Greece -

Athens – weekend break in Greece

Gosia — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:47:48 +0000

It was a long weekend, and I had no plans. I started browsing the web in the hope that I could find a cheap flight, which would be as near as miracle during the “high season”. To my surprise, the cheapest flight was to Athens. As it turned out, my journey didn’t end in the capital of Greece. The airport in Athens is connected convinently with many Greek Islands. My choice was Corfu, find out more about this green island here. Even though the trip to Athens wasn’t planned, I’d been thinking about it for a long time before. I wanted to confront the negative views of the Acropolis with reality, visit the famous Agora admire views of the city from the peaks of the surrounding hills. What is it worth seeing in Athens? The High City Athens are famous mainly of Acropolis, the main tourist attraction. Acropolis is located on a 150- meter hill and its name derives from the words ” Acro “, which means high and ” polis” meaning the city. Acropolis is a sacred hill, the place of worship of ancient Greek Gods. The most important point of the Acropolis is the famous Parthenon – an ancient temple dedicated to the patron of Athens – goddess Athena. In fact, in the pictures, this building seems much bigger than it’s in reality, while its simplicity and symmetry makes an amazing impression. It’s made of white marble and surrounded by 46 columns. In ancient times, inside was 12-meter statue of the Athena Polias (Athena of the City), fully made of gold, one of the Ancient Wonders of the world. In 426 it was taken to Constantinople where it disappeared. Besides that, Parthenon had a pretty rough history. It served as barracks, ammunition depot, church, and it was even converted into mosque in the times of the Ottoman rule. It would seem that a tour to the Acropolis is limited to Parthenon. However, on site there’re other ancient monuments like: ancient theatre – Erechtheion, the Theatre of Dionysus and the Temple of Athena Nike. Every year, the Acropolis is visited by millions of tourists. In order to avoid the crowds, it’s better to visit it early in the morning and wear anti-skidding footwear, as the rocks are polished by the crowds. Normal ticket costs 20€ (reduced ticket – 10 €). In offer is also a 5-day combined ticket which costs30 € and includes the most important archaeological sites and museums. More information you can find here. An interesting view of the Acropolis you can admire from the Areopagus Hill from which you can also see the famous Agora. On the ancient Agora Agora used to be a marketplace and the center of political and social life of ancient Athens. This is where Socrates developed his philosophy. Saint Paul came here to convert the Athenians to Christianity. Here you can see the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus, the market hall, Agora Museum and the Church of the Holy Apostles. Admission to Agora is free with Acropilis Pass or costs 4 € . Old Athens The atmosphere of old Athens can be felt in the district Plaka located under the Acropolis. There are many climatic taverns and cafés. Wolves Hill The most beautiful view of Athens is from the highest hill in Athens – Likavitos Hill – in translation Wolves’ Hill. At a height of more than 200 m, you can see the Acropolis, the characteristic Panathenaic Stadium, and even the coast with the port of Piraeus. In addition to enjoying great views, you can visit Agios Georgios Chapel and cool off at the nearby restaurant. Getting to the top is easy, jump on the funicular (return ticket costs 7€). At the flea market The famous flea market is located in the Monastiraki area and you can see there also numerous works of street-art in the surrounding streets. You can also visit Central Market, where you can buy local products, vegetables, fruit and excellent olives. There is a secret tavern – Diporto in the back of the bazaar, a favorite place of local residents. You can recognise it by inconspicuous door on the corner of the building and a steep staircase to the basement. Inside you’ll find huge barrels of homemade, delicious wine. The menu is limited to just a few dishes, which are the specialty of the tavern, like: revythia – chickpeas soup, grilled sardines, Greek salad and home made bread. Marble Stadium An amazing impression is made by Panathenaic stadium which was built for the Olympics in 1896. It’s a reconstruction of an ancient stadium made entirely of the white marble. Guard change The centre of Athens is located on the Syntagma Square near the Greek Parliament. At the front of the Parliament’s building, there’s a Tomb of an Unknown Soldier. Every day at a full hour, you can see an interesting “spectacle” – a guard change. The tomb of an Unknown Soldier is guarded by soldiers of an elite – Evzones, dressed in a traditional outfit, typical of mountain warriors in the war of independence.

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Girl on a Trail – Corfu

Gosia — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 19:28:07 +0000

[huge_it_maps id=”2″] Corfu is the second largest Greek island in the Ionian sea. This is the ideal place to rest and spend time actively. On the island you can find numerous beautiful beaches (details here) with crystal clear water as well as monuments and other interesting points. There are many ways to see the island. Hikers can benefit from the so-called Corfu Trail. This path leads from the south to the north of the island and reaches 220 km! The island can also be visited on quad or traditionally by the car. Almost Venice The best place to start exploring the island is Corfu Town. Corfu is not a typical Greek city. Pastel colors of townhouses and wooden shutters in the windows, resemble more Venice than typical Greek houses. Anyway, it’s no surprising because the island was under the control of Venice for more than 300 years. I can compare Corfu old town to the labyrinth of narrow climatic streets with cosy taverns, cafes and shops. In addition to typical urban architecture there are two Venetian fortresses – New and Old. The Old Fortress is located on a small hill and is separated from the city by moat. From both strongholds you can admire the beautiful views of the city. Along the main square called Esplanade (Spinada), you can see Liston – an elegant boulevard with characteristic arches, typical for French architecture. White monastery with a view of the airport Near Corfu town, there’s another popular tourist attraction – a small, white church called Vlacherna. The church is located on a small island and you can get there by a narrow bridge. Beside it, you can see the green island of Pontikonisi, called also Mouse Island. It’s accessible only by boat, which costs 3€. Close to the church you can see the Corfu airport, known from one of the shortest runways in Europe. Landing planes can be observed from the nearby hill. Achilles’ Palace Next stop is the palace of Empress Elizabeth Bavarian – known as Sisi, located close to the Gastouri village. The Empress was fascinated by Greek mythology, ancient history and she was fluent in Greek. The Palace of her design perfectly reflects her interests. It received the name Achillion – in honor of her favorite mythical hero – Achilles. Its interior is decorated with numerous statues and paintings of the mythical gods and goddesses. Personally I was impressed by beautifully decorated “Stairs of the Gods” adorned with statues of mythical heroes. The palace is surrounded by a beautiful garden and marble statues. At the end of the garden, there’s also a beautiful view of the island. The throne with a view of… A little bit further, because only 13 km towards the northwestern part of the island, you can find an excellent vantage point – the Kaiser’s Throne. It is named after Emperor Wilhelm II Kaiser, who often visited this place especially at sunset. However, the views of the Ionian sea from this terrace are amazing also during the day. Restaurant with a heart Going further towards the north in the direction of Paleokastritsa the mandatory point for short rest is Bella Vista restaurant, located next to town – Lakones. It’s worth staying here not only for excellent fresh orange juice but also due to amazing views from the restaurant’s terrace. Monastery on the hill In the picturesque Paleokastritsa is another interesting point – monastery from the 13th century. The building is a very good example of Greek monastic architecture. Located high on the cliff, it offers stunning views of the countryside. The Casle of Angels On the way back, it’s good to visit Angelokastro, which in translation means the Castle of Angels. It is located on a high, rocky ridge close to the the picturesque Paleokastritsa area. Due to its strategic location, the fortress has never been taken. Moreover, it played the main role during the Turks raid in the 16th century. It is worth to add that Corfu, as the only one in Greece hasn’t been conquered by the Turks. At the moment, there are only ruins of the former fortress, but it is worth climbing to see the beautiful panorama of Corfu. Pantokrator with Albania in the background The best [lace to complete the trip is Pantokrator – the highest mountain in Corfu, which rises over the island, more than 900 m. At the top, there’s a small stone monastery and a number of transmitters of mobile base stations that definitely spoil the appearance of this place. However, the view from monastery includes a large part of Corfu and even Albanian mountains. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Corfu cuisine – kumquats, sofrito, stifado…

Gosia — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 18:00:27 +0000

Corfu cuisine is based mainly on vegetables, grilled meat and cheese. The real treasure of the island are lemons and oranges, which are everywhere. But the king of the fruit is the only one – it’s kumquat, a citrus tree with little oranges. Fresh kumquats are bitter and not so tasty. They’re used in the production of marmalades or famous liqueurs. Surpsingly, fish and seafood aren’t so popular in Corfu and usually more expensive than meat. So which local dishes are worth a try? Starters: The winner in this category is Greek salad. This simple mix of tomato, lettuce, cucumber, onion, olives and feta cheese with local olive oil, tastes incredibly good. A very interesting starter is tiropitta – filo pastry stuffed with feta cheese. Personally, I have opportunity to eat this delicacy with addition of honey and nuts. I must admit that the taste was really interesting… Those who prefer more traditional dishes, can choose croquettes made of filo pastry stuffed with ham and cheese. Another interesting, local starter are dolmades – vine leaves stuffed with rice or meat. Reportedly the best are in May and June, when the leaves are fresh. Main courses: Greek cuisine is famous for grilled meat. In Corfu town center, you can visit a cozy tavern – Pane e souvlaki where you can taste a lot of grilled dishes. We ordered the course for two, which consisted of: pork and chicken souvlaki, beef, turkey and lamb keftethes and local sausage, called loukaniko. Another dish which can’t be missed is gyros, which is served with hot pita bread and tzatziki sauce. You won’t be disappointed by mousaka – casserole dish with eggplant, minced meat and béchamel sauce. The dish below is far better than it looks. It’s sofrito – beef stew with spices, white wine, garlic and parsley. Another tasty dish is kokkinisto – beef stew with tomato sauce. These both dishes you can try in a cozy Orchard Restaurant, located in Siadri town, in the surroundings of banana and citrus trees. My favorite dish is defintely stifado – beef stew with red wine and shallots. And for the dessert… Nothing compares to crunchy baclava stuffed with chocolate…

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Corfu – top 10 beaches

Gosia — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 18:46:25 +0000

1. Porto Timoni Porto Timoni is one of the most beautiful beaches in Corfu. Turquoise, clear water and white sand invite to visit this place. But nobody wants to go there… What’s the reason? The trip to this place is far from being pleasant. To get there, you need to look out for signs Porto Timoni Beach, at the end of the town – Afionas. After around 100 m, turn left. The path to the view point takes 20 minutes. Unfortunately, it’s partially very steep, narrow and scrubby. It’s better not to go there without proper shoes and long trousers. Theoretically there’s another path which leads to Porto Timoni Beach, but in practice thick, prickly scrubs, make it impossible to find, let alone walking. I had enough after getting to the view point so remember to cover your legs!!! 2. Agios Georgios During returning form Porto Timoni you can admire beautiful landscape of the nearby Agios Georgios beach. 3.Paleokastritsa beach An ideal place to have some rest is Paleokastrisa. There’re several picturesque beaches. Unforgettable views you can see at the Palaiokasteitsa beach which adjoins to another lovely beach. From there you can go on a cruise along the Paleokastrisa coast and see numerous sea grottoes. 4. La Grotta Beach A very interesting place is hidden beach – La Grotta, which you can admire from the bar of the same name. To get there, look out for wooden entrance on the Palaiokastritsas road which leads down the stairs to the beach. 5. Liapedes Beach Around 4 km from La Grotta beach you can find surrounded by high cliffs, picturesque beach called Liapedes. 6. Ermones Beach Another interesting beach is located around 20 km from Paleokastrisa. It’s called Ermones beach and it’s very popular in view of its black water. 7. Glyfada Beach Close to Ermones beach, there’s another popular tourist spot – Glyfda beach. It’s a long beach, surrounded by high, green cliffs. It’s really nice place to swim but you must be careful with the strong currents. 8. Kanał Miłości Canal D’Amor, located in Sidari town is a place where you can swim in the turquoise, crystal clear water as well as see beautifully carved rocks. 9. Cape Drastis Close to the Sidari is another must – see place – Cape Drastis, where the view of the white cliffs, contrasting with blue waters of the Ionian Sea, is really breathtaking. When you go down the road, you’ll reach a tiny beach. The road to the left leads to the view point. 10. Logas Beach Last but not least is Logas beach, located only 2 km from the Cape Drastis. In our opinion is the most beautiful beach in Corfu. It’s a little beach, surrounded by high cliffs. After swimming and sunbathing you can rest in nice tavern – the Seventh Heaven and admire beautiful landscape from the glass view point. It’s well worth going there in the sunset beacuse Logas Beach is also called the Sunset Beach.

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