They gathered with my good friend together on vacation, I wanted to Greece, and decided to combine a week of a relaxing holiday on the sea with a cultural program to see as much important sights as possible. I was on Santorini Island, probably 15 years ago, and a girlfriend in Athens, but also a long time ago and a couple of days, so we wanted a real acquaintance with Hellasta. During the searches, they found out that the company Muzenidis offers a rich program in Tour "Antique Greece" Plus Holidays on Chalkidiki.
Total we spent a week as in a dream or in a movie, I don't even know what it was more like the intensity of impressions, visiting the most significant places and cities of North and Central Greece, and the second week at the Pallini Beach hotel, in the fairy-tale village of Kallithea.
So, we flew to the direct flight of Ellinar to the city of Thessaloniki, the flight was comfortable, delicious food and Greek wine. At the airport, we were met by representatives of the company, and invited comfortable buses on which we quickly arrived at the hotel in Thessaloniki ("PORTO PALACE"), where Dmitry Kusis's hotel guide helped us accommodate and spoke about the tour features. We were waiting for a sightseeing tour on which we were told and showed the main sights and landmarks of the city (Upper City, Rotonda, Church of St. Dmitry, White Tower). After the excursion, we really began to understand what and where to be, all-things are the main landmark is the embankment and the sea, and the main streets of the city are departed in parallel. Armed with the card and the guide that we were given in the hotel, we made a very pleasant promenade along the streets of Cimisci and the embankment, looking into shops and cafes on small streets and alleys. He drank the Greek coffee and tasty lunch with seafood and salads in the Ladadik area, formerly once the place for storing olive oil, and now filled with cafe and restaurants. The city has fully fascinated us. And it was only the beginning of our incredible tour. We rested well from the road and gained energies for new travels.
In the second morning, I would like to note the tasty and with a large selection of breakfast, on which, among other things, were: Fresh juices in the builders who are in ice, baking, which they themselves bake, especially delicious cherry and apple puff pastries, and Greek coffee "Elliniko "They cook wonderful. After breakfast, we went to the city of fur and a large lake - the castor, where we had an excursion with a visit to the fur coat factories, it was very informative, we saw how the fur products were made manually, where all this happens and how thin and careful labor requires. Production here has a century of experience and traditions that are transmitted from generation to generation. Probably, this is one of the best places where the fur shopping is worth. I liked the factory Manzari (and the exhibition hall itself is very beautiful, with a scope) and PKZ (Papandopoulos), although everyone has its own style and feed. But besides this, we visited the ancient church, the house-museum and, in general, learned from a guide a lot about this coloric place. The city is a very beautiful housekeeper descend to Lake Orestiad, everything looks very picturesque as on the canvas. We wanted to go back there again. After lunch, we went to the town of Kalambak, at the foot of the meteor who waited for us tomorrow, but we already knew that this is an incredible place, literally a miracle of the world. Upon arrival at about 7 pm, we are located in the hotel and rested, digesting the impressions of all these days and expect even more bright.
And then the day came when we saw the victorious in the air (so it is translated from the Greek) cliffs of Meteoras and visited 2 existing monasters. It was amazing. I asked my girlfriend to pinch me how difficult it was to believe what we see. Young people fooling out: on the edge of the rocks made a photo "Swallow", as if they were hired in the clouds. But the guide, of course, followed the security. I am sure, meteors are simply necessary to see if you arrived in Greece. I really have no words to describe, and the photo cannot transmit completely species and experienced sensations. We listened to the history of the emergence and development of these monasteries, as the monks until the 20s of the 20th century used special cables and devices such as grids to climb up and raise products and building materials - these are stories about the strength of spirit and faith.
After having bought in the tavern, trying the fragrant meat cooked on the grill and red wine, we moved into the next sacral place - Delphi, where we were waiting for a stay in the hotel and dinner. After we went to walk along the new city Delphi - he is small (walked on one main street), but there is a huge number of shops, bars, taverns. The day after breakfast, we went on an excursion to Delphi with a visit to the museum and the archaeological zone. The very place is impressive, you can imagine how everything was in antiquity, the temples of Apollo and Athens, the "PUP of the Earth" surrounded by mountains and olive groves. An interesting museum with the main attraction is the bronze statue of the Dolphic Caption. After Delph, we went to the city, where the largest number of monuments of archeology, history and culture - of course, to the capital.
The tour organized very correctly, in such a way that saturated excursions, moving and leisure - all the time planned is very balanced, so you feel fresh and full forces.
The program the next day was such - Athens, Argolid (Corinthian Canal, Mycenae, Nafplion, Epidavr). One of the most rich days in the tour. Epidavr especially remember (I would like to visit here as a viewer on an ancient Greek tragedy), and Nafplion (was once the capital of Greece) - a special and beautiful city.
Especially in Athens in the evening for surcharge went on a tour, they saw the night downtown and the beautiful city of Piraei, which enters great Athens (there is a port, marina and many liners). The hotel returned tired, but satisfied. We went to sleep in anticipation of dreams with plots from ancient myths.
The last day of the tour before returning to Thessaloniki presented us with a very interesting sightseeing tour of Athens with visiting Acropolis, city view from a bird's eye view. As with thessaloniki, we got the overall impression and knowledge of the city, so when we are in Athens in the next time, we will better navigate the terrain. After lunch, we were waiting for a trip to the northern capital, a few more excursions and a relaxing holiday by the sea, digesting all the impressions from what he saw. And we knew for sure that there would be a lot of interesting discoveries.
We were lucky with the accompanying: Petr Nikolaevich Guide thoroughly knew the history of all places and the world history as a whole. He has a truly unique style, he dresses very brightly and every day was in a new hat. He is also often referred to tourists "Brothers and Sisters" (according to the Christian tradition) and Petros calls himself. And the driver of Eurypid (what a suitable name for the driver during the tour with the name "Antique Greece" :), did our trips with light and pleasant.
From the excursions we were waiting for another route "Vorgin, Olympus, Dion". Obviously, we knew only about Olympus, and something from mythology, but anticipated many interesting species and stories. Vigina we visited the museum with a very large collection of gold jewelry and archaeological finds of this area. After they went to the foot of Olympus, even the road to which was as if from the mythical forests and fogs. It was very beautiful, we saw the peak of the mountain, which is called the "throne of Zeus", and it seemed to me that there was even special fresh air. The guide (name?) Told many interesting stories about Olymps in the past and now. After him, we visited the ancient city-Garden Dion, also with a special atmosphere of vintage statues, mosaics and columns surrounded by trees and herbs. We also donate in the traditional Greek tavern, tried the "Yamista" dish (stuffed pepper and tomatoes with rice). The whole excursion took no more than 4 hours that flew very quickly. All these places are close to each other. Even the locals of thessalonika on weekends or holidays are arranged such tours.
Rest in Kallithea exceeded our expectations: the village is very beautiful, the sea and the beach is clean, all in greenery and colors. Room service at a high level, in the rooms clean, for breakfast and dinner quality and fresh Greek products. Ksenia's hotel guides and Alexander were constantly interested, everything is in order, and are there any wishes or questions. We remained very pleased with our 2-week odysseas, and we will think about the following travels in Greece.
