Discover Greece
Greece was the birthplace of European civilization and the period from 700BC saw the rise of the great city states of Athens, Corinth and Sparta. Get a ferry to Greece and see its many beautiful islands. The mainland also has many attractions - not least Athens with the Parthenon and the Theater of Dionysus, where works of Euripides were first performed. The ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the showplace each summer of the Athens Festival.
Further north you will find Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki with the White Tower, the green-domed Aghia Sophia church (8th century) and an exceptional new Byzantine museum. The Archaeological Museum displays riches of Macedonian kings drawn from excavations at nearby Pella, Vergina and the sacred city of Dion.
Travelling in Greece
It is both cheap and easy to travel around the islands. There are ferry services on many routes, with sailings more frequent during the summer.
The two main railway stations in Athens are Larissa (with trains to northern Greece, Evia and Europe) and Peloponnissos (with trains to the Peloponnese). Train information and tickets are available from the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE).
By car, Greece has a good road network. The maximum speed limit is 120kph (75mph) on motorways, 110kph (60mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas. It is illegal to carry spare petrol in the vehicle. Transportation in Greece improved significantly after 2004 when Athens hosted the Olympics.
Things to see
Explore the huge, sprawling city that is Athens. Begin with the Acropolis rock, home to the fifth-century BC Parthenon, then stroll down to the Ancient Agora, once Athens' civic, political and commercial centre. Explore the extensive ruins of Knossos, a 3,000-year-old frescoed Minoan Palace, home to Europe's earliest civilization. |
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