Archive for 'Museums & Galleries in Greece'

The Old Fortress in Corfu, Greece, is a 15th century Venetian fortress, with origins going back to the Byzantine period, that is located on a promontory in Corfu that was where the old town of the city was originally located. An imposing and massive building, it looms over everything else in the area and dominates the landscape – if you're visiting Corfu town, you won't be able to miss it! It is also a symbol of pride for the town and home to cultural events and exhibitions, attracting thousands of visitors each year. If you have found a vacation rental in Corfu, make sure to pay it a visit!

Plaka is a district close to the Acropolis and its many connected archaeological sites that is one of the oldest area of Athens, Greece. This beautifully preserved historic quarter of the city is like a labyrinth and one becomes easily lost in her picturesque winding lanes but that's perfectly okay as it is a wonderful and scenic place to spend some time. Full of traditional-style houses, pretty neoclassical buildings, colourful little stores and restaurants and hanging plants, it is somewhere to browse shops, pop into galleries, grab a bite to eat and take in the general atmosphere of the place. If you have found a vacation rental in Attica and are planning on spending time in Athens, this is one of the must-see areas of the city.

In the last post, we introduced some of the highlights and our guide to the district. Now that you know which museums to visit and where to shop, there are many more activities to enjoy while in Plaka and here are our tips for making the most of your trip to the area.

The Plaka, known as God's district due to its proximity to the Acropolis and its many connected archaeological sites, is the oldest area of Athens, Greece. A beautifully preserved and scenic part of this historic destination and city, it is certainly a must-see for those who have found a vacation rental in Attica and are planning a visit. Made up of picturesque winding lanes, traditional-style houses, wonderful examples of neoclassical architecture, colourful buildings, cute little stores and restaurants, and hanging plants. It is the perfect place to wile away lazy days wandering around, shopping, seeing some sights and taking in the atmosphere of the place.

Plaka is like a labyrinth and you will like get lost in her lanes but that's all part of the charm. Let it happen, get a little lost and just enjoy the experience.! Most of the streets are closed to road traffic, so you can largely walk around freely without a care in the world (though you should still be wary of the motorcycles or delivery trucks that can sometimes zoom by).

The Corfu Museum of Asian Art is the only museum in Greece exclusively dedicated to Asian art and antiquity and is housed in the Palace of Saints Michael and George. The palace alone is reason enough to visit. It is a stunning neoclassical gem that was built in the 19th century during the Ionian Islands British occupation. In the 19th century it came into the possession of the Greek State and is now home to the museum.

Built across three floors, four halls on the ground floor are open to the public and three are used for the Museum’s temporary exhibitions and the permanent galleries of the museum are found in the two first floor wings. The east wing, called the Gregorios Manos wing, houses part of the Museum’s Chinese collection and the west wing, known as N. Hadjivassiliou wing, is home to artefacts from India and its wider surrounding area, as well as some pieces from Japan.

The entire collection is made up of about 10,500 objects, many of which come from the original private collection of Gregorios Manos (1850-1928), a Greek ambassador to Austria, who bought up around 9,500 Chinese, Korean and Japanese artefacts at auction in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Andros is the northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades archipelago and is a drop-dead beautiful place that is full of wonderful attractions and cultural institutions. One of the best of these cultural institutions is located in the capital city of Hora: the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you have found a vacation rental in South Aegean and are exploring this region's beautiful islands, this is one of the highlights of this, one of the most charming of all of those islands.

The Museum of Contemporary Art on Andros was inaugurated by the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979, which had built up a significant collection of artworks by important Greek and international artists of the 20th century and were in need of somewhere to show it to the public. Two wings of the museum exhibit part of this collection throughout the year to this day and it is the core of the collection of the museum. The permanent collection of the museum was further enriched by the bequeathal of works by local artist Michael Tombros. In addition there are also temporary exhibitions of the works of distinguished 20th-century artists held each summer.