THE MOST CORRECT REVIEW
They say Greece has everything. . .
Just as they say that anticipation of a holiday is better than the holiday itself, so the mood in anticipation of the trip should have, simply had to have a positive effect on confidence, however, since this trip was "savages" - everything is inside -it was a slight chill.
Therefore, for greater certainty, we went with a company: together with two friends and check on Chalkidiki whether everything is there or still not everything, especially since since May there are direct flights from Odessa to Thessaloniki from the campaign Ellinair. The weeklong trip started with a pleasant flight - thanks to the airline!
Maybe for some this is the norm, but we were pleasantly surprised by the service: the cost of economy class tickets includes (as it turns out) not only a pleasant smile of flight attendants, as in UIA, but also free meals, tea, coffee, sweets and Greek wine, that is, only on the way to Greece, and the wine is already Greek!
In general, the 2-hour flight to Thessaloniki passed unnoticed, especially since, in addition to friends, Spanish football fans also flew with us after the victory of their club, so the atmosphere on board, as they say, "can imagine ": refusing to drink with the fans was useless, and then refusing to dance with all of them right in the aisle of the plane! Where did the Spaniards only come from? At the Odessa Airport, they were sleeping in piles right on the floor while waiting for the flight, and here there are lighters!
EVALUATION FLIGHT (AIRLINE), including Spaniards - 5 (EXCELLENT).
THASSALONIKI AIRPORT small, just one terminal, but how well all the services work. The total time for passing through passport control and getting luggage was no more than 30 minutes, and that's it - the path to the sea and the sun is open!
For an independent trip around Greece, we decided to rent a car, which we booked directly from Odessa, so upon arrival, even before passing through passport control, we were called by a representative of the campaign and were pleased that the car was ready and waiting, which (the car, not representative of the company) we picked up right at the parking lot at the Airport.
The cost of renting a supercar KIA was 160 euros per week (1 driver), including insurance. Getting around Greece is safe - the roads are excellent. Everywhere there are signs and markings, in addition, no one canceled the navigator. The cost of A-95 gasoline varies from 1.4 to 1.6 Euro per liter. Some of the roads are paid: from 1.5 to 3 Euros for a car. ATTENTION: you should not spare this money - there are traffic jams from heavy and slow-moving cars on free roads, so the trip can be significantly delayed. The distance from Thessaloniki to Possidi 110 km raced in 1.5 hours, with a breeze, waiting for a meeting with the gentle sea.
SIT (POSSIDI) - a small resort town located on the peninsula of Kassandra (the first "leg", as they call it in Greece) - very quiet and cozy resort: several small hotels and private houses, a couple of taverns, two shops, pine trees that go straight to the shore and an endless sandy white beach and the sea, the sea, the sea!! ! The special charm of the resort is given by the view from the beach to Olympus, here, basking under the Greek sun, you feel closer to the Greek gods. Along the coast you can walk to the lighthouse, around which there is generally a deserted beach, where there is not a single tourist. This resort is not for fans of incendiary night rest. Here is silence, tranquility and the endless sea...
Historical (maybe not very historical) reference:
"Sit this ancient fishing settlement, the local sailors worshiped the god of the sea, Poseidon, who gave them a rich catch of fish. The name of the village came from his name. a huge number of sandy beaches surrounded by parks, gardens and pine forests of stunning beauty.
For the first time they started talking about Sit in the 5th century BC. The coast at that time was owned by the ancient city of Mendi. This city was founded by the Hellenes in the 19th century BC. It was located on the territory where the modern city of Pallini is now located.
At that time, sacred places for the Hellenes were located in this area. First of all, this is the temple of Poseidon, located on the cape of the same name. The temple was a classic version of the sacred altar for the worship of an ancient deity. Today, archaeologists have been able to find some artifacts in this area that can tell about the life of the ancient Greeks. During the excavations, an altar dating from the 12th century BC was found, as well as a building with arches, erected around the 11th century BC. During the excavations, 4 large buildings were discovered, one of which was the main temple. It was surrounded on all sides by several buildings. None of the scientists can explain such an arrangement of buildings. However, we can say for sure that these finds are indisputable proof that all European culture originates in Ancient Greece. ".
POSSIDI PARADISE HOTEL)
The hotel is small, 2 rows of 2-storey houses, between which there is a swimming pool, a restaurant and a couple of benches. The Hotel has free parking (behind the Hotel). Directly opposite the reception is its own free beach. Towels at the Hotel are also free of charge (no additional deposits). There is a sauna, although we did not get to it. The hotel area is very clean. There are benches and rubbish bins everywhere. A lot of greenery (magnolia and cacti bloom) and birds, swallows that nest right next to the reception and triple the free concert in the morning and evening.
Cleaning starts at 6 (!!! ) in the morning. This is probably the only negative of the Hotel, so you need to close the windows more tightly. The rooms are clean and tidy. On the balconies of the second floor there are very comfortable armchairs for relaxing. Rooms are cleaned and towels changed every day. Furnishings The room is simple but very comfortable. There is everything a tourist needs, who came to the Sea, and not to the Room.
The hotel staff is very attentive, helpful and sociable, there is an indoor restaurant and 2 outdoor areas, on the second - a bar, here alcohol is free for those who are "all inclusive", and for us, who came "with his" - the waiters will kindly bring a corkscrew and glasses.
Meals for 5 plus. We were pleasantly surprised by the mussels for dinner and the abundance of very tasty ice cream. Based on what we have seen, TIP: in Greece, it will not be easy to lose weight - meat, fish every day, a variety of pastries, a lot of fruits, and, of course, a large selection of Greek salads and many sauces for them.
Rating HOTEL - 5 (EXCELLENT), well, almost EXCELLENT (5-).
BEACH is directly opposite the Hotel. Comfortable sun loungers and umbrellas are provided free of charge.
Above the Beach there is a small Bar with everything from coffee and fruit to beer and chips.
The beach is sandy, the entrance to the sea is also sandy with flat large stones, under which octopuses hide in the mornings - one fine Greek morning, around 9 am, a baby octopus was caught and immediately released.
At the same time, there are few marine life near the edge of the sea: small gray and sandy fish swim. The entrance to the water is gentle, there are no sharp changes in depth, the water is transparent and clear as glass, so when you swim far, you don’t immediately realize how deep it is.
BEACH Rating - 5 (EXCELLENT).
TAVERNA.
Taverns are something special. We chose the Stamatis Tavern for ourselves. It's not that we didn't have enough food at the Hotel, we just wanted to try real Greek cuisine and hospitality and we were not mistaken. The tavern is located right on the embankment, exit the reception of the Hotel on the left 300 meters. This tavern is decorated in a real Greek style: blue chairs, neat tables and many flowers. They cook very, very quickly. Prices are quite moderate.
Individually, by order of the visitor, they can cook exotic local fish (of course, it is more expensive and the wait is longer, but how delicious!!! ). The portions are huge, so TIP: you need to order a little bit and according to your appetite.
For the first time, we ordered 2 salads for three, eggplant with Greek cheese, sliced zucchini, squid, mussels, grilled fish and sauces and it turned out to be a lot! In addition, they always bring delicious freshly baked hot bread with olive oil. Everything is fresh and very tasty: salads, squids, mussels, octopuses and only freshly caught fried fish (there is no frozen fish).
And, of course, Greek homemade wine, which we liked so much that we persuaded the waiters to give another bottle of wine to take away for the evening, as they say.
And, of course, in addition to all of the above, there was also a compliment from the chef, which, depending on the day, could be in the form of ice cream or local sweets. The staff of the Tavern is friendly, sociable and sincerely interested in customers. The waiters not only fed quickly, but also recommended beautiful places on the beaches of the nearest peninsulas, clarified what time the boats leave for an excursion along Athos, and advised places for shopping.
What else to say about the Tavern - the owner showed a photo and an article on the Internet that, during a cruise on his own yacht, Robert De Niro, John Travolta, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt dined in this Tavern with children and friends, so we, having learned this, of course, they immediately felt closer to Hollywood stars.
Rating TAVERN - 5+ (EXCELLENT).
TRAVEL IN GREECE. When planning our vacation, we wanted to combine visits to historical and spiritual places as much as possible, swimming in the beautiful Aegean Sea, be sure to see small Greek towns, fishing villages and deserted beaches... that is, everything in one trip!
ATHO.
Athos (officially called the Holy Mountain in Greek sources) is the name of a mountain (height 2033 m) and a peninsula in Greek Macedonia in the north of Eastern Greece. In the system of administrative regions of Greece, it has the name "Autonomous monastic state of the Holy Mountain". In 1903, the population of Mount Athos was approximately 7.432, and in 1917 it was about 10.500. For Orthodox all over the world, it is one of the main holy places, revered as the earthly Lot of the Mother of God.
A trip to Athos is worth allocating the whole day. It is more than 70 km from Possidi to the Athos peninsula, so she could recommend those who travel on their own to leave early. The road to the Athos peninsula passes through a mountain range, so we had the opportunity to enjoy mountainous Greece. The tour starts in the small town of Ouranoupolis. On the main road, we went straight to a small temporary parking lot, and it’s impossible to leave vehicles there for longer than 15 minutes. To the left of the parking lot is the beautiful embankment of Ouranoupolis (there are also paid parking lots, the price is from 1.5 euros per hour), to the right is the Byzantine tower, which is considered the center of the town. They decided not to climb the tower, although they say that there is a museum and a very beautiful view of the city opens up. Immediately behind the tower there is a small road to the parking lot of ships that are taken on an excursion along Athos. Ships leave with an interval of 1 hour. The cost of a 3-hour trip is approximately 20-25 Euros, the ticket is sold directly on the ship. Loudspeakers are installed on the ships in 5 languages, and during the trip they tell about the history of the State of Athos, Athos monasticism, the foundations and history of each of the monasteries. Throughout the trip, seagulls will circle around the ship, as if not letting them get closer to the Holy Mountain, therefore, seeing this, TIP: it would not be bad to take bread with you to feed the seagulls, although there is a mini bar on the ship where you can buy tea, coffee and a bun (though for 2.5 Euros). On the ship, it is better to take places on the port side, since all the monasteries will be on the left side. They say that there are 6-hour excursions, during which tourists travel along the entire coast of the state of Athos, but this time there was a strong storm on the other side of the peninsula and therefore the excursion was limited to 3 hours: we reached Athos and turned around. During the trip, the most important thing is to have clear, good weather - then there will be an opportunity to see all the beauty of the Athos monasteries and the Holy Mountain itself, the ships sail at a distance of at least 500 meters from the coast. Women are generally forbidden to visit Mount Athos (there are not even female animals there), and men must obtain permission to enter the Holy Mountain. The cost of the permit for Orthodox Christians is 25 Euros, for visitors of other faiths - 35 Euros. Permission must be obtained in advance. So this time we could only enjoy the views and history of the monasteries.
Unforgettable impressions, it seems even the air there is Holy, somehow you immediately think about the eternal....
You can buy religious paraphernalia produced by Athos monks after a tour in the small shops of Ouranoupolis. We bought everything in the shop next to the tower (when viewed from the exit from the ships, the tower will be on the right and the shop on the left). Prices for any wallet: icons from 5 (small) to 300 Euros, for example, a small handmade icon costs 35 Euros, Mira infused with the relics of St. Anne, from 2 Euros, Pectoral crosses from 2 Euros, a Greek silver cross for 10 Euros, rosary on hand - from 4 Euro, bracelets on hand from a plant (Tears of the Virgin) from 5 Euro....
After the tour, you can take a walk along the embankment of Ouranoupolis and its small streets, the town lives its own life, someone trades, someone is in a hurry on business. Here you can go to the white sandy beach or dine in small cafes. We found a small and quiet cafe on the street to the left of the tower (if you stand with your back to it): three souppacks in a pita, 2 beers and a cola cost 12 Euros.
Gastronomic reference:
" Souvlaki (Greek "skewer") - small kebabs on wooden skewers, typical of Greek cuisine. Souvlaki is usually prepared using pork (traditionally in Greece), less often lamb or fish (in other countries or for tourists The meat is cut into small pieces and marinated in a mixture of olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then strung on short skewers and barbecued over an open fire or on a baking sheet set on coals, due to which the meat is quite dry Souvlaki is considered Greek fast food and is sold in almost all fast food restaurants and eateries. Most often, souvlaki is served either on a skewer, along with white bread and slices of lemon (or lemon juice), or, like shawarma, "souvlaki in pita". In this case, the meat is removed from the skewer and wrapped together with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce in a lightly fried pita. There are also other types of filling: green salad, french fries, bell peppers, mustard, ketch pack. ".
Leaving Ouranoupolis, we drove along a strip of white sandy beach and turquoise sea and we all really wanted to swim. On such wild beaches, there are many congresses immediately to the sea, passing cars are not seen or heard, and there is a feeling that you are on a desert island. Only in the water you need to be CAREFUL: a lot of sea urchins. And the rest - just great sea and sand!!!
So, an excursion to Athos from tour operators costs about 50 Euros, and this is only travel and a guide (without meals and tickets for the ship), the time is standardized and limited. For us, the trip, taking into account the rented car, cost the cost of gasoline and entrance tickets to the ship and unlimited time for walking around the city and wallowing on the beach, which is impossible to evaluate in monetary terms!
FIRST LEG (FINGER) – CASSANDRA Peninsula.
Slowly, with stops at the beaches, we traveled around the entire peninsula in 1 day. Here and small villages and towns and ancient settlements. The oldest town of the peninsula, Afytos, surprised me the most: narrow cobbled streets, an abundance of all kinds of flowers, cactus plantations and, of course, the turquoise sea, along which many taverns and cafes stretch. endless beauty. . .
For those who do not want to travel far for shopping, we recommend the town of Kallithea on the same Kassandra. Streets with large fur and leather shops stretch along the sea, parallel to a walking street with small clothing and souvenir shops.
The cost of souvenirs is from 2 Euro for olive soap to 10-15 Euro for a beautiful T-shirt.
Regarding fur coats, it is MANDATORY to bargain here. As a result, you will enjoy high-quality fur, pleasant conversation and trade, and a 30 percent discount, in addition, you will receive a nice present from the store. A mink short coat cost us 1200 Euros (of course, you can buy a piece of mink for 400 Euros, but there is also a blue mink for 2500 Euros for a short fur coat). And VERY IMPORTANT: do not forget to take the seller's receipt for the purchased fur coat. This receipt will be politely asked by the customs officer at the Greek airport upon departure.
There is also a market in Kallithea on Tuesdays where you can buy fresh fruit and fresh seafood (fish, squid, octopus). And many many small cafes, we especially recommend trying delicious ice cream, the price is from 2 Euro per scoop.
For lovers of sweets, at the exit from Kallithea (towards Possidi) there is a large store with the freshest sweets, cakes, baklava. In general, NOT for those who want to lose weight
And of course, along the coast of Kassandra there are many exits to snow-white beaches.
SECOND LEG (FINGER) – SITONIA Peninsula.
Our opinion - DEFINITELY worth a visit. Nature is a little different from Kassandra, it seemed to us a little hotter in Sithonia and the beaches are even more snow-white, the water is even more transparent, and the pine forests right on the coast emit a wonderful aroma.
We especially liked the Karydi Beach of Vourvourou. Wild sandy Beach, gentle entrance to the sea, especially clear and warm water, perfect for those who like to find a secluded place. Athos is visible from the shore.
In addition to the beaches, the hallmark of Sithonia is Porto Carras - the legendary resort and center of winemaking. You can drive around the territory on a small bus, they will tell you the story, admire the Sami and the parks, and also see how one of the most famous wines is produced. Those who wish will be able to taste the wines of Porto Carras and buy their favorites. Prices are quite democratic! We bought an excellent red dry wine for 12 Euro.
HOLY METEORS.
Holy Meteora - a stone city between heaven and earth. Saint Meteora can be likened to a stone city of unearthly origin, which consists of many rocks located in the west of the Thessalian plain, between the mountain ranges of Pinda and Antihasion. A person can neither describe in words nor depict their majestic beauty.
For the first time, the word "Meteora" inspired the priest of the monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Monk Athanius of Meteora (1343/4 A. D. ), when he first climbed a giant rock called "The Broad Stone". Subsequently, this name became common to all the rocks of this area, and the word "meteoros" itself literally means "soaring high in the air. " In the life of Blessed Athanasius, we also meet the definition of "lithopsis" - "stone city".
Already in the 11th century A. D. the first hermits came to Meteora. Inside or near a cave, they built small huts and prayer rooms, the so-called "chapels". These patient hermits and stylites became the founders of desert monasticism in Meteora, which today still arouses universal admiration for the height of spiritual self-denial and is rightfully considered a holy place.
In the 14th-15th centuries, hermits already began to master the highest rocks, climbing them with the help of piles and ropes. Over time, the number of monasteries and sketes reached 41. Currently, there are 6 monasteries in the central part of Meteora, which are monastic communities, these are:
1. St. Stephen's Monastery
2. Holy Trinity Monastery
3. Monastery of Rusanu or Saint Barbara
4. Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapavs
5. Monastery of Varlaam (All Saints)
6. Monastery of the Great Meteor (Transfiguration of the Lord)
A lot has been written and said about Meteors. I will say one thing - it is DEFINITELY worth the trip. Preferably with your own transport. A bus tour from the Hotel to Halkidiki is quite expensive (approximately 70 Euro per person - only for the fare and the Russian-speaking guide). At the same time, you depend on the organization of the whole group, the guide gives about half an hour to visit the monastery, and you have time to see a maximum of 3 monasteries.
We pay special attention to the inconvenience of traveling by bus - a very limited time, the guide keeps track of the schedule all the time.
We were lucky, we went on our own. Given the distance (345 km from Possidi to Meteora), we recommend leaving early. The roads are excellent, so you won't get too tired. At the entrance to the rock complex lays the ears and a small serpentine. But the view is just amazing.
Of course, it is very difficult to visit all 6 monasteries in one day, given the height of the ascent to the monasteries, however, there is practically no feeling of fatigue.
The cost of visiting each monastery is 3 Euro.
In almost every monastery, you need to climb a steep and narrow staircase. Considering the heat, we recommend bringing plenty of water, a sun hat and glasses with you.
In the monastery of St. Barbara, we were specifically asked to wear skirts and scarves (which were immediately issued). There are church shops at the monasteries where you can buy both church paraphernalia (candles, icons) and products of the monastery complex (honey, tea). In the monastery you can see the life of the monks (you are allowed to enter the cell), you will see the most ancient icons and miraculous relics.
Most of the monasteries have been restored. However, ancient frescoes and paintings have been preserved. Therefore, photography is not allowed everywhere.
In general, the trip is very emotional. Our opinion is that when you are in Greece, you should definitely visit Meteora.
We recommend eating in the town of Kalabaka, below Meteora. In large restaurants you will have to wait a long time, buses with tourists drive there. Therefore, in small cafes near the central streets, souvlaki and water will cost you about 6 Euros per person.
The way home is always faster and you want to come back again.
Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki or Thessaloniki (Greek Thessaloniki, Turkish Selanik; Old Slavic Sologne) is the second largest city in Greece with a population, together with suburban areas, of over a million people. Thessaloniki is home to: Aristotle University - the largest university in the Balkans, Macedonia Airport and a major seaport, which is second only to Piraeus in terms of economic importance. In the vicinity of the city there are a large number of small settlements, which in summer are a place of tourism.
Before the flight, we decided to dedicate one day to Thessaloniki. Let me tell you, one day is enough. Big white city. I was struck by a huge number of people, small shops on narrow streets, and around the corner - a wide Aristotle Avenue and Embankment.
For the first time in Thessaloniki we saw a gas station on the ground floor of a residential building and milk vending machines!!!
Most shops on Saturday are open until 15-00, and on Sunday they are not open at all. Of course, large supermarkets on Aristotelous Square with fashion brands are open daily, but lovers of local products and small shops should see everything on Saturday before lunch.
In Thessaloniki, we recommend visiting the St. Demetrius Basilica.
The Basilica of St. Demetrius is a five-nave Christian basilica built in the Greek city of Thessaloniki in the 4th century on the site of Roman baths, where, according to legend, the great martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica died. Initially, a small martyrium was built on this site, which was replaced by a three-aisled basilica. After earthquakes and fires in the middle or end of the 7th century, a five-aisled building of the basilica was erected. During the Turkish rule, in 1493, it was turned into the Kasimye-dzhami mosque. After the return of the city to the Greeks, since 1912, Christian services were resumed in the basilica. During the fire on August 6.1917, the building was badly damaged. Restoration work in the basilica began in the 1930s and continued until 1948. In 1988, it was included in the list of World Heritage Sites as part of the early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki.
In the basilica you will see amazingly beautiful frescoes and mosaics, ancient columns and touch the shrine with the relics of the Saint.
In addition to the basilica in Thessaloniki, there are many places worth visiting for architecture lovers - these are Roman ruins and ancient basilicas, an arch, an acropolis, a fortress wall and much more...
You can look at more modern architecture on Aristotle's Square, there is also a colorful market and, of course, many cafes. . .
In general, the Greeks are coffee lovers and make it very, very tasty!!!
TOBACCO HOTEL, Thessaloniki
This hotel is located within walking distance from the city center: Aristotle's Square, the Basilica of St. Demetrius and the Embankment. Settled very quickly. It cost (night) something around 60 Euros. Budget Hotel, everything is clean, small rooms, the food is very good. The only negative (for us) is that you can not smoke in the Rooms, which, of course, for non-smoking tourists is another advantage of this Hotel.
Rating HOTEL - 4 (GOOD).
SHOPPING (SHOPING), including ZhRACHING (EATING):
Our assessment of shopping in Greece is all for a tight wallet.
For example, you will often see cosmetics stores, including those that offer products exclusively from natural products, for example, based on olive oil. So, in such establishments, a very small piece of soap will cost from 6 Euros, and a cream at least 15 Euros.
Or, for example, buying homemade wine for 2 Euros or wine from a private distillery - prices for wines (0.5 l) start at 20 Euros, but everything is beautiful and the quality is amazing.
For commonly available products in stores and markets, see the prices on the labels (listed below), in our opinion, the prices in supermarkets are not very high - everything is tolerable, after all, abroad.
hand-made leather sandals from 25 Euro per pair, the seller promised a 5-year guarantee. We saw such products only in the bazaars, and for some reason there was nothing similar in stores, to tell the truth, in stores the quality seems to be higher, as well as the price - from 70 Euros per pair, so decide for yourself.
What we bought useful is souvenirs in the form of clothespins for bedspreads on the beach to hang them on a sunbed - a necessary thing, otherwise during a vacation in Egypt they always collected towels all over the beach because of the wind, fur key chains - too a necessary thing, if not a fur coat, then at least a key chain, and sweets.
So, on this trip, we saw that if there is not everything in Greece, then there is definitely a lot!
This is how a week of wonderful vacation in Greece flew by - in a pleasant company of two real friends: time flies, but unpurchased fur coats are waiting for us with open arms again in Greece and we miss them...
That's it!
The rating of the holiday directly depends on the ratings of the review!
THANK YOU!
