Greece

Greece is situated in the south of the Balkan Peninsula, on the numerous islands, in the eastern Mediterranean. Its area of 132 thousand sq km is divided into several large historical regions: Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, the Aegean Islands, Crete, the islands of the Ionian Sea. Greece is one of the most visited countries in Europe. And it is not just a matter of beautiful beaches, climate and clean sea suitable for summer holiday. Greece is a museum in the open. Each city is imbued with the spirit of antiquity. Even in the smallest villages of Greece, one can find the ruins of ancient fortress or fragments of ancient temples. The middle and the end of May are the best time for a holiday in Greece. At this time, it is not hot yet, tourists are a bit and you can swim already. Velvet season in Greece is September and October. Greece is predominantly mountainous country. Its highest peak Olympus (2,917m) is located in northern Thessaly. Pindus, Parnassus, a mountain range in the north of the Peloponnese and Taygetos also rise above two-thousand- meter mark. Geographically, Greece is diverse. High mountains and ridges on the one hand, the countless surprises of lacy fringe of land framing the sea on the other hand. It is this deep irregularity of the coast gives Greece the extraordinary beauty which makes it unique and inimitable in the Mediterranean region. The same diversity of relief is also characteristic of the seabed of Greek depths which once, millions of years ago were a continuation of the land.

Athens

The capital of Greece, economic, cultural and administrative centre of the state. The city was named in honour of famous ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and war which is considered to be its patroness. This ancient city experienced its heyday more than two millennia ago. Athens is the cradle of great civilization, the city wrapped in legends come from the depths of centuries. The rich history of Athens full of unforgettable events, great climatic conditions, as well as the beauty and originality of the city streets and squares – all of this provoke great interest to the Greek capital among tourists come here from all over the world. It is the home of theatre. In Greek theatre, tragedies were staged with the aim to humour the god of wine Dionysus, and watching comedies considered the lot of plebeians. Only men were allowed to play on the scene of ancient Greek theatre. Mimicry was not used in ancient Greek theatre; instead, the masks depicting various emotions were used. Athens twice hosted the Olympic games of modern times, including the very first ones held in 1896. It is interesting that women were not allowed to participate in the first Olympics: all athletes (241 men) who came from fourteen countries were men. The Olympic Games were also held in ancient Greek Athens where the best athletes of ancient Greece competed together in sportsmanship.

Santorini

Santorini is one of the most romantic places in the world and the most popular resort among the islands of Cyclades. Its distinguishing feature is geological structure which is caused by the activity of an extinct volcano. In particular, in the 16th century BC one of the strongest eruption occurred here which led to flooding of some areas of the island and formation of crater. At the mention of Santorini, many scientists move to the times of ancient Atlantis. It has a steep coastline in the west and countless beaches (those gravel and sand) on the east coast. Marina is located in a small village Afinos where you can reach the administrative centre of Santorini called Thera (or Thira) from. And you even can take a walk, ride on a lovely donkey, or use the funicular. The town itself is quite picturesque. It’s easy to get lost here once finding yourself in the intertwining streets, blocks and arches. We recommend connoisseurs of art and history immediately visit local museums.