This large peninsula technically forms an island in southern Greece and resembles a huge mulberry leaf. For this reason, it was called in the Middle Ages Moreas ( from the Greek word for mulberry ). Its ancient name was Peloponnese or Peloponnissos ( the island of Pelops, the mythical King of Phrygia, who later ruled…
The apparent simplicity and design of the Parthenon, a building famous the world over for architectural beauty and harmony, is the temple of the virgin ( in Greek “parthena” ) Athena. It Is built of Pendelic marble in the Doric Style on the same site as two previous temples. It took 15 years to build…
ATTICA Attica is the Greek area upon which ancient Athens nurtured philosophy and democracy. In this little corner of the earth, the vitality of the Greeks found expression in all creative fields, and their thoughts helped to transform the whole outlook of Western man by the immortal and splendid Attic Civilization. First inhabited in the…
Traditional Greek Popular art, examples of which a visitor may come across in each of his steps, has to offer a unique sense of form and color. From his dress to the decoration of his home and items of daily use, the Greek can be distinguished for his good taste. The artisan expresses himself with…
AN OUTLINE OF ANCIENT GREEK SCULPTURE AND PAINTING Greek art developed over a period of 600 years and produced a national genius, a pure, classical school which was to inspire sculptors, painters, and architects up to the present day, and perhaps for all time. As early as the 7th century B.C., men and animals and…
Thessaly has the largest plain in Greece, a densely cultivated area ringed round by the Pindus, Othrys, Pelion, Ossa, Olympus, and Agrapha mountain ranges. The River Penios meanders across the plain, and to the north, it falls through the celebrated Tempi gorge, a narrow pass above which tower the steep slopes of Mt Olympus and…
Volos is a pleasant provincial town at the head of the Gulf of Pagassae ( Pagassitikos ). It has two main Interests. On the one hand, it is a thriving industrial center and a commercial port, especially concerned with fruit, and on the other, it is a popular holiday resort with safe bathing and excellent…
Arta Arta is situated on the River Arachthos and its plain is fertile and intensively cultivated. As early as the 13th century it was the capital of the Despotate of Epirus, a Byzantine principality. Overlooking the town is a medieval fortress. Of interest in Arta is the 18th-century bridge which spans the river and the…
IOANNINA Ioannina ( or Yiannena ) is situated 459 km from Athens ( via Rion-Antirrion ) and some 100 km from Igoumenitsa on the shore of the legendary Lake Parrivotis. It is an important commercial and cultural center. Ioannina was founded by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century A.D. It rose slowly in statue and…
SPORADES ( Skyros, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos ) The four islands Skyros, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos are situated opposite the northern-east coast of Euboea. They are known as the Northern Sporades and all four are accessible from Volos by boat. Life on these Islands ambles along at a leisurely pace, offering simple, carefree holidays with…
Epirus, which is Greek for the continent, is a superb mountain region covering an area of 9,203 square kilometers in northwestern Greece. It has a population of 350,000, and its capital town is Ioannina. Protected in the east by the mighty Pindus range and the serried peaks of Panaetolikon, Epirus is a region with vast…
Igoumenitsa – Prarga Igoumenitsa is situated at the head of a bay, opposite the island of Corfu ( Kerkyra ). It is one of the main gateways to Greece and so visitors’ comforts are well-looked after by small modern hotels as well as other amenities. The daily car-ferry services from Italy and the many more…
Strung along the shores of Western Greece, the Ionian Islands reveal yet another totally different facet of the Greek landscape. Green and luxuriant, they have been for centuries the crossroads between mainland Greece and Western Europe, and as such, they were able to develop their own culture, literature, art, and music. Corfu, Paxi, Lefkas, Cephalonia,…
Corfu Corfu is the gateway to Greece for those arriving from Europe. The island has been mentioned by Homer in his «Odyssey». The island’s most flourishing period began in 734 B.C., when its first colonists, the Corinthians, arrived here. In the following centuries, Corfu shared the fate of the rest of the Ionian Islands. There…
At a distance of 21 km from Delphi is situated Amphissa in the middle of one splendid extensive olive grove. It is the capital of the Province of Phokis and has some remains of ancient walls and a ruined Frankish castle. Itea ( 19 km from Delphi ) is a picturesque port built at the…
Vienna Christmas Market The Viennese Christmas Market is an unforgettable highlight for those eager to get into the spirit of the season. The delicious aromas are sure to lull all visitors into the seasonal joy.Inside the City Hall on the ground floor, there is an area dedicated to children, where they can learn how to…
1192 Richard the Lionheart is taken captive in ##Vienna, the ransom helps build fortifications; 1198 the Golden Age of Vienna begins with economic, architectural, and artistic growth; 1237 Vienna is incorporated as a free city of the Empire by Emperor Friedrich II; 1298 the first “Christkindlmarkt”. Christmas market is held in Vienna; 1304 construction begins…
Secession The Building itself displays the symbolism of architecture with the laurel leaf playing a central decorative role. Dating from 1901, the damage inflicted by WWII has all but disappeared, revealing once again a gallery of superb creativity and character.U-Bahn: Karlsplatz ((U1, U2, U4) Secession – The Building itself displays the symbolism of architecture with…
PRAGUE – The Magical City, The Golden City, The City of a Hundred Towers, the Paris of the East These are just some of the most common definitions adopted by tourist publications when talking about Prague, a city of around 1,300,000 inhabitants and, since 1st January 1993, the capital of lite Czech Republic, as well…
Pyrgos ( 319 km from Athens,96 km from Patras,153 kms from Tripolis ) is a colorful agricultural and trading town, the capital of the Province of Eleia. From Pyrgos, the road forks eastwards through the fertile valley of Elis, one of the ancient city-states of the Peloponnese.In the middle of this valley, where the rivers…
A theatre of ancient Greek A theatre of ancient Greek drama where the plays of the great dramatists( Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menandrus ) were first presented. It lies at the foot of the Acropolis, to the south, next to the “Sanctuary of Dionysus”. Originally the theatre had wooden seats which were replaced by seats…
This theatre at the foot of the Acropolis was built in the 2nd century A.D. by Herodes Atticus as a memorial to his wife Pegilla. It is in the typical form of an ancient Roman Theatre with a seating capacity today of 5,000 spectators. The seating was restored in 1950-1961. Originally it was used for…
Akademie der bildenden Kuenste the art gallery of this school contains some real treasures; BA – CA Kunstforum homage to the artists of classical modernism; Dritte Mann Museum 3mpc a tribute to Graham Green. Orson Welles, etc. Ephesos Museum a depiction of the ancient Ephesos and its culture; Esperantomuseum the world’s largest display of artificial languages;…
Art History Museum Vienna One of the most important museums worldwide with the earliest collections dating back 250 years. This palace of natural history has incorporated collections since 1889 and to this day counts over 20 million exhibits. The art History Museum stands, almost mirror-like, imposingly opposite since 1891, and unites most of the imperial…
Rome Tour Rome is the capital of Italy and the Lazio region. It’s the famed city of the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita, Vatican City, and Three Coins in the Fountain. Its Historic Center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Vatican It has been the Popes’ residence since 1377. In fact, before the Pontifical…
Munich City guide The capital city of the Free State of Bavaria and the third-largest city of Germany ( 1.3 million inhabitants ) lies in the center of the Bavarian plateau. It was founded on the 14th of June in the year 1158 by the Guelph Duke Heinrich den Lowen ( Henry the Lion )….
Metro Map , Schonbrunn Map Innere Stadt ( 1st district ) The historic heart of the city exudes elegance at every corner and boasts the best boutiques, the finest hotels, and the grandest architecture. Despite its modern flair, the inner city has maintained an archaic note, a parallel evolution that has developed and maintained the center…
Wallsend Boys Club take on Barcelona – and win – Tyneside youngsters… There aren’t many schoolboys who can boast they’ve played Barcelona FC and won but one North East club came back from Spain with the bragging rights of a lifetime. Wallsend Boys Club, based in Newcastle, traveled to Spain to take part in the……
The Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano is perhaps the most ancient of Christian churches. It is held to be the most important after Saint Peter’s because it is the Cathedral of Rome. In the central space between the transepts is an altar where only the Pope, the bishop of Rome, can celebrate mass. As…
Only 11 km from Athens along the Athens-Corinth highway, this beautiful Byzantine Monastery dating from the 11th century lies in a tree-shaded grove. In addition to its architecture, the Church of the Monastery is decorated with some of the most brilliant examples of mosaic art of the Byzantine period. Near the Monastery is a tourist…
It is one of the most important works of the late Baroque in Rome. The architect Nicola Salvi, who had won a public competition, was commissioned by Pope Clement XII ( 1730-40 ) to build it. The fountain was inaugurated for the first time in 1740 under Benedict XIV and then when it was finished…
Everything and everyone in Athens seems to be drawn irresistibly towards the Acropolis, the 156 meters high limestone rock that crowns the city. Clearly visible from any part of Athens, the delicately poised and dazzling white columns of the Parthenon stand out against the blue background of the sky, an immortal symbol of the spirit…
Altstadt – The Old Town Worth seeing is the entire complex of the Old Town with its narrow streets, old burghers houses, and arcades. Where the Herzog-Friedrich-Straße widens out into a Square is the symbol of Innsbruck, the Goldene Dachl The Golden Roof This late gothic alcove, 16 meters high, was built around 1500 and…
Only 13 km from Antirrion, Nafpaktos is a bright and open seaside town, better known to many people as Lepanto, the proud name of the great sea battle in 1571, which brought Turkish naval supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean to an end. The two small castles built by the Venetians on either side of the…
The old town, next to the sea, with its tall handsome houses and narrow streets, retains much of its Venetian character. At its center rises the “Kasteli”, a Venetian fortress. The new town is pleasant and lively, with large and modern houses which stand in gardens filled with flowers all the year-round. In its outlying…
The Schonbrunn Palace is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria. The palace and its elaborate gardens are an essential part of Viennese history and every visit. Vienna Schonbrunn Map