A journey to Athens

The most of the Greek population of Athens was increased after 1921 by an influx of refugees expelled from Asia minor. At the same years the small number of Turks then residing in Athens was departed. 99% of the population belongs to the Greek Orthodox church, and Athens is the seat of the Orthodox Arcibishop of Greece. Athens is the center of the Greek government and parliament and the capital of the department of the prefecture of Attica. The old palace of the foreign kings of Greece is now used as the house the Greek parliament. Athens is the main financial and commercial center of Greece and is the main junction of the air, road and rail system . Most of Greece’s maritime trade is at the port of Piraeus. Athens has an international airport in Spata. Manufacturing, textile, electronic,shipyards industries have been developed primarily in and near Piraeus and further on the Attica basin. Light engineering, textiles, chemicals, and cement making are important, as are distilling, milling, tanning, tobacco preparation, oil refining, and the processing of other local agricultural products. Tourism is also important.Athens is surrounded by mountains: Aigaleon to the west, Parnitha to the north, Penteli in the northeast, and Hymettus to the east. Most mountains are made of limestone, granite or marble, from which materials the ancient buildings of the city were constructed. The valley on which Athens lies contains isolated limestone hills, including the Lykavittos hill, which rises 339 meters  above the sea level , and the rock of Acropolis, 156 meter high, around which the city of Athens grew.  Ilissus and Kifisos River are partly dry for much of the year and carring  water only after winter storms and rain falls. Athens has  Mediterranean climate, with very hot and dry summers and mild winters. Rainfall is slight. Athens Day trips can be done to many of the areas and islands that are near to Athens.
Athens is the main cultural and educational center of Greece and has a university, founded in 1837 a polytechnic, many private universities, as well as many professional schools and TEI. The city of Athens is world famous for its amazing archaeological collections, especially the ones that are in the National Archeological Museum of Athens. Athens most important cultural remains  are its numerous architectural  and historical monuments, dating from ancient times and later periods. Most famous among these is the Acropolis, the ancient fortified rocky hill on which stands the Erechtheum temple, Parthenon temple, and the Propylaea, all of the 5th century BC the golden age of Athens. To the south of the Acropolis are the Odeum of Herodes Atticus, and the Theater of Dionysus and the  Areo pagus   in which St. Paul spoke. The ancient agora is partially excavated. The stoa, or colonnaded walk, of Attalos, which is located near by, has been reconstructed and now holds a great collection of Greek antiquities. The city also has many Orthodox churches from the Byzantine period.

Cyclades islands

The Cyclades are a region of Greece with more than 200 islands in the Aegean Sea The area is 2,572 square kilometers ,with Naxos, the largest island, covering about the one sixth of the total surface Other major islands of the group are Andros, Tinos, Syros  Milos, Paros,Santorini, ios, Anafi, serifos, sifnos, Santorini is associated with the lost city of Atlantis after foundings in Akrotiri The population is 97,000 about, and the islands administyration located in Ermoupolis of Syros. The name Cyclades  derives from the Greek for Cycle Kiklos because the ancient Greeks believed that the islands where surounding the island of   Delos
The Cyclades are a major tourist  resort area  Volcanic dry and rocky, they are formed by granite,gneiss, marmor,slate, limestones, and schist. The Greek island farmers raise grapes, figes, olives, tomatos,wheat, fruits, and watermellons by irrigation. Exports include marble,fish.  wines, and fruits
The Cyclades were the site of an  Bronze Age early civilization known as the Cycladic  The islands conquered by the Ottoman Turks and the Venetians,during the middle ages, finally  became part of independent Greece in 1829.

Geographical Location of Greece

Greece as you can see on the map of Greece consists of a large mainland, the southernmost point of the Balkans, which united with former mainland Peloponnese, from the Isthmus of Corinth, after the Peloponnese after construction of the Corinth Canal is in fact the island. The country is surrounded by the Ionian Sea, the Aegean Sea and Lybean sea.

The Aegean contains numerous islands, among them Evia, Lesbos, Rhodes, Paros, Naxos and the island complexes in the Cyclades and Dodecanese, while 180 kilometers south coast of Crete dominates, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean.

South of Crete is the island Gavdos, the southernmost island in Greece and also in Europe. The main islands in the Ionian is Corfu, Kefalonia, Lefkada , Ithaca the island of Odysseus and Zakynthos. Greece has 15,021 kilometres of coastline, which is considered extremely high, due to the rich and horizontal territorial division and the strong relief in the region, and the host of numerous islands, which are more than 1500, and is mainly the result of a collision of the African Tectonic plate with the European. It is along the border of around 1,181 kilometers.
Approximately 80% of the territory of Greece is mountainous or hilly. Much of it is dry and rocky, while only 28% of the territory is Agricultural. See bellow a Greece map to see the borders of Greece.

Geography of Corfu

Corfu is one of the northernmost islands in the Ionian Sea. Located at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea, near the Continental shores. The northeastern coast of catching enough (approx. 2 km) in Albania.

It has long shaped, wider in the northern section, while narrows to the south. The coastline has a total length of 217 kilometers and form a number of bays and capes. The territory is mainly mountainous, especially in the north.

Apart  of the main town speople can enjoy excellent locations. Among the attractions of the area belongs Achillion, the palace of Queen Elizabeth (Sissi), the famous sculpture «» Thniskon Achilles and the wonderful works of art such as murals and paintings. The area of Peleka famous for the sight of the sunset offered, while in Palaiokastritsa is the Byzantine fortress Angelokastro. Beaches blonde with fine sand are present in the St. Gordis, Glyfada, Lake Korission, St. George of Ice, Marathia, Gardeno, Kassiopi, Sidhari, Roda, Acharavi in Almyros, Dasia, and Paleokastritsa in other areas. But in villages in the hinterland of Corfu exert a fascination, as the Sinarades, St Luke, Varypatades, Korakiana, Giannades, Karousades, the Visitation, Chlomos, Spartyla, Lefkimmi, smothered with green.

Attractions of Corfu

Corfu Town is characterized by the strong Venetian point, but also from many English and French influences. It is a cosmopolitan city that conveys a sense of nobility, with the main attractions great square Esplanade, which is the biggest square in the Balkans, the Old and the New Fortress, the City Hall , Cannon, but the Mon Repos and Museums Byzantine and post-Byzantine history.

Corfu is a popular holiday destination for package and individual tourists. The island also offers educational interesting tourist destinations. The largest group of visitors a year come from the UK, followed by tourists from Germany. There is next to the tourist restaurants even the traditional tavernas of the islanders.

The international airport Corfu during the season of many German airports served. The flight time is, for example from Munich about 2 hours and from Hamburg about 3 hours. Outside of the season only to fly scheduled airlines for Athens to Corfu  . Upon arrival by ferry from Italy, between different routes can be chosen. A marina is located in Gouviá, about 7 km from cofu-city. There can be at fixed and floating piers to create 1,000 boats. The berths take boats up to 80 metres in length and 6 m depth. On Corfu, there is a golf course (18-hole par 72 course). The cost of living is roughly at the German level, in Corfu town partly slightly higher. The supply on the island is good, there is in every place a medium-sized merchant’s shop and not quite so often a gas station.

The shipping companies also sell tickets, which long-time German tourists can prove that their vehicles after three months from Greece once executed, as this is the prerequisite for admission with foreign allowed to go there. The medical care is in Corfu by the general hospital in the capital and a private clinic assured. 
Pontikonissi and KanoniIsos’s most famous landmark, is the island in front at Cannon, connected to it by a small strip of land on which it is the church of the Virgin of Vlaherna and renowned Pontikonissi. On the small islet in a small church of the Almighty, the 11 th or 12 th century. Also remarkable buildings are in the Palace Michael and George, a beautiful palaces Georgian style that left by the British. Traditional dishes Corfu Kitchen is pastitsada  . Corfu town has a population of 28,185 residents (2001 census) and is one of the oldest cities in Greece. Poliouchos city is Agios Spyridon, the afthoro skinoma which hosted to the village temple, which is one of the most highly available. Each time he is visited by thousands of visitors from all parts of Greece but also many foreigners.

Mykonos island

 Mykonos though the most popular and touristy island of Greece is mountainous and dry. located very near to Syros and Tinos and its can be reached from Athens and Rafina by Greek ferries and high speed boats within a few hours. In antiquity, the only two kilometres away neighbouring island of Delos an important cultural and religious centre was more important than Mykonos and the island was mostly used as a transfer point to Delos. During its history Mykonos and the culture of the island was effected through various Greek tribes and conquerors, like the Macedonians of Great Alexander, the Athenians, the Byzantines the Venetians, and later by the Ottomans who influenced its traditions and culture. In 1207, the island, like most of the Cyclades islands was under the rule of the Ghizzi dynasty. Their last ruler, Georgios Ghizzi, handed over the island 100 years later to the city of Venice.In 1537 Mykonos was conquered by the Turks. In the War of Independence Mykonos joined the straggle for freedom with the rest of Greece with many means, financial, men, guns and ships .Mykonos developed its tourism mainly after the end of the world war 2. But the main factor that made Mykonos worldwide famous and boost its tourism industry it was its tolerance towards gay and nudism. Mykonos has become the summer metropolis of many celebrities from Greece and from all over the world. Many celebrities from the world of music, finance, television, journalism, movies have build their super luxurious villas on Mykonos. The nightlife of Mykonos is to be compare with the nightlife of other famous islands and resorts in the Mediterranean like Majorca, Ibiza and saint Tropez. Mykonos is an island for holidays and fun. There are many Greek jokes about Mykonos especially that have to do with the famous mascot of Mykonos the Pelican.