The Best of Greece

Greece is, of course, the land of ancient sites and architectural treasures—the Acropo-lis in Athens, the amphitheater of Epidaurus, and the reconstructed palace at Knossosamong the best known. But Greece is much more: It offers age-old spectacular natu-ral sights, for instance—from Santorini’s caldera to the gray pinnacles of rock of theMeteora—and modern diversions ranging from elegant museums to luxury resorts. Itcan be bewildering to plan your trip with so many options vying for your attention.Take us along and we’ll do the work for you. We’ve traveled the country extensivelyand chosen the very best that Greece has to offer. We’ve explored the archaeologicalsites, visited the museums, inspected the hotels, reviewed the tavernas and ouzeries,and scoped out the beaches. Here’s what we consider the best of the best.

1

• Making Haste Slowly: Give yourselftime to sit in a seaside taverna andwatch the fishing boats come and go.If you visit Greece in the spring, takethe time to smell the flowers; thefields are covered with poppies,daisies, and other blooms. Even inAthens, you’ll see hardy species grow-ing through the cracks in concretesidewalks—or better yet, visit Athens’sAncient Agora, which will be carpetedwith a dazzling variety of wildflowers.See chapter 6, “Exploring Athens.”

• Island-Hopping in the Cyclades:Though the Cyclades are bound byunmistakable family resemblance,each island has a unique personality.Distances between islands are small,making travel by ferry pleasant andlogistically straightforward (at least inprinciple). If you are traveling in theoff season, when you do not needhotel reservations, don’t plan toomuch in advance and allow yourselfto go with the flow—a tactful way ofpreparing you for the unexpected in

island boat schedules! See chapter 10,“The Cyclades.”

• Leaving the Beaten Path: Persistagainst your body’s and mind’s signalsthat “this may be pushing too far,”leave the main routes and majorattractions behind, and make yourown discoveries of landscape, villages,or activities. For instance, seek out achurch or monastery such as MoniAyios Nikolaos outside Metsovo—you may be rewarded by a movingencounter with the church and itscaretaker. When you visit the CycladicIslands, consider a base on Tinos orSyros. Both are very popular withGreeks but attract hardly any foreign-ers. See chapter 10, “The Cyclades.”

• Exploring the Naturalists’ Greece:There is a Greece beyond the columnsand cafes—a land of rugged terrainand wildflowers and birds and othernatural phenomena. Sign up for aspecial tour (see chapter 2, “PlanningYour Trip to Greece”), or go it alonewith one of the several beautifully

1 The Best Travel Experiences

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COPYRIG

HTED M

ATERIAL

Sea o f Cre t e CRETE

IerapetraAyia Galini

Rethymnon Ayios NikolaosIraklion

Chania

Piraeus

Skiathos

Skopelos

Corfu

Paxos

Lefkada

IthakaKefalonia

ZakinthosAthensCorinth

NafplionEpidaurus

Mycenae

Argos

Megalopolis

Andritsena

SpartaMistra

Monemvassia

Kythira

Githio

Areopolis

KalamataPilos

Olympia

Kyllini

Patras

Delphi

Volos

Thessaloniki

Megara

Thebes

LivadiaMessolongi

Agrinio

Astakos

Vonitsa

Praveza

Arta

KarpenissiLamia

Larissa

Karditsa

Trikkala

Ioannina

KalpakiElassona

Kastoria

EdessaGiannitsa

KilkisSerres

Loutra Edipsou

IONIAN ISLANDS

SARONIC GULF

ISLANDS

MACEDONIA

EPIRUS THESSALY

CENTRALGREECE

PELOPONNESE

MACEDONIA

ALBANIA

Mt. Parnassus

Tripoli

Metsovo Meteora(Kalambaka)

ZAGORI

Igoumenitsou

Pirgos

Pella

Vergina

Dion

KozaniStratoni

PelionPeninsula

AdriaticSea

�

IonianSea

Mt. Olympus

Lake Pamvotis

Lake Pamvotis

Tirana�

MediterraneanSea

AegeanSea

AegeanSeaAthensAthens

CRETECRETE

0 25 mi

0 25 km

GREECE

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G R E E C E8

Greece

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T H E B E S T T R AV E L E X P E R I E N C E S 9

To Crete(approx. 60 milesfrom mainland)

�

Donoussa

Kea

Anafi

Amorgos

Simi

Patmos

Kalimnos

Karpathos

Mykonos

Delos

Siros

ParosNaxos

Ios

Santorini

Tinos

Andros

Serifos

Sifnos

Milos

Alonissos

Skyros

Antiparos

Samos

Hios

Lesvos(Mitilini)

Limnos

Samothraki

Thasos

Rhodes

Xanthi

Alexandroupolis

Kimi

Karystos

Izmir

NORTHEASTERNAEGEAN ISLANDS

CYCLADES

DODECANESE

THRACE

TURKEY

BULGARIA

Mt. Athos

Folegandros

EVVIA

Kos

Sounion

Drama

KomotiniKavala

SPORADES

AEGEAN SEA

Sea of Crete

Lake Pamvotis

Sea of Marmara

Ikaria

AegeanSeaAthens

CRETE

GREECEGREECE

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illustrated handbooks available, suchas Oleg Polunin’s Flowers of Greeceand the Balkans (Oxford Univ. Press);or Birds of Europe (McGraw-Hill), byBertel Bruun and Arthur Singer. Anddon’t forget your binoculars!

• Sunrise, Sunset: Get up a little ear-lier than usual to see the sun rise

(preferably from the Aegean, illumi-nating the islands). Then watch itsink over the mountains (anywhere inGreece, but try not to miss the sun-sets that change the Ionian Sea fromthe deepest blue to a fiery red).

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G R E E C E10

• The Acropolis (Athens): No matterhow many photographs you’ve seen,nothing can prepare you for watchingthe light change the marble of thebuildings, still standing after thou-sands of years, from honey to rose todeep red to stark white. If the crowdsget you down, think about howcrowded the Acropolis was during reli-gious festivals in antiquity. See p. 194.

• Nemea (Peloponnese): This gem of asite has it all: a beautifully restoredstadium, a handsome museum, evenpicnic tables with a view of theromantic Doric temple. Look for thethree long-standing columns—andseveral newly restored and reerectedones. If you’re lucky, you may seeNemea’s archaeologists at work lov-ingly reconstructing and reerectingmore columns from the temple’snorth facade in their ambitiousrestoration project. See p. 289.

• Olympia (Peloponnese) & Delphi(Central Greece): Try to visit bothOlympia, where the Olympic Gamesbegan, and Delphi, home of the Del-phic Oracle. That’s the only wayyou’ll be able to decide whetherOlympia, with its massive templesand shady groves of trees, or Delphi,perched on mountain slopes over-looking olive trees and the sea, is themost beautiful ancient site in Greece.See chapters 8 and 12.

• Palace of Knossos (Crete): A seem-ingly unending maze of rooms and

levels, stairways and corridors, inaddition to frescoed walls—this is theMinoan Palace of Knossos. It can bepacked at peak hours, but it stillexerts its power if you enter in thespirit of the labyrinth. King Minosruled over the richest and most pow-erful of Minoan cities and, accordingto legend, his daughter Ariadnehelped Theseus kill the Minotaur inthe labyrinth and escape. See p. 332.

• Delos (Cyclades): This tiny isle, just3.2km (2 miles) offshore of Mykonos,was considered by the ancient Greeksto be both the geographical and spir-itual center of the Cyclades; manyconsidered this the holiest sanctuaryin all of Greece. The extensive remainshere testify to the island’s former splen-dor. From Mount Kinthos (really justa hill, but the island’s highest point),you can see many of the Cycladesmost days; on a very clear day, youcan see the entire archipelago. The 3hours allotted by excursion boatsfrom Mykonos or Tinos are hardlysufficient to explore this vast archaeo-logical treasure. See chapter 10.

• Vergina (Northern Greece): In thebrilliantly designed museum here, youcan peek into what may have been thetomb of Alexander the Great’s father,Philip of Macedon. Nearby, morethan 300 burial mounds stretch formiles across the Macedonian plain.See p. 635.

2 The Best of Ancient Greece

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T H E B E S T B E A C H E S 11

• Mistra (Peloponnese): This Byzantineghost town has streets lined with theremains of homes both humble andpalatial, as well as some of the mostbeautiful churches in all of Greece. Ifyou have the energy, climb to the topof the defense walls for the superbview over the plain of Sparta. Try tovisit in spring, when Mistra is car-peted with wildflowers. See p. 298.

• Church of Panagia Kera (Kritsa,Crete): Even if Byzantine art seems abit stilted and remote, this strikingchapel in the foothills of easternCrete will reward you with its unex-pected intimacy. The 14th- and 15th-century frescoes are not only stunningbut depict all the familiar biblical sto-ries. See p. 367.

• The Churches of Thessaloniki(Northern Greece): Thessaloniki’sByzantine churches are the finest notjust in Greece but in the entire world.From tiny Osios David to toweringAyios Dimitrios, these churches boastmosaics and frescoes that give youastonishing glimpses of the artisticgrandeur of the mighty ByzantineEmpire. See p. 613.

• Nea Moni (Hios, NortheasternAegean): Once home to 1,000monks, this 12th-century monasteryhigh in the interior mountains ofHios is now quietly inhabited by oneelderly but sprightly nun and twofriendly monks. Try to catch one ofthe excellent tours sometimes offeredby the monks. The mosaics in the

cathedral dome are works of extraor-dinary power and beauty; even in thehalf-obscurity of the nave, they radi-ate a brilliant gold. Check out thesmall museum, and take some timeto explore the extensive monasterygrounds. See p. 657.

• Monemvassia (Peloponnese): Longcalled “The Gibraltar of Greece,” thisrocky promontory crowned by amedieval citadel and church has onlyone real street (just wide enough fortwo donkeys to pass each other), no cars, cobbled lanes, beautifullyrestored stone houses (some of whichare now hotels), and views that stretchseemingly forever over the sea. See p. 301.

• A Clutch of Castles: Acrocorinth,Argos, Methoni, Koroni, Mistra &Nafplion (Peloponnese): Some ofthese castles have ancient founda-tions; all were added onto by theFranks, Venetians, Byzantines, andTurks. Several were used as fortressesas recently as World War II; one,Koroni, has a convent and settlementwithin its walls. See chapter 8.

• A Profusion of Byzantine Churchesin the Cyclades: The fertile country-side of the island of Naxos is dottedby well-preserved Byzantine chapels.Parikia, the capital of Paros, has theByzantine-era cathedral of PanagiaEkatondapiliani. Santorini boasts the11th- to 12th-century church of thePanagia in the hamlet of GoniasEpiskopi. See chapter 10.

3 The Best of Byzantine & Medieval Greece

• Arvanitia (Nafplion, Peloponnese):After a vigorous and tiring day ofsightseeing, this convenient littlemunicipal beach can seem like thebest in Greece. Handy changingrooms and showers make this a great

place for a quick break betweenexploring the ruins at Mycenae andtaking in a play at Epidaurus. See p. 276.

• Plaka (Naxos, Cyclades): Naxos hasthe longest stretches of sea and sand

4 The Best Beaches

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in the Cyclades, and 4.8km (3-mile)Plaka is the most beautiful and pris-tine beach on the island. If you needabundant amenities and a moreactive social scene, you can alwayshead north to Ayia Anna or AyiosProkopios. See chapter 10.

• Paradise (Mykonos, Cyclades): Para-dise is the quintessential party beach, known for wild revelry thatcontinues through the night. Anextensive complex built on the beachincludes a bar, taverna, changingrooms, and souvenir shops. This is aplace to see and be seen, a place toshow off muscles laboriously acquiredduring the long winter months. Seep. 426.

• Lalaria Beach (Skiathos, Sporades):This gleaming, white-pebble beachboasts vivid aquamarine water andwhite limestone cliffs with naturalarches cut into them by the elements.Lalaria is neither nearly as popular

nor as accessible as Skiathos’s famousKoukounaries, which is one of thereasons it’s still gorgeous and pristine.See p. 536.

• Myrtos (Kefalonia, Ionian Islands):Although remote enough to requireyou come with your own wheels, thisisolated sand-pebble beach has longcharmed countless visitors. It doeslack shade and it offers limitedrefreshments—perhaps bring a pic-nic—but the setting makes up forthese deficiencies. See p. 595.

• Vroulidia (Hios, NortheasternAegean): White sand, a cliff-rimmedcove, and a remote location at thesouthern tip of the island of Hioscombine to make this one of the mostexquisite small beaches in the north-eastern Aegean. The rocky coast con-ceals many cove beaches similar tothis one, and they rarely becomecrowded. See p. 659.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G R E E C E12

• Hydra (Saronic Gulf Islands): Old-timers keep waiting for Hydra, withits handsome stone mansions over-looking a picture-postcard harbor, tobe spoiled. After all, even beforeMykonos and Santorini, Hydra wasone of the first Greek islands to be“discovered.” So far, so good: Don-keys still outnumber motorcycles,and the day-trippers who blitzthrough the appealing harborsideshops leave at twilight. That meansyou can almost always find the tableyou want at one of Hydra’s pleasantsmall restaurants. See p. 255.

• Crete: Whether for its rugged moun-tains or its countless beaches, itsancient remains or its ultramodernhotels, its layered history or itsintense people, Crete cannot bedenied. It is not just a distinctive

Greek island—it is a world untoitself. See chapter 9.

• Santorini (Cyclades): This is undoubt-edly one of the most spectacular islandsin the world. The streets of Fira and Iaare carved into the face of a high cliff,overlooking the circular caldera left byan ancient volcanic eruption and nowfilled with the deep-blue waters of theAegean. The site of Akrotiri offers aunique glimpse into life in a Minoancity, frozen in time by the eruption3,600 years ago. Be sure to find out ifthis spectacular site, which was partlyclosed to the public at press time, hascompletely reopened when you visit.Add to this the Fira nightlife scene,and you’ll see why this is one of themost popular (and overcrowded)summer vacation spots in the Aegean.See p. 371.

5 The Best Islands

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• Siros (Cyclades): This tiny island hasit all: a vivacious, cosmopolitan capi-tal town; thriving beach resorts; and astarkly beautiful region of farmingcommunities, archaeological remains,and remote beaches to the north.Siros is also one of the centers of rem-betika, a form of Greek traditionalmusic with roots in Asia Minor. TheFragosiriani, a classic known through-out Greece, was composed by theSiriot Markos Vamvakaris, and you’resure to hear its simple and infectiousrhythms many times during your stayhere. See p. 453.

• Tinos (Cyclades): The island oftencalled the “Lourdes of Greece,”because of the church, Panagia Evan-gelistria (Our Lady of Good Tidings)with its healing icon, also has Vene-tian dovecotes; farm fields set off withhandsome stone boundary walls; andPirgos, the village of marble. Seechapter 10.

• Rhodes (Dodecanese): The island ofRhodes has everything a visitor couldwant—dazzling ancient and medievalruins, great food, spectacular beaches,and some of the hottest nightlife out-side of Athens—the one drawbackbeing that everyone knows it. Seechapter 11.

• Skyros (Sporades): Winding roadsand remote beaches, one main townand a few minor villages, some ancientlegends and 20th-century tales: Sky-ros’s charms remain perhaps the mostelusive of the four Northern Spo-rades. But though the island remainsa bit difficult to access and not over-stocked with touristy amenities, Sky-ros also offers both a living localculture and some natural wildness.See chapter 13.

• Corfu (Ionian Islands): With lushvegetation, some still-undevelopedinterior and unspoiled coast, ancientsites and a 19th-century presence, adash of Italy and a dose of the cosmo-politan, Corfu is a Greek island likeno other. Tourism may be rampant,but Corfu’s attractions have survivedworse. See chapter 15.

• Hios (Northeastern Aegean): You’dthink that an island with such gor-geous beaches, exquisite medievaltowns, and remarkable scenerywouldn’t remain a secret for long.Despite the qualities that attract asmall group of devotees year afteryear, Hios remains surprisingly quiet.If you like the idea of getting awayfrom the tour buses, being alone on abeach to rival any in the Cyclades,and exploring towns that preserve thecontours of medieval life, Hios is foryou. Another benefit: The local hos-pitality hasn’t worn thin here, as it hason many of the more heavily touredislands. See chapter 17.

• Sifnos (Cyclades): Sifnos is a greenisland of ravines, mountaintops, andpristine beaches. Despite its small size(a hardy walker can explore the entireisland on foot), Sifnos has numerousattractive small towns which can beused as bases for your explorations.Apollonia, in the central hills, offerselegant small-town civility, with theadded benefit of being the hub of anexcellent public transportation sys-tem. The kastro (castle), on its seasiderock, is the medieval locus of theisland, whereas Platis Yialos is abustling beach resort. Don’t visit inAugust, when the island is mobbedwith vacationing Athenians. Seechapter 10.

T H E B E S T I S L A N D S 13

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C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G R E E C E14

• National and Zappeion Gardens(Athens): It’s all too easy to overlookthis oasis of calm and cool in the heartof Athens. In 2006, more than a thou-sand new trees and hundreds of roseswere planted in the National Gardenin its first major makeover since 1854.You’ll discover shady benches, a smallcafe, the excellent Aegli restaurant inthe adjacent Zappeion Gardens, andlots of opportunities to enjoy watch-ing Greek families out for a stroll.Keep an eye out for the balloon sellerson weekends. See p. 210.

• Mount Likavitos, aka Mount Lyca-bettus (Athens): Walk up Likavitos atdawn and enjoy the sunrise over thehills that surround Athens. Comeback for sunset, and you mayencounter others strolling here, butthe sounds (and smells!) of Athens’sferocious traffic will be pleasantly dis-tant. See p. 214.

• Folegandros (Cyclades): Most visi-tors to Greece once sailed past the for-midable Folegandros cliffs en routefrom the mainland to Santorini andother islands; they’d catch a glimpse ofthe whitewashed kastro walls perched300m (984 ft.) above the sea. Thebeauty of Hora, the fine beaches, andthe great walking trails are no longersecrets, but if you arrive during the offseason, Folegandros still offers a rest-ful retreat. Largely free of the com-mercialism that has engulfed so manyAegean isles, Folegandros is nowappearing on insider lists as the newplace to visit. See p. 388.

• Milia (Crete): Here is a true retreatfrom not only the hustle and bustle ofmass tourism but of most moderndistractions: a once-abandoned vil-lage off in the mountains of westernCrete where you live in a renovatedstone house and spend your days hik-ing, enjoying the wildlife, eating sim-ple meals, and just plain relaxing. Seep. 344.

• Zagori & Vikos Gorge (WesternGreece): If the 40-some tiny villageslinked by roads lined with spectacularterrain are not enough, you can ven-ture into at least a section of one ofthe most spectacular gorges in Europe.Greeks and some Europeans havelong appreciated this undevelopedcorner of northwestern Greece knownas the Zagoria. See p. 570.

• The Road Not Taken (Greece):Don’t fret if you take a wrong turn inGreece, whether it is on a street inAthens or a road somewhere in thecountry. Go with it! This may be thehighlight of your trip—the Athenianshop-owner who shows you picturesof his aunt’s family in Chicago whenyou stop to ask for directions; theyiayia (granny) next to you on thatboat that you caught after the boatyou wanted to catch had left; theschoolchild who quizzes you aboutwhy you came to Greece when youbump into him at an ancient site; thelittle village you chance upon becauseyou stumbled onto the road you didnot mean to take.

6 The Best Places to Get Away from It All

• National Archaeological Museum(Athens): This stunning collection,which reopened after a major renova-tion in 2004, has it all: superb red- and black-figured vases, bronze

statues, Mycenaean gold, marblereliefs of gods and goddesses, and thehauntingly beautiful frescoes fromAkrotiri, the Minoan site on theisland of Santorini. See p. 203.

7 The Best Museums

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• Museum of Popular Greek MusicalInstruments (Athens): Life-size pho-tos of musicians beside their actualinstruments and recordings of tradi-tional Greek music make this one ofthe country’s most charming muse-ums. On our last visit, an elderlyGreek gentleman listened to somemusic, transcribed it, stepped intothe courtyard, and played it on hisown violin! See p. 202.

• Archaeological Museum of Iraklion(Crete): Few museums in the worldcan boast of holding virtually all theimportant remains of a major culture.This museum can do just that withits Minoan collection, includingsuperb frescoes from Knossos, elegantbronze and stone figurines, andexquisite gold jewelry. The museumalso contains Neolithic, Archaic

Greek, and Roman finds fromthroughout Crete. See p. 331.

• Archaeological Museum of Chania(Crete): Let’s hear it for a truly engag-ing provincial museum, not one fullof masterworks but rather of repre-sentative works from thousands ofyears, a collection that lets us see howmany people experienced their differ-ent worlds. All this, in a former Ital-ian Renaissance church that feels likea special place. See p. 345.

• Archaeological Museum of Thessa-loniki & Museum of ByzantineCulture (Northern Greece): Theseside-by-side museums showcase theart and architecture of Thessalonikiand Northern Greece from the earli-est days to the Byzantine era and itslegacy. See p. 609 and 610.

T H E B E S T R E S O R T S & H OT E L S 15

• Andromeda Hotel (Athens; & 210/643-7302): The city’s first seriousboutique hotel, located on a wonder-fully quiet side street, the classyAndromeda offers charm, comfort,and a reassuringly helpful staff. See p. 168.

• Grande Bretagne (Athens; & 210/333-0000): Back for a return engage-ment and better than ever, Athens’spremiere hotel still overlooks the bestview in town if you have the rightroom: Syntagma Square, the Housesof Parliament and, in case you won-dered, the Acropolis. See p. 165.

• Malvasia (Monemvassia, Pelopon-nese; & 27320/61-113): The Malva-sia brought the concept of theboutique hotel to the Peloponnese.Each room in the Malvasia is differ-ent, with some of the best overlook-ing the sea; all are tastefully furnishedwith hand-loomed rugs and antiques.A visit here gives you the illusion ofstaying in the home of wealthy Greek

friends who have enormously goodtaste—and who just happen to beaway and have left the staff behind totend to your needs. See p. 303.

• Atlantis Hotel (Iraklion, Crete; & 2810/229-103): There are manymore luxurious hotels in Greece, butfew can beat the Atlantis’s urbanattractions: a central location, mod-ern facilities, and views over a busyharbor. You can swim in the pool,work out in the fitness center, sende-mail via your laptop, and thenwithin minutes enjoy a fine meal orvisit a museum. See p. 335.

• Doma (Chania, Crete; & 28210/51-772): A former neoclassical man-sion east of downtown, the Doma hasbeen converted into a comfortableand charming hotel, furnished withthe proprietor’s family heirlooms.Although it’s not for those seeking themost luxurious amenities, its atmos-phere appeals to many. See p. 348.

8 The Best Resorts & Hotels

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• Astra Apartments (Santorini, Cycla-des; & 22860/23-641): This smallhotel with handsomely appointedapartments looks like a miniaturewhitewashed village—and has spec-tacular views over Santorini’s famouscaldera. The sunsets here are not tobe believed, the staff is incrediblyhelpful, and the village of Imerovigliitself offers an escape from the touristmadness that overwhelms the islandeach summer. This is a spot to getmarried at—or celebrate any specialoccasion. See p. 383.

• Anemomilos Apartments (Folegan-dros, Cyclades; & 22860/41-309)and Castro Hotel (Folegandros,Cyclades; & 22860/41-230): Thesmall island of Folegandros has twoof the nicest hotels in the Cyclades,both with terrific cliff-top locations.The Anemomilos has all the creaturecomforts, traditional decor, and agood location (it’s just out of town),with a pool and sea views that seemto stretch forever. The Castro, builtinto the walls of the 12th-centuryVenetian castle that encircles the vil-lage, has lots of character and the nec-essary modern comforts. See p. 390.

• S. Nikolis Hotel (Rhodes, Dodeca-nese; & 22410/34-561) This smallhotel in the Old Town of Rhodescombines such modern amenities asInternet access and Jacuzzis with theexperience of living in a renovatedcenturies-old Venetian mansion. The

decor and furnishings maintain thesense that you are indeed in a specialplace and the proprietors’ warm hos-pitality enhances this feeling. See p. 471.

• Hotel Nireus (Simi, Dodecanese; & 22410/72-400): Perfect island,perfect location, unpretentious, andtasteful. The views from the sea-fac-ing rooms, framed by the fluid swirlsof the wrought-iron balcony, definethe spell of this little gem of anisland. You’ll never regret one morenight on Simi, and here’s the place tospend it. See p. 486.

• White Rocks Hotel & Bungalows(Kefalonia, Ionian Islands; & 26710/28-332): For those who appreciateunderstated elegance, a shady retreatfrom all that sunshine, a privatebeach, and quiet but attentive service,this hotel, a couple of miles outsideArgostoli, can be paradise. See p. 592.

• Mediterranean Palace Hotel (Thes-saloniki; & 2310/552-554). Thishotel has it all: location (overlookingthe harbor, in the trendy Ladadikadistrict) and luxury. The lobby is, asyou might expect, seriously glitzy—but the really pleasant surprise is thecomfort and elegance of the guestrooms. The service is usually excel-lent. The two restaurants are goodenough to tempt you to dine here atleast 1 night rather than explore thehot spots of Ladadika. See p. 624.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F G R E E C E16

• Varoulko (Athens; & 210/522-8400): In its new Athens location,with a menu that adds tasty meatdishes to its signature seafood,Varoulko continues to win plaudits.Everything here is so good that manyAthenians believe chef/owner LefterisLazarou serves not only the finest

seafood in Athens, but some of thebest food in all of Greece. See p. 181.

• Vlassis (Athens; & 210/646-3060):This small restaurant with a loyal fol-lowing (ranging from prominentambassadors to struggling artists)serves traditional (paradisiako) Greekcooking at its very best. A tempting

9 The Best Restaurants

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choice if you have only 1 night inAthens—but be sure to make a reser-vation. See p. 190.

• Fish Taverna Takis To Limeni (Lime-ni, Mani, Peloponnese; & 27330/51-327): Visitors to Greece dream offinding the perfect open-air fish tav-erna perched by the sea serving fishthat were swimming in the sea earlierthe same day. Here it is—with someof the fish still swimming in theunderwater storage cages they’replopped into from the fishing boats.Everything here is fresh and delicious.See p. 308.

• Selene (Santorini, Cyclades; & 22860/22-249): The best restaurant on anisland with lots of good places to eat,Selene is one of the finest restaurantsin all Greece. The reason: OwnerGeorge Haziyannakis constantlyexperiments with local produce toturn out innovative versions of tradi-tional dishes. Inside, the dining roomis elegant, while the terrace has awonderful view over the caldera. Seep. 386.

• Brillant Gourmet (Iraklion, Crete;& 2810/334-959): Only opened in2007, this restaurant immediatelypositioned itself as the most stylishrestaurant on Crete, with food and

wine to match its decor. Admittedly,a restaurant for special treats or occa-sions, but it’s worth inventing one foryourself at least once. See p. 337.

• Mavrikos (Lindos, Rhodes); & 22440/31-232): Don’t be fooled by its loca-tion at the crossroads of tourists andits moderate prices—this 70-year-oldfamily restaurant serves some of themost elegant and innovative dishes inall of Greece. See p. 480.

• Petrino (Kos, Dodecanese; & 22420/27-251): When royalty come to Kos,this is where they dine. Housed in anexquisitely restored, two-story, cen-tury-old stone (petrino) private resi-dence, this is hands-down the mostelegant taverna in Kos, with cuisineto match. This is what Greek homecooking would be if your motherwere part divine. See p. 495.

• Venetian Well (Corfu, Ionian Islands;& 26610/44-761): A bit severe in itssetting at the edge of a small enclosedsquare in Corfu town, with noattempt at the picturesque, thisrestaurant gets by on its more eso-teric, international, and delicatemenu. It’s for those seeking a breakfrom the standard Greek scene. See p. 584.

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• Theater under the Stars (Athens andEpidaurus, Peloponnese): If you can,take in a performance of whatever ison at Odeion of Herodes Atticus thea-ter in Athens or the theater at Epi-daurus. You’ll be sitting where peoplehave sat for thousands of years toenjoy a play beneath Greece’s nightsky. See chapters 6 and 8.

• Mykonos (Cyclades): Mykonos isn’tthe only island town in Greece withnightlife that continues through themorning, but it was the first and stilloffers the most abundant, varied

scene in the Aegean. Year-round, thetown’s narrow, labyrinthine streetsplay host to a remarkably diversecrowd—Mykonos’s unlimited abilityto reinvent itself has assured it of con-tinued popularity. Spring and falltend to be more sober and sophisti-cated, whereas the 3 months of sum-mer are reserved for unrestrainedrevelry. See chapter 10.

• Rhodes (Dodecanese): From cafes tocasinos, Rhodes has not only the repu-tation but also the stuff to back it up.A good nightlife scene is ultimately a

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matter of who shows up—and this,too, is where Rhodes stands out. It’sthe place to be seen, and if nobodyseems to be looking, you can alwayswatch. See chapter 11.

• Skiathos (Sporades): With as many as50,000 foreigners packing this tinyisland during the high season, themany nightspots in Skiathos town areoften jammed with the mostlyyounger set. If you don’t like the musicat one club, cross the street. See chap-ter 13.

• Corfu (Ionian Islands): If raucousnightspots are what you look for on aholiday, Corfu offers probably the

largest concentration in Greece. Mostof these are beach resorts frequentedby young foreigners. More sedatelocales can be found in Corfu town.Put simply, Corfu hosts a variety ofmusic, dancing, and “socializing”opportunities. See chapter 15.

• Thessaloniki (Macedonia, NorthernGreece). You knew something was upin 2007 when the New York Timesdubbed Greece’s “Second City” the“Seattle of the Balkans” and praisedits vibrant cafe life that goes round-the-clock, but is especially lively afterdark. See chapter 16.

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• Traditional Arts & Crafts: So manyplaces in Greece pride themselves ontheir needlework that it is hard to sin-gle out even a few, but among thosefew would be Crete, Rhodes, andSkyros. Two places in Athens deservemention: The Center of HellenicTradition (59 Mitropoleos and 36Pandrossou) and the National Wel-fare Organization (6 Ipatias andApollonos). The Center offers ceram-ics, woodcarvings, prints—and oneof the finest views of the Acropolis inAthens. The National Welfare Orga-nization contains hand-loomed rugsand silk embroidery done by villagewomen, as well as excellent copper-work and ceramics.

• Leatherwork: Both Rhodes andCrete feature local leatherwork, fromsandals to handbags, from belts tojackets. Pay attention to quality.

• Furs: Kastoria, in northwesternGreece, is the center of the fur trade,and fur products are everywhere.Athens, of course, sells expensive furcoats. Rhodes also features fur coats.Wherever furs are sold, be sure youknow what you are buying.

• Jewelry: It now seems that half ofGreece’s retail stores sell jewelry, soshop around. Much of it is really nodifferent than what can be found incities all over the world, but Athensdoes have major, internationallyknown jewelers such as LALAoUNISand Zolotas. Try Chania, Crete, forsophisticated local artisans’ work.Islands such as Hydra, Mykonos,Santorini, Skiathos, and Rhodes havescores of stores appealing to thetourist trade.

• Ceramics: As with needlework, potsand ceramics of all kinds are to befound throughout Greece. Some ofthe more traditional may be found onChios, Crete, Mitilini, Sifnos, andSkopelos.

• Rugs/Weavings: Crete probably offersthe largest variety of rugs and weav-ings. Metsovo has some distinctive tex-tiles. If you like rag rugs, keep an eyeout for kourouloudes on sale at smallshops as you travel the Peloponnese.

• Wood: Corfu seems to be the centerof olive-wood products—carvingboards, bowls, and utensils. Rethym-non, Crete, also has a selection. In the

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Peloponnese, woodcarvings and uten-sils are often found in the villages ofArcadia. Chios and Mitilini alsoboast wood-carving traditions.

• Icons and Ecclesiastical Books &Items: On the streets around theGreek Orthodox Cathedral (Metro-politan) in Athens, you’ll find manyshops selling votive offerings, candles,and reproductions of icons. In Thes-saloniki, Apostolic Diakonta Book-store (& 2310/275-126) has a wideselection of religious items. Many ofthe most important religious shrines,such as Panagia Evangelistria on Tinos,and many convents and monasteries,including most of the Meteora mona-steries, sell reproductions of icons andother religious items. On Crete, thePetrakis couple in Elounda paintinternationally sought traditionalicons.

• Museum Reproductions: Officiallyapproved, fine replicas of many famousmuseum pieces may be purchased atthe Archaeological, Byzantine, Benaki,Goulandris, and LALAoUNIS muse-ums in Athens; at the Archaeologicaland Byzantine museums in Thessa-loniki; and at official archaeologicalservice stores in Rhodes Old Town andin Chania and Rethymnon, Crete.

• Books: Whether you’re looking forbooks about Greece or books forvacation reading, in Athens the placesto go are Eleftheroudakis, Com-pendium, Reymondos, and Foliatou Bibliou. In Thessaloniki, headfor the excellent Molho.

• Natural Products: In the last fewyears, Greece has begun to producesuperb organic and natural products,including olive oil, honey, jams, andcosmetics. Keep an eye out for foodproducts with the Peloponnese, Gaea,Milelia, Nefeli, Yiam, and Staterlabels in groceries and delis. Goodplaces to look in Athens include mostspecialty food shops in Kolonaki, andthe Mesogaia delicatessen in thePlaka section of Athens. Green Farmin Kolonaki sells only organic pro-duce. Korres Natural Products (www.korres.com), including a wide rangeof herbal shampoos and lotions, andApivita’s Aromatherapy EssentialOils (www.apivita.gr), are now car-ried in many pharmacies and cosmet-ics stores (such as the widespreadHondos Centers) throughout Greece.And, more than 10 Mastihashops inGreece sell natural mastic productsfrom liqueur and gum to toothpasteand soaps.

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