GREECE-ON-AIR_2016

P R E F L I G H T M A G A Z I N E | 2 0 1 6
ON AIR
Explore the hidden
treasures of Greece
Now is the perfect time

WELCOME
Dear Traveler,
As Alternate Minister for Tourism, I would like to extend a personal
invitation to you, to visit Greece, and let yourself be carried away by the
charm of one of the most attractive and preferred global destinations.
Thirteen remarkably diverse regions, each with its own distinct identity,
create the magic of modern Greece. No other destination can spoil you with
so many choices and can offer such wide-ranging and accessible authentic
travel experiences all year-round. I wish for all our visitors to discover the
lively spirit and the welcoming charm of the Greek people as well as to
indulge into the immense beauty of Greece.
Bursting with natural beauty and blessed with endless light and good
weather, Greece is a varied landscape ranging from white sandy beaches to
breathtaking mountain vistas. From authentic small island villages to
luxury Mediterranean resorts, Greece has a variety of experiences to share.
Here you will visit monuments of world heritage and culture, as well as
historical, religious and spiritual places. At the same time, you can explore
the many incredible opportunities for sports and recreation in trails, rivers
and lakes across the country, or relax and enjoy at our wonderful spas.
All major vibrant urban centers in the mainland as well as in the islands are
ideal city-breaks, offering numerous options for entertainment, shopping,
local gastronomy and the famous nightlife. Our museums, art galleries and
major cultural events attract visitors from around the world. Festivals, local
festivities, fairs and village feasts take place daily across Greece. Mingle
with the friendly locals and enjoy art performances, music, dances and
local customs in open-air theaters, castles and squares. Enjoy the
incredible food, healthy and tasty, ready made by local producers, the
variety of local tastes, traditional recipes and haute-cuisine, and feel the
warm world-famous Greek hospitality.
Greece is the place to visit and revisit, and every time gain unique, lifetime
experiences. We welcome you dearly to come now and turn this promising
impression of our country into a lifetime memory, enjoying the very best of
Greece, your piece of heaven on earth.
Elena Kountoura
Alt. Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism
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Let your spirit fly across
the Greek seas.
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A R T & C U L T U R E
NEW
ACROPOLIS
MUSEUM
ONE DAY AT THE MUSEUM, ONE BIG JOURNEY INTO CIVILIZATION
Opening Hours
1 April - 31 October:
Monday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Last admission: 3:30 p.m.)
Tuesday to Sunday: 8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. (Last admission: 7:30 p.m.)
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Last admission: 9:30 p.m.)
1 November – 31 March:
Monday to Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Last admission: 4:30 p.m.)
Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Last admission: 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Last admission: 7:30 p.m.)
Closed: 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 25 and 26 December
Useful contacts
T: 210 9000900
Restaurant: 210 9000915
Group visits: 210 9000903
E: info@theacropolismuseum.gr
W: www.theacropolismuseum.gr
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A R T & C U L T U R E
www.visitgreece.
The New Acropolis Museum is a magnificent
building, filled with beautiful objects, with a
wonderful sense of space and light and a glass
top storey with a direct view up to the Parthenon
itself. This impressive five-storey building
handsomely displays the riches that adorned the
Acropolis in its heyday: stunning sculptures,
statues, free-standing objects, and 36 of the
original 115 frieze panels that remain in Greece.
On the lower levels, visitors can peer through
glass panels at the ongoing excavations of an
ancient Athenian neighbourhood and an early
Christian settlement. The museums crowning glory
is the top-floor Parthenon Gallery, a glass atrium
built in alignment with the temple, and a virtual
replica of the cella of the Parthenon, which can be
seen from the gallery.
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T R A V E L I N H I S T O R Y
ANCIENT
OLYMPIA
TAKE A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME
TO THE GLORY YEARS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
The entrance in the stadiu m
A day's visit to the birthplace of the Olympic Games
will not suffice, so much is there to absorb. The
greatness of the ancient Greek history never ceases to
astound us. In this corner of the Peloponnese, the
father of gods and men was worshipped; this is the
site of Zeus' most magnificent sanctuary. The
centrepiece of the shrine, his gold and ivory statue,
crafted by Pheidias, stood 13.5m tall and was one of
the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It no longer
exists but you will be able to admire firsthand the
famous Hermes by Praxiteles. Both the site and the
museum offer a luminous picture of the splendour,
the glory and the breadth of a civilisation that gave
so much to the world. You're on the fast track for a
time-travel adventure through history, through the
glory of Ancient Greece. On your mark. Get set. Go!
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Temple of Zeus
The Olympic Games, all for
the pleasure of Zeus
London, Beijing, Athens… Retracing the history
of the Olympic Games back to 776 BC, you
arrive at the starting line, where it all began in
this gentle, wooded valley of the Alpheios River
in the Peloponnese, where Zeus' most important
sanctuary was located. In his honour, every four
years, this was the scene of an event in which the
whole of the Greek-speaking world took part.
The Olympic Games were more than athletic
competitions. They were Panhellenic festivals and
took precedence over everything else occurring
at that time, even wars. During the period of the
Games and allowing for travel time, any
hostilities between the normally fractious Greek
city-states was suspended and the Olympic Truce
imposed. Broken only twice in a thousand years
of Games, this was an accomplishment we
would do well to emulate.
A tour of the Ancient Stadium
of the Olympic Games
One of the most significant archaeological sites
in Greece, the ancient stadium was where the
most important competitions took place. Pass
under the arched entrance and you're in a place
where countless VIPs and ordinary people (but
not women) rooted for their heroes. The stadium
you see today was built around the same time as
the temple of Zeus, the 5th century BC.
The hippodrome for chariot races lay to the
south of the stadium. Still standing are ruins left
from a later age: baths and villas, like the one
Roman emperor Nero had constructed as a
private residence when he attended. After
Christianity became the official religion of the
Roman Empire, the Olympic Games gradually
lost their prestige since they were considered a
pagan festival. They ceased completely in 393
AD when the emperor Theodosius I decreed
them unlawful. Olympia never regained the glory
and allure it had enjoyed as host of the Games.
But on 18 August 2004, when Athens hosted the
Modern Games, those wonderful years came
back. The stadium in Olympia witnessed a
reenactment of an ancient sport, the shot put.
Both men and women competed, some 1,611
years after the last Games took place there. And
of course, Olympia is still the place where the
Olympic Flame is lit each Olympiad.
The Hermes of Praxiteles,
a priceless masterpiece
In Olympia's archaeological museum you'll come
face to face with one of the greatest marble
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T R A V E L I N H I S T O R Y
The Palaestra
sculptures of all time, Praxiteles' Hermes, one of
the most important exhibits in the museum. The
god is leaning against the trunk of a tree. In his
left arm, he's cradling the infant Dionysos.
It is the epitome of Greek beauty, balance and
craftsmanship. Apart from the Hermes, the
museum contains dozens of other finds from the
site, dating from prehistoric times to the early
Christian era, when the Games were outlawed.
Look out for the Nike of Paionios and the
monumental friezes from the Temple of Zeus,
which depict the chariot race between Pelops and
Oinomaos and the fight between Lapiths and
Centaurs.
Guide to the archaeological site of Olympia
The Sanctuary of Zeus was called the Altis or
'sacred wood'. A walled area, it enclosed many
monuments and buildings beside the Temple of
Zeus. You'll see arcades, smaller temples, statue
pedestals. Some of the structures were
residential, others had an administrative or
ceremonial function. Zeus' temple stood at its
heart. Can you imagine being faced with his
enormous statue, carved from ivory, gold
flashing in the sunlight? Could there have been
any doubt that he ruled over heaven and earth?
More monuments, more history
Don't forget to have a look at the other ruins:
the Temple of Hera, the oldest and best
preserved temple at Olympia, the Bouleuterion,
the Prytaneion, the Gymnasion, the Palaistra,
Pheidias' workshop, the Leonidaion, the
Philippeion, the Echo Colonnade, the pedestal
of Paionios's Nike, the Nymphaion. Each one
has a special aura and its own story.
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The Philippeion.
The Hermes of Praxiteles.
The Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame.
Museum of the History of the Olympic
Games
Here you'll find 463 works from the Temple of
Zeus at Olympia and from other museums
around Greece.
The Ancient Olympia Festival
in the Peloponnese
Plan your visit to coincide with the festival. An
annual event, it includes excellent theatrical,
music and dance performances.
Other cultural events in the Peloponnese
Epidaurus Greek Festival - Events of the
Greek Festival take place in the Ancient Theatre
and the Little Theatre of Epidaurus in the
weekends of July and August. These events
include performances of ancient Greek drama,
musical concerts and dancing shows.
Festival of Argos-Mycenae - The Summer
Festival of Argos-Mycenae is organized from
June to August and includes theatre
performances, musical concerts, dance shows,
dancing of traditional groups, lectures and
thematic evenings. These events are presented in
the ancient theatre of Argos, in the
archaeological site of Mycenae, in various
venues of Nafplion, school yards and village
squares.
Carnival of Patras - The Carnival of Patras is
the major event of the town and the most famous
carnival in Greece. Carnival celebrations last for
about 40 days, but they peak on the weekend
before Lent Monday. That Saturday evening,
there is a large parade and so too on Sunday
evening. On Sunday evening, the "burning of the
Carnival King" marks the end of the carnival.
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
VISIT
GREECE
Greece is endless culture,
discovery and passion for life.
Explore Greece!
Cyclades, Santorini
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Glorious ancient history and a modern bustling metropolis come together
under the gaze of the Acropolis. Inhabited for over 7,000 years, Athens is
a delightful mix of iconic monuments, world-class museums, lively cafes and
alfresco dining. More sophisticated and cosmopolitan than ever, Athens is
dotted with lively artsy-industrial neighbourhoods and entertainment
quarters. Modern Athens boasts a great food scene, luxury shops, hip hotels
and a vibrant nightlife.
Athens, Acropolis
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Athens is a living museum.
Some of the worlds finest
archaeological sites are just
a stroll away.
Thessaloniki is the second largest city of Greece
and the most important centre of Northern Greece.
Build near the sea at the beach
of the Thermaikos Gulf,
it is the modern city leaving
the marks of its stormy history, and its cosmopolitan
character which give it a special
beauty and charm.
A contemporary metropolis which is
a significant economic and cultural center
with excellent conference and business facilities
and easily accessible accomodation
that can enjoy comforatable
and stylish stay.
Athens, Temple of Olympian Zeus
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city and a melting pot of cultures
for over 2,000 years. A very cosmopolitan year-round destination,
Thessaloniki owns the title “gastronomical capital“ of Greece. The city
offers superb museums, monuments and sites to thrill history lovers.
Thessaloniki has an intense nightlife that is world-famous as well.
A friendly city where glimpses of the sea, tree-lined streets and
Byzantine churches are always near. Thessaloniki is a sophisticated urban
gateway to the beautiful agricultural heartland of Greece.
Thessaloniki , White Tower
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Perched along the beautiful Halkidiki peninsula,
the breathtaking monasteries of Mount Athos
are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mount Athos, Simonos Petras Monastery
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Fall is the season to fall in
love with Greece.
Drama, Frachtos
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Travelers Kastoria Prespa is Lakes a year-round Challenging will encounter dream hikes
intense destination for natural adventurers for beauty, wildlife of fascinating lovers all ages. and
cultural history, outdoor and enthusiasts.
a protected
wilderness that supports more than
2,000 species of fish, birds, mammals
and plants.
Prespa Lakes, Florina
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Karavostasi beach offers
serenity and deep blue seas
on the western coast of Greece.
Karavostasi Beach, Syvota
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Breathtaking views
and landscapes.
Thessaly, Meteora
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Enjoy a day at the beach and then explore
the interior of Skopelos where you can
hike in lush green forests.
Stafilos Bay, Skopelos
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Cliffside vistas from
the world-famous Oracle
at Delphi.
Fokida, Delphi
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Evenings of serenity
in the wild, steep and
magnificent landscapes
of Mani.
Peloponnese, Mani
Limeni Village
Peloponese, Mani
Limeni
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Enjoy a little bit
of Venice on the Aegean.
Cyclades, Mykonos
Little Venice
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
Take evening strolls
amongst the medieval
architecture of Molyvos village.
Lesvos, Molyvos
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D E S T I N A T I O N S
A combination of beautiful landscapes,
beaches and nightlife.
Kos is truly the place for all tastes.
Dodecanese, Kos
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B E A U T I F U L B E A C H E S
NATURAL
BEAUTY
Eros Beach, Santorini
Named from the Greek God of love Eros, this stunning beach with
crystal blue waters is situated amongst amazing backdrops of
volcanic landscapes, pumice stone cliffs and desert mountains.
A fantastic place to relax and take in the famous Santorini sunsets.
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B E A U T I F U L B E A C H E S
HIDDEN
PARADISE
Voutoumi, Antipaxoi
One of the most beautiful and well-hidden beaches in Europe.
With its white sand, lush vegetation and shallow crystal clear
water, Voutoumi beach is heaven on earth. A must-go
destination for those seeking the perfect beach getaway.
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B E A U T I F U L B E A C H E S
BEYOND
IMAGINATION
Sarakiniko, Milos
Enjoy an amazing beach experience. This beach is one of
the most beautiful beaches of Milos and surely the most
particular one. Formed by a volcanic eruption, this
amazing scenery gives one the impression of standing on
the surface of the moon.
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B E A U T I F U L B E A C H E S
CRYSTAL
WATER
PACHIA AMMOS, SAMOTHRAKI
A beautiful beach and the only sandy one on the island.
Located on the southernmost part of Samothraki, it enjoys
Porto a fairly easy Katsiki access, through Beach, a dirt road Lefkada
that starts from the
village of Lakoma. It is considered as the most popular on
the island and visitors will find there a A beautiful beach
and the only sandy one on the island.
Located on the southernmost part of Samothraki, it enjoys
a fairly easy access, through a dirt road that starts from the
village of Lakoma. It is considered as the most popular on
the island and visitors will find there a restaurant and a beach bar.
Porto Katsiki is a magnificent natural attraction of Lefkada and
among the 10 best beaches in Greece and Europe. Its famous
clear blue waters are ideal for swimming, sailing and surfing.
With a magnificent backdrop of cliffs, crystal blue water and lush
vegetation, Porto Katsiki leaves a lasting memory.
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B E A U T I F U L B E A C H E S
EMERALD
PARADISE
Balos Beach, Crete
One of Crete's most beautiful beaches and famous for its shallow
crystal clear waters, soft fine sand and stunning natural
surroundings. After a lovely swim and day in the sun, explore
the hills above Balos beach for beautiful views of the peninsula
or take an outing to an amazing Venetian castle on the island
of Gramvousa. All make for an unforgettable day in
an exotic location.
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G A S T R O N O M Y
GREEK
TASTE
Spanning 4,000 years with influences from many great cultures,
Greek cuisine is truly the heart of the Mediterranean diet.
Nowhere else can you find such seasonal, geographic and
creative culinary diversity and obsession for fresh ingredients.
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35
9
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G A S T R O N O M Y
Pure taste, great views.
Fresh food at its best.
34 50
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G A S T R O N O M Y
Romantic dining
memories for two.
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