Greece has an ancient culture that extends on extensive coastlines and islands.  This country is mountainous, with wealth and diversity of the Greek seas.  Its charming Greek islands and coasts provide great vacation places.  A Greece vacation is a great experience and adventure. 

So whenever you choose to stay in Greece for a vacation, there are several great places to stay.  After a day of sightseeing and different activities, surely tourists would like to come home to a very homely and comfortable accommodation. 

There are several hotels that would be great places to stay.  Hotels in Athens have world class choices.  King George Palace was a legend since 1936.  The classical King George Palace has been home to kings, princes, presidents and Athenians alike.  It has been ranked among the top 100 European hotels. 

Grande Bretagne Hotel has been representing the essence of hospitality in Greece for more than 134 years.  This hotel was the host too the world sports occasion of the Olympic Games that took place in the country of its origin in 2004.  For all guests the Hotel offers a special treat with the impressive spa area, designed to relax and refresh body and spirit. 

Hotels in Athens provide spectacular view to Acropolis and its beautiful sites.  If you feel to stay near the sea and the coast, then Mykonos would be the place to go.  When in Mykonos, you can experience a luxurious vacation by staying in the Cavo Tagoo hotel. This hotel is built on a Cliffside and located only a few meters away from the town center.

Another unique resort in Mykonos would be the Kivotos Club Hotel.  It has been built respecting the environment and traditions of the Mykonos and is located in the magnificent Bay of Omos.  They have five swimming pools, a private beach with water sports facilities, perfectly equipped fitness and health club, squash court and a play room.

The Myconoian Ambassador Hotel and Myconian Imperial hotel are some of the wonderful and romantic jet-set destinations in the world.  It has private beaches and their rooms have balconies providing spectacular and romantic view of he ocean.

The oldest and most simple form of residence in the Aegean is called cave houses.  They are traditional buildings which are found inside the rocks with a domelike roof, narrow façade, and narrow but long spaces inside.  Santorini, another beautiful place in Greece is known for its cave houses and people from all over the world. 

Cave houses have been transformed into hotel rooms, and a lot of tourists have been visiting Santorini to stay in these famous cave houses.  According to the tradition, the cave houses were created by ship crews in order to survive and have a place of residence inside them despite the steepness of the cliff.  Some others say that some cave houses were also used as stables for mules and other animals. 

Cave houses re divided into two parts.  The front part which is the kitchen and living room.  The second part is the bedroom which is at the back.  The two areas are separated by a wall with openings to let the air and light to enter the back of the cave. Another certain technique that the Santorinian people still use today in house building is applying mud on the walls along with some small part of red rocks that are added for the reinforcement of the mixture.

Your choice of accommodations and places to stay during your Greece vacation will make everything worthwhile and picture perfect.

Greece is a wonderful and fascinating city. Before, it is home to three of the great wonders of the world and though they are now just ruins, the spirit and the culture of this great civilization still emanates. This is perhaps why a vacation in Greece is one of the most dreamed about trip. A lot of people want to visit and see for themselves the structures that have played a part in history.

But beyond the sight seeing, people can also do a lot of things in Greece. Here are some of the things that you can do while on vacation.

1. Shop

The girls will surely love this part. There are a lot of items that are uniquely found in Greece. Tourists will also love replicas of the famous structures. There are places that you go to, to look for bargains. Greece is known for their bazaars and markets where you can get great deals. Here you can find things that you can bring to your loved ones at home and at very affordable prices.

2. Tour the countryside

The city is no the only place where you can have a great time. In fact, exploring the countryside will afford you with more of the ambiance of Greece. Remember that the country is actually not citified. Most of the places that are really enjoyable to go to will be the ones that most people have not gone to. Besides, would it not be great to be able to tell your adventure in areas where people have not been to. That way, you will have a different story to tell.

One downside in doing this is getting lost. If you prefer to go gallivanting on your own, make sure that you have with you a local who can help you to get there. If you are not familiar with the place yet or if you do not have a local who can help you, then it is better to stick to the tours. At least, you will be safer there.

3. Eat

Greece's restaurants are great places to relax and just rest after touring the place. This is especially true if you have gone through so many sights during the day. Relaxing at a local café or a restaurant is a great way to cap your evening. You should also try their famous restaurants. For a list of the recommended restos in the area, check with the local tourism office or at your hotel concierge. You can also check the internet for any listings and for some recommendations from bloggers.

4. Bar-hopping

Greece may have been an ancient city but this does not mean that they don't have modern haunts like bars where you can drink and dance the night away. Before going to any bars though, make sure that you have asked locals for the right direction and to also check if the area is okay for tourists. Remember that you are still new to the place and will need to go to places that are tourist-friendly. You can get information from your hotel concierge.

5. Walk

Walking is one way to enjoy the sights and the ambiance of the place. You can go early morning or really late at night when the weather is not as hot. Be careful though in going out late at night. Always ask if the area is safe.

With a Greece vacation seemingly full of things to do, a single, short visit to the country may not do justice at all. But in order to take full advantage of even the limited schedule afforded for your vacation in Greece, visiting Athens should be a priority. Not only that, having a good idea of the main places to visit in the city may be important in order to fully maximize your time and cover all the important places of note in the city. Here are some suggestions of the things that you might be able to do while in the city of Athens.

Visit Acropolis

No visit to Athens will be complete without going to Acropolis. This prominent hill in Athens is more than just a landmark. It has been honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Acropolis is the site of the ancient fortified town of Athens which date back to as early as the Late Bronze Age. The acropolis is also the site of the country's best buildings from the Greek Classical Age. In this hill tourist can find the Parthenon, the Erectheion and the Temple of Athena Nike.

The Ancient Agora

After visiting the acropolis, tourists can then head out to the site of the Ancient Agora. This location provides tourists one of the best possible views of the Acropolis. On the Ancient Agora tourists may be able to visit the Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best preserved temples of the ancient Greeks. Also located in the Agora is the Attalos Stoa museum which is a reconstructed ancient Greek building.

Head to Lykavittos Hill

This is one of the most prominent of the dozen hills located in the city of Athens. It is a 200 meter hill that borders the Kolonaki district. It can be reached either by hiking towards the peak or by through a funicular railway for a fee. At the top, one may enjoy the scenery at one of the many restaurants and cafes. This is a site worth going to since it provides a picturesque view of Athens that stretches towards the sea.

Weekend Old Athens Bike Tour

For those who wish to go around the ancient parts of Athens, there is a free bike tour scheduled for every Saturday and Sunday that will take the participants in and around the old and ancient section of Athens. The bike tour usually starts at 10:40 in the morning outside the Thissio metro station. And of course, each one is obliged to bring his or her own bike.

Head for the Beaches

If the weather permits, tourists can also head out south of Athens and in the outskirts towards the city's beaches. There are buses from the Sygrou station that will take tourists to the destination. Tourists can then check out the magnificent coastline of Greece from any point of the beaches. There are also beach-side cafes that offer refreshments to tourists in the area.

Go For a Cruise

If looking from the beaches is not enough of a Greece vacation for you, you can take a look at Athens and explore the other islands by sea. There are also a variety of cruises available that would take tourists to the surrounding Greek islands such as Mykonos, Paros and Syros.

Athens should not be left out in any Greece vacation. First and foremost, it is the capital city of this beautiful country and hence one of the main attractions of the land. Getting to know about Greece is getting to know about life and culture in its cities. And with Athens being a major city, it truly needs a special mention for tourists visiting for the first time.

Profile

Athens is a city with about 3.7 million inhabitants. This city is also considered as the birthplace of the whole nation and therefore, also the birthplace of Western civilization. This metropolitan city is bounded by mountains on three sides namely, Mt. Ymettos, Mt. Parnitha and Mt. Pendeli. Inside Athens, there are twelve hills that can be found of which Acropolis and Lykavittos are the most prominent.

Places of Interest

For the tourists, Athens has a lot to offer in terms of attractions and places of interest. One of the most notable ancient landmarks in the city is the Acropolis, the ancient high city where marble temples sacred to the city's goddess Athena can be found. At the foot of the hill of Acropolis are places worth visiting. These are the districts of Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio. Notable on these districts are the various restored 19th Century neoclassical homes, restaurants and the picturesque ruins of the city's Roman era.

Another place worth visiting in Athens is Piraeus, the city's ancient port. This port still serves as an industrial hub for products going in and out of Greece. It is also where ferry connections to Crete and the Aegean Islands as well as almost all of Attica can be found. Tourists can then head out to the city's business district, Syntagma Square. A notable landmark of the Square is the old Royal Palace. This is also where most of the major hotels, banks, restaurants and other offices of note are located.

Getting In

Getting to Athens is fairly convenient with it being the Greek capital. This is especially true for tourists from other countries getting in by plane. The city has the new Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport which opened last 2001. It is located just 27 km east of the city center and has become a more attractive and efficient means of getting into Greece. The new airport contains excellent public transit networks that can connect arriving tourists to various points of the city.

From the airport, tourists can get into the city center by Metro, the city's railway system. The airport Metro is the city's Line 3 extension which then leads to downtown Syntagma and Monastiraki stations. There are also available buses as well as taxis operating from the airport going into the city.

If coming from other regions of Greece, there are regional coaches that connect Athens to the other cities in Greece. There is also a national railway service available connecting the various Greek cities including Athens. Public transport in Athens is considered relatively cheap with a simplified ticketing system that allows commuters to travel on any means of public transport.

An Athens Greece vacation need not be a problem in terms of transportation since they are readily available from the city.

Crete is another interesting place to go to on your Greece vacation. It is one of the more notable and the largest of the many islands in the country. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea in between the Sea of Crete and the Libyan Sea. Crete is about 260 kilometers long and 60 kilometers wide. The island is divided into four prefectures, namely, Chania, Rethimno, Heraklion and Lasithi. Crete is considered one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands and is always worth exploring.

The biggest and main prefecture in Crete is Heraklion. It is home to about 275,000 inhabitants and is the largest city and the considered capital of the whole island. Tourism is the main industry of Crete. Its economy is mainly driven by the arrival of tourists on its shores. That is why it considers its visitors with care and tries to ensure that the tourists would have a wonderful time in the island. After all, it is tourists that pump blood into the economy of the island.

Crete was once considered as the center of the ancient Minoan civilization. The island provides evidences of the achievements, knowledge and power of this ancient Bronze Age culture through the various palaces, tombs and other sacred sites found throughout the area. This provides a historical backdrop that would guide tourists of what to look for while in Crete.

The main language used in Crete is Greek. And because the island is a main tourist destination, many of the inhabitants can understand and speak English.  Even those located in the small villages on the island can speak and understand English, making communication with foreigners not that much of a problem on the island.

Getting into the island can be made through various means. By plane, Crete can be reachable through the three significant airports located in the island. There's the Nikos Kazantzakis airport that is located at Heraklion. There is also the Daskalogiannis military airport available in Chania where tourists can land on Crete. A new public airport is also located in Sitia where visitors can also make use of to get into Crete. There are several flights available for Crete that usually departs from the main island of Greece.

The island can also be reached by ferry. There are various ferry services located in mainland Greece as well as the other islands that service Crete. The trip usually takes 2.5 hours from the mainland. Going around Crete can be done through an inland bus service that operates around the island. The bus schedules are fairly frequent and serve many parts of the island. Some buses even divert trips from their usual route in order to bring tourists to small villages if asked. Public transportation is by far the most convenient and affordable means of going around Crete.

Car rentals are also available if you wish a more private and more personal adventure on your visit to Crete.  But tourists may need to bring along their drivers license for this and make sure that the car insurance covers them to the places that would be visited. Petrol stations also close early, usually around 7pm.

It might be important for private car tourists to fill up beforehand so as not to let an empty gas tank on an isolated part of the island spoil your Greece vacation.

Greece is known for being a romantic destination.  The Greek islands are the ideal travel destination for a romantic Greece vacation, celebration, honeymoon, anniversary or weddings.  From the awe-inspiring sunsets of Santorini to the peaceful opportunity to escape to a world where feelings blossom with ease. 

A lot of couples have decided to tie the knot in Greece.  May people are choosing Greece as a wedding destination because it offers some of the most magical and mystical views, with incredible festivals seemingly every month of the year and some of the world's most breathtaking sunsets while being reasonably priced. 

But to get married in Greece there are some legalities that should be taken care of.  Couples are required to present birth certificates that have translated into Greek and that carry an apostle stamp.

Apostle stamp is the seal placed on documents that are used abroad.  Letters of No Impediment also sealed with an apostle stamp stating that both are free to legally marry.  This would serve as the marriage license. 

After finishing of the formalities and the technical aspects of the wedding, then the planning for the wedding and the actual ceremony starts.  To make guided and well-informed decisions, then it would be better to hire a wedding consultant in Greece.  Getting a local consultant, will help you decide on the locations and other aspects of the wedding. 

Wedding consultants in Greece are pretty much affordable.  There are many affordable services that handle all of the paperwork and offer packages for Civil Ceremonies, Catholic Ceremonies, Gay Ceremonies as well as Greek Orthodox. 

Locations are certainly breathtaking, since there are great places with extraordinary ocean views and amazing sunset.  For those who are adventurous, then there are weddings that ca be performed in Mount Olympus and the isle

Perhaps, a bit more adventurous locale will best suit your passions and Mount Olympus and the isle of Cyprus could just be the prefect selection. Cyprus is the third largest isle in the Mediterranean and each year more and more couples are exchanging vows stop the isle's highest peak, Mount Olympus. It is also the location of the annual festival to Aphrodite in the fall and one of the best times to mix festivals and merriment with your special day.

Another of the many Greek isles, Santorini is among the most popular venues for weddings. It is easy to comprehend why. What could be more mystical than exchanging vows in the shadow of a volcano overlooking the clear blue sea?

Other technical aspects or requirements of weddings are the following:

* Bride and groom's passports and a photo copy of each passport.  No apostle necessary and no translation necessary.

* Marriage License/Registration of Marriage from your City Hall.

* Documents to be authenticated with the apostle:  the apostle must be issued by the state/country where your document was issued.

Other important things to remember:

* European & US citizens must obtain a Marriage License.

* US citizens must ensure the Marriage License states the name of the person who they wish to marry.

* Couples who will remain in Santorini for less than 24 hours in total must obtain a Marriage License and not a Single Status Letter.

* If Divorce is in the event, then there should be a photocopy of it, no translation is needed. 

Everybody dreams to have a unique and one of a kind wedding, and then try it next time.  Try your romantic, celebration of marriage and joys and exhaustion of a Greece vacation and wedding.

Going on a Greece vacation can be fun and exciting. But just like any other adventure to another country or place, it pays to learn more about Greece before going there. This will help you know what to expect as well as avoid certain problems. Of course, going into a foreign country may lead one to expect many quite different things than the usual.

Country Description

Greece is a country located in Southern Europe. Its coastlines stretch the Ionian, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Greece is an ancient country with a culture known to have a significant influence in the arts, politics, philosophy and sports in today's society.  Aside from the influence, the country also boasts of idyllic and scenic islands and places that are worth visiting.

Major Destinations

When going to Greece, it is also important for tourists to know which places to go to when in the country. And there are many areas in Greece that are always worth the visit.  One of these places is Athens. Athens is Greece's capital city.  And just like most capital cities, Athens also has a lot of attractions to offer to tourists. It is the location of one of Greece's most famous landmark, the Acropolis. Tourists can learn more about Greek culture and history by visiting its many museums as well as the other major sites in the city.

Another place worth visiting in Greece is Delphi. For tourists well aware of ancient Greek history, Delphi is worth visiting since it is the place of the famous oracle of Apollo.  It is also considered as a major archeological site that tells a lot about Greece and its long and colorful history.

For those who are looking forward to see some of Greece's scenic beaches, there is the island of Mykonos to go and visit. Mykonos is one of Greece's more popular tourist destinations and one of the most visited sites in Greece. Crete is also another popular tourist destination in Crete. It is a historical island that was once a major city of the ancient Minoan civilization about four centuries ago.

Climate

Despite having a small land area, Greece is known to enjoy a varied climate. There are areas that offer the heat of summer as well as the coolness offered by the rainy seasons. Many parts of the country enjoy a pleasant Mediterranean climate. With its summers going for an average of seven months each year, it has become quite a popular destination for many European countries to visit to enjoy the summer heat.

The most pleasant weather in Greece can be enjoyed from May to June as well as from September to October. July and August offers the hottest summer in Greece. While the sun may be as hot as it can be during the day, Greek nights are most pleasant even in the height of summer. Greek nights tend to be cool and pleasant as most of the surrounding areas in enjoy low levels of atmospheric humidity and does not trap the summer heat in its surrounding air.

A Greece vacation can be truly an enjoyable experience. Not only the tourist is offered a good climate to enjoy on a vacation but also quite an interesting and exciting place to explore.

Going on a Greece vacation can be a fun and exciting experience. But tourists should be expecting something different in terms of stepping into a foreign country. In terms of culture, customs and other aspects, Greece has an entirely unique experience to offer. Here are some of the important things that tourists should know about and expect when traveling to Greece.

Country Profile

Greece is a country located in Southern Europe and shares its borders with Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Its coastlines and islands stretch from the Aegean, Ionian and the Mediterranean Seas. Greece has been part of the European Union since 1992. The country runs under a parliamentary system of government. Greece is considered as a popular tourist destination in Europe. It welcomes over 15 million tourists each year.

Travel Requirements

Because Greece is a member of the European Union, citizens of other EU member countries may freely enter with their national ID card in tow. For those tourists who belong to non-EU countries, a visa and passport is required. But there are selected countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong,  Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States that are provided by a 90-day visa-free stay in the country.

Greece is also a signatory to the Schengen agreement along with Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Traveling between Schengen countries by a non-Schengen citizen may be able to do so by getting only a single visa from any of the member countries. This may be used for multiple entries on other Schengen member countries.

Language

Greek is the country's official language and mother tongue. It is being spoken by the vast majority of the population. But English is also a widely spoken language in many parts of the country.  And since tourism has become an important industry in Greece many of its destinations already have an increasing number of personnel that can speak and understand English well. Communication with most Greeks does not usually pose a problem for many tourists who visit the country.

Currency

The official currency in Greece is the Euro, having replaced the local drachma since January of 2002. Foreign exchanges are also now common in most major cities and other dense tourist areas in Greece. Most banks in the country also offer currency exchanges for tourists. When exchanging currency, it is important to note of getting only notes below 50 Euros. Most Greek businesses are usually reluctant to receive notes larger than 50 Euros, mainly because of a scarcity of change as well as the risk of larger notes being fakes.

Cuisine

Greek cuisine is an interesting blend of traditional as well as foreign influences. A major part of Greek cuisine is influenced by neighboring Turkey. It is common for both countries to have shared dishes. The traditional Greek diet is predominantly Mediterranean which makes heavy use of vegetables, herbs and grains native to the area. And because Greece is largely a maritime country, seafood is an important part of the country's cuisine.

Other important Greek dishes also make use of pork, lamb, beef and chicken as primary ingredients. Olive oil is also a major staple in Greek cuisine and largely used for many of its most popular dishes. Other common ingredients also include the use of lemon and tomato paste. Bread as well as wine is also a common fixture on every Greek dining table.

A Greece vacation requires a number of things to consider. For tourists trying to go and visit a foreign country, making travel arrangements are essential. And in order to make these arrangements more effective, learning about the means of travel from and about the different places in Greece is necessary. Here is some useful information that will help you learn about the different means of travel available for tourists in and around Greece.

Traveling By Car

Traveling by car around Greece has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore it is up to the tourists if these conditions meet with his or her own preferences to warrant the use of a private vehicle to go about. And of course there are certain requirements that a tourist driver may need to have in order to drive around the country. Having a good knowledge of local traffic rules is one.

An advantage of going around Greece by car is that you can explore the very interiors of the country that some tourists may not have the privilege visit. There are areas in the country that public transport may not be able to reach. But thanks to having your own car, you certainly would have a more personalized knowledge of the country that other tourists may not be able to have.

But then there are also disadvantages of using a private vehicle to go around Greece. First of all, there is the difference in driving culture. Most Greek drivers are known to be aggressive one. This may be the reason why this country has one of the highest road fatality rates in the European Union. This might serve as an important point that you should consider should you decide to use a private car.

Another possible disadvantage of using a private car going around Greece is the possible added costs in exchange for a more private tour. Although most roads in Greece are well-maintained and excellent for driving, it might be good to note that most of these newer roads are toll roads. This means that you may need to pay a toll when using them. These can be come pretty expensive at times and should be considered as part of the traveling expenses.

Traveling By Public Transport

Another means of traveling around Greece available for tourists is the country's network of public transport. There are many options available. All major Greek cities have public buses that go around the main thoroughfares as well as in and around the different cities. There are also taxies available to supplement the areas not accessible by the intercity buses.

The Inter-city bus is a popular means of traveling all around the country. The public bus system follows a dense network route that serves almost the entire country. What makes these buses attractive for traveling is that they are fairly efficient, reliable and relatively cheap. Whether on short or long distances, buses provide an effective means of travel in and around different parts of Greece.

Trains are also another inexpensive means of travel around Greece. Rail expansion is currently undergoing to serve a greater part of the country. What railway systems that do serve people today can really shorten the travel time for tourists on selected cities and other areas.

When visiting the other beautiful islands on your Greece vacation, ferries still provide the most effective means of going from island to island.

A Greece vacation can be just as complicated as a vacation anywhere else in the US because you are not familiar with the surroundings. Here are a few tips so you can enjoy it.

First, plan your trip ahead of time. You can do this by getting the help of a travel agent who will be able to book your ticket and your accommodations.

Make sure you bring the proper clothes that are just right for the climate. If you are planning to come during the summer, wear some light colors with fabric made of cotton and linen. You should already have an idea by looking at the weather forecast before you get on the plane.

Once you arrive, you can see the sights on your own but if you don't like to plan it, hire someone there who will do that for you.

In the event that you lose your passport or any important documents, make sure that you have duplicate copies of everything hidden somewhere among your belongings. This will make it easier for you to get a replacement even if you are not required to get a VISA when you visit the island.

You will probably buy souvenirs before you fly home. Remember that the locals don't accept US dollars so convert some of your cash to Euros which was has now replaced the drachmas. It is best to do this the moment you land because there are not that many ATM machines and banks in the other islands. 

Surely you don't want to get sunburn when you are visiting the sites so be sure to wear a hat, a pair of sunglasses, sun block, moisturizer and lip balm. So you don't get blisters on your feet, wear a good pair of shoes or sandals. For those who choose to wear shoes, make sure you wear some socks.

It probably cost you a bundle to have a vacation in Greece. Since its going to be some time before you come back here, make sure you have some memories of the places that you visited by bringing along your camera.

Despite the fact that Greece is one of the smallest countries in Europe, it is considered to be one of the top vacation destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. It has ancient ruins, great beaches, museums and a host of other attractions which you will surely enjoy during your stay.

The best time to come for your Greece vacation is the months of June to September. But keep in mind that there will also be a lot of people coming to the island during this time since there is a Festival going on and a lot of schools are on summer break. 

If you don't want to mix yourself in the crowd, try coming during the lean months. You can try coming during the spring in the months of April and May. The only problem is that the water is not that warm so it is going be quite chilly if you want to go for a swim.

There are Greek vacation packages available and you just have to compare what is available then sign up with whoever will be able to give you the best deal. If you like it so much, you can recommend it to your friends so they too will be able to enjoy what you experienced.