Греция """ Greece """

So, here my Greek holidays are over... and about everything in more detail... For a long time I chose where to go - either to take a tour - “a week on the mainland + rest”, or just to “roll” on the sea to warm the bones..... As a result, a very correct, in my opinion, decision was made - to buy just a tour at sea, with the possibility of additionally buying excursions. Again, which area to choose is the most optimal if you want to see the main attractions, opt for Pieria. And here there is already a place to turn around, and again I guessed right, choosing Paralia and the Konstantin Hotel 2 * +. Neos Panteleimon, the village of Platamonas, 35 km from the city of Katerini - they took tourists from there on excursions - well, somehow these villages did not impress me, in my opinion it’s boring in the evening, although if you are tired and stupidly want peace - maybe this and your option. In Paralia, in my opinion, everything is more combined, and calmness (well, if not on “your” beach, then you can go towards the Olympic Riviera) and there is something to do after sunset... To be honest, I took 2 * for the first time, but as far as it was right - it’s really 10 meters from the sea - across the road, in the evening there is a mandatory promenade along the main street with a bunch of shops and taverns, it’s normal to sleep at night with the balcony door open (just be patient - mosquitoes (! ) Our Russian fumitox does not take these bloodsuckers) – not noisy, because the hotel is located at the end of the pedestrian street. Proximity to all major attractions - Olympus, Meteora, Athens. . . savings on moving up to 2 hours. And again, we compared prices for the same magnets, oil, olives - in Paralia they are lower than in Halkidiki. Well, if you need a fur coat tour - again, there are shops in Paralia, 30 minutes and you are in Katerini, an hour in Thessaloniki. So the "+" are obvious - a very good location of the hotel, and what kind of 2 * are there? The site says that the hotel was renovated in 2008 - I must say, it seemed to me that it was built a couple of years ago - 4 floors, 40 rooms, NEW furniture, split system, TV with a Russian channel (although it started working closer to departure, but we knew the availability of free Wi-Fi and all the news from our native places), everything you need is there (well, no shampoos, so I always take my own anyway) - a hairdryer, a refrigerator, a beautiful view of the sea from the balcony (in extreme cases - a side ) or to Olympus dear to the heart. Hospitable hosts, Vladimir speaking excellent Russian, periodically acted as an interpreter when communicating with the hostess... Change of linen every 2 days (! ), To be honest, this does not always happen even at 5 *. The only thing that bothered me a little was the lack of beach towels, I think if the cost of the room had been raised by a couple of euros, no one would have noticed it, but it would have been more comfortable (well, I’m not used to carrying my towels with me on vacation, and buying them every time I don’t feel like it - the suitcase already has something to score, but you always have to remember about the notorious 20 kg of weight). Regarding the “Eat” - take only breakfast, although right there in the hotel, if necessary, you will be offered an additional dinner for 8 €, but you need it (? ), when there is such a “breakthrough” of local taverns at the exit from the hotel... So breakfasts are normal European table, when they begin to write that there was little food - excuse me, do you really take a plate of borscht and a portion of dumplings with potatoes in the morning at home? As a rule, a cup of coffee would be good to drink. . . So don't anger the rulers of Olympus. . . well, at the very least, you will then go to your native Turkey, with its wonderful "ALL INCLUSIVE". I continue about the food - according to all the reviews, everyone praises the Poseidon, located on the left when leaving the hotel on the main street. I can say one thing - rightly praise. Of course, we were in 3 more places (we didn’t believe the reviews, we decided to compare (!??? ), but then we returned to a restaurant dear to our hearts. Special thanks to the chef for the quality and presentation of the dishes, it was really nice to enjoy the dishes and look at the sea... (prices - Squid + salad + french fries - 6 €, octopus - 12 €, a small seafood dish (squid, shrimps, mussels, fries, salad) - 9.5 €, wine - 0.5 liters-4 €, a glass of 2.5€ + everything at the time of calculation they bring a compliment from the chef - a pie, a watermelon with fruit... so nice....) At lunch you can have a bite of local "shawarma" for 2.2€, and quite decent quality. went to the local LIDL supermarket - located at the end of the perpendicular main street, on which the stop in Katerini is located, Mouzenidis office, if you stand with your back to the church - on the right. to please the eye. ” 1.5 liters of Sangria - 2 €, the rest beer, water, chips - prices are slightly lower than in local small shops. Beach - you can, of course, lie on a towel under your umbrella for free on the sand, but people....Therefore, I chose a more comfortable one - a lounger + umbrella + yummy (Frappe + water, ice cream, juice, beer) for 3 €, and no problem - a reservation for the whole day... the main thing is to spread cream on time and have time to evenly roll over on the lounger, otherwise we have seen enough....Excursions - well, of course, the valiant Mouzenidis will say that you need to take only from them, they say only our operator is fully responsible for you (!? ). Well, as they say, you decide - just compare prices....Meteora 65-20, Thessaloniki 40-10, Athens 75-45... They took Athens and Athos from Mouzenidis, and then for one simple reason - the locals do not take them to Athos, they decided to just go to Athens with a "verified" operator. I must say, the trip to Athens was somewhat disappointing - a 2-story bus, 75 people, no headphones... and now everyone is trying to hear what the guide is telling us, I must say, it’s not very comfortable somehow. And a 2-story bus is just horror... Yes, new, but because. you need to accommodate a larger number of vacationers, the distance between the seats becomes correspondingly smaller, and if you take into account the 5-hour drive (and this is from Pieria, from Halkidiki + 2 hours), then you begin to understand when they write about a difficult route... whether to go or not - decide themselves, because there was no hope that I would get to Greece again - they took everything in full, well, as a last resort, so that later we would decide to go to the places we liked again, then know all the pitfalls... To Meterora, Thessaloniki, Olympus traveled from the local agency FLY - located on the right along the street leading to LIDL. The second Russian-speaking agency is just opposite. Previously, it was one agency, but in 2015 there was a division into 2. Moreover, they each carry their own bus. Here, due to the beginning of the season and not a large number of Russian-speaking tourists, there were 2 groups on the bus - Russians and Serbs, each with its own guide. We had Natasha, about whom they write in other reviews. In general, everything is fine, and the presence of such prices helps to make the right decision. In Thessaloniki, in general, I was one Russian-speaking on the bus, the rest were Serbs, but they understood each other correctly with the accompanying person and there were no problems, I walked around the city, sat in a cafe. Tip - take a map of Thessaloniki on the plane, at least all significant sights are indicated there, very convenient. But in general, upon arrival, immediately go up to the White Tower for 2 €, otherwise after the heat you won’t have enough strength, and it’s better to take a 2-story bus for 9 €, with the ability to get off at stops, a couple of times in time it’s possible to do this and then from the "center" go down to the embankment. Fur purchases - there is nothing to say, I did not include this item in the vacation program, but judging by the meeting at the airport on the return flight - many pampered themselves. What to buy, prices. As they say, for an amateur and according to the thickness of the wallet. I have already formed for a long time..... magnet, plate, "Beads" (something from jewelry, jewelry). Prices, as I already wrote in Paralia, are very democratic. Magnets - 1-2 €, but the bulk of 1 €, you can even find the same types for 0.6-0.8. Moreover, in Athens - the excellent quality of magnets for 1 €, and on Meteora the price tag is 2 €, or 3 for € 5. But keep in mind - this is the beginning of the season, so it's not a fact that in July, August the price tags will be the same. Recognizable olive soap 0.75-1.5 (moreover, in a bag with a magnet). Friends took olive cosmetics, they were satisfied, but I have nothing to say - I didn’t buy it. Olive oil - in local small shops, from 2.5 for 0.25 liters and more... friends took a whole 5 liter "bucket", but again, we must remember about the maximum allowable baggage weight (20 kg per person, we eventually teamed up and three of us registered - they met the limit of 59 kg). Well, my favorite fad is the “distillery on wheels”. I was somewhat shocked by the prices at the local duty free - the prices, I must say, are really somewhat overpriced, so my friends who bought during the holiday were right. Olives - in stores, apparently for the convenience of vacationers, they are sold in vacuum packaging, of various types. But look at the expiration date, I was somewhat annoyed by the fact that in some packages the brine was a little “not transparent”. There is another option - olives are also sold by weight for about 2.5 € per kg - take it, try it, drain the liquid as much as possible, into a bunch of bags and into a suitcase. Here at least you definitely won’t bring a “pig in a poke”. In short, have a good rest. Greece really has everything. . .