Knossos in Crete: Discovering the Minoan Culture “Let me tell you about the first time I visited Knossos,” my friend Jack says. We are sitting at a fish taverna by the famous Venetian Harbor of Iraklion, Crete. My friend, Dr. Jack Dempsey, is an expert on the Minoan culture and has written several books and academic papers on the subject. Jack, who for many years lectured at universities in ... Read Full Article
Rescuing the Cats of Athens
Rescuing the Cats of Athens They haunt the ancient temples of the Acropolis like lean ghosts. They scavenge through piles of plastic garbage bags in the narrow streets of the Plaka. Their tormented yowls and chilling screams are the night music of suburban alleys. They are the cats of Athens. It is impossible to estimate the numbers of them. They roam as free and wild as their ancestors in the ... Read Full Article
Why Now is the Best Time to Visit the Balkans
Visit the Balkans Now Before it Turns Into A Tourist Trap At the beginning of the year, Vogue, Condé Nast, Travelzoo, and a wealth of others declared Eastern Europe the destination of 2017. If you are a follower of trends, then now is the time to visit the Balkans, because this is the most beautiful and underrated part of Eastern Europe. But if trends are not dictating your travels, now is still ... Read Full Article
The Achilleion in Corfu, Greece
An Inspiring Day at The Achilleion in Corfu, Greece I’m standing in a beautiful courtyard overlooking a panoramic view of flowering gardens, a green forested hillside and far below, the sparkling blue Ionian Sea. Surrounding me stand the Muses: all nine of them. I’m next Erato, the Muse of poetry. Beside her, Terpsichore holds her harp, and Melpomene smiles silently. This is the magnificent ... Read Full Article
Canal of Corinth, Agamemnon’s Tomb and Epidaurus
I hadn't expected to visit the Canal of Corinth, Agamemnon’s tomb and Epidaurus on this trip, but Athens was a nightmare. I had arrived in the middle of violent demonstrations against the government’s austerity measures. Roads were closed off which made getting from A to B extremely difficult, even on foot, unless you wanted to risk life and limb. The Acropolis was shrouded in scaffolding and ... Read Full Article
Hiking Crete’s Samaria Gorge
Towering rock walls rise a thousand feet. A creek rattles against the rocks, slipping down from the mountains toward the distant ocean. The drama of Crete’s Samaria Gorge, which runs ten miles before emptying into the Libyan Sea, comes from its epic proportions. Samaria is reportedly the longest gorge in Europe, which at its highest point rises 1,600 feet and narrows to only 11 feet. We ... Read Full Article
The Best Time to Travel to Europe
Best Time to Travel To Europe - According to our Europe Experts The best time to travel to Europe really depends on what you like to do and where you are going. Summers in Southern Europe are hot, which is why most Europeans head for the beaches, while they are a great time to explore Scandinavia, Ireland, and the UK. Fall in Western Europe is generally rainier than in spring, while in Central ... Read Full Article