May 2nd, 2011
Alternative Greece, 5 lesser known attractions
Alternative Greece, 5 lesser known attractions
Greece has been a favourite holiday destination for many generations, with beautiful scenery, fascinating history and cheap prices drawing visitors from across the globe. However, you don’t have to follow the guidebook and head to the best-known sites when you visit this remarkable country, as some of the best experiences can be found off the beaten track.
If you love Ancient Greek history and architecture, and you’ve already seen Athens and Thessaloniki, the adventure doesn’t end there. Just an hour’s drive from Thessaloniki is the ancient site of Vergina, home to Macedonian tombs and exquisite royal burial grounds that date as far back as the 11th century BCE. Travelling underground to the Royal Tombs Museum, you’ll have the chance to see priceless artworks, glittering gold artefacts and other findings from these freshly excavated royal burial places.
It’s not only Greece’s architecture that draws so many visitors, of course, with the country’s often awe-inspiring natural scenery also being one of its highlights. While the Greek islands can be stunning in their Mediterranean beauty, you can find equally remarkable vistas when heading inland, to areas such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Meteora. Marvel at the monasteries built in this challenging landscape of eroded spires and sun-bleached rocks, and follow in the footsteps of the Ancient Greeks without having to negotiate your way through floods of tourists.
There are more jaw-dropping natural wonders to be enjoyed south-west of Athens on your holidays in Greece, such as the Diros Caves. If you love natural history, you’ll have the chance to see fossils and discoveries of animal bones among these waterways, while historians can see the sites where many important Paleolithic and Neolithic artefacts were excavated, dating back to some of the earliest human civilisations. Taking a guided tour by boat is the best way to explore this natural wonder, and you may want to wrap up warm as the temperature drops steeply as you head underground.
If it’s the more recent history and culture of Greece that interests you though, there are many destinations where you can observe traditional Greek customs and industries flourishing today, such as the fishing village of Gytheon at the
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