greek isles Archives - Europe Up Close

Finding Ajax, Hero of the Troy Wars

Published/Revised March 8, 2017 By W. Ruth Kozak This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Finding Ajax, Hero of the Troy Wars The road up the mountain from the beach at Kanakia on Salamina’s south-western coast is a steep, rutted track. Difficult for vehicles, but my friend Chris and I decided to walk up on this October morning. We are going to visit a place where we had been two years before – a sanctuary where archaeologists were searching for a monument to Ajax, hero of the Troy ... Read Full Article

A Greek Senior Bus Tour in Evvia, Greece

Published/Revised July 1, 2016 By W. Ruth Kozak This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

“Would you like to go on an expedition with a group of Greek seniors?” my friend asked. I was visiting Athens for a few weeks last summer and the word “expedition” piqued my interested. “Why is it called an expedition?” I wondered. My friend Carol is an English woman who lives in Greece. “The reason they call these ‘expeditions’ is because they explore places that bus tours usually don’t visit,” ... Read Full Article

Five Top Places to Visit in Greece’s Peloponnese

Published/Revised March 21, 2017 By Guest Contributor This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Greece’s Peloponnese - Top 5 Places to Visit Greece’s Peloponnese has it all—striking landscapes, an array of historical sites, rich local cultures, and delectable food. Outdoor enthusiasts, culture vultures, foodies, history buffs, and practically everyone else will find their niche. It’s one of Greece’s most alluring regions, and it’s easy to access from Athens in a rental car. Plan well, rent ... Read Full Article

Searching for Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Zakythos, Greece

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By W. Ruth Kozak This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The Bay of Laganas on the south west coast of Zakynthos is considered to be the largest nesting ground in the Mediterranean for the Caretta Caretta loggerhead sea turtles . They are commonly called “loggerheads” due to their large heads with a horny beak. They are the largest hard-shelled turtles in the world and the most studied sea-turtles. The boat skirts carefully around the ... Read Full Article

Santorini Roasted Lamb Recipe: Eating Greek with the Ravenous Traveler

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By Mattie Bamman This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

As if Greek food alone weren’t enough of a reason to visit Greece, 2013 is the Year of Gastronomy on the island of Santorini, where the Selene Restaurant offers cooking classes to ravenous travelers. With the recent economic and political turmoil driving down prices and keeping less-adventurous travelers away, this is the perfect year to visit Greece: the country is as safe as can be; ... Read Full Article

The Mystical Beauty of Samothraki Island, Greece

Off the coast of Thrace in northern Greece, lies the mystical island of Samothraki. I arrive by bus at Alexandroupolis, a pleasant city near the Turkish frontier. It originated as a small garrison town founded by Alexander the Great, and is now centre of the local tobacco trade. Offshore, in the mist of early morning, the island of Samothraki appears, rising mysteriously out of the sea ... Read Full Article

Tinos, Mykonos and Delos: the Divine and the Decadent Islands of Greece

Only a few nautical miles separate them, but the islands of Tinos, Mykonos and Delos in the Greek Cyclades group are as diverse as the Elysian Fields and the Underworld: The Divine and the Decadent. Tinos is ascetic: a holy island, famed for one of the most important shrines of the Orthodox Church. Mikonos is primarily an island noted as a pleasure-seeker’s delight. Delos has been ... Read Full Article

A Delightful Weekend Getaway in Poros Island, Greece

There are plenty of day-trips out of Athens, Greece. One of these is a three-island tour to Aegina, Hydra and Poros. If you’re short of time this is a good way to get a taste of the small islands just off the coast of Attika. I’ve been back many times to visit these islands, usually taking single island trips to spend the day browsing or sun-bathing. The one time several years ... Read Full Article

Wine and Kitron Tasting on the Greek Isles

My introduction to Greek wines was during my first visit to Santorini, Greece some thirty years ago. I fell in love with Lava wine, from the Koutsoyannopoulos’ Volcan Wineries, on the island. Perhaps I was attracted first by the appealing label: a copy of a Minoan fresco with a fisherman holding bundles of his catch. But when I tasted the wine, a medium rose with a velvety taste and aroma of fresh ... Read Full Article

Camping Solo on Maragas Beach in Naxos, Greece

I’ve been camping solo in Greece for more than ten years and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. It’s the cheapest and most delightful way to see the country. It’s affordable, comfortable and best of all, it’s safe! One of my most favourite places to camp is on the island of Naxos. I’ve camped there a couple of times, once at Agios Georgios which is the closest campsite to ... Read Full Article