Greece From the fascination of ancient Athens to the beaches of Corfu, Crete and Rhodes, Greece and her Islands offer a unique mix of sun, sand and history.

1. Athens antiquity ©GNTO, D Koilalous
GreeceFrom the fascination of ancient Athens to the beaches of Corfu, Crete and
Rhodes, Greece and her Islands offer a unique mix of sun, sand and history.

2. THE SUN-DRENCHED
BEACHES LEAD TOURISM IN
GREECE AND IT’S THE
ARCHITECTURE, CUISINE
AND CUSTOMS THAT ENTICE
VISITORS TO RETURN
Greece will delight your senses in so many ways as you wander
through picture-postcard villages and historical sites, sampling
the fresh and unique flavours of Greek cuisine and roam from
mountains to beach taking in the breathtaking scenery.
In 2009, 425 beaches and eight marinas in Greece were
awarded the “Blue Flag” for their cleanliness, good organisation
and safety, putting the country in a top-ranking position among
other European countries. Half of Greece’s 16,000km coast is
found around the thousands of islands and the rest around the
mainland. Diversity stretches from small bays and coves to sandy
beaches with dunes, pebbly shores and coastal caves.
Greece’s mainland is perfect for holidays with the perfect
combination of diving, snorkelling, Greek ruins and charming
churches. Visit ATHENS in the south for a city break and to
explore the surrounding towns and villages or
PARGA on the west coast with its picturesque
harbour, busy nightlife and ferry links to Corfu.
Or relax on the white sand beaches of
HALKIDIKI in the north and let your
imagination run free!
Most of Greece’s islands lie in the AEGEAN
SEA and include the popular holiday islands of
Kos and Rhodes (The Dodecanese) and Crete.
CRETE is a very popular island with a mix of
large tourist resorts, peaceful seaside villages and
centuries-old cities. Most of the eastern side is a mecca
for package tourism, whilst the west has a more rugged coastline
and less crowded beaches.
KOS was one of the first Greek Islands to open up to mass
tourism, owed mostly to its long sandy coastlines. It has some of
the most interesting archeological sites in the whole
Mediterranean and daily sea crossings can be made to nearby
Turkey. Peaceful resorts can be found on the west coast.
RHODES is said to have 300 days of blue skies a year and
beyond the madness of resorts like Faliraki, famed for its
clubbing scene, there is much to discover on yet another beautiful
island. Rhodes has a well-preserved medieval city steeped in
history with castle’s and fortresses waiting to be explored.
The most popular beaches lie to the west and south of
Rhodes City and those in search of a more authentic
Greece, should head south of the island.
The IONIAN SEA is home to one sole island
group, The Ionian Islands including Zante
(Zakynthos) and Corfu amongst others.
CORFU is the closest Greek Island to the UK
and is still the most popular for Brits. All-
inclusive and cheap package deals have made
Corfu a very attractive holiday destination, although
amongst the touristy resorts north and south of Corfu
town and along the north coast, romantic beaches and
traditional villages can still be found all over.
ZANTE (ZAKYNTHOS) is the most southerly of the Ionian
Islands full of pretty villages, quiet beaches and breathtaking
scenery. The major beach resorts are along the coastal strip
north west of Zakynthos Town and Laganas to the south.
Cephalonia,
enjoyed a surge
in popularity after
featuring in the novel
and film Captain
Corelli’s
Mandolin.
Choice Villas & Apartments 2010 35
Lindos, Rhodes ©GNTO, Nikos Kasseris

3. Fact file
GREEK HONEY is famous all over the world
for its good quality, aroma and outstanding taste.
It owes its wide diversity in taste and aroma to the
rich Greek flora which comprises a large number
of wild flowers. Honey in Greece is mainly flower-
honey from the nectar of fruit and citrus trees
(lemon, orange, bigarade trees), thyme honey,
with incomparable aroma, and pine honey from
conifer trees.
The DODECANESE ISLANDS, including
Rhodes, Kos and Patmos, are close to Turkey,
while the IONIAN ISLANDS have an Italian
flavour; one of these is Cephalonia.
The GREEK MOUNTAINS are renowned for
their diversity, landscapes of singular beauty and
unique forests, many of which rank among the
oldest natural wooded lands in Europe. Due to the
astoundingly rich flora and fauna they support,
many of these environments have been designated
as National Parks.
OLIVE OIL plays a unique role in Greek dietary
habits, being the basis of all recipes of traditional
cuisine. Greek olive oil enjoys worldwide
distinction for its purity and exceptional taste. You
will find it everywhere in glass bottles and cans.
SUMMER CINEMAS (open-air) are one of the
Greek people’s most popular forms of
entertainment during the spring and summer. They
operate in open-air areas (roofs, empty lots, parks
etc), are usually surrounded by small natural or
artificial gardens and their floor is covered with
pebbles. There are summer cinemas in all the
Greek cities and many holiday resorts and shows
usually start at around 9pm.
Tourist Office
www.visitgreece.gr
info@gnto.gr
020 7495 9300
Official language Greek
Average summer temperatures
(June–August)
Athens: 27ºC
Corfu: 25ºC
Rhodes: 26ºC
Santorini: 24ºC
Currency Euro
Average flying time from UK 31/2 hours
Capital Athens
Local time GMT+2 hours
Did you know?
The highest point in Greece is Mount
Olympus, legendary home of Zeus
and the other Olympian gods and
goddesses.
Crete is the biggest of Greece’s
islands, followed by the lesser-known
island of Evvia or Euboia.
The Greek territory comprises 6000
islands and islets scattered in the
Aegean and Ionian Sea, of these
islands only 227 are inhabited.
Choice Villas & Apartments 201036
Rhodes Town ©GNTO
Athens Herodion Theatre ©GNTO
Konitsa, Epirus ©GNTO

5. Please quote CVA when replying to ads
Greece,GreekIslands
Choice Villas & Apartments 201038