Greek Island villages and towns | MY GREECE TRAVEL BLOG

Category: Greek Island villages and towns (page 10 of 33)

Where we could have cooled off during this week’s heat wave

Tolo beach IMG_3496

The beautiful golden sand seafront at Tolo stretches for approximately one kilometer from Psili Ammos beach (seen here) to a harbour barely visible in the center-top area of this photo

Extreme temps: We’re never happy after we return home from one of our Greek holidays, as we did three days ago — we always wish we were still in Greece. But this time we’re actually a bit relieved that we’re not there — we simply could not have handled the heat wave currently sweeping across the country.

Sunshine and temperatures hitting the low 30s (Celsius) hindered some of our walking and sightseeing in Nafplio, Monemvasia, Tolo and Hydra on several days of our vacation from May 30 to June 16, but since we left Greece on Thursday temperatures have soared even higher, approaching and even exceeding an absolutely sweltering 40 degrees in many places, particularly on the mainland.

On Saturday, for instance, the temperature reached 43.4 at Sparta, which we had found hot when it was in the low 30s during the day we spent there. As I write this post today, it’s 37 in Nafplio, where a few 30-degree days forced us to limit our activities during the first week of June. And temperatures are forecast to remain scorching hot for several more days. If we were still in Greece, we would either be hiding inside our air-conditioned hotel rooms, or swimming as much as possible.

Fortunately there were plenty of excellent places to take a dip in the sea at most of the destinations we visited. Click on the link below to turn to page 2 and see photos of the great swimming spots we discovered near Epidaurus, Hydra, Monemvasia, Nafplio and Tolo.

Bathers cool off in the gorgeous turquoise waters at Hydronetta, a popular coastal swimming spot on Hydra island

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Photo highlights from our trip to the Peloponnese and Hydra

June 20, 2016 / admin / 4 Comments

The fascinating fortress town of Monemvasia, where we spent three days and nights in early June

Amazing experience: I only need one word to describe our first-ever visit to Greece’s Peloponnese region and Hydra island this month: Wow!

We weren’t even halfway through our holiday when we noted that the trip was shaping up as one of our best vacation experiences ever in Greece. Now that we’re back home, recalling all the places and sights we encountered and sorting through our photos, we’ve agreed that it was our favourite trip of all.

The Argolida and Laconia districts of the Peloponnese far exceeded our high expectations, while a spur-of-the-moment trip to Hydra impressed us immensely as well. The sights and scenery everywhere we went were simply amazing.

We enjoyed exhilarating views of sparkling turquoise seas and mountains extending as far as the eye could see. We roamed around charming villages and towns, visited historic archaeological sites, and walked dozens of kilometers along scenic coastal paths. We saw vast groves of olive trees, thousands of citrus trees laden with fruit, and dozens of picturesque churches, chapels and monasteries. We explored ancient castles, even spending three nights in a fortress town and swimming in the sea below its formidable stone walls. And we drank good wine and dined on delicious traditional and contemporary Greek cuisine.

I will tell you more about our trip in detailed posts to come, but will launch my 2016 trip report with a series of photos showing some highlight sights and scenes from our travels.

Please click on the link below to view the pictures on page 2.

The Monastery of Elona, which clings to the face of a cliff on Mount Parnon, was a breathtaking sight during our drive from Nafplio to Monemvasia

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Mykonos: Amazing for all ages

June 2, 2016 / admin / 3 Comments

Best of Mykonos ♥ – Greece 2016 is a short but sweet personal travel film that spotlights some of the gorgeous sights and scenery a couple and their young son enjoyed during a visit to Mykonos this spring

Age appropriate: Here’s a newly published video I’m sharing on the blog primarily for any parents out there who might be wondering: Should we take our kids to Mykonos?

Concerned by its well-established reputation as a “party island,” readers regularly ask me if Mykonos is suitable for families with toddlers, young kids and teens. These parents say they would love to visit the island, but they’re worried about exposing their kids to the drunken debauchery, street brawls and public sex they’ve heard about or seen on television shows like the What Happens in Kavos series on Britain’s Channel 4 several years ago.

Although Mykonos is justifiably famous for its adult-oriented attractions of restaurants, shopping and nightlife, the island does have attractions and activities suitable for people of all ages — and its popular party scene can easily be avoided.

True, Mykonos has a few beaches where celebrations can sometimes turn wild, crazy and salacious — Paradise, Super Paradise, Paraga and Psarou among them — but the parties usually don’t start until 4 p.m. That means mornings and early afternoons are ideal for families to enjoy the sun, sand, sea and sensational scenery at each of these picturesque beaches. Moreover, there’s plenty of “non-party” beaches that are perfect to take kids, including Platis Gialos, Ornos, Agios Stefanos, Kalo Livadi, Kalafatis, Agia Anna/Kalafatis and Agios Ioannis, some of which offer a variety of water sports activities in which children can participate.

And unless they take the kids on a midnight (or later) stroll through the labyrinthine streets of Mykonos Town, parents probably won’t even notice the night-time party scene at the dozens of bars and clubs scattered throughout the town center. (Families can avoid peak party season altogether — and peak crowds and prices — by travelling to Mykonos in late April, May, the first half of June or during September and early October.)

Getting back to the video, you’ll join the Pfeifer family — Vanessa and Ben, and their young boy, Vincent — as they experience picture postcard-perfect places like the Little Venice seafront and the charming lanes of Mykonos Town, as well as the impressive coastal scenery and stunning turquoise sea at Agios Ioannis (better known to many people around the world as “The Shirley Valentine beach”).

Ben is a professional photographer with Fotostudio Lichtecht in Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany, and his skills are on full display in the video as he captures beautiful scenes and images from around the island and at their accommodations, the luxurious Mykonos Grand Hotel at Agios Ioannis– one of the island’s top resorts.

The video is only three and a half minutes long, so it offers a rather quick glimpse of Mykonos. But besides highlighting some of its most popular attractions, I think it shows parents that Mykonos is a place their kids will be able to enjoy, too.

Enchanting views of Naxos

May 28, 2016 / admin / 1 Comment

Naxos: The island that will enchant you is a mesmerizing 4-minute area film by Naxos Times

Here’s an intriguing video of Naxos that’s unlike any I’ve seen before. Released just this week by Naxos Times, the 4-minute film features breathtaking aerial views of Naxos Town as well as Cape Agios Prokopios in the Stelida district of the island’s northwest coast.

What’s unusual is that the film captures Naxos in the golden light of daybreak and sunset, when the seas are smooth as glass and barely a soul is in sight anywhere in the town. There’s an eerie and almost haunting, mysterious atmosphere to the video, but that’s what makes it even more captivating and fascinating.

Mykonos bar and beach club parties in July 2016

May 27, 2016 / admin / 1 Comment

Paradise Club’s 2016 summer DJ lineup, released July 14

This is Kalua Bar‘s party lineup for July and August. An event for July 21 has been added since this list was released.

Cavo Paradiso‘s international DJ lineup for July and August

The creator of the Cafe del Mar music collections, Jose Padilla, will make three appearances at Liasti Beach Resort in July — on Monday the 11th, Friday the 15th, and Saturday the 23rd

This post features promotional flyers for party events taking place on Mykonos during specific days in July only. If you want to see events for other months during summer 2016, click here.

Daily party events

The island’s main party beaches are Paradise, Super Paradise and Paraga, where beach parties start in the afternoon and continue into the evening. At Paradise, parties start around 4 p.m. at Tropicana Club and at Guapaloca, while partying can begin as early as mid afternoon at Super Paradise Club at Super Paradise beach. Guapaloca also throws a body painting partyk every night at 10 p.m. At Paraga, you’ll find afternoon beach parties at Kalua, daily pool parties at 5 p.m. at Sueno Village, and music entertainment events most days of the week at Scorpios. Parties can spontaneously erupt at Psarou beach, as well, when guests at Nammos beach bar and restaurant feel the urge to let loose (and they often do).

In Mykonos Town, Semeli Hotel holds a Sun:Set party at 6 p.m. every day in its Semeli Lounge. The Elysium Hotel in the School of Fine Arts district presents its famous Sunset Cabaret on its seaview pool terrace every evening starting at 8:30 p.m., while @54 Club has nightly drag shows starring Roxy Brooks and dancer Matthew Malia at 1 a.m. At the 4711 live music club, Dionisis Sxoinas will perform nightly (except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) from July 21 through to August 21.

Regular weekly events

Besides special one-time events featuring leading Greek and international DJs, some bars and beach clubs hold regular theme parties on specific days of the week. Here are some of the regular events being offered during July and August this summer:

Monday: Kalua holds its Skin Orgasm Party with Ms Lefki starting at 5 p.m., while at Kalo Livadi beach, DJ Maga spins chill tunes at the new Chinawhite by Rakkan, starting at 4 pm.

Tuesday: Scorpios hosts the Yoruba Soul Experience music event, starting at 5 p.m. Madon presents its weekly Propaganda party starting at midnight. Vinos bar features live jazz music from 10 p.m., and Dome Club has its Showtime Tuesdays party.

Wednesday: Kalua presents its Spirit party starting at 5 p.m.; Pinky Beach at Super Paradise hosts an After Beach Dine & Dance party with music by DJ Thanos starting at 6 p.m.; Toy Room Club hosts Toy Room on Fire, where the dress code is Red and music is by DJ Silence; and Rock N’ Roll Mykonos hosts special parties presented by Sintillate, with hip hop, RNB and house music by DJ Skaterboi.

Thursday: Hippie Fish at Agios Ioannis beach throws its Peace Love Music parties starting at 1 p.m.; and Scorpios presents its weekly Movements music event at 5 p.m. And starting at 10 p.m., Vinos bar presents live jazz music.

Friday: Scorpios holds its weekly Ceremonia music event beginning at 5 p.m.; Kalua holds its weekly Obsessions party with DJ Agent Greg starting at 5 p.m.; Blu Blu Lounge presents its Blu Sunset party with “eclectic” music by DJ Dest starting at 7.30 p.m.; and The Dublin pub at Agios Stefanos presents live Greek rock music with local band the VBros starting at 10:30 p.m.

Saturday: Monarch at Platis Gialos beach holds its weekly Blackrock Sinful Sunset beach party starting at 5 p.m.

Sunday: Liasti beach resort offers live saxophone music and jazz vocals in its restaurant area. The weekly day-to-night Sneaky Sundays music event takes place at Scorpios beginning at 5 p.m.; Toy Room Club hosts its weekly Incognito Masked Ball; and DJ Giannis Zissis from Athens spins at Dome Club.

Party announcements are added to this post whenever they are released, so check back regularly for updates. I usually add new events every day, and sometimes more than once a day. Note that most bars and clubs don’t post their full party schedules for the summer, and sometimes announce special events or DJ appearances as little as one to three days before they take place.

Please click on the link below to turn to page 2 of this post, where you will find a day-by-day list of party events taking place throughout July.

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Fab video scenes from a reader’s visit to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos in May 2016

May 27, 2016 / admin / 3 Comments

In his beautifully-filmed Greece – Cinematic Travel Video, Kris Clark spotlights top attractions and stunning scenery from Athens, Mykonos and Santorini

Trip highlights: Readers of my blog occasionally write to say they found my website helpful or inspiring for planning their own trips to Greece. My favourite feedback message of all arrived just yesterday — and included a link to the wonderful video I shared above.

In a comment posted on my blog, Kristoffer Clark said he, his wife and some friends recently returned from their May 7 – 15 trip to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos.

“We loved it, we used your site to help plan our itinerary. Your site was a big help,” he wrote. “I love to make travel videos of my trips so i wanted to share our Greece one with you.”

It’s such a fabulous film that I can’t resist sharing it here, since I think it superbly captures the essence and tremendous beauty of all three destinations.

And what I like best, besides the gorgeous scenery, are all the smiles, laughs and happy faces in evidence as Kristoffer, his wife and friends enjoy and experience the sights and scenery of three amazing destinations I visited on my own first trip to Greece.

If you’ve been to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini before, watching Greece – Cinematic Travel Video will undoubtedly trigger many happy memories for you as well. And if you haven’t been to Greece yet, I’m sure it will quickly convince you that it’s time to go. What are you waiting for? Start planning!

Skiathos holiday inspiration videos … and a new photo book to take home from the island

May 16, 2016 / admin / 1 Comment

This five and a half-minute Skyframe film features aerial views of Skiathos Town and some of the island’s stunning beaches and coastal scenery.

In Skiathos 2015, Alexandre Ingels takes viewers on an 11-minute aerial tour of the island’s lush landscapes and beautiful beaches

Inspiration & souvenirs: Going to Skiathos this summer? If you haven’t been to the island before, take a look at the videos I posted above — they’re bound to make you feel even more eager and excited to get there for your upcoming holiday.

If you’re one of the many lucky people who have already been to Skiathos, even for multiple return visits, the films are certain to evoke many fond memories of the time you spent on the island.

(The videos actually made me quite anxious to see Skiathos even though I’m not able to include it on the itinerary for my own upcoming trip to Greece.)

And while you’re on Skiathos, keep an eye out for the newly-published photo book, Kosmos Skiathos, by Dieter Seidel. With 120 photos of the island and descriptive text in German, Greek and English, it’s an ideal souvenir that will let you continue enjoying Skiathos long after you return home from your holiday.

Kosmos Skiathos – Κόσμος Σκιάθος – Cosmos Skiathos is a newly published 128-page photo book by Dr Dieter Seidel

“You can approach Skiathos in three ways: by plane, by boat – and with your heart,” says Seidel, who describes his book as a “confession of love” for the island.

“To me, Skiathos is the island of my dreams, my world. Nowhere have I felt as happy as I do here. I hope that my photographs of this wonderful island attest
to that feeling,” he says.

The 128-page hardcover edition is published by Griechenland Zeitung and can be purchased at various locations on Skiathos and elsewhere in Greece. Look for Kosmos Skiathos at shops that carry the German-language Griechenland Zeitung newspaper and magazine, as well as at newsstands that sell foreign press publications.

Click here to see the Kosmos Skiathos listing from the publisher’s online shop.

Below are images, provided by Griechenland Zeitung, that show the book’s front cover as well as some of its inside pages.

The table of contents page for Kosmos Skiathos

The book features 120 gorgeous photos of the island

Sample pages from the chapter on Skiathos shores and bays

If you’d like to see more videos of Skiathos, check out my February 25 blog post Revisiting summer on Skiathos, and my January 23 post Set your sights on Skiathos!

Quietly spectacular Skyros

May 14, 2016 / admin / 2 Comments

Enjoy aerial views of the island’s wonderful coastal, mountain, valley and village scenery in the film Skyros 2018 by Skylens (above), in Skyros – Cinematic Travel Video in 4K by Andre Eckhardt Films (center), and in Skyros – Greece by TreeZone (below)

~ Editor’s note: This article was updated on September 27 2018 with the addition of the Skyros 2018 video, and on October 2 2019 with the addition of the Skyros Cinematic Travel Video posted above ~

Real deal: Want to visit an authentic Greek island that isn’t a mainstream tourist magnet like Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, or even its nearby neighbour, Skiathos? Then have a look at Skyros, the southernmost and largest island in the Sporades archipelago. Skyros has everything you would want and expect from a great Greek island holiday destination — impressive landscapes and coastal scenery, inviting beaches, picturesque villages, historic sites, good food, and age-old local traditions — without the massive crowds and commerciality of other islands that have become household names around the world.

Though it is becoming increasingly popular with visitors from around the world, and has an international airport that receives direct charter flights from several European cities during July and August, Skyros is a relatively low-profile destination that isn’t even on the radar for most tourists planning vacations in the Greek islands.

In fact, there were only 3 question-and-answer threads posted on TripAdvisor’s Skyros travel forum in all of 2015, and just 10 in total since 2010. The Skiathos forum, by comparison, had more than 6,100 conversation threads as of mid-May 2016.

With so much going for the island, It’s rather surprising that Skyros doesn’t get more attention from travellers — especially considering that it gets good press whenever it’s mentioned in social and regular media.

For instance, Skyros was cited as the best destination for alternative travel and holistic holidays in The Telegraph’s January 2016 feature The 19 best Greek islands, and was included in a piece the Independent published about Holidays for single travellers. Also in January, The Irish Examiner published A letter from paradise on the Greek island of Skyros, a journalist’s account of her writing holiday. And in 2015, Thomas Cook Airlines named Skyros as best destination for “healthy lifestyle holidays” in its profile of Greece’s top 10 islands.

Perhaps it’s a good thing Skyros hasn’t become hugely popular — that means it will remain a unique and special place to charm and delight those travellers who do venture off the main tourist paths to pay it a visit. (And that’s one of the chief reasons why Skyros is on my bucket list of islands to see.)

Built on the steep slopes of a craggy peak topped by a Byzantine fortress and a monastery, Chora village is a striking sight on Skyros (Photo from the Municipality of Skyros travel guide)

Please continue reading on page 2, where you’ll find more pictures and videos along with links to more than a dozen different websites with Skyros travel information and photos.

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Category: Greek Island villages and towns (page 10 of 33)

Where we could have cooled off during this week’s heat wave

Mykonos bar and beach club parties in July 2016

Fab video scenes from a reader’s visit to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos in May 2016

Skiathos holiday inspiration videos … and a new photo book to take home from the island

Quietly spectacular Skyros

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