Inspiring Greece: A Luxury Villa Travel Guide

By Luxury Villa Team

Welcome to Greece, a land of aquamarine beaches and archeological gems. Of ouzo and Olympic dreams. Homeric epics and epic landscapes. Mediterranean flavors and millennia-old culture. This jewel of the Aegean effortlessly weaves past, present, and future into one fabulous tapestry. If you want a vacation that indulges all your senses, then Greece is your destination.

This book is brought to you by the editors of LuxuryVilla.com - offering deluxe getaways for savvy travelers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LuxuryVilla.com
• Release date: Aug 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516306312

Book preview

Introduction: Glorious Past Meets Gorgeous Present

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Welcome to a land of aquamarine beaches and archaeological gems. Of ouzo and Olympic dreams. Homeric epics and epic landscapes. Mediterranean flavors and millennia-old culture. If you’re a luxe traveler seeking priceless vacation experiences, there’s no better place to start your odyssey than Greece. This jewel of the Aegean effortlessly weaves past, present, and future into one fabulous tapestry. And its colorful threads reflect its multiple legacies.

Check out a taverna and taste not just scrumptious home-grown cuisine, but a hint of the country’s Turkish and Italian heritages as well. Visit a fort or monastery and see Venetian and Byzantine influences in its stones or frescoes. Ancient glories abound. Explore the country’s sensuous landscapes and fabulous delights. Its volcanic islands and picturesque beaches are second to none. How about monasteries on top of rock towers (Meteora)? Or the incredible Samaria Gorge – the longest in Europe and a must-experience for hikers? Or Myrtos Beach and the Santorini Caldera - picture postcards come to life? And of course, you’ll find no lack of cultural and entertainment pursuits. In Athens, trendy clubs and cafes and world-class shopping and dining abound. With the country’s 15,000-km coastline, sailing is a popular activity. And its mountainous landscape presents lots of hiking and (believe it or not) skiing opportunities.

Chapter 1: Getting to Know Greece

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Preparing for your trip to Greece will entail more than just packing – it’s important to get to know your destination!

Here is the history of Greece in a nutshell. While the Greek War of Independence and the creation of an independent Greek state occurred in 1830, it wasn’t until after World War II that the country took on its present territorial form. A constitutional monarchy for years, Greece became a presidential parliamentary democracy in 1974 – and the tenth member of the European Union member in 1981.

The capital of Greece is Athens, one of the oldest named cities in the world, and has been continuously inhabited for at least 5000 years. Situated in southern Europe, Athens became the leading city of Ancient Greece in the first millennium BC and its cultural achievements during the 5th century BC laid the foundations of western civilization.

And here’s some current helpful at-a-glance information:

Chapter 2: Sounds Greek to You?

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The Greek language holds an important place in the history of Europe, the Western world, and Christianity. Greek was the language in which many of the foundational texts of Western philosophy, such as the Platonic dialogues and the works of Aristotle, were composed. The Christian Bible was written in Greek, which was the language of scholarship during the years of its composition.

While Greek is one of the most difficult languages to learn, knowing some basic words and phrases will go a long way in making your travels easier