Athens Vacations

Greece Vacations: Package Holidays Offer a Rich Cultural and Historical Experience

The islands of Greece can be seen on a variety of package combinations. It should be noted that there are very few all-inclusive package vacations to Greece unless seeing the islands by cruise ship where you stay overnight on board.

General Information about Greece Vacations:

Greece, located in south-eastern Europe, consists of a mountainous mainland peninsula at the southern end of the Balkans, the Peloponnesus peninsula, and numerous Greek islands – 1400, of which 227 are inhabited, and a few of which are well-known as the most popular destinations for Greece vacations. The capital of Greece is Athens, one of the oldest cities in Europe (with a 3000 year old recorded history) that features many ancient monuments, the most famous being the Parthenon. Greece is considered to be the birthplace of western civilization, and the first place in Europe where advanced civilization emerged along with the foundations of democracy, western philosophy, literature, political science, and tragic and comedic drama. Athens is well-known too for being the birthplace of the Olympic Games. For cultural tourism, Greece vacations have an incredible amount to offer, including history and art museums and attractions, educational excursions, theatre, festivals, archaeological sites, monuments, natural wonders, and more.

Greece has a rich history that can be traced to the civilization of ancient Greece, and Greece vacations are the perfect way to experience its wonderful past and present. There were many historical events that shaped modern-day Greece and contributed to the movement of Greek culture and civilization across Western Europe. In 146 BC, Greece fell under Roman rule, and mixing of the Roman and Hellenic cultures led to the establishment of the Byzantine Empire in 330 AD around Constantinople (which is now Istanbul, Turkey. The close history links and relative locations tend to make Istanbul a stop on a Greek island tour). Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, dispersing Greek culture to Western Europe, greatly influencing the Renaissance. Following the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire in 1830, the modern Greek state was established. Twentieth century Greek history is marked by many struggles for power and control over Greek territories, including WWII battles with Italy and Germany, and the civil war that followed liberation. Greece joined the EU in 1981, followed by sustained economic growth and prosperity. With so much history to be explored, a Greece package holiday is a cultural tourist’s paradise! Yet, Greece packages have so much more to offer, from great Greek food to unique natural beauty and wonderful vocalic-sand beaches by the sea. Bask in the experience of olive groves, archaeological sites, museums, clusters of islands, beaches, mountains, history, culture, and breathtaking scenery, all in a Greece package holiday.
  

Delight Your Senses with a Greece Vacation Package

On a Greece vacation, tourists are generally delighted to sample the array of wonderful Greek food that is available throughout the mainland and surrounding islands. Seafood lovers will surely appreciate all of the great seafood options offered on a Greece vacation, including calamari and grilled octopus – great local specialties. Other Greek specialties include olive oil (found in and served with nearly all dishes), Greek salad, gyros, Moussaka, Baklava, Spanakopita (spinach pie) or Tyropita (cheese pie), fresh cheeses (Feta), and delicious meat dishes (lamb is a favourite). Wash it all down with some good Ouzo (a traditional Greek liquor) or Greek wine and you have all the makings of the perfect dining experience on a vacation in Greece. The perfect accompaniment to good food is good music, and Greece package holidays offer a wonderful blend of traditional Greek and contemporary music, including Bouzouki musical traditions that are still maintained in the Greek music of today.

Greek culture is founded on a proud historical tradition, and rooted in religion as well as superstition. Greek people are well-known for their warmth and hospitality, although traditional hospitality is more easily recognized further from large urban centres such as Athens. When on a Greece package holiday, it is best to proceed with caution in Athens – the Greek islands are generally considered to be safer environments for tourists. However, by employing certain rules of common sense, Greece vacation travellers are sure to be delighted with the overall warmth of Greece, its people, and culture. Until the recent economic downturn in Europe, Greece has enjoyed great economic growth and prosperity, and indications of poverty are minimal. Vendors in major cities are a common sight, and they are typically persistent with tourists in major urban centres, in keeping with the generally aggressive nature of people living in fast-paced conditions. In contrast, most of the locals on the Greek islands enjoy a more relaxed pace and are considerably more laid back. As such, Greece package holidays offer varying levels of excitement and activity in environments that vary from large urban to small town, and everything in between.

With 4000 islands, a mountainous mainland, and so much varying geography, Greece package vacations provide a good variety of environments to be explored, full of ancient and natural wonders, and cultural delights. In general, all of the Greek islands could be considered major tourist areas, although there are certainly some that draw the majority of the Greece package holiday traffic, much more than others. Santorini, located in the middle of the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea, is one of the most famous holiday destinations in Greece, along with Mykonos and Crete. Santorini is well known for its cliff-side villages and volcanic sand beaches. Mykonos, also located in the Aegean Sea, is famous for its diverse cultural atmosphere, as well as its gay community, exciting nightlife, luxury hotels, sightseeing, and beautiful sand beaches. Crete, the largest and most populated of the Greek islands, is a great destination for exploring the many archaeological sites of the Minoan civilization, the old city of Chania, and the Venetian castle at Rethymno. The Greek island of Rhodes, having the oldest tourist history of all the Greek islands, is well known for its beauty as well as the medieval castles, houses and streets of the old town section. Despite its historical qualities, Rhodes offers modern Greece vacation hotels in every category. Yet another archaeological paradise, Delphi provides the opportunity for Greece vacationers to visit the place that was once considered (in myth) to be the centre of the earth. Delphi was also considered as the Oracle and the Sanctuary of the god Apollo, and features such historically significant sites as the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre at Delphi, and many more archaeological marvels.

Sand and Sun on Your Greece Vacation

Greece vacations offer several great beaches to be enjoyed, and these vary considerably due to the widely varying geography of the country. Any generalization regarding beaches in Greece is difficult to make, but it can be said that there are beaches to suit all tastes, from black or red volcanic sand beaches, to white sand beaches, to those that are admired for outstanding water quality, and those that are admired for their surroundings. Where public beaches are managed by the government, tourists will find all of the typical beach amenities, from lifeguards ensuring good water safety, to watersports options that ensure great water fun!

Spring and Fall are the best seasons for taking a Greece vacation, specifically during the months of May, June, September, and October. During the winter season, as surprisingly cold temperatures set in to the region, most of the tourist infrastructure shuts down. In the months of July and August, although Greece vacation tourism is often at its peak, temperatures can soar to 40?C (100?F) throughout the country. However, temperatures and weather conditions certainly do vary throughout the different climatic regions of Greece, and a Greece vacation in the northern mainland will bring different weather throughout the seasons when compared with the more typically Mediterranean climate of the southern Greek islands. To ensure that your Greece holiday package is booked at the best time of the year for optimal weather conditions, speak with one of our tripcentral travel agents.

Greece Packages: What to Know Before You Go

Before you go on your Greece vacation, it's good to know some basic information to ensure that your time away is hassle-free. Before you can enter Greece for your Greece vacation, you will need to ensure that you have a passport with six months validity. On a Greece vacation, Euros are the accepted currency, all major credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs and banking institutions are readily available.  It should also be noted that tipping is expected for services received on a Greece package holiday. If you are taking any electronics along on your Greece vacation, be advised that Greece operates on a 230V AC electrical system – electrical appliances from North America require a transformer.

Although holiday weddings in Greece are not popular when compared with other popular sun destinations in the Caribbean, Greece vacation honeymoons are a popular choice for newlyweds. For travellers from all walks of life, Greece packages offer a great variety of choice, and are a perfect option for those who can appreciate this unique, historically and culturally rich destination. Greece package flights are available from Toronto and Montreal throughout the year, with limited departures during the winter months. Speak with one of our tripcentral agents to book your Greek holiday adventure.

Athens Vacations Pictures

A view of the Parthenon Temple at Acropolis - Athens, Greece