We follow spring's call to lush countryside and beaches by the sea By food journalist Dimitris Stathopoulos.
We follow spring's call to lush countryside and beaches by the sea.
It's the season when nature is reborn. It's now that we leave winter behind, for good. We want to head to the countryside, to connect with the earth, with the aromas of nature, with the sea. We seek beaches where we'll be the first to step on the sand, catching our first color from the sun's rays.
Along with all this, of course, is our anticipation for Easter. To see our friends, our loved ones. To raise our glasses high and toast to everyone's health.
We're counting down the days, preparing for an Easter that can hold the most interesting activities (the kind that will be etched indelibly in our minds). We travel through Greece, combining experiences that will bring us closer to everything we wish to experience.
1. Beaches of Kassandra, Halkidiki
We're moving into the second half of April. While it might still be early to visit beaches in some parts of the country, it's hard to resist their beauty when you arrive in Halkidiki.
We find ourselves in magical Kassandra with its impressive sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and trees that reach right to the shore. Kriopigi, Kassandra, Pefkohori, Polychrono, Sani, Possidi, and so many more transform a simple visit into a seaside experience. Even if we don't decide to dive into the water, we're making an appointment to return in a few weeks.
2. The Volcano of Santorini
A small boat will take us to the little port of Nea Kameni. After seeing the water bubbling up from the underwater hot springs, we'll disembark and begin our walk through the otherworldly landscape of the volcano.
We'll need almost 30 minutes to reach the crater, during which one surprise will follow another. At certain points we'll see hot steam emerging from the earth's depths, while we walk among stones blackened by lava. Walking on the volcano is an experience everyone should have, at least once in a lifetime.
3. Delos: The Sacred Island
A breath away from cosmopolitan Mykonos, Delos showcases the glory of ancient Greek civilization. The mythological birth of Apollo and Artemis on this small island in the middle of the Aegean transformed it into a sanctuary, where no one was permitted to be born or die.
Thus, neighboring Rinia took on these roles, hosting both women about to give birth and those approaching the end of their lives. Today all of Delos has been designated an archaeological site. So arriving here is like embarking on a magical journey: you'll feel many things and will find it hard to forget.
4. Nemea Vineyards
An enchanting place that encompasses the history and culture of the wider region and, at the same time, a magnificent, unified vineyard of more than 60,000 acres. A blessed land that awaits us at its best moment (now as it gradually turns green and slowly prepares the stunning wine of the region: Agiorgitiko).
We walk through Nemea's vineyards and smell the soil and its amazing spring flowers, which will lend some of their fragrance to the wine. We visit some of the 33 wineries in the region and taste the stunning wines that this corner of Greece knows how to create.
5. Ancient Olympia
A journey to the birthplace of the Olympic Games, where the grandeur of ancient Greece demonstrates in categorical and definitive fashion the significance of our actions. Here where the father of the gods, Zeus, acquired his chryselephantine statue, which became one of the seven wonders of the world.
Touring the site of Ancient Olympia will bring us before an imaginary starting line: we'll turn our attention to the past and try to make projections into the future. Somehow, Ancient Olympia will travel forever with us (wherever we find ourselves on this planet).
6. Naxos: Emery Mine Route
Leaving the port, after a wonderful journey through the island's interior, we'll reach the emblematic Apeiranthos and gradually begin the descent to the picturesque port of Moutsouna. The remains of the first aerial railway in the Balkans (which was built to transport emery from the island's mines to the port) create an open-air industrial museum. Emery is the second hardest rock on the planet, ideal raw material for producing sandpaper and other abrasives.
The quality of Naxos emery is considered top-notch worldwide and was one of three products that determined the country's GDP for decades (the other two were raisins and tobacco). At the port, the huge cranes still stand as witnesses to an entire history.
Next to Moutsouna, meanwhile, in the timeless landscape of Azalas, we visit the atelier of famous German sculptor Ingbert Brunk, who works exclusively with Naxian marble. His works adorn some of the planet's most famous salons, conveying the brilliance and uniqueness of the material, but also an ideal synthesis of Cycladic civilization with today. Atelier Ingbert Brunk: 22850 68260 & 6944677617
7. Agianakis Beach, Kyparissia
A huge sandy beach in Kyparissia, where the waters of the Ionian exist in harmonious coexistence with nature and the greenery of the coastal pine forest. Agianakis Beach conveys its tranquility, gives space and time, fills us with strength. Before the endless blue, where the wave breaks, we take a walking route that will gradually lead us to summer.
We climb and get lost in the forest's little paths, enjoying the aromas of spring, then descend back to the beach. Already we encounter dozens of European visitors' campers scattered about, who come here year after year to spend days of carefree relaxation and tranquility. Pine needles, orange groves, olives, and lemon trees contribute their scents. Minimal stone buildings, meanwhile: an archetypal, Greek place. A sea to feel alone, you and nature, or to become part of a group. Agianakis gives space to everyone.
8. Melissani Cave, Kefalonia
A lake cave that has been generously blessed with glory and beauty. We're at Melissani in Kefalonia, before an otherworldly image, one of those that only nature can create with such mastery. We reach its artificial entrance and walk through a narrow corridor to approach the boats that will take us for a ride on the water.
Gradually the lake and the wonderful light are revealed to us, as they penetrate through the huge hole in the cave's ceiling. Obviously due to some earthquake the roof has collapsed, resulting in today's view of the sky, with the sun playing unique games with the blue of the water. We observe the stalactites, but also the small island in the center of the lake, where objects related to the worship of the ancient god Pan were found. The boat ride is stunning.
9. Delphi Archaeological Site
A day of culture, a day when we'll come closer to the uniqueness of Greek creation. We climb the mountainside to the archaeological site of the Oracle of Delphi.
The mesmerizing beauty, the imposing nature of the oracle, but also the remnants of buildings from antiquity reach the limits of legend. Ancient vertical rocks, buildings, the Delphic landscape. The visit to Delphi is an experience that balances between truth and myth. It's all that transports human existence to something completely ideal.
10. Cape Tainaron Lighthouse
A harsh and rocky landscape, at the southernmost tip of mainland Europe. A landmark where Taygetus ends and the Messenian Gulf meets the Laconian. There stands proud the lighthouse of Akrotainaro, before the almost permanent tempest of the waters.
It was built in 1882 and operated in 1887. It belongs to the second generation of Greek lighthouses and is the most important of the three that exist today in Mani. Its light reaches up to 22 nautical miles, marking this busy passage. It's as if it stands there to remind, but also to give a line for the future. We walked here via a relatively mild path (we needed a little less than an hour).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Greek food unique?
Greek cuisine is built on simplicity and quality ingredients. What makes it distinctive is regional variety — every island and mountain village has its own flavors, often unchanged for centuries.
