Friday, July 17, 2009

Guide To Greece : Must See Places

By John Carter

In this part of our guide to holidays in Greece we focus on the best locations to visit...

Despite it's relatively small size, Greece offers numerous places for travelers to visit during their stay in the country. The islands are the most popular destinations for tourists but mainland Greece has much to offer too. These are the top five places throughout Greece:

Athens, as a result of its antiquity and influence, is full of historical sites, museums and galleries, most of which can be found within a relatively small area surrounding the city centre. It also offers sites of natural beauty in the shape of it's many parks, hills and mountains, which are ideal for those looking to escape the noise and commotion of the sprawling city streets.

Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, is famous for restaurants, bars and nightlife. But its past is also of great interest. The area has been continuously settled for about 3000 years and several sites have been placed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. The city's old town has narrow cobbled streets and well preserved historic houses and buildings, including good examples of Turkish architecture. Thessaloniki's attractive waterfront promenade has panoramic views of the bay and nearby landmarks.

The island of Corfu lies west of the mainland in the Ionian Sea. It has a mild Mediterranean climate and superb beaches, and with more than 2 million olive trees it is very green compared to most other Greek islands. Corfu also has a rich history and breathtaking views of neighboring islands from the top of Mt Pantokrator, which is 1000 meters high.

Crete, Greece's largest island and the southernmost one in Europe, is bathed in sunlight for much of the year. It's mountain villages, long sandy beaches, rocky bays, quiet coves and a big selection of beach bars and nightclubs make it a popular travel and vacation destination, as do its abundance of wildlife, plants and flowers, many of which are unique to the island.

The island of Rhodes lies southeast of the Greek mainland and is just off the Turkish coast. Rhodes is considered to be among Greece's most beautiful islands. Its interior consists of hills and low mountains, while the coast is rocky and dotted with small, historic towns and beautiful beaches. Northern Rhodes is known for its lively beach resorts, while the south is more sedate with traditional villages, extensive medieval architecture and archaeological sites.

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