| Destination: Greece |
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By Adele Woodyard
October 2003
Continued from page 1
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While in Northern Greece, many visitors take a side trip to the three-pronged Halkidiki Peninsula washed by the Aegean Sea while the Kassandra coastline to the west offers extensive sandy beaches. On the east, Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries and monks that have practiced the life and religion of the Byzantines for more than 1,000 years. Accessible by boat, men can get a permit to enter the territory, but no women are allowed.
Kavala, built on the slopes of Mount Simvolo, boasts excellent beaches and overlooks a harbor filled with brightly colored fishing cacques. Xanthi, being closer to the Turkish border, has Ottoman houses, stately old mansions, and a resident mix of Muslims, Christians, and Gypsies.
Volos -- Land of myths
Nestled at the foot of Mount Pelion on the Pagasitic Gulf, this city of 71,000 is the capital and economic center of Magnesia. Myth has it as the site where Jason and the Argonauts set sail in their quest for the Golden Fleece.
Although Magnesia was among the first areas in Greece to be inhabited, modern Volos was founded in the 19th century. An archaeological museum features artifacts from the Bronze Age, while the town hall displays works by modern Greek artists. An old-fashioned steam train has been put back in operation for a short, fun ride over the old urban line to Milies.
Northeast of Volos is Pelion, land of the mythical half-man, half-horse creatures with enormous sex drives known as centaurs. The elbow-shaped peninsula embracing the gulf has thick forests and sandy beaches. Among its many villages perched on wooded slopes is Makrinitsa, near Volos. A summer resort at Tsangarada overlooks the Aegean.
www.aroundpelion.com
Patras -- Bars and cathedrals
The third most populous city in Greece, Patras has the dubious distinction of having the second largest number of bars of any European city. Neoclassical mansions, the Cathedral of St. Andrew (the apostle who was martyred here), the Castle, and an archeological museum are among this city's major attractions.
Patras is in the Peloponnese, a hand-shaped peninsula attached to the mainland by the 5-mile wide Isthmus of Corinth. A fortress at the top of Acocorinth in ancient Corinth contains the remains of the Temple of Aphrodite. Here it is said sacred courtesans once initiated disciples into the mysteries of love.
The Peloponnese region is said to contain the country's best archaeological sites and most stunning scenery. Within the peninsula you will find ancient Olympia where the original games were held until Theodosius the Great abolished them in 393.
Sparta is a simple town in a river valley that, along with Athens, was once the most powerful city-state in Greece. Ancient Spartans were known for their military discipline that began in childhood. A staple drink was a broth made of pig's blood, vinegar, and salt. However, the Spartans' austere lifestyle saw them leave few monuments for posterity.
Further south is the harsh barren land of the Mani, which is noted for savage family feuds and fierce resistance to foreign rule. (Maniots assassinated Greece's first president.) These ferocious warriors lived in towers, many of which now have been converted into guest houses.
A popular getaway for Europeans, Monemvasia, which means one way, is a citadel of vertical cliffs and often is referred to as the Gibraltar of the Mediterranean. Connected to the mainland by a causeway, no cars or bikes are allowed through the gate. Climb a steep path to the summit for a magnificent view and the faded frescoes of the Aga Sophia, a 12th century Byzantine church perched on the edge of the rock. Since most former residents live in nearby Geyfra, many stone houses are now holiday homes and hotels.
At Mycenae, also known as Mikines, walk through the Lion Gate, which is the oldest example of monumental structure in Europe. Walls constructed of boulders weighing as much as six tons are held in place with smaller stones. Inside the ruins are a palace complex, six royal tombs, and houses. The Treasure of Atreus, or beehive tomb of Agamemnon, was uncovered on a nearby hill.
Iraklion -- Capital of Crete
The third most populous city in Greece, Patras has the dubious distinction of having the second largest number of bars of any European city. Neoclassical mansions, the Cathedral of St. Andrew (the apostle who was martyred here), the Castle, and an archeological museum are among this city's major attractions.
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