Sunday, April 19, 2009

Hotel Blue Palace, Thassos

Beautiful hotel at Tripity beach, 4* Blue Palace, (Thassos island), will be ready at May, 1st. Hotel offers swimming pool (in the garden of 550 square metres), one indoor swimming pool with jets and jacuzzi, waterslides, 2 restaurants - 1 indoors and a taverna on the beach, weekly quizzes and cabaret, lounge with TV, bar area, beach bar, tennis, pool table, table tennis,gym, sauna, whirlpool bath and steam bath...

















Thursday, April 16, 2009

Samothraki island (Samothrace)

"Long a vacation secret of the northern Greeks, Samothrace (or Samothraki) is beginning to open to international tourists—particularly those who enjoy nature in its wilder forms. According to Homer, Samothrace was the island from which Poseidon watched the fall of Troy."

Edward Batchelder
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"It is one of the last truly virgin islands of Greece, where modern civilization has made an exception and hasn’t ruined its natural beauty. Samothraki is an island that wins you over with only one visit and will enchant you with the crystal waters of its waterfalls, its lush vegetation as well as its imposing mountain Saos. From the peak of this mountain, Fengari, Poseidon reputedly watched the development of the Trojan war."





































Samothraki a place of rough beauty and rich Mediterranean variety.
The island lies about 30 km in the Southwest of Alexandroupolis. The size is 180sq.km.Alexandroupolis is the port where you can get a ferry to the island. It is en eliptical island very mountainous and the highest peak of the mount is Fengari. It is the highest mountain in the Aegean at 1611 meters. It's an amazing view when you approach from Alexandroupolis and you see the islands shape appear from the haze.


Even though Samothraki has many natural beauties and charms to offer its visitors, it has stayed away from tourist expansion. This only makes it more beautiful. Because the island is off the beaten track it is relatively difficult to reach for tourists, so allmost all of the visitiors are Greeks. But the island has many things to offer for someone who decides to go there for vacations.

The main port of the island is called Kamariotissa and is located on the northwest coast of the island. It has an adequate tourist infrastructure, a bus station, and is the base for the caiques to the southern coast, the sand beach of Pachia Ammos, and the waterfall at Kremasto Nero (Hanging Water), also in the south. This is a small village that consists mostly of a long narrow main street that runs along the harbor's edge. Here you'll find a string of cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, occasional shops offering souvenirs or beach essentials, a few banks, the island's only internet café, and most of its car and motorcycle rentals. Kamariotissa is, in summer, non-stop traffic. There are hotels and apartments in town, but Samothrace's beauty lies along the north shore.



















If you head out of town on the main road for about 14 km, you will come to Therma. It's the alternative nightlife spot on the island and the site of the island's mineral springs, that attracts both the elderly and infirm and the young and New Age-ish.

The main town, Chora, is six kilometers inland from the port, and has a lovely, quiet, and picturesque atmosphere. It is concealed in a natural amphitheater in the mountain—a better to hide it from pirates during the medieval period. It's a small and charming town of narrow streets that twist their ways up and down along the hillside, and the central section offers a number of popular restaurants, Greek-style kafeneion with their tables spilling out onto the street, and trendy Western-styled cafés, many with beautiful views over the sea. There is also island's small hospital, folklore museum, and the ruins of a fort.
The entire island displays a raw and wild beauty, with and sheer drops into green gorges, creating waterfalls and natural pools. Much of the southern portion of the island is inhospitable though outstanding for its natural beauty. The southern coast is reached by caique, an excellent way to see some of the rugged beauty of the island. Its nearly 3,000 inhabitants concern themselves primarily with farming, fishing, and tourism. On Samothraki you will find nature at its best, with outstanding landscapes and marvelous walks, hot springs at Loutra on the northeast coast, and wonderful archaeological sites, the most important of which is the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.























Finally there are the beaches, although stoney and pebbly, they are beautiful and very clean.
Pachia Ammos i the most famous beach on the south shore about 15 km from Kamariotissa. The beach offers 800 meters of sand and protected swimming, offering a beach bar, an excellent fish taverna, fresh-water showers, and chaise lounges with sun umbrellas. The beach is accessible by bus from Kamariotissa.




Kipos lies about 18 km east of Therma on the north shore road, and also can be reached by bus. It offers very comfortable sunbathing, crystal-clear water for snorkeling and diving, and an strong dose of peace and solitude (although there is a small food stand).











The Vathos beach can only be reached by tour boat or several hours of hiking from Pachia Ammos. Nearly the entire north shore of Samothrace functions as a beach. The road follows the sea closely, and there are innumerable quiet spots where visitors pull off and walk down to claim their own private pebble beach nestled in the curve of the shoreline.






































There are many archaeological remains worth visiting on the island.

Samothraki's ancient site is at Paleopolis. The Sanctuary of the Great Gods can be found there. It is one of the most evocative ancient sites. The rites performed here remain unknown to our date, and this mysticism prevails throughout the whole island.


Samothraki became worldwide known after the beautiful statue Victory of Samothraki which now decorates the Louvre Museum. The statue was discovered in 1863, made of marble and is thought that has been created as a monument for an important Greek naval martial victory. It is a female winged body that descended from the sky in the prow of a boat. Its feathers look like tearing its dress, which "is caressed" softly by the wind, showing off its strong body and its legs, while the drapery of its dress give emphasis in swirling movements. Niki of Samothrace is an unimpeachable sample of the sculptures of Hellenistic period. The name of its creator is unknown.
In July and August it may be somewhat difficult to find a room, so do reserve it in advance. Almost all the big hotels have been built in the 80s with a very sensitive notion to their environment. But they are a bit expensive. Yet, you can find places such as rooms or domatia for every budget category.

Most hotels are at Kamariotissa, Therma and Palaiopoli, while rooms are let at Hora and Karyotes. There is also a camping site at a short distance from Therma.

Some of the famous products of the island are olives, olive oil, cottage cheese, honey and goat meat. Hora is well known for its walnut and apricot traditional preserves. There is fish but mainly what you may find is goat meat like the tasty semi-savage goat on the spit which is something that the visitors have to try.

All the island is very green, you can see there plenty of valleys full of oak and plane trees, thick forests of olive trees, very dense shrubbery, and beautiful wild flowers.




















There is plenty of water on the island, there are many waterfalls that flow into deep cold pools, like Fonias and Gria Vathra, that are very nice to bath on the hot summer days.
The island is very rich in animal life. In the many springs you can find many kinds of frogs, toads, and turtles. The meadows are also rich of butterflies. Plenty of goats on the rocky mountainside are clanking their bells in the form of an idyllic melody.
Some of pictures I borrowed from www.samothrakiphotos.com. Take a look at this beutiful blog about Samothraki with hundreds beautiful photos...

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Mykonos island

"It is by now a common secret that the moment anyone sets foot on Mykonos something happens to them. An invisible electric cable surrounds every visitor causing an inner craze that will soon lead to the first symptoms of a non-stop ecstasy. Is it the landscape? Is it the winds that blow you away? Is it the beautiful and glamourous faces that flood the island? Whatever it is, Mykonos is Numero Uno and wishes you a great vacation!" www.mjourney.com/destinations























Although one of the smallest islands of the Cyclades complex, Mykonos is definitely the most famous, thanks to its natural beauty, rich history, cosmopolitan character, wild nightlife...
















It is also the most expensive island of Greece.



















It attract very wealthy tourist and celebrities from all over the world.

Also it is still one of the favourite holiday destination of Greeks from all over the country.

All over the social classes can enjoy the beautiful and cosmopolitan island of Mykonos.

Mykonos has a crazy and diversified night-life.

The island is also famous as a Greek capital and oasis for homosexuals. It is considered as one of the top gay destinations in Europe.

Direct international charter flights and regular domestic flights from Athens serve frequently, during summer, the airport of Mykonos.

Mykonos gets really overcrowded during peak season but for those who enjoy the crowd, great fun and all night long entertainment, holidays in Mykonos are ideal.

Most of the people are concentrated in the capital Hora, or Mykonos Town.

Mykonos is also very beautiful with a wonderful mountainous landscape, clear waters, long sandy beaches, beautiful churches, chapels and windmills and picturesque villages.

The capital of the island, Hora or Mykonos Town is one of the most beautiful little cities of the Cyclades.

It is representative of the island’s architecture which is typically Cycladic with white cubic houses with flat roofs, blue doors and windows, narrow streets, flowered balconies and magical atmosphere.

Many movies have been set in Mykonos because of it's beauty.

The island is part of the Aegean group of island called Cyclades and lies between Tinos, Syros, Naxos and Paros.


As a typical Cycladic island, Mykonos’ landscape is very stony and hilly and almost without trees, with only a few olive trees and a few bushes.

Delos and Rhenia are the islets surrounding Mykonos and they were Greece’s most important spiritual centres during ancient times with Delphi and the acropolis of Athens.
Mykonos is famous also for its beautiful golden sandy beaches and clear waters. There is a beach for every taste: nudists, party people, families and those who seeking a break from the madness of Mykonos.








The beaches on the south shore of the island have the best sand, view and are protected from the Meltemi, the local Cycladic wind. In the afternoons they are just overcrowded. The north coast beaches are less developed but just as beautiful. They are less organized and crowded and for those who look for calm. To reach them, one will need a private car or motorbike for no bus serves them, explaining why they are more peaceful.


Beaches:


Psarou: Fully organised beach offering water sports (including a diving school) attracting thousands of visitors during summer.


















Platis Gialos: About 4 km from the center of Mykonos town. It is one of the longest beaches on Mykonos. From here one may hire a small boat to visit other beaches like Paradise, Super Paradise etc. There is a very good connection by bus with Mykonos town, till very late at night.










Paranga: One of the island's smallest beaches, it is a combination of two sandy beaches separated by a headland. Although organised, it has a new-age feel about it, with fine sand and huge rocks juxtaposed with blue water. The beach can be reached by bus or by a 15 minute walk from Platis Gialos.



















Paradise is famous as one of the best party beaches in Greece, nudist friendly, attracting mostly a young population by all day and all night parties. It is reachable by a footpath from Plati Gialo, by bus or by small boat.











Super Paradise: Nice small beach with calm water, rugged landscape to enjoy. It is famous for nudism and homosexuals. Has parties with very loud music all over the day and night.



















Elia: The largest of the southern beaches, it has good restaurants, hotels, bungalows. In the area just before Elia beach, there is "Watermania", a 60,000 square metre water park!This beach is offering water sports facilities such as skiing, parasailing and windsurfing.




Agios Ioannis: Situated 5 km from Mykonos Town, it is fully organised, wind-protected beach, ideal for families. You can enjoy a wonderful view over the island of Delos. Agios Ioannis has soft sand and crystalline blue waters.











Aghios Stefanos: It is the closest to the capital of Mykonos and protected from the winds.









Agrari: The beach located near Elia. Together there are forming the most important sandy beach of the island. It can be reached by local bus and by taxi-boat. It is less popular and much calmer then Elia.