This Blog will give you useful information about traveling to Greece and the Greek islands. How to make your holiday magical and leave as Greeks while you are here. Showing you not the tourist site of Greece but the one I see.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Weddings in Greece
Greece is a wonderful country for your wedding, anniversary or any special occasion. Getting married on a beautiful Greek Island is now easier than ever. Most of the ceremony are held in the islands of Santorini, Corfu, Mykonos and Rhodes where foreign weddings are more common because they are such popular tourist destinations. It is possible to have a ceremony anywhere in Greece. Outdoor, indoor, in the beach , at Church virtually anywhere. Santorini is the most popular wedding destination in Greece (for non-Greeks) because of its breathtaking position on the Aegean Sea--1,000 feet above it, that is, and perched on the rim of a volcano. Endless beaches stretching with white, black and red sand, and blood-red sunsets make the small Greek isle one of the top wedding destination locations in the world.
Wedding Planning On A Budget
Getting married in a foreign country requires a lot of paperwork and red tape. There are many professional legal consultants who can handle all of the paperwork and legal hassle for you; these professionals can be found through Greek wedding package services. If you plan to do the wedding on your own, getting married first in your country followed by a spiritual ceremony in Greece is also a hassle-free option. Foreign nationals who wish to have their wedding in Greece can do so in either a civil ceremony performed by a mayor or in a religious ceremony performed by a priest, or both. The couple has to be in Greece for eight days prior to the wedding day! Most church weddings in Greece are Orthodox, but Catholic, Jewish and even Buddhist weddings are possible as well. Civil weddings don’t necessarily have to be performed at a town hall, but can take place in other locations as well, with the permission of the local Mayor.
Labels:
anniversary,
ceremony,
corfu,
greece,
honeymoon,
myconos,
santorinian wines,
wedding
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Find job in Greece
Many people especially the young students try to obtain a job while traveling. It is very easy to do so but you will not be able to do it in advance. Most seasonal employers on the islands will not commit in advance. They would like to see you and make sure that you will be there when they need you. Don’t worry about finding a job because the work is always more than the help available. Every restaurant, bar, coffee shop is willing to hire new faces. Just be prepare if you want to save money you will be able to do that but the work is usually more than eight hours per day more like 10-12 and there is not day off from the beginning of the summer till the end (6 months). Many employers will offer you food and place to stay and because you will be working hard for many hours every day you will be able to save your salary.
If you do come and you need work only to socialize and make some small amount of money for expenses you can negotiate with the employers for a half time working day. For young person working in a Greek island for a few hours per day can make your holiday very rewarding because you will meet many people and learn the culture and the language without any hustle. So my advice to you is: book your holiday, see how long you can stay, and while here go around the island (anyone) and ask the locals for job. Know exactly how many hours you would like to work and don’t worry I haven’t see a person leaving from here because he hasn’t got a job.
Living & Working in Greece: Your Guide to a Successful Short or Long-Term Stay (How to)
If you do come and you need work only to socialize and make some small amount of money for expenses you can negotiate with the employers for a half time working day. For young person working in a Greek island for a few hours per day can make your holiday very rewarding because you will meet many people and learn the culture and the language without any hustle. So my advice to you is: book your holiday, see how long you can stay, and while here go around the island (anyone) and ask the locals for job. Know exactly how many hours you would like to work and don’t worry I haven’t see a person leaving from here because he hasn’t got a job.
Living & Working in Greece: Your Guide to a Successful Short or Long-Term Stay (How to)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Few traveling tips for Greece
Tips for traveling
• Try not to do so much on holiday. Yes is it possible to do island hoping and visit few islands for a week but put is mind the joys of Greece is the laid back life style.
• Try to travel light. You can get away with very little. Greece is very informal country, especially in the summer.
• Get a hold of a travel guide, for example Fromer or Lonely Planet. (link a travel guide for sale)
• Determine how much time you have in total.
• Determine what you are interested in, ie., beaches, architecture, art, ruins, mountains, etc
• Having a cell phone that works in Greece makes this sort of thing much more manageable, by the way. If you're going to be in Greece traveling independently, I recommend buying a pay-as-you-go Greek phone or a SIM card if your phone is unlocked. This gives you an easy Greek number for Greeks to contact you on, and can help you get those last-second directions or corrections easily.
• The earlier you book your flight the more inexpensive seats will be available. Very good offers usually on January and February
• ATM's are everywhere. Use your credit card to get money but for restaurants and shops it is better to use cash. In fact when you buy from a shop ask if there is a difference in price if you pay in cash instead of with your credit cards.
• A pre-arranged taxi transfer from the airport usually costs twice as much as a regular street taxi.
• If you need medicine feel free to ask the pharmacist all the questions you have about that medicine because in Greece all the prescriptions that comes with that medicine are in Greek language.
Check this book it may be useful to you.
A Foxy Old Woman's Guide to Traveling Alone: Around Town and Around the World
• Try not to do so much on holiday. Yes is it possible to do island hoping and visit few islands for a week but put is mind the joys of Greece is the laid back life style.
• Try to travel light. You can get away with very little. Greece is very informal country, especially in the summer.
• Get a hold of a travel guide, for example Fromer or Lonely Planet. (link a travel guide for sale)
• Determine how much time you have in total.
• Determine what you are interested in, ie., beaches, architecture, art, ruins, mountains, etc
• Having a cell phone that works in Greece makes this sort of thing much more manageable, by the way. If you're going to be in Greece traveling independently, I recommend buying a pay-as-you-go Greek phone or a SIM card if your phone is unlocked. This gives you an easy Greek number for Greeks to contact you on, and can help you get those last-second directions or corrections easily.
• The earlier you book your flight the more inexpensive seats will be available. Very good offers usually on January and February
• ATM's are everywhere. Use your credit card to get money but for restaurants and shops it is better to use cash. In fact when you buy from a shop ask if there is a difference in price if you pay in cash instead of with your credit cards.
• A pre-arranged taxi transfer from the airport usually costs twice as much as a regular street taxi.
• If you need medicine feel free to ask the pharmacist all the questions you have about that medicine because in Greece all the prescriptions that comes with that medicine are in Greek language.
Check this book it may be useful to you.
A Foxy Old Woman's Guide to Traveling Alone: Around Town and Around the World
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Economic Crisis in the tourist sector in Greece
People will still take their holiday/vacation but will look to spend less by staying closer to home or going to a lower economy country, such as our neighbors, Turkey or Bulgaria. Greek news points 70 % down fall on the tourist flow (at the beginning of the summer) this year but the truth is that I see same tourist flow as the previous year. Maybe Santorini is a fortunate island and have his regular visitors. Of course Brits are not happy with the downfall of the British pound as it is almost the same as Euro 1 Euro to 1,11 Pound. But they still love Greece and Thanks God they are still here. English people are still our main tourists. French, German and Italian comes only for two months in a busy season. American do not travel as they used to. As you know Greece is a tourist country and most of the native wait only on tourism to survive. Here people work six months per year and the other six months they wait the summer to start. So if you are planning to come to Greece don’t worry you are not alone you will still find friends here.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Best time to travel to Greece
The best time to travel to the Greek Islands is end of May beginning of June and September to mid October. In May and June the water it’s still not so hot but the island are quite the service stuff is not tired yet from the crowd so you can have a very peaceful holiday.
Me personally prefer September. Water is still warm, crowd is less and full services are still in operation. Weather is perfect not so hot like in August and not cold like in October in day time bearable hot and in the night cool. I wish it could stay like that the whole season. Most of the taverns and restaurant have a person outside in the door that welcome people but it is not like host. Here we call it “kamaki” which it’s not so good word but it is used for the job that persons does. Basically they are trying to pull passing people in by advertizing the menu or offering some free wine with the diner or just trying to get friendly with you so you choose this place for dinning. This is not legal job but it is done everywhere. Sometime it is very annoying but no place could work without kamaki. The restaurants and taverns are so close to each other and they offer similar food so it is very difficult to choose where you will be dining and usually the kamaki is the face that you remember from the place and then comes the service and the food.
Nightly percent of the service stuff in the restaurants and hotels are not Greeks. All those people are seasonal workers that go to their countries during the winter or Athens. Very few of them stay in the Islands during the winter period working mainly constructions. You will be wonder or how many people with different nationalities could work in one restaurant and they all find a common ground for six months , seven days per week 10 to 12 hours per day. English is universal language and if you speak it you won’t have any problem communicating. Of course many of the service stuff speak more than one language so don’t be wonder when the waiter/waitress speaks with you English with next table customer Italian and give the order in Greek and still hasn’t spoken his/her native tong.
About Beaches they range from pebbles to fine sand so having beach shoes with you could be useful. I will cover Beaches in my next blog entry. They are many different type of Beaches and each Island have his own distinguish look.
Me personally prefer September. Water is still warm, crowd is less and full services are still in operation. Weather is perfect not so hot like in August and not cold like in October in day time bearable hot and in the night cool. I wish it could stay like that the whole season. Most of the taverns and restaurant have a person outside in the door that welcome people but it is not like host. Here we call it “kamaki” which it’s not so good word but it is used for the job that persons does. Basically they are trying to pull passing people in by advertizing the menu or offering some free wine with the diner or just trying to get friendly with you so you choose this place for dinning. This is not legal job but it is done everywhere. Sometime it is very annoying but no place could work without kamaki. The restaurants and taverns are so close to each other and they offer similar food so it is very difficult to choose where you will be dining and usually the kamaki is the face that you remember from the place and then comes the service and the food.
Nightly percent of the service stuff in the restaurants and hotels are not Greeks. All those people are seasonal workers that go to their countries during the winter or Athens. Very few of them stay in the Islands during the winter period working mainly constructions. You will be wonder or how many people with different nationalities could work in one restaurant and they all find a common ground for six months , seven days per week 10 to 12 hours per day. English is universal language and if you speak it you won’t have any problem communicating. Of course many of the service stuff speak more than one language so don’t be wonder when the waiter/waitress speaks with you English with next table customer Italian and give the order in Greek and still hasn’t spoken his/her native tong.
About Beaches they range from pebbles to fine sand so having beach shoes with you could be useful. I will cover Beaches in my next blog entry. They are many different type of Beaches and each Island have his own distinguish look.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Come to Patras Carnival
The Patras Carnival, is the largest event of its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe. It is 160 years old. The events begin on 17th of January and last up to Clean Monday. The carnival of Patras includes balls, parades, hunting of hidden treasure, kids’ carnival etc. Its characteristics are spontaneity, improvisation, inspiration and volunteerism. It is a lot of fun.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Greek Wines
Let’s start with Resina. What the local people said about this wine is that you either love it or hate it there is no middle with it. As a wine it is not very expensive and while in Greece it is good to try it. Resins are used for the preparation of this wine and it is store in a pine barrels.
Now a day’s Resina is offered mainly to tourists. Greek people drink Ouzo, Raki (Tsipouro) and red or white wine mostly. Some taverns offered their own wine which doesn’t damage the Greek wine reputation in either way.
Greek wines today share the same high quality like some of the best wines of the world. Getting popularity: the Asirtiko, the Roditis, the Moscofilero, the Agiorgitiko.
Island of Santorini produce many different wines from very dry to very sweet. While here try the “Santorini” wine from Boutary winery which is fresh, dry white one. Another great taste wine is Niktery from Santo Winery, which is barrel aged white wine, Mavratiro-barrel aged dark red, sweet wine and Caldera – red dry. There is another sweet red wine that taste like a sherry called Visanto.
Santorini have 13 Wineries which are promoting high quality wines.
• Gavalas Vineyard
• Gaia Wines
• Santo Wines
• Canava Roussos
• Argyros Estate
• Kasteli Wines
• Domaine Sigalas
• Antoniou Winery
• Volcan Wines
• Boutari Winery
• Hatzidakis Winery
• Santorini Winery
The wines are made naturally withought any chemicals. Many factors affect the production of the wine such as volcanic soil.
You can do a tour so you will see how the wine is made. All local travel agency can offer you a winery tour. It is basically a Smart busses that will take you with one ticket all over the island. You can get out of the bus and take it again when you are ready. You will be able to taste 6-7 different wines and have a portion of chesses looking at the Caldera 300 meters above the water.
If you decided to taste the house wine in the taverns you may find your favorite wine as well. Usually prices are very low for Santorinian wines but don’t think that the quality is low as well.
You can check this book and become an expert:
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter (Hinges of History)"
Now a day’s Resina is offered mainly to tourists. Greek people drink Ouzo, Raki (Tsipouro) and red or white wine mostly. Some taverns offered their own wine which doesn’t damage the Greek wine reputation in either way.
Greek wines today share the same high quality like some of the best wines of the world. Getting popularity: the Asirtiko, the Roditis, the Moscofilero, the Agiorgitiko.
Island of Santorini produce many different wines from very dry to very sweet. While here try the “Santorini” wine from Boutary winery which is fresh, dry white one. Another great taste wine is Niktery from Santo Winery, which is barrel aged white wine, Mavratiro-barrel aged dark red, sweet wine and Caldera – red dry. There is another sweet red wine that taste like a sherry called Visanto.
Santorini have 13 Wineries which are promoting high quality wines.
• Gavalas Vineyard
• Gaia Wines
• Santo Wines
• Canava Roussos
• Argyros Estate
• Kasteli Wines
• Domaine Sigalas
• Antoniou Winery
• Volcan Wines
• Boutari Winery
• Hatzidakis Winery
• Santorini Winery
The wines are made naturally withought any chemicals. Many factors affect the production of the wine such as volcanic soil.
You can do a tour so you will see how the wine is made. All local travel agency can offer you a winery tour. It is basically a Smart busses that will take you with one ticket all over the island. You can get out of the bus and take it again when you are ready. You will be able to taste 6-7 different wines and have a portion of chesses looking at the Caldera 300 meters above the water.
If you decided to taste the house wine in the taverns you may find your favorite wine as well. Usually prices are very low for Santorinian wines but don’t think that the quality is low as well.
You can check this book and become an expert:
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter (Hinges of History)"
Labels:
greek wine,
retsina,
santorinian wines,
winery
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Non-touristic spots in Greece
If you are looking for a small, non-touristic spot somewhere to relax and enjoy for a few weeks you can visit Paros and Naxos. It’s very easy to get to those islands as ferries run frequently and the tickets are very cheap. They are closed to many other island so if you don’t like one you can always move easily to another. You can rent car or moped and explore the islands. Paros is much smaller than Naxos but they are very similar. Santorini is different more touristic but still you can fine some places where you can relax and enjoy. Next to Santorini hour and half away is a island called Anafy. This one it’s not very popular and has hand full of people. If you decided to go there you will have the beach for yourself. On territory the island is larger than Santorini and you can get there for maximum 10 Euro with a ferryboat from Santorinan port. You can go in the morning and come back in the next day to Santorini. Another quite island is located close to Naxos. It is very small and it’s called Koufonissi. For few days there you will get to know everyone on the island. Try to go there June or September if you go there in August you will see only Greek people and it will be very noisy and hectic.
I will mention just few others small islands that I love:
• Alonissos -Sporades Island. Green and fertile, perfect for walking and nature-loving people. You can go to this island by flying to Skiathos, followed by a 75-min. ferry transfer.
• Paxos -Ionian Island. Here you can enjoy old architecture, wild flowers, wooden landscape and white pebble cover. You can go to this island by flying to Corfu, followed by a ferry transfer.
• Ithaca - home of Odyssey and visitors can discover the legendary places mentioned in Homer’s The Odyssey. It is a great place for people interested in history and archaeology. Many ancient monasteries. You can get to this island by flying to Kafalonia, followed by a ferry transfer.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Why not Aegina Island?
Arriving at Athens airport it will take you 30 min with taxi or 45 min with metro to get to Piraeus harbor. Aegina is the closes island to main land and very popular in 70s and 80s. Now it is very quite but still very beautiful, full of wonderful architecture. Aegina town is the capital and is a very busy place in the summer - mainly Greeks. They are many lovely taverns with excellent food. Seafood is always fresh and the variety is indescribable.
There are many smaller villages dotted around the island and you will need a car or a bike to get around. My favorite is Agia Marina. Small village it has a port attached to it so you can take a boat straight from Piraeus to Agia Marina. Very beautiful, great for swimming water is crystal clear and you can see crabs crowing 4-5 miters on the bottom of the sea. Have privet places for swimming and places for beach volleyball. The small taverns are very traditional you can witness the actual fishing and then order the food.
Fifteen years ago I came on holiday and met my husband in Agia Marina. There are no British Tour Operators going to Aegina anymore but I do recommend this island for newlywed. It is quite, romantic, natural and very exotic. If you do come to Athens you can come and stay in Aegina even for a day or two it is totally worth it.
There is a monastery in the center of the island there is an old abandon village just above so you can spend a whole day there exploring the ancients.
If you take the bus to Agios Marina from Aegina harbor you will see Agios Nectarios Monastery.
In 1904 at the request of several nuns, the monastery was established for them.
Now people come for pilgrimage, wandering to the patron saint, the last canonized symbol of the Greek-Orthodox Church.
Very special place to visit is Athea tample (it is a small version of Acropolis). The temple, which is quite well preserved, was built in the Doric style; some of the 22 limestone columns (5,27 m - 17,25 ft high) are monolithic. Dates from the beginning of the 5 C. BC and was dedicated to Aphaia, a local divinity.
Also you can book small excursion and visit for one day another three islands Agistri, Poros and Hydra from Saronic gulf close to Aegina. It is a very pleasant journey and even close to each other they are all very different.
Nice site that I found for Aegina click to check it. They have nice photos of the places and lot of information about the island.
Famous food that this island produces is Aegina Pistachio Nuts. Greece is famous worldwide for the "Aegina pistachios", one of the best varieties in the world.
If you are wondering where to go next try this island you can have it all for yourself.
Labels:
aegina,
agina marina,
agios nectarios monastery,
agistri,
athea tample,
hudra,
pistachio nuts,
poros
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Impression from Santorini
What is my first impression from Santorini? Strange, black, burnt island. Very little to do stay on the beach and eat in the Greek taverns. Well it wasn't like that at all. I came to visit and I end up staying for a summer then getting married and leaving here for the last 8 years. It is still a strange little island but now doesn't look bad to me. Some local people think that Atlantis was berried here close to the shore. Few years ago they even got a small submarine looking for it. There are many things that you could do in Santorini like water sports, diving, clubbing. You can get certified diver and explore the caldera site of the island which is really very unique. The food is great. You have to be very careful and watch your weight because the food is delicious. The traditional places to eat in Greece are the taverns. When in the tavern you may start with saganaki (fried cheese) usually made of "kefalotiry" but i will get in details latter. Then a tzatziki (yogurt, garlic, cucumber and dill with olive oil), continue with horiatiki (Greek salad) and barbounia (red mullet). For dessert you may have many option but my favorite is baklava (cinnamon pastry with walnuts and honey). There so many choices that it is difficult to keep in shape.
Welcome to Milena's Blog
This blog will be about people who love traveling to Greece. Come every year enjoy their holiday, feel a little “Greekanize” and as soon as they get back home they book another holiday for next year. I’ve worked for many years in the tourist industry in a different islands and I happened to meet many friends to whom I making this blog.
I am intending to connect as many of my friends as I can and remind them for the good time they had here in Greece. Many of them want to come and leave in Greece and I will be happy to help them gather the information they need for that. Even if you want to make a Greek night at home this is the right blog to be. I will try to show you not the tourist parts of Greece but the one that I see every day of my life.
This week I will contact many of my friends and put in mind that you may know the people who will write in this blog or you may make new friends for your future holiday. You will be surprise how many new things you may learn about a place that you probably go every year.
I am intending to connect as many of my friends as I can and remind them for the good time they had here in Greece. Many of them want to come and leave in Greece and I will be happy to help them gather the information they need for that. Even if you want to make a Greek night at home this is the right blog to be. I will try to show you not the tourist parts of Greece but the one that I see every day of my life.
This week I will contact many of my friends and put in mind that you may know the people who will write in this blog or you may make new friends for your future holiday. You will be surprise how many new things you may learn about a place that you probably go every year.
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