Mainland Greece's top stops
I was in Athens, on a rooftop restaurant under a floodlit Acropolis, marveling at how a Greek salad never gets boring. It was the last day of a trip I enjoyed with my wife Anne. I was reviewing, as I always do after completing an itinerary, how effectively our time was spent. We had kept our focus more on seeing historic sights on the mainland rather than luxuriating on Aegean Islands. Given that focus, here are the top 10 stops -- in itinerary order -- that make what I consider the best two weeks Greece has to offer: the best in the country. Its four million people sprawl where no tourist ventures, including new immigrant zones with poor yet thriving communities. The joy of Greece is outside of Athens. See it and scram. startclickprintexclude--> it seems everyone lived in forts and sat in corners looking out. While the peninsula in general is bleak, we enjoyed walking through one of the towns and popping into sumptuous old fresco-covered churches. where mothers famously told their sons to "come home with your shield or on it" -- is a classic example of how little a militaristic society leaves as a legacy for the future. Charming the best of the ancient world and still used for plays today. For that reason alone, Epidavros is an essential stop. The island of Hydra, just a quick hop from the mainland, gave our trip a fine island paradise finale. Hydra, so close to Athens (with a direct 2.5-hour hydrofoil connections about hourly), is amazingly laidback and real, with just enough tourism to make it fun and lively. Many tourists spend their entire time in Greece just island-hopping, setting foot on the mainland only to fly in and out of Athens, but there's much more to see, learn and experience in this ancient land. |
