Tag: beach (page 11 of 18)

Picture yourself … warming up at a beach on Ios

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Top 15 reasons to visit Naxos

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The centuries-old Portara monument greets visitors arriving at Naxos by sea

The enormous marble entrance for the never-completed Temple of Apollo greets visitors arriving by sea at Naxos island in the Cyclades.  Also known as the Portara, the monument is an internationally-recognized symbol of Naxos island.

 

Something for everyone: If you’re trying to find a Greek holiday destination that ticks practically every box on even the pickiest traveller’s checklist of “must have’s” and “must see’s,” take a closer look at Naxos.

The largest island in the Cyclades, Naxos is equally big on the number of activities and attractions it offers visitors of all ages and lifestyles. From beautiful beaches to mountain villages; a vibrant port town with an historic castle and Old Market district; monuments, ruins and museums; excellent dining and nightlife; accommodations to suit any budget; walking trails, water sports and mountain biking; stunning scenery and sunsets; plus sightseeing excursions and tours both on and off the island, Naxos has it all.

Whether you’re planning to visit for three days or three weeks, you’ll never run out of things to do — if anything, you’ll probably wind up wishing you had more time to spend on the island.

 

What’s more, Naxos is surprisingly easy on the pocketbook, with reasonable prices for food, accommodations and entertainment.

All those are precisely the reasons why we named Naxos as our Greek Holiday Destination of the Year for 2013 (see our December 31 2013 post for more about that).

Click on the link below to continue reading and to see dozens of photos that illustrate our Top 15 reasons to visit Naxos, including:

♦ Ease of getting to the island;

♦ Wide range of accommodation options;

♦ Suitability for travellers of all ages and holiday lifestyles;

♦ Its fascinating main town, built below a medieval castle;

♦ Dozens of beautiful mountain villages and seaside settlements;

♦ Historic archaeological sites, monuments and museums;

♦ An extensive array of places to eat delicious local specialties and Greek cuisine;

♦ Hiking, adventure sports and recreation opportunities galore;

♦ Spectacular scenery and sunsets;

♦ Cultural events, entertainment and nightlife;

♦ Fantastic beaches;

♦ Shopping and local products;

♦ Good local transportation services;

♦ Friendly residents

♦ Tours and boat excursions to other nearby islands

 

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Warming up with a walk along Mylopotas beach

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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.

 

 

 

Pic of the day: St George’s beach on Naxos

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Waves break off St George's Beach on Naxos island during a windy but gloriously sunny October afternoon

We just got home from a 2-week visit to Naxos a few days ago. We’re suffering tremendous jet lag, and really miss being in gorgeous Greece, but at least we have thousands of photos we can view to take our mind off the miserable fall weather at home. I’ll be sharing many of those pictures with you in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, I can summarize Naxos in just one word: Amazing!

 

Pic of the day: Cool sunbeds on a Naxos beach

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A row of contemporary wicker lounge chairs at St George's Beach on Naxos

Definitely not your typical sunbeds! This row of wicker lounge chairs sits on the sand in front of Ippokampos Beach Restaurant at Agios Georgios beach (St George’s Beach) on Naxos. Click on the photo to view a full-size image.

 

Pic of the day: Sunbeds at a beach on Kos

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Sunbeds on a beach near the Tigaki resort area of Kos island

Colourful umbrellas shade a row of lounge chairs on a beach near Tigaki on Kos

 

 

3 fun ways to cool off at a beach in Greece

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It takes skill and strength, but kitesurfing lets you zip across the water and even catch some quality air time, as these enthusiasts demonstrate in a video I shot at Agios Prokopios beach on Naxos on May 23.

 

 

Tube rides offer speed and splash and the risk of an unexpected dip in the sea, as these riders discovered at Mylopotas beach on Ios. I shot this clip on May 21.

 

 

For people who prefer to stay close to shore and keep their feet on the ground, jumping and wading in big waves — like these at Agios Prokopios beach in Naxos this past May — can be just as fun and exciting. I shot this clip on May 23.

 

Mainland must-see: the Halkidiki peninsula

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Golden sand beaches on the Halkidiki peninsula in the Central Macedonia region of Greece

Golden sand beach crescents in Halkidiki’s beautiful West Sithonia region. The photo is from the Greece in Photos Facebook page. Click on the picture to view a full-size image.

 

Marvellous Macedonia: I wish I had longer holidays so I could spend more time exploring mainland Greece.  One of the regions I’m eager to see is Macedonia, home to the city of Thessaloniki and to the stunning landscapes and seascapes of the Halkidiki peninsula. Marathias (pictured above) is just one among scores of beautiful beaches in Halkidiki. The gorgeous 200-meter-long golden sand beach, with a separate smaller strand nearby, is situated about 4 km south of Toroni in the peninsula’s West Sithonia region.  Below is a Halkidiki Tourism Organization promotional video that shows some of the sights, scenery and activities that draw visitors to this dynamic area of mainland Greece.

 

 

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