in the middle of which a few small smoking islands still bear witness to volcanic activity. Some have speculated that this event was the inspiration for the myth of Atlantis. The towns of Fira, Ia (also known as Oia) and Thirasis cling to the steep cliffs facing into the caldera bay. Tours to the central "smoking" islands are readily available and one can see and feel steam vents and recent (1950s) lava flows.
Another popular reason for coming to Santorini is the legend that its sunsets are one of the most spectacular in the world. Ia is one of the few places on the island which is both close to a sea and offers a good view to a sunset over the sea: in other towns, the sun disappears behind the volcano.
Additionally the town of Fira is stunning.
Santorini ranks among top destinations for wedding celebrations for at least 4 years -- primarily for sunset and peace, like those in Oia.
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and a peninsula in Macedonia, northern Greece. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this peninsula of 390 km² houses some 1,400 monks in 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries. An autonomous state under Greek sovereignty, entry into the area is strictly controlled and only male monks are allowed to live there. The mountain is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, and by an emperial document (typicon) the "avaton" was established and no female may set foot on the peninsula. Most of its inhabitants are orthodox monks living in monasteries, sketae (cloisters), cells and hermitages, and those who are not members of the clergy, such as employees, workers, but also the numerous visitors to the Agion Oros, who come for the purposes of meditation, prayer and study.
A fair bit of advance preparation and battling with bureaucracy is necessary to visit Mount Athos.
1. A permit is required for both individuals and groups. This is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches (at No 2, Zalokosta Street, in Athens, tel: 3626.894) or by the Ministry of Northern Greece, Directorate of Civil Affairs at Diikitiriou Square in Thessaloniki, tel. 031/270.092.
2. Women are not admitted into the territory.
3. Overnight stay is forbidden to under 18s.
First contact the Pilgrims' Bureau (address below). They will need plenty of notice of your proposed visit - up to six months if you plan to visit during the summer months of June, July, August when the monasteries are full to over-flowing with Greek and orthodox pilgrims. Once you have gained permission from The Pilgrims' Bureau you must contact each monastery where you plan to stay. Without their consent you will be turned away.
Crete
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and is located in the Mediterranean Sea between the Sea of Crete and the Libyan Sea, south of the Peloponnese. Crete is approximately 260 km long and 60 km wide. Crete consists of four prefectures: Chania, Rethimno, Heraklion and Lasithi. If there was a beauty contest for Greek islands, Crete would surely be among the favorites. Indeed, some say there is no place on earth like Crete. This view is strongly supported by those fortunate enough to have visited the island. Crete, with a population of approximately 500,000, is not just sun, sea and sand; it is a quite distinct place full of vitality, warmth, hospitality, culture and of course an excellent infrastructure.
Things to see and do in Crete:
* The ruins of the ancient Minoan civilization in Knossos, Phaistos and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
* The big variety of landscapes in a short distance: the wilderness and solitude of the Cretan mountains some hundred metres away from the coast.
* The eccentric culture of Crete in the traditional cafes (kafeneia).
* The gorge of Samaria
* The southern coast of Rethimnon prefecture. There are some beautiful beaches, many accessible only on foot. The monastery at Prevelli is of particular historical interest as the site from where Abbot Agathagelos Lagouvardos sheltered and assisted the evacuation of Allied troops during WWII.
* Listen to traditional Cretan music: Lýra is the dominant folk instrument on the island; it is a three-stringed fiddle, direct descendant of the ancient Lyre, which is held vertically, resting on the thighs of the player and is played with a bow like a violin. It is often accompanied by the Cretian lute (laoúto), which is similar to both an oud and a mandolin. The film Zorba the Greek helped to expand the audience for Cretan folk music; popularity peaked from about the middle of the 1970s to the middle of the 1980s.
* Complete the walk down the Samaria Gorge from the Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, at which point tourists sail to the nearby village of Hora Sfakion and catch a coach back to Hania. The walk takes between four and seven hours and can be strenuous, especially in high summer.
* Avoid overcrowded and touristic places as they are ugly and don't offer any of the qualities of Crete. In general, the North coast is much more busy and touristic than the South coast.
* Go walking in the mountains.
Driving In Greece
Exploring the country by automobile can be an extremely rewarding experience, allowing you to explore the incredibly scenic and varied terrain of the country's coastlines, interior, and islands, at your convenience. However, Greece does have a relatively high road fatality rate, among the highest in the European Union. Many Greek drivers tend to drive aggressively, and the nation's topographic reality poses challenges by forcing many narrow roads in mountainous regions to take several twists and turns. On the plus side, the road fatality rate has been steadily declining as a result of government campaigns, tougher policing, and lawmaking.
Roads are usually well-marked and well-maintained, and billions of Euros are being poured into expanding the nation's network of multi-lane freeways. Because of the rapid expansion and improvement of the nation's road system, it is advised to have the most updated road map(s) possible. Many of the newer motorways are toll roads, and fees can be expensive. Road signs in Greek are usually repeated with a transliterated version in the Latin alphabet.
For those used to driving in North America, secondary Greek roads, particularly in towns and villages, can seem surprisingly narrow. If cars meet on a narrow stretch of road it is customary for one driver to find a spot to pull over and let the other driver pass. At times, one driver will need to back up for the other. Adherence to this practice is expected and failure to do so will bring the ire of your fellow drivers. Because of this, and also because there are often pedestrians in the roadway, drive slowly through villages and small towns.
Another major difference between driving in North America and Greece is the range of speeds at which vehicles travel, particularly on the highways. While speed limits are as high as 120 kph (75 mph), some vehicles will be traveling as slowly as 60 kph (40 mph). Other vehicles will travel at speeds well in excess of the posted limits and can come up from behind very quickly. It is advisable to drive in the left-most lane only to pass slower vehicles.
Gasoline/petrol prices are steep, but relatively inexpensive in comparison with many other EU countries. Some automobile rental agencies and insurance policies do not allow taking the car out of the country.
Drivers who do not hold an EU driver's certificate must carry a international driver's permit obtained in their home country. This may not be required when renting a car, but will certainly be required if involved in an accident or pulled over by the police for a traffic citation. Insurance policies may be void if the driver is a non-EU driver without an international permit. |
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