Destination Greece

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DESTINATION

GREECE

DESTINATION GREECE | ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE EXPEDITIONS

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Hellenic Republic Greece (Greek: Ελλάδα), officially the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), historically also known as Hellas, is a country located in the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands (including the Dodecanese and Cyclades), Thrace, Crete, and the Ionian Islands.

Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring many islands, of which 227 are inhabited. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 meters (9,573 ft).

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Cradle of Western civilization Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, Western drama and the Olympic Games.

From the eighth century BC, the Greeks were organized into various independent city-states, known as poleis (singular polis), which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea. Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC, with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean to India. Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century B.C., becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire, which adopted the Greek language and culture.

 

The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its eighteen (18) UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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Mountains of Greece Greece is primarily a mountainous country, the third most mountainous country in Europe after Norway and Albania, with more than 300 larger or smaller mountains. The most significant Greek mountain axis is the Pindus Mountain range, forming the “backbone” of Mainland Greece, which extends naturally to the mountains in the Peloponnese and Crete. The majority of the islands are in fact the mountain peaks of the now submerged landmass which at one time linked Mainland Greece with Asia Minor.

Even though the country is famous for its islands and seas, Greece’s majestic nature will leave you gasping in awe. The highest mountain in the country is Mount Olympus in Macedonia, known from Greek mythology as the home of the gods, reaching a height of 2,918 m (Mytikas peak), while about 40 mountain ranges throughout the country exceed elevations of 2,000 m.

Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 meters (9,573 ft).

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National parks and Climate The Greek mountains are characterized by their diversity, rare scenery and unique forests, some of which rank among the oldest natural wooded lands in Europe. Due to the unsurpassable rich flora and fauna, many are protected as National Parks, while at the same time the infrastructure that was developed over the last few decades has created ideal destinations for those daring tourists who want to enjoy winter and mountain activities.

Greece is characterized by an extremely fragmented, rugged landscape hosting a great diversity of ecosystems and an outstanding biodiversity. Almost 5% of its extensive coastline consists of ecologically sensitive wetlands. Two thirds of the total population live no further than 2 km from the coast, while almost all of the tourist infrastructure is divided among islands and the coastal mainland.

Greece's climate is divided into three classes: ❖ A Mediterranean climate features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.

Temperatures rarely reach extremes, although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in Athens, Cyclades or Crete during the winter. ❖ An Alpine climate is found primarily in Western Greece: Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as central parts of the Peloponnese like Achaea, Arkadia and parts of Lakonia where the Alpine range pass by. ❖ A Temperate climate is found in Central and Eastern Macedonia as well as in Thrace at places like Komotini, Xanthi and northern Evros; with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers.

Such climatic and biological diversity, along with the rich flora and fauna that comes with it, made the need for the creation of national parks obvious and in 1938 the first national park in Greece was established, the Mount Olympus National Park, followed by the immediate creation of the Parnassos National Park.

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Travel to Greece Which are the impulses that push millions of visitors to travel to this small corner of Europe? This is why your should visit Greece: ❖ The holiday of a lifetime: A visit to Greece is the dream holiday of a lifetime.

When thinking of holidays, people picture the long crystal beaches and the relaxing beach taverns. But be careful because Greece is addictive: if you have experienced Greek holidays once, no other place on earth will be sufficient for you. ❖ Walking on sunshine: Greece is famous for its perfect climatic conditions.

Not tropical and not arctic, this is a fantastic destination for every season.

Did you know that most places in Greece get sunshine 300 days per year? ❖ Breathtaking landscape: You will love the virgin landscape, the exotic colour of the sea, the bright light of the sun. Each place in Greece has a different authentic style, both in the islands and in the mainland. ❖ Safety: Greece remains among the safest countries in the world. The criminality rate is very low, especially on the islands. Feel no fear to walk late at night and have chats with the locals. In fact, this will be among the best pleasures during your Greek holidays. Only in Athens town-centre should you have an eye open, as pick-pocketing is usually reported in large queues, for example in buses or when boarding the ferry. But this is not the case in our tour destinations, where you can lay back and enjoy a carefree atmosphere. ❖ A country with a past: Even in the smallest piece of land in Greece, you will find a connection to the past. All around the country and the islands, there are ancient sites of various historical periods. Check History in our website for a quick read of what you can visit. ❖ Healthy and tasty cuisine: Greece is famous for its healthy products, including virgin olive oil, vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and wine. These products are the basis of the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in proteins and low in saturated fats. These products are cooked together and make

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delicious dishes. Even in the smallest tavern in Greece, do not hesitate to taste local Greek dishes. They will be totally different than any other ethnic recipe you have tasted so far. Check Mediterranean Cuisine in our website for a quick read of what you can taste. ❖ High level of hospitality: Since ever, warm hospitality is one of the main reasons to come to Greece. Feel free to mingle with the locals, have long chats with them or stop them at the street to ask for directions. They love it! ❖ Easy to access: There are frequent air connections from the largest world airports to the International Airport of Athens and from Athens, there are almost daily flights to the local airports of mainland Greece and the Greek islands. As for the ferry connection, there are ferries between Greece and Italy all year round and also between Greece and Turkey in summer. ❖ EU Member: As Greece is a member of the EU, clearly other EU citizens do not need a visa to visit the country and stay as long as they like. Also, many citizens of other world countries do not need to make visa arrangements for tourism, including citizens of the USA, Australia, and Russia. ❖ English-speaking country: You will find no difficulty to communicate in English with the Greeks. Ask for directions, the order in restaurants, shop or get information in English will be very easy everywhere in the country. In fact, in most tourist places, you will discover that staff of tourist businesses may also speak French, German, Italian or even Russian.

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Editor in chief: Angelo Baltoyannis ISBN: 978-618-84479-0-5

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