Archive for 'History in Greece'

If you have been thinking about a mid-term break in Santorini, then you are probably expecting the leisurely pace of life, the pretty old main town with its whitewashed buildings and blue domes, the stunning sunsets over the sea that are taken in daily by wowed crowds of tourists, days spent by the sea and on boats, delicious local foods, cute little boutiques, and other such charms. However, if you find a vacation rental in Greece and head there in the next few weeks, you might be glad to find out that it has an appropriately spooky past that perfectly suits this time of year, in the run up to Hallowe’en.

Santorini actually once had the reputation of being the most vampire-infested place in the world and is steeped in legends of ghosts, ghouls, and other creepy creatures. The biggest concern among these shadowy figures was the dreaded Vrykolakas, or Vyrkolatios, a type of vampire. These creatures were said to have been born when babies were stillborn or people died without receiving their final rites, if a person was conceived or born on a Holy Day (which was considered a great blasphemy), if someone ate the meat of an animal that had been accidentally killed or not properly slaughtered, if a person didn’t have a proper burial, if someone died who had had a sinful life, if a body was passed over by an animal before burial, if a person was killed by a vampire, and in many other circumstances.     Read More

Lindos is a very popular seaside resort town that is located on the island of Rhodes, 35km from the city of Rhodes, that is home to three very beautiful beaches and has incredibly ancient origins. The area has been inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC and was a major commercial centre for the island for centuries as it had the only practical natural harbours on Rhodes. The island was home to a sizeable Mycenaean population and then the town of Lindos was founded by the Dorians in the 10th century BC when they came into power and divided the island into three separate states – Lindos, Kameiros, and Ialysos. By the 8th century BC, it was a major trading centre due to its geographical location, positioned between Greece and the Middle East. In the 6th century BC, it was at its peak under the tyrannical rule of the Kleovoulos. However, with the foundation of the city of Rhodes, in the 5th century BC, Lindos went into decline as it was no longer the most important commercial centre on the island. While it ceased being a commercial centre, Lindos remained an important religious hub for centuries later and right through the Hellenistic era and also became a major cultural and artistic centre.     Read More

If you have found a vacation rental in the city of Patrass, Greece, you may be wondering where you should go to take in the ancient history of the area...for what is a trip to Greece without some iconic ruins? Were you even in Greece at all if you don't make time to take in some ruins? That is the question.

Patras has lots of sights and buildings and attractions from various periods throughout history but one that is particularly interesting – and still in use – is the Ancient Odeon of Patras.     Read More

Kardámaina, or Kardámena (often written with the accents omitted) is a small seaside resort town on the island of Kos, in Greece, mid-way along the south coast of the island. Only 7km from the Kos Island International Airport at Antimacheia, it is an easy place to visit for a day if you have found a vacation rental in Kos.

Formerly a small fishing village, it remains relatively small but is also now a popular summer destination, with its population of less than 2,000 tripling in the summer months. The town has a long history, being built on the site of the ancient settlement of Alasarna, which was an important urban centre in the 2nd century BC.     Read More