"YASOO" History and romance is around every corner in Greece, the country of myth, legend, amazing scenery and with its 2,000-strong collection of islands you will find a holiday destination to suit everyone's needs.
My personal experience of Greece has been amazing, having lived in Crete for 2 years, working for Olympic Holidays I was able to travel to the majority of the main island stop overs not to mention visiting Athens the capital. Experiencing Greece as an LGBTQ+ traveller was actually a great experience. With Islands such as Mykonos with their iconic LGBTQ+ destinations, but equally had minimal challenges when it comes to visiting most of the Greek islands.
Of course, Greece is in Europe and comes with Equality laws that safe guards our rights, but I found Greece to be yes conservative but welcoming at the same time.
Having Worked for Olympic Holidays I know this company inside out and we welcome this company as one of our Travel Partners, Olympic Holidays is the UK’s leading specialists to Greece and have spent over 50 years developing their portfolio of idyllic destinations to take you to. So together we can plan an itinerary or holiday package to meet all your requirements and with the great advantage of flying from your local airport.
So we have come up with some information about some of the best destinations available to you in Greece.
Athens
Of all the destinations in Greece, Athens must be the city that everyone associates with the country – the capital of Greece and dominated by iconic 5th century BC landmarks such as the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with ancient buildings including the colonnaded Parthenon temple. This great city is a must-do for culture buffs but never fails to impress every visitor and since the 2.5 mile long, pedestrian only, tree-lined walkway was completed in 2004, skirting the foot of the Acropoios linking all the city’s major archaeological sites, this has made the city centre more walkable.
However, if its sun, sea, sand and a relaxing, chilled holiday you are looking for then the majority of UK travellers choose the Geek Islands, following in the footsteps of one of the greatest British poets, Lord Byron, who waxed lyrical about the Greek islands and who later in life joined the Greek War of Independence fighting the Ottoman Empire for which the Greeks revered him as a national hero.
But with more than 200 to choose from which ones are the very best!!
Rhodes should be top of your list – the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands, it is known for its beach resorts, ancient ruins and remnants of its occupation by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades. The town’s old quarter is an UNESCO World Heritage Site where Medieval knights once strode around its paved streets and where when the writer Lawrence Durrell arrived after World War 11 he found an island devastated by centuries of invaders and crusaders.
Since then Rhodes has reinvented itself as one of Greece’s top travel destinations with the big draw being the medieval citadel where if you take a stroll along the battlements you will discover Byzantine churches, Roman ruins, synagogues and minarets.
If you want to get away from the high-rise resorts travel south and find magnificent beaches such as Glystra, Tsambika, and Fourni. Picturesque villages such as Lindos with the Acropolis on top whilst inland there are alpine forests, hilltop castles and ancient ruins at Kamiros. On the southern tip of the island is the peninsula of Prasonisi where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean with one side calm and the other choppy – befitting this island of two halves!
Whether you arrive in search of buzzing nightlife, languid sun worshipping, diving in crystal-clear waters or to embark on a historic journey through past civilisations – it’s all here!
Corfu – another of the most popular islands – brought to life in the TV comedy-drama series ‘The Durrells’ which was based on the three autobiographical books of Gerald Durrell – it does really look like paradise on earth!
This island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded coast. There is plenty to see in Corfu and it is one of the greenest of the Greek islands thanks to the thousands of olive trees carpeting the landscape. Its cultural heritage reflects years spent under Venetian, French and British rule before it was united with Greece in 1864. Travel inland away from the tourist hotspots it is a more rural sleepy island and the old quarters of the east-coast capital, Corfu Town, have been designated a Unesco heritage site. There’s nothing else quite like it between here and Dubrovnik.
Crete, this is Greece’s largest island and the 5th largest in the Mediterranean and as the most southerly island in Greece is set apart from the other Greek Islands.
It is full of rural charm, famous archaeological sites and ancient treasures, seaside towns with superb beaches and fabulous seafood. You will come across dreamy villages where locals share their traditions and generous spirit and where the natural beauty of the island will not fail to captivate you.
The island is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty with resorts such as Chania – on the western side of Crete’s north coast with dramatic scenery and more than its fair share of great beaches – and is the perfect base from which to explore the island.
On the northern coast of the island you will find the picturesque fishing village of Elounda which has become increasingly popular in recent years mainly due to the nearby exclusive hotels attracting A-list celebrities and discerning tourists. However, the town itself remains mostly untouched by all this glitz and glamour and by night comes alive with the tavernas and bars around the harbour full of happy tourists enjoying the local fare. In the day the locals are at hand to take you fishing or a trip to the nearby Spinalonga Island, an interesting island which forms a natural defence for Elounda harbour and it is here that in 1579 the Venetians built a mighty fortress on the ruins of an ancient acropolis.
This distinctive and beautiful island makes holidays to Crete exceptional, unmistakable and with something to suit both couples and families.
Mykonos, infamous for it LGBTQ+ friendly environment and one of our most popular quick getaways in Europe. With its amazing restaurants and little boutique Hotels, we Love Mykonos and what she brings for the LGBTQ+ community. Mykonos is one of the group of islands known as the Cyclades, instantly recognisable for its immaculately whitewashed cube houses, churches topped with striking blue domes and the iconic 16th century windmills sitting on a hill above Mykonos town not forgetting its superb sandy beaches which some of the best in the Aegean Sea are.
Elegant boutiques, high quality shopping and being known for its summer party atmosphere has ensured that tourism is booming with new hotels, beach bars and restaurants being built to satisfy the demand especially with the sophisticated holidaymakers who like their getaways to have a bit of VIP style to them but with plenty of things to see and do and the best beaches and views.
Blessed with such riches, the popular island of Mykonos has something for everyone, and this paradise island has developed such an international reputation that it even draws in A-list celebrities all in search of that little piece of heaven?
Santorini, located in the southern Cyclades the island was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC which shaped its rugged landscape, it is one of the spectacles of the Mediterranean, lying in the midnight blue waters of the caldera (crater), the sheer lava cliffs layered in varicoloured rock looming overhead with whitewashed, cubiform houses perched on top looking as if they have had a dusting of snow!
Imagine idyllic white-washed villages, blue-domed churches, perfect blue skies and the most incredible sunsets and you’ll be thinking about holidays in Santorini. Said to be the Lost City of Atlantis, this unique, crescent shaped island possesses the most breathtaking views in all of the Greek islands . The volcanic nature of the island has resulted in a coastline of dark sandy beaches and the most spectacular interior imaginable so you won’t find golden sandy beaches here but seek out the towns of Kamari and Perissa and take some time out on the dramatic beaches to be found there. With dark grey sands and striking backdrops of jagged cliffs; Kamari has been given Blue Flag status and you can find lots of watersports at Perissa.
Santorini should definitely appear on your bucket list for its picture perfect credentials which together with some of the most luxurious boutique hotels in Greece sprinkled with some of the most breathtaking views you’ll ever see will ensure you the perfect holiday!
Our final destination is Katakolon, which lies on the Greek coast and is the port which serves as the gateway to Olympia which is about a 40 minute drive away. Here you will find the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Olympia where you can walk in the footsteps of early Greek and Roman athletes and with the commentary of a guide be transported back in time envisaging the once magnificent temples with history greats such as Alexander the Great, Nero, and Aristotle watching the athletes compete from where you are standing.
Although the town is mainly a stop to visit Olympia you will also find lots of tourist friendly sites nearby including the Municipal Museum of Ancient Greek Technology and the Katakolon Lighthouse which dates back to 1865. Boats bob in the harbor and cafes and shops line the waterfront with a small beach for swimmers.
beOUTbeFREE can fulfill your dreams and aspirations so contact us for help in planning your dream holiday to Greece or one of its spectacular islands available from our Travel Partner, Olympic Holidays
Call 01273 243 059– Speak to a Travel Butler.
Don’t forget without a Travel Agent you are on your own.
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