Melanie's Greek Experience
Yassou! (means Hello in Greek)
As the plane took off early Sunday morning from Winnipeg, I knew I would be back in 9 days. I was looking forward to just getting to Greece! I connected on a charter flight out of Toronto, which went via Montreal with Nolitours. Nolitours offers many pre-packaged holidays; there is one for everyone’s taste. They meet and greet you in the airport and are with you till the end, unless you select an independent itinerary, which includes transfers and some tours. The Greek language is very difficult -- I recommend having a tour guide. All tour guides in Greece have special schooling and have a special permit, and they all speak English and Greek. The pre-packaged itinerary we went on was the Aegean Splendour, which includes a 4-day Greek Island and Turkey cruise and 3 days in the city of Athens. While I was on the cruise we set port in Mykonos, Kusadasi in Turkey, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete and Santorini.
Planning your trip
The best part of travelling is planning your adventure. You never know everything until you arrive! The currency in Greece is the Euro dollar. I definitely recommend having a few euros on you at all times. ($100 or more euros) In the city there are ATMs available. Most places accept MasterCard and Visa. My favourite way to travel is with cash.
You definitely want to pack comfortable walking shoes for all the historical sites you will be visiting. The weather in Greece, in early May is still a little cool, from highs of 10-25. I recommend packing a light jacket and pants. The temperature does increase in June, July and August to highs of 30. Perfect beach weather! There are lots of beaches to enjoy in Greece.
Restaurants, Food and Entertainment
Greece has it all -- from small vendors on the street to fancy rooftop restaurants. While shopping in the markets you can grab a Greek Gyro (famous hot sandwich) and continue on your way. They also have people in the streets trying to get you to eat in their restaurants, showing you the menu. These people make commission if you go in and eat. Lamb is very popular in Greece. Anywhere you go guaranteed it’s on the menu. I ate Greek food everyday! I loved it. You can purchase olives, olive oil, and fresh spices to bring home to recreate your own Greek meal.
A typical Greek meal:
- Kalamari for an appetizer, deep-fried squid served with Tsatziki sauce, the famous cucumber dill dip.
- The soup they serve is Soupa Nisiotiki, a hearty seafood ensemble.
- The salad is called Zorba, which is a greek salad, cucumbers, onions, olives and tomatoes.
- The main entrée: Souvlaki, sticks of meat, usually lamb.
- And for dessert, which is really neat, Theepless, which looks like a donut. It's honey-dipped fried batter. Yummy for honey lovers.
We went down to the Plaka one night to see a typical Greek show -- Greek men dancing and singing Opa while they smash plates on their heads.
Tour Highlights:
Mykonos is one of the most typical islands; it’s full of shops, white chapels and cubic houses, which are whitewashed twice a year. Mykonos also has tons of beautiful beaches. The town of Kusadasi is located within walking distance from the port.
My best excursion in Turkey was Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus had a population of 250 000 people. The city was built of marble. There are lots of shops and great buys such as Turkish carpets, leatherwear and jewellery. In the bazaar area you will find Turkish souvenirs such as Turkish delight, apple tea, souvenir spoons and Turkish teacups. Don’t forget to bargain.
The island of Rhodes was one of my personal favourites. The great island of Rhodes is a walled town. Rhodes is Greece’s largest cosmopolitan resort, accommodating over 800 000 visitors annually. Rhodes has the old walled city and the new town, which is built in the walled city. The Palace of the Grand Master and the street of the Knights are a must-see. We also visited Lindos, which is located 56 kms drive along the east coast. The entire town has been officially designated an archaeological site. The island of Rhodes has tons of beaches, all of them public.
The island of Crete is the Mediterranean’s fourth largest island. Crete offers lots of different accommodations from small hotels to large beautiful resorts.
Santorini is one of the most beautiful places in Greece. Santorini has amazing views throughout the island and unique beaches.
Once we finished our cruise we had 3 days in Athens. We visited the Acropolis and the Parthenon. The Acropolis is the one historical site you cannot miss. It is absolutely amazing! Built between 447 and 432 B.C., the Acropolis was dedicated to Athena Parthenon, the Patron Goddess of Athens. Because Athens hosted the Olympics in 2004, the city has undergone massive renovations. The city looks wonderful. Athens offers lots of different shopping choices, including high-end shopping in the Kolonaki area. The Plaka is full of neat little shops, including a large market packed with tavernas, restaurants, discos and bars. Loved it!
From Athens I went on a day tour of Delphi. Delphi is the most popular archaeological site in Greece. It’s about a 3-hour bus ride north of Athens. Delphi in ancient times was considered the centre of the known world.
Greece is for people who want to relax on an island, for people who are history buffs, for people who want to spoil themselves in a 5-star resort with a private pool and beach, for people who love adventure, for people who want a learning experience, for people celebrating a honeymoon or an anniversary, for people who are looking to get away!
Efkharristo — Thank you!
Call or email Melanie for your Greek holiday today!
