Category: Greek Islands videos (page 15 of 20)

Marvellous winter moments on Mykonos

March 4, 2014 / / 2 Comments
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Mykonos Island “when no one’s watching” from Andreas Bekas on Vimeo.

 

Mention Mykonos, and most people instantly imagine sun-scorched rocky hills; crescent-shaped beaches packed end-to-end with people partying under searing sunshine; throngs of tourists swarming the iconic windmills on the hill near Little Venice; gigantic cruise ships docking at both of the island’s ports; and luxurious private yachts dropping anchor in almost every bay. That’s a fairly accurate image of what the island is like during the peak travel months of July and August.

But Mykonos has a completely different look during winter when the island’s 10,000 residents have the beaches and monuments entirely to themselves. The hillsides are verdant with winter flowers and greenery; the quiet beaches are empty of people, lounge chairs and umbrellas; and there’s nary a soul to be seen near the windmills or on the seaside at Little Venice.

 

Spectacular video by Andreas Bekas

In his spectacular time-lapse video Mykonos Island: When no one’s watching, photographer Andreas Bekas captures the Mykonos landscape in moments of peace, quiet, solitude and colour that few tourists ever get to see.

The 2.5-minute video opens with striking sunrise views of the Agios Iakovos chapel near Agios Sostis (which I profiled in a June 10 2013 post), and features scenes including: the five windmills at Alefkandra; the Armenistis lighthouse; the Bonis windmill on the hill above Mykonos Town; vast expanses of green countryside; the blissfully empty beaches at Paraga, Kalfatis and Panormos; the remarkable Paraportiani Church; and a moody view of the Little Venice seafront. The clip concludes with an aerial view of an eerily quiet Mykonos Town and harbourfront at sunset; a star-filled sky above a rustic dovecoat; and tall green grass rustling in wind.

Makes me wish I could take a winter trip to Mykonos!

 

Arriving at Parikia port on Paros

February 10, 2014 / / 0 Comments
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The Seajets SuperJet ferry approaches port at the town of Parikia on Paros

The Seajets passenger ferry Superjet enters Parikia Bay as it heads to port at Paros island on October 13 2013

 

 

The Seajets SuperJet ferry approached the port at Parikia on Paros

The town of Parikia looms larger as Superjet approaches the ferry quay. I shot the photos above, as well as two of the videos below, from the Blue Star Ferries ship Paros as it departed Parikia en route to Athens.

 

 

 This is a short clip of Superjet that I shot from the Blue Star Paros.

 

 

 This video (Part 1 of 2) shows views of Parikia and some of its waterfront on the south side of the port. I shot this clip from a deck of the Blue Star Paros as it approached and prepared to dock at Parikia en route from Naxos to Piraeus.

 

 

 

This is the second clip I shot from the Blue Star ferry. It shows parts of Parikia and the bay on the north side of the port.

 

 

For a completely different perspective, here’s a video shot from land, showing the Paros docking at Parikia. It was filmed by YouTube member Steffen Mork.

 

Beach and coastal scenery on Chios

February 2, 2014 / / 0 Comments
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This videoclip, Beaches of Chios, was posted online by YouTube member Xvijana, who said the clip shows beaches visited during a 2013 visit to the East Aegean island. The clip shows a variety of beaches starting on the west side of Chios, moving from south to north, and then clockwise from the northeast to south.

 

 

Winter distraction: I’ve had enough of winter!  I’m tired of ice, sleet and snow, and fed up with having to wear several layers of clothing to cope with the mind-numbing cold temperatures outside. But it’s only February 1, and spring is still a long ways off.

So I’m trying to distract myself by viewing online photos and videos of places I’d like to visit on one of our future trips to Greece.

The East Aegean island of Chios is one of those places. I don’t know if we’ll get there in 2014, but this video by Xvijana makes me want to visit just to see the island’s incredible variety of beaches and coastal scenery.

Xvijana’s video took my mind off winter for a few minutes … I hope it’s an equally enjoyable distraction for you, too!

 

Picture yourself … warming up at a beach on Ios

January 23, 2014 / / 0 Comments
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Looking across the golden sand beach at Gialos, the port village on Ios island

Another polar vortex has brought biting cold weather to the northeastern USA and Canada this week, so I’ve been trying to distract myself from the chill by looking at photos and videos of beaches. Like these of the long, gently curving golden sand beach at Gialos, the port village area of Ios. It was sunny and a toasty 28 degrees Celsius (84 F) when I shot these pics — nearly 40 degrees warmer than it is outside my window at the moment. If only I could be enjoying that sun, heat and sand right now! Click on the photo to view a full-size image.

 

 

Gialos beach on Ios island

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hersonissos’s hidden & not-so-secret treasures

January 13, 2014 / / 0 Comments
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church in Hersonissos Crete

This beautiful church…

 

 

Hersonissos Crete

… this dramatic mountain landscape …

 

 

Hersonissos Crete beach

… this inviting beach …

 

 

Hersonissos sunset

… and this spectacular sunset … are among the spellbinding sights and scenes featured in two promotional videos for Hersonissos Municipality in Crete

 

 

More than big resorts:  The Hersonissos area on Crete is one of the largest and most popular mass tourism destinations in Greece, known for its huge hotels and all-inclusive resorts, exuberant nightlife, and extensive entertainment attractions and activities that will amuse visitors of all ages. Hersonissos has everything — from golf to go-karting, hiking to bungee jumping, plus waterparks, aquariums, museums, shops, restaurants and nightclubs.

But even though it’s a busy contemporary destination for holidaymakers as well as thousands of people attending conferences and business travel events each year, Hersonissos abounds with appealing natural wonders, too, like gorgeous beaches, beautiful mountain and plateau landscapes, historical monuments and even traditional Cretan villages.

 

Popular resort area is near Heraklion

Hersonissos is situated approximately 25 km east of the City of Heraklion, which is easy to reach by flight or by ferry. Hersonissos is a little more than a 15-minute drive from the Heraklion airport, by rental car or taxi, and can also be reached by frequent local bus service from a depot near the Heraklion port.

Further information about the biggest tourist destination on Crete is available on the Municipality of Hersonissos website as well as on the Hersonissos section of the comprehensive explorecrete.com web portal.

Below are two promotional videos that were produced for the Municipality of Hersonissos by the video production and web design agency Blueroom. Both films feature fabulous video scenery, along with stunning timelapse photography by Stian Rekdal.

Don’t be surprised if you feel a strong urge to plan a visit to Hersonissos after viewing the videos — I certainly did! In fact, I spent a few hours searching for photos and information about Hersonissos immediately after watching the clips. Don’t know if we’ll get there this year, but Crete is among the islands we’re considering for our next Greek holiday. Check out the videos and see if Hersonissos is a destination you might enjoy.

 

The Land of Beaches and Experiences video highlights some of the top activities enjoyed by visitors to Hersonissos, including water sports, diving, horseback riding, golf, and the CretAquarium. The video also provides inviting glimpses of some of the area’s gorgeous beaches.

 

 

The Power of Legacy video celebrates the “hidden treasures” of Hersonissos, ranging from “people full of warm hospitality to unbelievable beauty that was left behind by past generations. Everything coated with natural beauty and traditional villages in which you can experience tasty home made Greek cuisine.”

 

Revisiting the Shirley Valentine beach on Mykonos

January 6, 2014 / / 0 Comments
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Shirley Valentine beach

The southern section of Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos, known the world over as “the Shirley Valentine beach” from the 1989 movie

 

By popular request: Ever since television networks in the U.K. and U.S.A. broadcast Shirley Valentine in late December, interest in the movie’s filming locations has literally exploded. Thousands of people around the world have come to MyGreeceTravelBlog searching for information about “the Shirley Valentine beach,” wondering exactly where it is and what it looks like today.

Its actual name is Agios Ioannis beach, and it’s situated in the Agios Ioannis Diakoftis area near the southwest tip of Mykonos island.

 

 

Nestled in one of the most scenic locations on Mykonos, Agios Ioannis offers superb views of nearby Delos and Rinia islands. As the legendary birthplace of the mythological Greek god Apollo, Delos is one of the most important archaeological and historical sites in all of Greece, and is recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

 

Agios Ioannis beach view of Delos island

The view toward Delos and Rinia islands from a soft sand area near the middle of Agios Ioannis beach.  The beach surface varies from hard-packed smooth sand, to soft golden sand, to tiny pebbles and small stones mixed with sand.

 

Two distinct stretches of beach

Unlike most beaches on Mykonos, Agios Ioannis actually consists of two distinct beach segments, thanks to a rocky slope that juts into the sea beneath the 5-star Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort. This hill naturally divides the seashore into two separate beach areas — the main one to the north, and a shorter, narrower stretch to the south, below the Saint John Mykonos Resort, another premium 5-star hotel.

Both resorts have lounge chairs and umbrellas on the shores below their respective properties, for the exclusive use of their registered guests, but the beaches themselves are public spaces and anyone can stroll or spread a towel on the sand if they like. Just take care while climbing up and down the hill if you decide to check out the smaller beach below the Saint John Resort — it’s easy to slip on the sand and rocks.

 

 

Since so many people have been seeking information about the Shirley Valentine beach, I’m republishing some of my photos and videos here. Below are several photos I shot during my last two visits to Agios Ioannis, in May of 2011 and 2012, followed by links to my Agios Ioannis Flickr albums, two of my videoclips, as well as two Shirley Valentine movie trailers.

You can also read more about the Shirley Valentine beach in my July 7 2011 post.

 

Shirley Valentine beach

A view of the main (north) beach strip that most visitors see. It’s at the bottom of the beach access road, and has a small vehicle parking area right behind it.

 

Shirley Valentine beach

Another view of the main section of the Shirley Valentine beach, as seen from the hill that divides the shoreline into two different segments. The lounge chairs and umbrellas in the foreground are reserved for guests of the Mykonos Grand hotel.

 

Shirley Valentine sign

The beach taverna that starred in the Shirley Valentine movie is still there — but it has been transformed into Hippie Fish, a trendy, upscale restaurant with a sushi bar. This sign near the Hippie Fish entrance lets visitors know they’ve found the original movie filming location. This page on the restaurant website provides photos and information about the movie.

 

Hippie Fish restaurant

Hippie Fish has a huge, open-air terrace offering views of the beach, bay and beyond. Besides sushi, the restaurant serves Greek cuisine, as did the traditional taverna that occupied the space when Shirley Valentine was filmed here, but I don’t think you’ll find chips and eggs on the menu.

 

Shirley Valentine beach

A view of the narrower, southern stretch of Agios Ioannis beach, below the Saint John Mykonos luxury resort. I shot this pic from atop the rocky point that divides the shoreline in half.

 

Shirley Valentine beach

If you feel the urge to talk to a rock, you’ll find that the ones on the beach below the Saint John resort are the best listeners.

 

Manoulas Mykonos Beach Resort

Manoulas Mykonos Beach Resort, partway up the hill behind Agios Ioannis beach, is where some of the scenes from Shirley Valentine were filmed

 

This is a video I shot at Agios Ioannis beach in May 2012

 

This is a short video I shot at the beach in May 2011.

 

A trailer for the 1989 Shirley Valentine film, starring Pauline Collins

 

From YouTube, more scenes from the Shirley Valentine movie

 

Warming up with a walk along Mylopotas beach

December 16, 2013 / / 0 Comments
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The golden sands of Mylopotas beach on Ios

An early evening view of Mylopotas beach on Ios

 

 

Warmer times: It’s bitterly cold outside right now and I’m huddling indoors, fighting a stubborn head cold and trying to keep myself warm.

But instead of wrapping myself in a thick woolly blanket, I’m making myself feel warmer by looking through photos and videos from our Greek Island holidays in May and October of this year.

And some images that really gave me a boost today were from Mylopotas beach on Ios back on May 19.

It had been a sunny and hot day, and we had already done a lot of walking around the island. But in early evening we were doing even more, taking a stroll on the golden sands of gorgeous Mylopotas beach, which was almost empty of people at the time. The sound of waves washing against the shore was incredibly soothing and relaxing.

Below is a brief videoclip I shot while I walked on the sand around 7 p.m. Remembering how warm it was at the time helped me forget about my cold for awhile. I hope it helps you warm up a bit if you’re in a cold part of the world right now, too.

 

 

 

Video visit: Apiranthos village on Naxos

September 19, 2013 / / 0 Comments
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 This Apiranthos travel video runs nearly two and a half minutes. It was posted online by YouTube member naxosislandtv.

 

Marble & museums: When we visited Naxos in 2006, we rented a car so we could do one of the much-recommended round-the-island drives and visit some of the scenic mountain villages — including Apiranthos — along the way. We wound up seeing far less than we expected, thanks to the weather.

When we picked up the car shortly after breakfast, it was already 29 degrees Celsius (84 F).  By the time we reached the mountain village of Filoti, the temperature was in the mid-30s, and we felt like we were going to melt after only a few minutes of walking around. We got back in the air conditioned comfort of the car and headed on, planning to stop at Apiranthos, but as we approached the village the dashboard thermometer showed it was a scorching 38 degrees outside. There was no way we could drag ourselves around the village in that heat, so we didn’t even bother getting out of the car and just kept on going. We eventually stopped at the Apollonas coastal resort area, where it was only marginally cooler at the seaside.

 

Marble architecture & four museums

It was a huge disappointment not to see Apiranthos, which we’d heard is one of the most beautiful villages on the island. Boasting marble buildings and marble-paved streets and squares, along with four museums (the Archaeological Museum, Folk Art Museum, Geological Museum and Museum of Natural History), the medieval village certainly sounded like a place we would enjoy. We thought we would get there during our next Naxos visit, in 2009, but we didn’t rent a car that trip and never made it to Apiranthos.  We didn’t have a car during our brief stop in Naxos in May of this year, either, so the village remains on our Naxos “must-see” list.

With luck, we might finally get to see it when we return to Naxos next month. If we do make it there, you’ll see our photos (and maybe some videos, too) here on the blog. In the meantime, check out the videoclip above for a quick peek at the scenic village.

 

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