GOOD MORNING GREECE

General Informations about GREECE Capital of Greece : Athens

Official language: Greek

The currency : Euro (€)

Climate: Mediterranean

Population: 11.306.183 (2010 estimate)

The country is a Presidential Parliamentary Democracy

President of the Republic: Mr. Karolos Papoulias

Prime Minister: Mr. George A. Papandreou

Calling code: The international calling code of Greece is +30

The Greek economy is based on the principles of free economy and is bound by the regulations of the world organizations that it is a member of, such as ECOFIN and WTO.

For further information and news regarding Greek domestic politics, Greece’s international affairs, social issues, business, culture and sports, you can also visit:

Travelling to Greece

By plane, ship, train or car, or even a combination of transportation means, traveling to Greece is relatively simple and quick, even though it is situated at the southernmost corner of Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. Apart from the large airports in Athens in Thessaloniki, there are also smaller airports that service trips to and from the other large cities and the more famous islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The railway and road networks link Greece with the rest of Europe via the neighboring Balkan countries, while the large ports of Piraeus and Igoumenitsa handle the arrival of coastal ships via mainly Italy.


History

The first traces of human habitation in Greece appeared during the Paleolithic Age (approx. 120000 - 10000 B.C.).

During the Neolithic Age that followed (approx. 7000 - 3000 B.C.), a plethora of Neolithic buildings spread throughout the country. Buildings and cemeteries have been discovered in Thessaly (Sesklo, Dimini), Macedonia, the Peloponnese, etc.The beginning of the Bronze Age (approx. 3000-1100 B.C.) is marked by the appearance of the first urban centers in the Aegean region (Poliochni on Limnos). Flourishing settlements were found on Crete, Mainland Greece, the Cyclades and the Northeastern Aegean, regions where characteristic cultural patterns developed.

At the beginning of the 2nd Millennium B.C., organized palatial societies appeared on Minoan Crete, resulting in the development of the first systematic scripts. The Minoans, with Knossos Palace as their epicenter, developed a communications network with races from the Eastern Mediterranean region, adopted certain elements and in turn decisively influenced cultures on the Greek mainland and the islands of the Aegean.On Mainland Greece, the Mycenean Greeks –taking advantage of the destruction caused on Crete by the volcanic eruption on Santorini (around 1500 B.C.)- became the dominant force in the Aegean during the last centuries of the 2nd Millennium B.C.. The Mycenean acropolises (citadels) in Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Thiva, Glas, Athens and Iolcus, then comprised the centers of the bureaucratically organized kingdoms. The extensive destruction of the Mycenean centers around 1200 B.C. led to the decline of the Mycenean civilization and caused the population to migrate to the coastal regions of Asia Minor and Cyprus (1st Greek colonization).

After approximately two centuries of economic and cultural inactivity, which also became known as the Dark Years (1150 - 900 B.C.), the Geometric Period then followed (9th - 8th Century B.C.). This was the beginning of the Greek Renaissance Years. This period was marked by the formation of the Greek City-States, the creation of the Greek alphabet and the composition of the Homeric epics (end of the 8th Century B.C.).

The Archaic Years that subsequently followed (7th - 6th Century B.C.) were a period of major social and political changes. The Greek City-States established colonies as far as Spain to the west, the Black Sea to the north and N. Africa to the south (2nd Greek colonization) and laid the foundations for the acme during the Classical Period. The Classical Years (5th - 4th Century B.C.) were characterized by the cultural and political dominance of Athens, so much so that the second half of the 5th Century B.C. was subsequently called the “Golden Age” of Pericles. With the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 B.C., Athens lost its leading role.

New forces emerged during the 4th Century B.C. The Macedonians, with Philip II and his son Alexander the Great, began to play a leading role in Greece. Alexander’s campaign to the East and the conquest of all the regions as far as the Indus River radically changed the situation in the world, as it was at that time.



After the death of Alexander, the vast empire he had created was then divided among his generals, leading to the creation of the kingdoms that would prevail during the Hellenistic Period (3rd - 1st Century B.C.). In this period the Greek City-States remained more or less autonomous, but lost much of their old power and prestige. The appearance of the Romans on the scene and the final conquest of Greece in 146 B.C. forced the country to join the vast Roman Empire. During the Roman occupation period (1st Century B.C. - 3rd Century A.D.), most of the Roman emperors, who admired Greek culture, acted as benefactors to the Greek cities, and especially Athens. Christianity, the new religion that would depose Dodekatheon worshipping, then spread all over Greece through the travels of Apostle Paul during the 1st Century A.D.

Today’s visitors to Greece have the opportunity to trace the “fingerprints” of Greek history from the Paleolithic Era to the Roman Period in the hundreds of archaeological sites, as well as in the archaeological museums and collections that are scattered throughout the country.

The decision by Constantine the Great to move the capital of the empire from Rome to Constantinople (324 A.D.), shifted the focus of attention to the eastern part of the empire. This shift marked the beginning of the Byzantine Years, during which Greece became part of the Byzantine Empire. After 1204, when Constantinople was taken by Western crusaders, parts of Greece was apportioned out to western leaders, while the Venetians occupied strategic positions in the Aegean (islands or coastal cities), in order to control the trade routes. The reoccupation of Constantinople by the Byzantines in 1262 marked the last stages of the empire’s existence.

The Ottomans gradually began to seize parts of the empire from the 14th Century A.D., and completed the breakup of the empire with the capture of Constantinople in 1453. Crete was the final area of Greece that was occupied by the Ottomans in 1669. Around four centuries of Ottoman domination then followed, up to the beginning of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Numerous monuments from the Byzantine Years and the Ottoman Occupation Period have been preserved, such as Byzantine and Post-Byzantine churches and monasteries, Ottoman buildings, charming Byzantine and Frankish castles, various other monuments as well as traditional settlements, quite a few of which retain their Ottoman and partly Byzantine structure.

The result of the Greek War of Independence was the creation of an independent Greek Kingdom in 1830, but with limited sovereign land. During the 19th C. and the beginning of the 20th C., new areas with compact Greek populations were gradually inducted into the Greek State. Greece’s sovereign land would reach its maximum after the end of Word War I in 1920, with the substantial contribution of then Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. The Greek State took its current form after the end of World War II with the incorporation of the Dodecanese Islands.

In 1974, after the seven-year dictatorship period a referendum was held and the government changed from a Constitutional Monarchy to a Presidential Parliamentary Democracy, and in 1981 Greece became a member of the European Community/Union.

VIDEO PROMOTIONAL GREEK AS MAGNIFICENT DESTINATION

GREECE : EXPLORE YOUR SENSES



GREECE THE MOST BEUTIFULL COUNTRY



ATHENS THE CAPITAL OF GREECE (OLYMPIC GAMES 1896 ,2004 )

BEACHES IN CHALKIDIKI NEAR THESSALONIKI

THESSALONIKI (SEA DESTINATION FOR SUMMER HOLIDAYS )







Beaches of Halkidiki

South of Thessaloniki is the peninsula of Halkidiki which boasts some of the finest beaches in all of Greece.

halkidiki, Greece halkidiki, greece halkidiki greece halkidiki greece

At one time the prime destination for Germans and othe Europeans, the area's popularity has receded only slightly because of the difficulties in driving through what was once Yugoslavia. People still come here in droves and unless you book in advance you may not find a place, especially in August. On the other hand the campsites seem to always have room and are well organized. Yes, there are still plenty of tourists there, especially in July and August when most of Thessaloniki comes here, but the beaches can be long, the hotels large and beautiful and there is enough authentic Greek life in the more remote inland villages to make a traveler here not feel like he is missing something somewhere else. The area is not only known for its amazing beaches but also for the mountains, valleys and the splended selection of wildflowers in the spring, which may be the best time to be here to beat the crowds.

POLIGIROS This is the capital of Halkidiki (69 km from Thessaloniki) built amphitheatrically at the foot of Mt. Holomon. There is an archaeological museum containing notable finds from excavations in the surrounding area. Visitors can also see sections of the old quarter of the town.

KASSANDRA is the most westerly of the three prongs of Halkidiki.
It is remarkable for its extensive beaches, pine forests and small villages as well as for the impact tourism has had upon it. It is difficult to get away from it all but if you like discos, fast food, motorbikes you may be quite happy here, provided you can find a place to stay. The entire Kassandra peninsula has several major hotels and organized camping grounds, many surrounded by woods and close to the beaches.There are also many smaller hotels and rooms available though difficult to find without booking in advance.

By the village of Petralona the famous cave is worth visiting. It is located along the west foothills of Mt Katsika at an altitude of 250 m. It is one of the most important caves with paleontological interest. The total length of the corridors comes to 1,900 m. and it is adorned with wonderful stalactites and stalagmites of all kinds. It was first explored in 1959 by Mr J. Petrocheilos, then president of the Greek Speleological Society who named it "Kokines Petres" (Red Rocks). In 1960 a 700,000 year old human skull was found here.The cave is open from 9 to 5 daily.

Sithonia, halkidiki greeceSITHONIA is less tourist-infested than Cassandra though it still boasts some of the areas most popular and attractive resorts including the Porto Carras Grand Resort and Golf Course, one of the largest and best in Greece. There are still small hidden sandy beaches particularly on the east coast where you can get away, at least for awhile until another person seeking solitude arrives. The ruins of ancient Olinthos, built by Athenian colonists is near the village of the same name. The southern most tip of the Sithonion is your best bet for dramatic scenery.
The village of Kalamitsi is probably the least commercial resort in the area, an excellent beach, some nice fish tavernas and rooms to rent. The village of Sarti has yet to take the plunge into obscene commercialism though it is popular with Germans and Austrians and visitors from Eastern Europe. I wanted to stay here because of its long sandy beach, and smaller beaches hidden among rocky out-croppings and mostly because there were lots of beautiful women in bikinis but my wife insisted on staying at Vourvourou which was a wooded area sheltered by some small islands with beautiful sea, but inhabited mainly by university professors and professionals from Thessaloniki. It had a terrific seafood taverna , the oddly named Gorgona e Poulman, and some nice inexpensive (and expensive) hotels, but while Sarti had a pleasant sea breeze, Vourvourou was on the hot and humid side when we were there. In fairness we were there doing a summer heat wave. If you came here during normal weather it might be one of those places you went back to every year. Further down the coast we would drive down any posted or unposted roads that looked like they led to the sea and found some nice beaches, some secluded and others taken over by campsites.
If you are traveling with a recreational vehicle or with a tent, Sithonia is a good place to go to meet like-minded travelers. Click here for more on Sithonia

MOUNT ATHOS or in Greek Agio Oros is to Greece as the Vatican is to Rome, a religious state within a state. To get a clear idea just imagine the Byzantine empire getting smaller and smaller until it only covered the eastermost penisula of Halkidiki, a wooded, mountainous, and rugged land with few roads, a few dozen monasteries and smaller spiritual settlements. Its a beautiful place, maybe the most magical place in Greece. The catch is you can't go there if you are a woman and you can only go for 4 days if you are a man and you need special permission to stay there. But you can get as far as Ouranopoulos which has beaches, hotels, seafood tavernas and is the last town before the no-mans-land between the Holy mountain and the un-holy rest of the world. For those who do have permission there is a daily boat from here to the port of Daphne, the entry point for pilgrims and monks. For women, or men who are satisfied seeing the monasteries from a distance there are excursion boats that sail around Mount Athos. More on Mount Athos....

VIDEO FROM THE NEW COAST OF THESSALONIKI WITH JET SKI