Athens

Information and facts about Athens Greece

Most people have a love-hate relationship to Greece’s capital. On one hand it is a city with a wide variety of things to see and do. From here you can also get to most places in Greece: by air, train, boat or bus.
On the other hand it is a huge, busy place with about half of Greece’s 
population living there (close to 5 million). There are places you do not want to be alone at night, and Athens has a big problem with traffic jams and pollution, especially the smog.
It is a fascinating place, though. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, and walking through its ancient Agora or on the Acropolis, 
it does make you feel you are walking on, if not sacred, very important ground.
The Athenians are now living better after the Olympic games many things have been improoved. This means that a lot of buildings have been renovated, and big projects have been carried out. The infrastructure of the city has been modernized with new highways (Attiki odos) that circulating Athens from Aspropyrgos to the new Airport at Spata and goes until the western suburbs of Athens.
Many historic areas of Athens have been made for pedestrians only  like the whole Area around Acropolis from Dionysiou Areopagitoy street until Thission and Keramikos.Plaka is also 90% pedestrianised  as well as the Ermou street the main shopping street of Athens.
The port of Piraeus has been modernized as well with parking areas around the port and new docks for the Greek ferries and Cruise ships.

History  Athens is often mentioned in Greek mythology. The ancient Athenians believed that they originally came from Attica and were not an immigrated people. To support this, they would refer to their first king, Cecrops, who was a man-snake born out of the earth. He had been the ultimate judge, when the goddess Athena and the sea god Poseidon competed in becoming the patron of the city, a competition Athena was to win, naming the city.
The greatest hero of Athens was Theseus, whose wicked stepmother was the infamous Medea, hated by the Athenians and forced to flee. The hero had managed to stop the yearly tribute of youngsters to king Minos of Crete by killing the Minotaur, and his bones were kept in a special monument here. Oedipus died in Athens, and Orestes was brought before the Aeropagus here after revenging his murdered father Agamemnon.
Many historical personalities were also born here, and even more lived and worked here. Socrates wandered the streets, discussing philosophical questions with those he met. Demosthenes preached against the Macedon-ians, and Plato and Aristotle taught here. Pericles made his time a golden one, and Alcibiades was admired and hated. Later on, St. Paul was to preach a new religion called Christianity. The list could go on forever...
There are evidence of ancient settlements in Athens from the 7th millennia BC. Athens was not always the most important city of Greece, and its greatest rival in antiquity was Sparta and the Persians.
The great orator Demosthenes warned the people of Athens about the Macedonians, and he was right: in 322BC Athens was conquered by them.
The Turks invaded Athens in 1456, and the city stayed under Turkish rule for about 350 years. In 1834 Athens was declared capital of Greece - then, only about 6000 people lived there.
In 1941 the Germans occupied Athens and during the two months the Greeks resisted and over 300 000 people died of starvation. The old film footage of Hitler walking on the Acropolis is a bitter memory of this time.
Athens was also a battlefield during the civil war 1946-1949. The junta took over in 1967 and Greece was a dictatorship until 1974. In 1981 Greece joined the EU.

What to See The first place you should visit when in Athens is of course the Acropolis. Standing up there, on the sacred rock as the Greeks call it, you can practically feel the magnificence of ancient Greece. Don’t think you’ll be alone there though.
Other archaeological sites are the agora, the market, with the temple to Hephaistos still in quite good shape, as well as the temple to Zeus and the arch of Hadrian.
Museums of interest are, amongst others, the Acropolis museum, the National Archeological museum , the Folklore museum, the Ceramics museum (Keramikos), the Byzantine museum, the Music museum, the War museum, the Benaki museum etc. All in all, there are about 50 museums in Athens. A popular place for shopping or food and drink is Plaka, just below the Acropolis. It is considered quite a touristy area, but the fact is that you here can get an idea of old Athens, with low buildings and little streets.
In Monastiraki there is a bazaar which is quite incredible, in Hephaestou street and around the small square of
At the Syntagma Square you can visit the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. Here you can see the guards in their impressing uniforms, the Evzones, and if you are lucky you will see the slow and complicated change of guards. You can also feed pigeons here. Interestingly, there used to be a tomb to the unknown hero in ancient Athens
The opera, Megaron Mousikis, holds many wonderful performances, but even lovelier is the Herodes Atticus theatre just below the Acropolis.

What to Do Athens Greece has such a wide variety of things to do that it almost is no idea to write it all down. For example, you have all the sights and the museums, concerthalls and theatres. Then, there are many cinemas, a great nightlife, bazaars , fashion shops and super modern shopping malls. Go up to the Lycavitos hill and get a wonderful view. You can go to Athens Riviera from Paleon Faliron  up to Kalamaki ,Alimos ,Glyfada ,Vouliagmeni and Varkiza for some sun and sea. You can visit as well the National gardens that are located next to the Parliament at Syntagma square.

Beaches There are several beaches at Athens Riviera The most popular ones are in Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Nea Makri, Crysi Akti (Golden Coast ), Lagonisi,  Kavouri and Alimos. Most of the beaches in Athens are organize and you have to pay a small entrance fee to these beaches - this is to keep them clean since it has millions of visitors every summer.

Nightlife Jazz bars, discos, bouzoukia clubs, heavy metal bars - it’s all here. There are places all over Athens, but the most frequented areas are Syntagma, Kolonaki and Glyfada. Almost in every square in all Athenian suburbs there are Cafeterias and bars that during the night are becoming music bars with professional DJ’s.

Food and restaurants Just like the bars, the restaurants and taverns are everywhere in Athens. The Plaka area is probably the most picturesque, but also the most visited by tourists. Keep a lookout for the places with lots of Greeks in them - that applies all over Greece. In Syntagma and Kolonaki there are also many places, and in Glyfada and Vouliagmeni you are close to the sea, and the atmosphere is usually a little bit more sophisticated. The area Psiri not far from Acropolis is very expensive with lots of lovely places with live music day and night. In Athens you will find a plethora of fast food like  Mc Donald’s ,Wendy’s the Greek chain of Goody’s ,Pizza hut ,Starbucks , and many other famous chains but the most typical fast food in Greece is the souvlaki  .But as I said, there is a place in every corner and you can get absolutely anything you want. read more about eating in Athens

Shopping Being Greece’s capital you can find everything if you for shopping in Athens. The big shopping street is Ermou, just off Syntagma square, Glyfada and Kolonaki are the exclusive quarters with many boutiques and shops. In Plaka you’ll find lots of souvenirs from all over Greece, and the biggest department store is Vassilopoulos. In Monastiraki there is a great flea market every day and many antiquity shops. These are just a few example though, there are shops just about everywhere. At Athinas street you will find many interesting shops that sale herbs and many shops that sale dry fruits and nuts also at the same street located the main fish and meat market of Athens both are worth visiting.

Getting Around In Athens while the overcrowded buses usually just pass the bus stops, leaving you there with a long face, the new Athens Metro is an excellent way to get around (it is also very beautiful, worth a visit just to see it). There are also electric trams and trolleys that are quite efficient to take you all the way to the Athens coasts.
You can rent cars and bikes but it is not recommended - the people in Athens drive like absolute madmen ,read about driving in Athens to see what I mean. Taking a taxi can also be quite a horrific experience and there has also been reports of taxi drivers trying to overcharge foreigners. Make sure the taximeter is on and running properly and you won’t have a problem.
In general, be careful when crossing the streets - green lights does NOT mean that you can cross the road without looking!!!.

Getting There In March 2001 the new airport Eleftherios Venizelos at Spata was opened. It is hypermodern and with the new road connections through the Attiki odos and Metro, suburban rail . Without traffic jams it takes about 45 minutes to get there from the centre of Athens by the express buses (X 95 Airport Syntagma square ) (X 96 Airport Piraeus) , but unfortunately sometimes especially on weekdays pick hours, traffic jams are more rules than exceptions. But with the new extensions you can use the Suburban train (Proastiakos)  until Neratziotisa station and continue with the Athens Metro that goes to Syntagma (blue line) or to Omonoia from Doukissis Plakentias station (green line) .
If you are coming from the islands the ferry boats will stop at Piraeus, Port Rafina (Cyclades Andros) or Agios Konstantinos from the Sporades islands. Train (OSE) runs through the whole of Greece - starting in Thrace, through Thessaloniki, Larisa to Athens, and is also connected with the Peloponnese.

Santorini

General Information Santorini is perhaps the most fascinating and most talked about island of Greece in the Aegean. Only the name of the island is enough to unfold in mind pleasurable connotations, volcanic landscape, gray and red beaches, dazzling white houses, terraces with panoramic sea views , stunning sunsets, wild fun. All this, together with remnants of lost civilizations discovered in the volcanic ash justify the epithets with which visitors identify Santorini and fairly is called, magical, indescribable, astonishing.

The volcano is still active, and the last eruption was in 1950, causing an earthquake that destroyed many villages on the island. The island’s official name is Thira and its main town, Fira, is also the capital of the Cyclades islands. It is a cosmopolitan island and is therefore quite expensive.

The locals live mainly off agriculture and tourism. The islands largest export product is soil; 2.000.000 tons a year are used all over the world, mainly to make concrete. The Suez channel was built with this concrete for example.

Most holidaymakers stay where the beaches are, Kamari and Perissa, but these places really do not represent the island’s amazing distinctiveness.

If you can, you should try to stay in Fira, Imerovigli or Oia, the towns on the cliffs, which are very beautiful and full of little cafes, shops and places of interest. There is a bus that goes to the beaches everyday, and it is much better to be in the towns in the evening and on the beaches during the day. If you stay in Monolithos you will have more peace and quiet.

Approaching the island by boat the immediate impression obtained is this is a Greek island unlike any other. The island of Santorini was formed out of the lava from the volcanic eruption in 1660 BC. The central part of the volcano sank into the sea leading to the emergence of Santorini itself and the tiny neighbouring islands of Thirasia, Palaia and Nea Kameni close by.

Today, Santorini is the only inhabited Caldera (volcano cauldron) in the world. Unlike other islands in Greece, the towns and villages sit densely on top of the massive cliffs of the Caldera and from a distance appear like snow capping the towering mountain tops. The coloured strata of the volcanic rock of these cliffs are spectacular in themselves: chocolate brown, rust red, yellow ochre, white and cream. The geological uniqueness however is not the only thing that makes Santorini a special holiday destination.

Everyone has read about the spectacular sunsets that occur on this island and the sceptic may question whether the setting sun can really appear differently here than from the neighbouring islands of Naxos or Ios. Nevertheless, the sunsets at Santorini, viewed from the Caldera, really are breathtakingly beautiful when seen as a backdrop to the volcano. The colours that streak the sky change from lilac to deep purple, from yellow to orange to red, as the golden sun sinks and becomes blood red reflecting its light on to the sea and the surrounding little islands, an amazing scene for photography. The eastern slopes of the island are green and fertile, even in October. This is due to the copious vineyards that grow so well in the fertile volcanic soil. The terraced slopes of the mountains use every available part of this fertile land. The island suffer from water scarcity, because it has few natural water reserves, but the nature of the dry soil of Santorini produces grapes that make up one of the best wines of Greece. The climate, though damp is healthy and perfect for producing the famous wine (vinsando), fava beans and tomatoes. There are many wineries and a a local factory for canning tomato paste, tomatoes and vegetables. Santorini used to export a lot of pumice that finally stopped due to the destruction the old pumice mines did to the island. The old mines now are used for the burial of waste.
Today the island’s economy relies on tourism, where tens of thousands tourists from Greece and around the world visit the island for unforgettable holidays

History Santorini used to be a round island, but during an earthquake and volcano-outbreak in the 15th century BC the middle of the island sunk and gave it the shape it has today. The underwater volcano, which is one of the rare examples of volcanoes in the world created from a circular island that was there before the explosion, a group of islands namely Thera, Thirassia, New and Old Kameni and Aspronisi. This is one of the reasons why many believe Santorini really is where Atlantis once was. The Minoan civilization on theisland was razed after this, but apparently, most people managed to flee.

The island has changed names through history. Originally it was called Stroggyli ("round") since that was the shape of the island. When the Phoenicians came they named it Kallisti ("the very best"), and finally it got the name Thira after its first ruler.

Theras was the son of the Theban hero Autesion who was a descendant of Cadmus. He was the vice king of Sparta and responsible for his twin nephews Procles and Eurysthenes. When they were old enough to rule by themselves, Theras left Sparta with a company of aristocrats and settled on Santorini. The Romans originally used the island as a place for exiles, but later helped in building up the island. The Christianization of Santorini took place between the 2nd and 5th century. The island was often ravaged and even destroyed by pirates and in 1204 it was conquered by the Venetians. It was about then the island got its current name. The islands patron saint was Agia Irini (St Eirene) and the foreign sailors called her St Irini - thus Santorini. The island was destroyed by the Venetians in 1354, and once again in 1397, this time by the conquering Turks. In 1821 Santorini joined forces with the Greek revolutionists and the island was subsequently freed from Turkish rule. In 1956 there was a terrible earthquake which caused many buildings to be ruined. The people in Kamari are almost all from a village that was totally destroyed back then.  The island has been reconstructed after the terrible earthquake that destroyed it on 9 July 1956.

Places to see in Satorini : Fira the capital of Santorini is built on the edge of the caldera at the west side of the island, at an altitude of 250 meters and was founded in the late 18th century. It was the time when the inhabitants of the old capital of the island, the castle of Skaros which was just underneath the village of Imerovigli, began to abandon it because it was heavily damaged by the earthquakes. In the early 19th century, Fira became the capital of the island, and had access to the sea through the port of Fira that is used until today mainly for cruise ships. Fira is the seat of both the Orthodox, and the Catholic Diocese of Santorini.
What impresses at first glance in Fira is the typical architecture of the houses and the stunning views. In the town are based the public offices of the island, most of the shops, restaurants and hotels and the town itself is the most populated of the island. In Fira you can visit also the the art exhibition in the famous mansion Gizi . The Archaeological museum and the Prehistoric museum where you can see items from the excavations in Akrotiri, as well as many artefacts and sculpture from the rich historical past of Santorini from the Prehistoric times, the Neolithic and Minoan era, the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.
The main square Theotokopoulou is the centre of the town. There you will find most of the banks, the buses and taxi terminals and many shops.
During the evening all the terraces of the privileged cafes at the edge of the caldera filled with tourists that are coming to enjoy a drink as the sun sets over the deep blue Aegean.
At night the small streets along the east side of the town over the caldera are bursting with crowds of holiday makers that walking up and down the steps and narrow labyrinthine stone streets in a colourful environment among numerous shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. During the summer the city never sleeps, numerous cafes and snack bars are open for the clubbers until the early morning hours. In Fira there is also a folklore museum, a citadel from the Middle Ages, two Cathedrals, a Catholic and an Orthodox. In Fira you can go to the church of Ag Mina, which is the church that most postcards of Santorini portray . If you come to Fira in September, there is a renowned classical music festival every year.

At Oia you you get the best sunsets, and both Oia and Fira are excellent towns for just strolling around and shopping. The main street of Oia bursts of tourists, especially when cruise ships are arrived, strolling around the numerous tourist and souvenir shops. Be sure to find a table at one of the cafes at the edge of the caldera before the sunset. Oia is a surprisingly large town with just one street running along the entire length of the town with two sets of cliff-side stairways descending all the way down to the bays of Ammouda and Armeni as well as a cliff path which runs down to the tiny port of Armenaki. Armeni harbour is smaller and quieter than Ammoudi with one taverna and a small pebbly beach. Similarly, it too, was used for trading wine during the days when Oia was at its maritime peak. It can be reached by walking down the 291 steps from the Skala restaurant close to the main Caldera Square. There are also donkeys or mules to hire to bring you up or down. Alternatively, boats leave from Ammoudi bay to Armeni. The main street of Oia is divided into two parts, one for cars and the second is pedestrian only. Many little lanes and alleys come off of this street. You can experience practically the whole of the village by walking along the pedestrian street, with fantastic views all the way. The magnificent sunsets can be seen from here but the best places to view are from either end of the main street. At the eastern end is the main square with the bus station and the Church of Panagia of Platsani and, at the western end, are the ruins of the Venetian castle, the windmills and the 300 steps leading down to Ammoudi Bay. This latter seems to be the most popular spot for viewing the sunsets but can get very crowded at sunset. Traditional Cycladic windmills are an integral part of the landscape of Oia. They are scattered across the town, hugging the side of the cliffs like molluscs. Some of them are now used as private homes or are let out as holiday homes, whereas others are incorporated into restaurants or simply cling there with no other purpose than to add to the unique charm of this town. The most charming are those located at the western end of the island, especially when they are bathed in the rays of the setting sun. Oia is one of the most photogenic island villages in Santorini and walking around its winding cobbled streets is an absolute delight. Although in high season it can get very busy, it is still possible to find yourself alone in a secluded little passageway where you can quietly admire the original old mansions, the windmills, the churches and the spectacular views of the volcano, the caldera and the small island of Aspro and out to the larger craggy island of Thirassia. The central square, Nicolaou Nomikou, lies not at the centre of the town but a bit further towards its eastern side. It is a popular place to take photographs as it borders the caldera and has magnificent sea views. One of the most important buildings of the village is located on this square, the large Church of Panagia of Platsani. This beautiful church can be visited in the evenings throughout the summer season. This square also is the site for the occasional concert during the summer months as well as being a place where locals meet and children play. Close to the square there are steps which lead down to Armeni Bay.

Mykonos island Greece

This is the Ibiza of Greece. A beautiful island in the Cyclades, which looks just like the postcards: white little houses with flowers and blue windows and doors, hand painted streets, windmills, pigeon keepers, chimneys, lots of little churches and wonderful restaurants and cafes.

Many of the Greek "jetsetters" either have a house here or visit every summer, and the nightlife is very developed. You will see a lot of eccentrics especially at night time. Even though it is a party-island, it is not as loud as for example Ios and Kos, so you can get sleep at night.

Mykonos has a reputation for being a summer resort for mainly gay men, which is not entirely true. The gay audience is present, but it is also a glamorous place for the rich and famous, which is painfully clear to whoever has a look at the prices on the menus.

The island was once very poor, and the people tried to survive on fishing and stock breeding on the harsh land. A major industry was also ship construction. Tourism has turned the economy over since it started in the 1950’s and the locals have a double attitude towards this: it may have saved the economy but some also feel that it has taken over too much.

Architecture: With the exception of Mykonos town, Chora, all over Mykonos you will see the typical Cycladic cubist style of architecture. Small, often single storey white cubes sprinkled over the landscape like little iced cakes. Mykonos town however offers a different architectural style that is unique in the area. Here, flanking the narrow winding streets are buildings reminiscent of a medieval style.
Every house is reached via a flight of straight steps, parallel to the road, whilst the space underneath these steps was traditionally kept for storage. Atop the steps is a wooden painted balcony that sometimes projects over the road to nearly touch the balcony of the house across the street. Here too, you will find a change from the ubiquitous blue and white decor of Greece. In Mykonos town the wooden structures of every house are painted in a rainbow of colours, against the whitewashed walls and blue sky, the effect is absolutely delightful.

Landscape: Outside of the capital Chora there are very few densely populated areas. Villages and hamlets scatter the hillsides. In some areas there is fairly intensive development of holiday complexes, although it must be said, in a very low-key and sympathetic way. Being an island that receives the four winds head on, there are very few trees in the landscape. this, together with the rocks and boulders strewn across the terrain, give a strange and desolate feeling to the island that contrasts starkly to the sophisticated busyness of its main town.

What to See :The town Chora is a place you should really explore. Walk around, go to the windmills, feed the pelicans Petros (’Rock" and Irini ("Peace"), have a drink in the little harbour and visit the Parapotiani church. And of course, go shopping. There are also five museums: an archaeological, a folk museum, a maritime, a cultural and a private one with old rooms and furniture. Most of the museums of Mykonos are located at Enoplon Dynameon Street which is one of the busiest streets of Mykonos town during the summer. To reach this area is fairly straightforward, At the seafront, turn right by the ferry ticket office into Matogianni Street, walk the length of this street and turn right at the end - this is Enopolon Dynameon Street. Here you will find the Aegean Maritime Museum (opening hours 10.30-13.00 pm and 18.30-21.00 pm), next to it is the Folk Museum, the House of Lena, (open 18.30-21.00 pm). Another interesting building just before these 2 museums is the house where the Greek Numismatologist and Archaeologist, Giannis Svoronos, was born .
Further down just before the 3 wells are the churches of Saint George, that was built in the 15th century BC, and St Barbara and Saint Fanourios built in 1883.

Behind the primary school of Mykonos is the main square of Chora "Laka", a green oasis in the whitewashed Mykonos town with Eucalyptus and Palm trees and all kinds of shops and eateries around, here also you will find the post office. Walking up from there to the west you will reach the plateau where the famous windmills are located. These are one of the most popular landmarks of Mykonos. In olden times the people from all over the Cyclades would bring their wheat and barley to these mills to be made into flour.
Just beneath the windmills is the area of Alefkandra, or ’little Venice’. Its original name Alefkandra derives from its original use as a laundry and it was here that the women of Mykonos washed their clothes.
If you keep on walking through the winding small streets of Little Venice towards to the north, soon you will find the Paraportiani church another famous landmark of Mykonos.
The Paraportiani church in fact is 5 churches all built in a compact complex. It is one of the most photographed buildings of Mykonos and an amazing combination of white against the blue of the sky and the sea. Its structure over time has metamorphosised into an organic mass that resembles at one point a sparkling white iceberg stranded on the shore or at other points a huge cake dripping with icing sugar. From Paraportiani, the Kastro and the western part of the promenade are very close. In this area is the municipality building with its red clay roof. From this location the visitor can enjoy a panorama of the promenade of Mykonos. On the other side of the promenade at the taxi station in Manto square is the Statue of Manto Mavrogenous a Mykonian Heroic figure of the Greek War of Independence equivalent to Laskarina Bouboulina of Spetses island.
The little village Ano Mera is worth s visit: small, pretty and quiet. Visit the monastery and the little church museum from the 15th century.

There are daily excursion to Delos, a small island which used to be the holiest island in ancient Greece. Leto gave birth to Apollo and Artemis here, holding on to a palmtree. You can not spend the night on this island, but a daytrip is definitely a must: the island is cluttered with archaeological remains.

You can also go to another neighbouring island, Tinos, which is the holiest island of modern Greece. The church of the Virgin Mary is a goal for thousands of orthodox pilgrims every year. It is also a very beautiful place worth visiting.

What to Do There are lots of water sports offered, as well as diving, horse riding and swimming pools. There are also daily excursions to the beaches, as well as to Delos and Naxos. The best hours to enjoy Mykonos town is early in the morning when all the party crowds have been retreated in their hotels to gain powers for the next night. Strolling in the winding whitewashed streets of Mykonos in the morning is an unforgettable experience. Go for a coffee in the Little Venice and take photographs of the spotless white church of Paraportiani. As the noon approaching head for a swim at one of the numerous sandy beaches of Mykonos

Nightlife Most of the bars and clubs are in Mykonos Chora. They are quite stylish and the prices can sometimes be outrageous. There are also beach parties going on all through the summer so keep a lookout for advertising posters. For the Greek Music fans (Ellinadika) among the most popular is the Thalami next to the town hall and the Mykonos Bar. The Giuzel 9 Muses at the east side of Akti Kambani and the Argo bar at the square of Manto. At the Three Wells you will find the famous Aegli one of the hot spots of Mykonos nightlife and on the other side of the road the Asteria bar and the Coo restaurant bar. At The Caprice bar in Little Venice, from early afternoon, you can enjoy amazing sunset views. Nearby is located the famous Scandinavian bar . The well- known gay bar of Pierro’s start its wild parties after midnight, behind the square of Agia Kyriaki, while Remezzo with its new name El Pecado Remezzo still has its top spot in Mykonos nightlife, just under Remezzo, the bar restaurant Kavos stays open 24 hours, so there is no problem if you want to eat something after the night clubbing. The night party can go on until the morning and be continued in the famous beach bars of Mykonos like Cavo Paradiso and Tropicana in Paradise beach, Super Paradise bar, in Super Paradise beach, Sol Y Mar in Kalo livadi,and Elia bar in Elia beach.

Food and Restaurants There are both Greek and international restaurants and most of them are situated in Mykonos capital, Mykonos or Chora. The island’s specialty is the Louza loukaniko - a special kind of sausage and Kopanisti a special kind of soft goat’s cheese with lots of pepper. Actually any kind of eatery can be found in Mykonos, from souvlaki and Gyros to Italian pasta and pizza, crepes, fish taverns and haut cuisine restaurants . You will find many locals eating at the cafeterias and taverns along the promenade, particularly at Vasiliki’s "Yalos" snack bar right oposite the fish market where you can enjoy Greek meze with ouzo, Calamari (squid) , fried fish and huge portions of local sausages at very reasonable prices.

Restaurant Aneplora at Kalafatis bay Mykonos. This elegant but simple restaurant is beautifully located overlooking the Agia Anna Bay of at Kalafatis. It specialises in all kinds of seafood including Class A fish and lobster at very reasonable prices. You can also find more unusual seafood such as sea urchins, mussels, oysters and scorpion fish as well as the more traditional fare such as squid, tuna and bream, etc. For diners not wishing to eat the fruits of the sea, the restaurant also offers a wide range of alternative tantalising cuisine. Aneplora Restaurant is very popular amongst Greek people. The decor is clean and bright, choosing a colour scheme which harmonises with the surrounding nature. The service is excellent - fast and polite even at the busiest times in high season.

Shopping Folklore shops are everywhere in Mykonos, and a great souvenir is a copy of ancient Cycladic art; little white figures in various positions (playing the flute, praying, thinking, families etc.) which are more than 6000 years old. The gold is also very good, and you can get clothes, ceramics, textiles and antiques if you are willing to pay the price. Many fashion shops are along Matogianni Street , including upmarket fashion and design names like Prince Oliver for clothing , costume jewellery like Folli Follie etc. Famous Greek jewellers can be found in Mykonos like Ilias Lalaounis jewellery opposite the Art Gallery of Giannis Galatis at Polykantrioti Street. If you are interested for something more local and traditional in Zouganeli Street you can buy local sweets and cakes made of almonds, the famous "Amygdalota", from Efthymiou sweet shop. Another unique shop of beauty products all made from Greek olive oil, The Olive Oil Shop, located also in the same street further towards to the town. Some of the local products of Mykonos like the cheese "kopanisti" you can find at the traditional grocers shop "Lykos" (the wolf) in Matogianni Street. In the Grill Tavern Spilia next to the primary school at Enoplon Dynameon Street you can buy local cheese and sausages from the tavern owner’s production.

Getting Around There are good bus connections in Mykonos, as well as many car and bike rentals. It is not hard to get a taxi as well, and there are boat trips to many beaches. The night though is a bit tricky if you stay far from the centre of Mykonos town and you are looking for a taxi, you must be patient as the taxis are limited and the people coming out from the numerous clubs, bars and restaurants are too many. If you rent a car be aware that you can’t drive it through the town and parking has become a problem especially in high season.
There are 3 parking spaces around Mykonos town. A good idea for a first visitor to the island is to get a taxi for a half or one hour drive around Mykonos in order to get to know the roads and the island as well. Some of the taxi drivers like Christos can be a good tour guide and get you through the most important areas and beaches of Mykonos plus telling you some really interesting facts about the island.

Washed with the warmth and color of the afternoon sun and in true African style, luxury tents overlook the magnificent bushveld. It is here that our guests while away moments relaxing and reflecting on the tranquility and intimacy afforded by this small camp. Eight comfortable tents, each with private facilities and feature bushveld  bath, connected by pathways with the main Camp.

Ideal entry level Lodge where meals are taken together to afford the opportunity for all guests to share the excitement of the day’s game viewing experiences.  Situated a few minutes drive from Thornybush Game Lodge, where extensive Spa Treatments are available to all Chapungu Tented Camp guests.

Gomo Gomo Game Lodge is a private and intimate camp situated in the prestigious Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, giving you best traverse viewing. The Klaserie now forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park with a common unfenced boundary.  Our traversing area is approximately 6000 hectares (14800 acres) of the reserves, offering guests varied landscapes with an excellent possibility of coming face to face with the Big 5 (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) and numerous other mammals and bird species in their natural habitat.

Early morning, late afternoon and evening game drives are conducted in open 4x4 Land Rovers with qualified and experienced field rangers and trackers, ensuring an exciting and informative safari. An optional guided bush walk will open up the fascinating world of some of South Africa’s intricate ecosystems with its varied fauna and flora.

Guests are accommodated in fully furnished, brick and thatch ch