Tourism - Greece (EU)
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Greece was one of the first places civilization took hold in Europe and is therefore the birthplace of many things we’re familiar with, including the Olympic Games, Western philosophy, democracy, political, science, and Western literature and drama. Surrounded by the Aegean Sea on the East, the Mediterranean on the South and the Ionian Sea to the West, it’s made up of a mainland and more than a thousand islands (227 of which are inhabited). 
Obviously, the sea has a huge influence on Greek
life and culture, but Greece is also one of the most mountainous
countries in Europe, with 80% of its land area covered by mountains.
The climate of Greece is varied, with Alpine, Mediterranean and temperate zones. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful country, with varied terrain and plenty of photo-worthy features. Greece is located in south-eastern Europe, on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula (Haemus peninsula); it lies at the meeting point of three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa. |
Have your say directly to the tourist commission of Greece - Greece is situated in southeastern Europe, and shares borders with Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria and Turkey
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The total area of Greece is 131,957 km2 and consists of three main geographic areas:
- a peninsular mainland (that extends from the region of Central Greece on the South to the region of Thrace on the North) being the biggest geographic feature of the country
- the Peloponnese peninsula that is separated from the mainland by the canal of the Corinth Isthmus,
- and around 6.000 islands and islets, scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Sea, most of them grouped in clusters, that constitute the unique Greek archipelago. Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades are some of the famous and popular islands and island clusters in Greece.
Greece primarily has a Mediterranean climate, featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. This climate occurs at all coastal locations, including Athens, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, the Peloponnese and parts of the Sterea Ellada (Central Continental Grece) region.
The Pindus mountain range strongly affects the climate of the country, as areas to the west of the range are considerably wetter on average (due to greater exposure to south-westerly systems bringing in moisture) than the areas lying to the east of the range(due to a rain shadow effect).
The mountainous areas of Northwestern Greece (parts of Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia) as well as in the mountainous central parts of Peloponnese – including parts of the prefectures of Achaia, Arcadia and Laconia – feature an Alpine climate with heavy snowfalls.
The inland parts of northern Greece, in Central Macedonia and East Macedonia and Thrace feature a temperate climate with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers with frequent thunderstorms. Snowfalls occur every year in the mountains and northern areas, and brief snowfalls are not unknown even in low-lying southern areas, such as Athens.
The Pindus mountain range strongly affects the climate of the country, as areas to the west of the range are considerably wetter on average (due to greater exposure to south-westerly systems bringing in moisture) than the areas lying to the east of the range(due to a rain shadow effect).
The mountainous areas of Northwestern Greece (parts of Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia) as well as in the mountainous central parts of Peloponnese – including parts of the prefectures of Achaia, Arcadia and Laconia – feature an Alpine climate with heavy snowfalls.
The inland parts of northern Greece, in Central Macedonia and East Macedonia and Thrace feature a temperate climate with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers with frequent thunderstorms. Snowfalls occur every year in the mountains and northern areas, and brief snowfalls are not unknown even in low-lying southern areas, such as Athens.
Greece borders to the North on Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.M.), to the Northwest on Albania, to the Northeast on Turkey; to the West it is washed by the Ionian Sea; to the South by the Mediterranean Sea and to the East by the Aegean Sea.
Many times people travel not only for rest and recreation, they seek the best way to learn about the authentic identity of the regions and the people.
We would say that we were talking briefly about sightseeing tourism, which had begun in the 30’s, as the first organized form of mass tourism in Greece, whose exclusive objective was to visit significant archeological sites.
Today sightseeing tourism does not only have its educational, training and recreation character, it is also linked to multiple open-air activities that include caves, lakes, rivers, trails, hydrobiotopes (wetland habitats), ecologically-orientated excursions and other.
We would say that we were talking briefly about sightseeing tourism, which had begun in the 30’s, as the first organized form of mass tourism in Greece, whose exclusive objective was to visit significant archeological sites.
Today sightseeing tourism does not only have its educational, training and recreation character, it is also linked to multiple open-air activities that include caves, lakes, rivers, trails, hydrobiotopes (wetland habitats), ecologically-orientated excursions and other.
The best way to the Greek islands is by ferry boat. They are cheap and relaxing with restaurants, snack bars and beautiful scenery. The boats to the far Greek islands like Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos & Kos leave in the evening.
With a cabin it's like going to sleep in a hotel and waking up in a new place. The new ferries are like airplanes on the sea. 
You sit in comfortable chairs, they show movies on the TV and there are snackbars with decent food. Frequency of boats vary from island to island.
To get to the port of Pireaus from Athens take the metro from the stop closest to you (probably Monastiraki or Omonia) to the last stop: Pireaus. The boats are across the street. There is a map on the dock that tells you where to find the ferries for each island. If you don't have a ticket you can buy them at the boat too though if you want a cabin you should get it in advance. Also if you are traveling to the islands on the days preceding Easter and the 15th of August or any Friday in July and August you should buy your tickets in advance. The same goes with returning after those dates and on Sundays. 
There's a shuttle bus in the harbor that can take you to the further boats. Ferry Schedules come out in the Kathemerini insert in the International Herald Tribune every day but infortunately by the time you wake up half of them are gone since the majority leave between 7 and 8am.
Of course you won't have to worry about the ferry if you have your own boat. As many people will tell you this is the way to go and it is cheaper than you might think. Throw in a Captain and you have your own personal tour-guide and translator. You can get together with a couple friends or family and have your own boat or if you are traveling solo or are a couple you can share with other couples or soloists or even join a flotilla. 
UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING: A donkey in the sweltering heat buckles under the weight of a tourist HEAD hanging down, the donkey presses on in the blistering heat of summer with its overbearingly heavy human load.
Carrying a tourist weighing almost its own weight, the struggling animal sometimes falters, but is urged on by its boisterous stick-wielding handler. 
For almost two years the Daily Express has been alerting the world to the donkey abuse on the Greek island of Santorini.Thousands of readers have backed our Let’s Save The Donkeys crusade which sparked international revulsion. But as these shocking pictures show the animals are still suffering from their daily slog. We witnessed donkeys with weeping sores forced to heave giggling tourists up the steep and tortuous path when we returned to the Greek island yesterday - Source
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The main Islands
Ionian Islands Ithaki (Ithaca) Vathy Kefallonia (Cephalonia) Argostoli Kerkyra (Corfu) Corfu Kythira (Cerigo) Kythira Lefkada (Lefkas) Lefkada Paxi (Paxos Gaios) Zakynthos (Zante) Zakynthos Town The Cyclades Islands Amorgos - Amorgos Anafi - Anafi Andros - Andros Antiparos - Kastro Delos - - Folegandros (Pholegandros) Folegandros Ios Nios Ios Kea (Tzia) Ioulis Kimolos - Hora Kythnos (Thermia) Kythnos Town Milos (Melos) Plaka Mykonos (Mikonos) Mykonos Naxos - Naxos Paros (Paro) Parikia Santorini (Thera) Fira Serifos - Serifos Sifnos - Apollonia Sikinos - Sikinos Syros (Siros) Ermoupolis Tinos - Tinos The Dodecanese Islands
Crete (Kriti) - Heraklion Astypalaia (Astipalaia) Astypalaia Town Halki (Khalki) Nimborio Kalimnos (Kalymnos) Port of Pothia Karpathos - Pigadia Kassos - Fri Kastellorizo (Megisti) Megisti Kos (Cos) Kos Leros - Platanos Lipsi - Lipsi Nissiros (Nissyros) Mandraki Patmos - Patmos Rhodes (Rodos) Rhodes Town Samos - Vathy Simi (Symi) Symi Tilos - Megalo Horio |
Tourism in modern-day Greece started to flourish in the 1960s and 1970s, in what became known as mass tourism. During that time, large-scale construction projects for hotels and other such facilities were undertaken and the country saw an increase in international tourists over the years.
International events such as the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, both held in Athens, greatly helped to boost tourism in the country, while large-scale nationally-funded cultural infrastructure such as the New Acropolis Museum also contributed to the flow of tourists in the country.
In 2009, the country welcomed over 19.3 million tourists, a major increase from the 17.7 million tourists the country welcomed in 2008.
International events such as the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, both held in Athens, greatly helped to boost tourism in the country, while large-scale nationally-funded cultural infrastructure such as the New Acropolis Museum also contributed to the flow of tourists in the country.
In 2009, the country welcomed over 19.3 million tourists, a major increase from the 17.7 million tourists the country welcomed in 2008.
The vast majority of tourists in the country are from within the European Union (12.7 million), followed by those from the Americas (0.56 million), Asia (0.52 million), Oceania (0.1 million) and Africa (0.06 million). In the year 2007, more British people visited the country than any other nationality, numbering 2.61 million in total, making up 15% of the country's tourists for that year alone.
Additionally, 2.3 million Germans, 1.8 million Albanians and 1.1 million Bulgarians visited the country that year. In 2007, 92.8% of the total number of tourists in Greece were from countries in Europe.
The most-visited region of Greece is that of Central Macedonia in northern Greece, near some of the most popular attractions in the country such as Halkidiki, Mount Olympus, Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki. In 2009, Central Macedonia welcomed 3.6 million tourists, or 18% of the total number of tourists that visited Greece that year, followed by Attica (2.6 million) and the Peloponnese (1.8 million).
Additionally, 2.3 million Germans, 1.8 million Albanians and 1.1 million Bulgarians visited the country that year. In 2007, 92.8% of the total number of tourists in Greece were from countries in Europe.
The most-visited region of Greece is that of Central Macedonia in northern Greece, near some of the most popular attractions in the country such as Halkidiki, Mount Olympus, Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki. In 2009, Central Macedonia welcomed 3.6 million tourists, or 18% of the total number of tourists that visited Greece that year, followed by Attica (2.6 million) and the Peloponnese (1.8 million).
Northern Greece is the country's most-visited region, with 6.5 million tourists, while Central Greece comes second with 6.3 million. According to a survey conducted in China in 2005, Greece was voted as the Chinese people's number one choice as a tourist destination.
In November 2006, Austria, like China, announced that Greece was the favourite tourist destination for its citizens. In line with these observations, Greece's former Minister of Tourism Aris Spiliotopoulos announced the opening of a Greek National Tourism Organization office in Shanghai by the end of 2010, and GNTO currently operates two tourism offices in China, one in Shanghai and one in Beijing.
In November 2006, Austria, like China, announced that Greece was the favourite tourist destination for its citizens. In line with these observations, Greece's former Minister of Tourism Aris Spiliotopoulos announced the opening of a Greek National Tourism Organization office in Shanghai by the end of 2010, and GNTO currently operates two tourism offices in China, one in Shanghai and one in Beijing.
Walk with Donkeys - Twice per year an equine dentist and a farrier offer free assistance to help the working equines, (mainly donkeys) in Crete. They treat the hooves and teeth and also give information and advice for the improved welfare of the donkey.
The farrier, from the Netherlands and the dentist, from England come to Crete offering their services free for a whole week. CAWG with support from Cretan Donkey Care cover all the expences for the project.
Please help us to continue our outreach project!
Of course, we welcome your support, but it is the donkeys who are especially grateful for any help you can give! We hope that we can continue to count on your support, however small, because as always, every little helps!!! The donkeys rely on us ..... Please, visit Walk with Donkeys
The farrier, from the Netherlands and the dentist, from England come to Crete offering their services free for a whole week. CAWG with support from Cretan Donkey Care cover all the expences for the project.
Please help us to continue our outreach project!
Of course, we welcome your support, but it is the donkeys who are especially grateful for any help you can give! We hope that we can continue to count on your support, however small, because as always, every little helps!!! The donkeys rely on us ..... Please, visit Walk with Donkeys
