Visit Greece – Five Reasons Why You Should Make Greece Your Next Holiday Destination

Greece is a country with numerous contributions to modern civilization, perhaps more than any country. It is the cradle of democracy, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and home to many of the most brilliant philosophers, scientists, writers and artists that the world has ever produced, such as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Archimedes, Euclid, Euripedes and Praxiteles. True, most of these contributions may not be tangible. However, those that are can only be seen or best experienced when you visit Greece.

1. Archaeological Sites

The ancient city-state of Athens was one of the most powerful cities of its time and although Athens has changed a lot over the past centuries, it still has ruins of many ancient monuments that are reminders of its glorious age – which are all must-see attractions when you visit Greece. The most popular ones, of course, can be found on the Acropolis, like the Parthenon, the Erectheion, the Propylaea and the Temple of Athena Nike, while other impressive ones, like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Poseidon, the Kerameikos necropolis and the Theatre of Dionysius are scattered throughout the city.

If you are truly interested in archaeology, you shouldn’t stop at Athens, though, since there are many impressive sites and monuments in other cities, as well. In fact, some cities like Delphi, Delos and Olympia are archaeological sites in themselves. Some of the most remarkable monuments outside Athens include the Temple of Demeter at Naxos, the Temple of Epicurian Apollo at Vassae and the ruins of the Knossos Palace in Crete.

If you’d rather just see ancient Greek sculptures, though, or the artifacts that were excavated from these sites, you should visit the archaeological museums in Greece, starting with the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, which has the finest collection, including the Mask of Agamemnon and Praxiteles’ statue of Aphrodite.

2. Idyllic Beaches

Warm, turquoise waters, white sand, a dramatic backdrop and excellent facilities – you will find these in most Greek beaches, which is why they are considered among the best in the world. Myrtos Beach in Kefalonia, Trahili Beach in Chios and Navagio Beach in Zakynthos top the list, although there are dozens of other Blue Flag beaches. If you want to take your clothes off, there are nudist beaches in Greece, too, like Banana Beach in Skiathos and if you brought your snorkelling equipment, you will find many sea caves to explore. In fact, no matter what kind of beach you have in mind, you’re sure to find it in Greece.

3. Gastronomy

If you’ve eaten at a Greek restaurant before, you probably have an idea of what you will eat when you visit Greece, although the dishes you will find here are of course, tastier and more authentic. Many dishes are made with olives or olive oil, like the traditional Greek Salad, cabbage salad and spinach stew, while some are served with feta cheese – both of which are popular Greek products. Meat lovers won’t be disappointed, either, since Gyros, Souvlaki and oven-baked lamb can be found almost anywhere and the same goes for Greek wine and beer.

4. Greece by Night

Greece is a country that comes to life at night, as you will see when you visit Greece. This is especially true in Athens, Corfu, Skiathos and Mykonos, which have a large concentration of night clubs and bars that play all types of music – whether pop, rock, jazz, trance or the traditional music of the bouzouki – up until dawn or even seven in the morning. In the summer, you will find many seaside parties, too, which start right after sunset and go on until sunrise.

5. Reliving the Movies in Greece

Are you a movie buff? If so, you should definitely visit Greece, where several great movies were filmed. These include the James Bond movie ‘For Your Eyes Only’ which featured the spectacular Aghia Triatha monastery at Meteora, ‘Shirley Valentine’ which was filmed mostly on Mykonos, ‘Zorba the Greek’ which has scenes filmed in Crete and recently, ‘Mamma Mia!’ with some scenes shot on Skopelos and the Pelion coast of mainland Greece.

Isabella Olsen is a writer for various travel magazines who has been to global tourist destinations like Greece. To book your car rental Greece or learn more about car hire worldwide, visit Zencarhire.com.