Archive for 'Localities in Greece'

Santorini is one of the world’s most famous and beloved holiday destinations that is at the top of a lot of bucket lists and lists of desired vacation spots. Its endless blue skies, crystal clear waters, cute white-washed architecture, flowers, and famous sunsets have been captured and shared by countless visitors and continue to attract more looking for a slice of that romantic perfection offered by this incredible place. If you have found a villa in the South Aegean, make time to head to this beautiful island in Greece and see what all the hype is about for yourself. You’ll encounter crowds that you might not have imagined in idyllic daydreams about the place but we think you’ll still be pretty impressed. It is quite the sight to behold, after all.

One of the key destinations in Santorini is Oia, the island’s northernmost village. This is likely the place that you will see pictured in most images of the island that are featured in articles, guidebooks, social media posts, and television shows. It is an exceptionally photogenic town that is a maze of little shops, restaurants, cafés, other businesses, houses, and those iconic white churches topped by blue domes. A pedestrian town, it is famous for its sunsets, the amazing sweeping views over the rest of the island and the caldera from its position along a cliffside, the crowds gathered to take in those views, and the chic and expensive restaurants and little stores. It is synonymous with style and glamour and is the destination of choice on the island today, particularly among the rich and famous.

The more we look at Greece as a holiday destination, the more we find to fall in love with beyond great food, impressive ancient ruins, popular destinations, and stunning picture-perfect sandy beaches. There is a vast and verdant landscape to be explore, gorges to be traversed, rapids to be braved, resorts to be skied, trails to be hiked, and much more besides. If you’ve been thinking about holidaying in Greece, try to look beyond the regular tourist appeals and attractions and see a little more of the many lesser-known charms that visitors often miss. Prepare to have some adventures amidst all that relaxation and to make memories that last a lifetime because Greece is exceptionally beautiful and boasts a wonderfully diverse landscape that is just waiting to be discovered.

Take, for example, the hidden gem that is the mountain range of Taygetus, which is a must for those looking for some exploration and outdoor adventures and who have found a vacation rental in Peloponnese. Running 100km north to south on Peloponnese's central southern peninsula, it is a vast area to be explored and offers lots of different opportunities for walking, hiking and other outdoor activities. Compared to other mountain ranges in Greece, it is the wildest and most rugged with wild and towering limestone peaks rising from foothills dotted by gorges and covered in scrub, forests, and olive trees and groves.

All this week, we have been talking about Folegandros, a gorgeous lesser-known Greek island in the Aegean Sea that is wonderfully rugged, boasts incredible views, pretty towns, and plenty to keep those with a sense of adventure and a desire to explore in the most serene of settings entertained. If you have found a vacation rental in the South Aegean or a holiday rental in Crete, Folegandros is well worth exploring and after focusing on the capital in the last post, here is what else the island has to offer...

Then there is Karavostasis port, the first place you'll arrive when you come to town where you will find some of the best restaurants on the island; excellent little tavernas and eateries with tables spilling out onto the streets, serving up handmade pasta, snails, orange pies, almond treats, white goats cheese, capers, fried watermelon, and delicious local red and white wines. You'll also see fishing boats lined up next to yachts and few international tourists but plenty of Athenians, who have been holidaying in the area for a long time, writers, artists, and the odd celebrity turning up aboard their own yachts.

In the last post we introduced the stunning Greek island of Folegandros, which is an unspoiled and little-known gem that forms the southern part of the Cyclades. Rugged, charming, authentic, and far off the regular tourist path, it is an extraordinary place that makes for an excellent outing for the more adventurous traveller that has found a vacation rental in the South Aegean or a holiday rental in Crete and it looking for something extra-special.

Folegandros is one of the more beautiful and lesser-known of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Located between the similarly unspoiled and ungentrified islands of Sikinos and Milos, it forms the southern part of the Cyclades along with Sikinos, Ios, Anafi and Santorini. It is an exceptionally lovely place with a wonderfully rugged landscape, incredible views from its remote position between the southern edge of the Cyclades and the Sea of Crete to the south, and three main and very pretty little villages. It is not a major tourist destination but, in 2005, was named as an extra special gem by Conde Nast Traveler, causing a stampede of travellers to somehow make their way there, which is saying something as it is a particularly difficult place to reach.