Archive for 'Legends in Greece'

The ancient legends of gods, goddesses, fantastical creatures, wild adventures, epic battles, twisted love stories, and more still linger strongly in the imagination of Greece. As such, the sites associated with the various myths and mythological figures are popular tourist attractions today. Crete is home to one such site, Psychro Cave, which is said to be the birthplace of the king of the gods himself, Zeus. In addition, it is home to some impressive rock formations and rather does feel like some otherworldly land of gods and magical creatures that you have somehow managed to stumble upon. It is one of the many little surprises that the island of Crete has to offer a visitor and one of the things that makes the island so intriguing, beyond her pretty beaches and lovely whitewashed hilltop towns. If you are planning a holiday in the area and have found a vacation rental in Crete, it makes for an excellent day-trip. So, if you are wondering what there is to do in Crete, pencil this in as an option!

Greece is famously beautiful, though most conjure a particular image of only one type of charm the land boasts: pretty beaches, glittering water in rich azure and teal shades, and villages perched atop sheer, dramatic cliffs. However, there is a wealth of other landscapes and views to take in across the region that are far more unexpected to most travellers: from skiing resorts blanketed in snow to towering peaks in verdant valleys topped by monasteries like something from a fantasy novel to tall old forests filled with butterflies. Even amongst these utterly stunning gems, one of the most utterly picturesque spots in Greece, however, has to be Drakolimni. If you have found a vacation rental in Greece and are up for an adventure, then pencil in a visit to this incredibly beautiful place and see it with your own two eyes.

Drakolimni is the name given to a group of lakes in Greece’s Epirus region, though two are especially famous. One is located on Mount Tymfi and the other on Mount Smolikas, a few kilometres away. Steeped in legend and strikingly beautiful, these glassy lakes are located in panoramic spots atop these two mountains, set in stone and grassy surroundings. Bare and striking, they look almost manmade and futuristic.

The name of the lakes actually translates to “Dragon Lake” and is named for a local legend that says two dragons once warred in the area. One lived at the lake on Mount Tymfi and the other lived at the lake on Mount Smolikas. They threw stones at each other and it is said that this is why the shores of the Tymfi Lake are black with white stones and the shores of the Smolikas lake are white with black stones, having tainted each others’ homes.

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.

In 1823, a nun from the Monastery Kehrovouniou, Sister Pelayia, had a vision in which the Mother of God appeared and told her to dig up a miracle-working icon that was buried nearby. The icon was recovered in a field and, as it was brought to light, a hard protective shield, like glass, covered it. The men who removed it from the ground penetrated the shield and everyone who touched it was healed. The Church of Panayia Evangelistria in Tinos is dedicated to this icon and its fame soon preceded it, particularly as the Greek War of Independence heroes Kolokotronis, Miaoulis and Makriyannis were among the first visitors to Tinos to see the sacred image of the Panayia.