Following from that, and on a topical note, the economic crisis of 2010 is hitting us hard here in Greece, and I am a firm believer that providing quality, good value services to tourists is an area that everyone in Greece should be interested in promoting and supporting as much as possible. Writing this blog means I often meet and discuss tourist related issues with various Greek tourist service providers.

Sometimes I am suitably impressed with someone’s business, vision, strategy or service that I feel that I should do what I can to help promote their business in my own little way. And such it is with Mr Giannis Makridakis from Sail Greece Yacht Charters, a good man with a good business that deserves to be rewarded for his dedication to quality yacht charters, especially in this difficult economic period!

Sail Greece Yacht Charters

I met Giannis through some friends who are also keen sailors and we got chatting about his business and the greek travel industry in general over a couple of beers down at the bar at Alimos Marina where Sail Greece Yachts is based. Giannis and his partner Vassilis started Sail Greece Yachts almost 15 years ago and have been involved in the greek yacht charter business through thick and thin ever since.

They own all their own yachts (11 in total and a mixture of Bavarias, Jeanneaus, Oceanis’, Sun Odysseys and one Cyclades 50.5) which means you charter the boat directly from them with no middle man and no markup.

As Gianni typically says ‘I am not interested in high volume, impersonal charters. I spend time with each charter group that comes to us both before and after their charter to learn a bit about them, where they come from, what they liked or disliked about Greece and what they expected and experienced during their sailing holiday in Greece’.

Sailing holidays in Greece the way they should be!

Both Gianni and Vassili are firm believers that the best way to provide your service is to think like a customer and they are clear that they are more interested in making friends that enjoy sailing in Greece than simply sending as many yacht charters as possible out of the marina.

This philosophy is awarded by the fact that many of their customers are return customers that come back time after time to enjoy the sailing in Greece which Gianni believes is some of the best sailing in the world. Now he and I might be a bit biased, but I think I would back him on this statement!

So, if you are a sailor after a bareboat charter, or a group of friends looking for a skippered sailing holiday in Greece, visit Gianni’s site at yacht charter greece and tell them your needs, you won’t be disappointed! Mention that travelsingreece sent you, Gianni will be happy to hear it!

Happy sailing!

The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology in Katakolo operates under the auspices of the Municipality of Pyrgos and includes approximately 200 reliably operating models of mechanisms and inventions of the ancient Greek wonder after research, study and construction by Kostas Kotsanas. It is the most reliable and plenary exhibition of its kind in the world.

The exhibits are accompanied by rich audio-visual material such as, explanatory labels and giant posters with opulent information, analytical diagrams, photos and complete bibliographical references (in both Greek and English) while some of the exhibits are interactive. There are projecting stations with video and animation as well as documentaries in which the exhibitor explains the function and the use of the mechanisms. The exhibition (categorized in thematic units) follows the modern educational perception in Pedagogic and Museum Education so that it acts multi-leveled as far as the greatness of ancient Greek technological thought and technique are concerned, not only for all rungs of the educational community but also the wider public.

Many of the exhibits and study on which the constructions are based have been presented at international conventions and exhibitions, while periodic exhibitions of the museum have been realized in both Greece and abroad.

The aim of the exhibition is to familiarize the public with the unbelievable technological achievements of the ancient Greeks giving the visitor the opportunity to discover that the ancient Greeks had:

1. invented a “cinema” capable of presenting, automatically, the plot of a myth with moving picture and sound
2. devised (unfortunately, only as entertainment) automotive vehicles (automobiles) with automatic drive, a gear box, hydraulic programmed valves and other complex components
3. used operating robots with the purpose of serving them
4. invented the beginning of the steam engine
5. used complex yet accurate measuring instruments which permitted them to calculate the diameter of the Earth and the Sun-Earth distance or even to open up tunnels, kilometers long from both sides of a mountain
6. conceived ingenious slot machines
7. used complex elevating mechanisms to build extremely high constructions with only minimal manpower
8. had automatic clocks (and alarm clocks) which worked without interruption or human interference, etc.

Furthermore, this exhibition is another opportunity to vitiate the false views of some researchers about the allegedly lacking “technophilia” of the ancient Greeks and their abhorrence towards the “brutal” skills. For example, how surprised one feels when learning that the “aeolosphere” of Heron with the addition of a pulley, for the driving motion, (by one of his students or himself) would have led (if the political, economical and social conditions of the time and the intervention of the allegedly “practical” Romans had allowed) to the Industrial Revolution, 1500 years earlier, with unpredictable consequences for humanity.

The museum exhibits are categorized in units and the tour includes

1. the unit with 27 ancient Greek clocks where the clock of Ctesibius (a hydraulic wonder) prevails
2. the unit with the amazing “magical” automatics of the Alexandrian engineers and the imposing human size “automatic maid”, the first operating robot in history
3. the unit with static and mobile automatic theatres of Heron (the “television” and the automatic “puppet theatre” of the ancient Greeks, respectively)
4. the unit with the inventions of Archimedes (the most significant scientist of all ages)
5. the unit with the impressive telecommunication of the ancient Greeks as well as their cryptographic methods
6. the unit with the ancient Greek agricultural, textile and athletic technology with the impressive “loom of Penelope” and the “hysplex”, i.e. the starting mechanism which prevented the false start of the athletes (both in actual size)
7. the unit with the construction methods of the ancient Greek architectural wonder where each type of crane is most impressive
8. the unit with the ancillary mechanisms of the ancient Greek theatre (”Deus ex machine”, “rotating prismatic constructions”, etc.)
9. the unit with the measuring instruments, tools and machines of the ancient Greeks
10. the unit with their hydraulic and agricultural technology
11. the unit with the ancient Greek siege technology (their “armored vehicles” and “artillery”) such as, the helepolis of Epimachos, the tortoise and borer of Diades, the polybolos catapult of Dionysius, etc.
12. the unit with the ancient Greek nautical technology where the historical evolution of the Greek ship is presented (e.g. the dugout boat, the papyrella, the holkas, the pentecounter, the bireme, the trireme, etc.).

More information is available at www.kotsanas.com. If you dont have enough time to make Olympia or if you just want to hang around Katakolon go check them out, and drop us a line with your thoughts!

The exhibits include

The monochord, the helikon and the syntonon of Pythagoras, with which the great philosopher studied the musical scales and proved the mathematical relations that define them.

The lyra of Hermes, the first stringed instrument with a tortoise shell and ox skin soundbox, goat horn arms and sheep gut strings.

The majestic guitar of Apollo, a technologically complex instrument with balancing weights, prominent cam rotating string tension spirals, flexible curlicues for a wave-like resonance and an adjustable bridge for the changing of musical notes.

The pandoura, the predecessor of all contemporary stringed instruments with frets (i.e. the lute, the bouzouki, the baglamas, etc.).

The eminent Homeric phorminx and the archaic guitar, the Dionysian barbitos, Orpheus’ guitar, the harp of Sappho, the triangular harp, the sambyke, the clappers, the Ptolemaic helicon, etc., supplement the ancient Greek stringed instruments. The aulos, the diaulos, the askaulos, the panpipes, the salpinx, the tympanon and the rhoptron, the cymbals, the clappers, the rattles, the kroupezion, the psithyra and the copper-phone are some of the wind and percussion instruments.

Lastly, the impressive hydraulis of Ctesibius, the first worldwide keyboard instrument, dominates the end of the exhibition, from which the visitors may hear the song of Seikilos, the most ancient complete musical composition.

More information is available at www.kotsanas.com. If you dont have enough time to make Olympia or if you just want to hang around Katakolon go check them out, and drop us a line with your thoughts!

Ferry tickets to Tzia are a bit of a crap shoot. You can book the outbound tickets by telephone, but you need to be there an hour in advance to collect them, otherwise they get sold on. Return tickets are only available from the island, apparently to ensure that people booking the places are actually on Tzia and the places will be used. The ferries running the Lavrio – Tzia route are small, so this is probably not a bad thing. If you are only going for the weekend this means best to be booking your return trip immediately upon arrival in the port.

Word has it that a new larger ferry is being built to service the route, but this won’t be ready until 2009 at the earliest, and in the meantime rumour has it that one of the three ferries currently running will be decommissioned! So, book early if you want to head out there on a Friday along with the rest of the Athens crowd, mid week shouldn’t be a problem even in the middle of summer let alone the off season.

Arriving in Tzia

As always, we head away from the port of Korissia and up to the main village of Ioulida. We have had a number of pleasant stays in Ioulida over the years, but this is the first one with the baby. Let me tell you, if you have a baby that you need to carry… don’t stay in Ioulida! My knees are cracking like dry twigs, my back is aching, if anyone asks me now, I would say find some rooms closer to the sea and on flatter ground. Ioulida is great, no cars, fantastic view, but man those stairs.

The Lion of Tzia (Kea Lion)

What better thing to do bright and early on a Saturday morning than to take a stroll out to the famous lion of Tzia. I admit to actually never having gone to see it in person before, but it is the end of May, the weather is good and Ioulida is still almost deserted so off we go.

The Lion is reached by following the sign from the main square or asking directions (everybody know where it is). The narrow street takes you winding through the houses of Ioulida, past a café or two (still yet to open at this early time of the year) and suddenly without realising it you have left the houses behind and you are on an ancient stone paved track wandering through the blooms of the greek countryside in spring. The path itself leads you past a couple of churches, a refreshing spring and after about 15 minutes you see the lion below you across a small ravine.

I have to admit to being slightly perplexed by the Lion of Tzia. It is a great chunk of rock, carved to look more or less like a lion, but with a slightly cheesy grin reminding of a mix between the Mona Lisa and the cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz. Word has it that the sculpture dates to about 600 BC, but it sure doesn’t look like anything else you are likely to see from that period in Greece. Experts believe it is a tribute to the closeness the locals felt to nature and represents their animistic inclinations, I have yet to see a Lion elsewhere in Greece let alone on an island, but maybe things were different two and a half thousand years ago.

Regardless of the Lion’s origins or history, the walk out to see it is a great experience at this time of year. The sun is hot but not yet scalding, the flowers and trees are in full bloom and the birds are in song. On the way out we didn’t see a soul, and on the way back in passed only a couple of older residents with their donkey heading for the nearby church. If you would like to see Tzia without the crowds, May is definitely a good time to do it.

Day trip to Otzia

After our walk and a quick coffee to liven us up it is time for a trip to check out the nearby beaches of Gialiskari, Voukari and Otzia. These three beaches on the road heading north from Korissia are heaving in the summertime being both easy to get to and nicely protected from wind by their encompassing bays. Even at this early point in the season all three were busy enough with many out to enjoy their first swim of the year.

Gialiskari Beach

Gialiskari is a small beach with a lovely backing of tamarisk and eucalyptus trees giving dappled shade from the sun. The beach itself is sandy and has a number of man-made stands (read four poles and a thatch like roof) offering further shade closer to the sea. Unfortunately it is also home to a small beach café / bar on its southern edge which was pumping out some sort of beat even at this early point of the year. It had a bit of life around it, so obviously some were enjoying themselves, but not for us, so we continue on to Voukouri.

Voukouri Marina and Beach

Voukouri houses the main marina of Tzia, and the village itself has a definite marina feel to it. It is also the home of many of the island’s fishing boats and if you are looking for a feast of freshly caught fish this is the place to be. The road leading through the town is sandwiched between the sea and a host of small cafes, bars and tavernas which seem populated mainly by the sailing crowd. Shorts, shirts and deck shoes were de rigor wear with small groups of friends lounging around and discussing, well, sailing stuff. The beach is just a past the marina inside a lovely bay. It too is backed by Tamarisks and was pretty busy (no bar though!) but all the sailing folk had us spooked so we decided to head on for Otzia.

Otzia Beach

Otzia also has a lovely beach, sandy, Tamarisks, nicely protected inside its bay (are we seeing a pattern here?). It too is busy enough for the time of year, but the road that follows on to Kastrianis Bay is not fully paved and a hot bumpy ride with the kids is not what we are after. We camp out under a shady pergola, the adventurous jump in for a (not so chilly) swim and the kids have fun building a sand castle or two and splashing in the shallows.

The beach has a taverna behind it offering a decent enough fare, although I can’t say I was raving about it. Prices were pretty steep (read Athens like), but then, Tzia is bordering on being a suburb of Athens in this respect, so don’t expect to eat cheaply.

Back to Ioulida via Agia Irini

Stuffed with food and wine we wind our way back home making a quick trip out to see the ancient ruins at Agia Irini. They appear closed, but those interested in seeing the most impressive finds are urged to go to the main Museum in Ioulida, it is well set up and the finds are truly beautiful.

Meanwhile our trailer is getting filled up with dive equipment; plastic cases of all sorts and of course all required barbeque paraphernalia. Late afternoon finds us in and out of Volos town and half way down to the tiny fish village of Agia Kiriaki, our final destination.

Pilio is one of Greece’s most attractive areas combining gorgeous mountain countryside with the blue Mediterranean sea. The main road out of Volos and until Lefokastro village (about 34km) is right next to the sea providing a very beautiful ride in November, although the traffic can be too much in the summer time when these seaside villages get flooded with domestic vacationers. The folllowing 50km is a combination of tight twisty roads, many crossroads, rough land, rich woods, tiny villages and great views. You will want to be on this road in daylight, it is quite long, tiring and very easy to get lost. We almost did since it was late winter afternoon by the time we turned left to follow the secondary road around Trikeri and into the back side of Agia Kiriaki. This is an easy to miss turn with a very tight entry to the village but it saves you 10km of more twisty roads and is the local taxi shortcut.

Agia Kiriaki and Kotes are Trikeris’ two ports that date back to the 18th century. The area has a rich history; commerce, shipping, sponge collecting and agriculture are trades that have made Trikeri very rich and famous in the past. Nowadays it is the victim of the internal move of young people to industrial centres. Trikeri is a beautiful village up on the hill with superb views and a bunch of interesting spots lost in its cobbled tiny streets. Below stands the port of Agia Kiriaki, an honest fish village with nets resting all over the jetty, small wooden fish boats roaming the port; its old food store serving as a tavern; the proper, more expensive tavern, the old coffee shop and an amazing full functioning careenage.

That is where our instructors’ family will be sleeping tonight. They have been using a traditional kaiki ( wooden fish boat) as their dive boat in the summers, while in the winter they park it here for safety and maintenance. After our simple but delicious dinner at the local food store-taverna, we go looking for our accommodation located at a nearby bay. We meet your usual affair of standard local “rooms to rent”, clean with AC, TV and hot water and half price from the local traditional hotel. We are happy and very soon into bed.

The most surprising view welcomes us in the morning. A rocky green bay surrounds us, olive trees underneath us, the dark blue waters are calm, and the sun is again up in the sky… what more can you wish for? Diving on a day like that, that is what I had wished for!

Breakfast is served at the keeper’s yard…one chair here, one chair there and all eight of us are fighting over chocolate spread, cereals, bread, cheeses, ham… we are the kings of the day. Dry suit lesson one and briefing comes next, while the instructor’s girls play with the dogs and local fishermen start their daily chores.

It is well into midday when we look like “Pirelli men” into our dry suits. We are wearing thermals, shocks, inner layer, boots, the dry suit, the BCD with tank, hoods, masks and weight belts with too much weight in them… I feel uncomfortably snug and heavy so I walk slowly into the water. The water is quite cold but I need to feel it on my face after all that preparation under the warm sun. Soon all four of us are underwater testing our buoyancy.

First dive is nearby the west side of our small bay. Clean, quite green waters and a basin full of shipyard treasures. The dive was quite tiring in trying to sync the inflation/deflation of both my suit and BCD. The Greek coffee at the local kafenio (old style coffee house) was a god-send present. The day was delightfully warm, fishermen mending their nests, white houses were wearing blue shutters and all of us felt like Greek island vacationers.

Afternoon dive found me in bed with a huge headache. I met with the rest of the group straight for dinner at our favorite spot. We were decided to support that local establishment we had dinner the night before. Small fish, salads, bread, feta cheese, sausage and cold retsina, happy faces and loud laughs… what more do you need?

Sunday coffee and breakfast is served on the boat and we all are happy that the sun is out again. Second dive for me today and I am more familiar with all that endless dressing and gearing up. Kostas, our instructor takes us today on the other side of the shipyard to dive at a ship wreck. One of the boys returns back so I pair with Dimitri and Kostas shows the way holding his big underwater video camera.

The wreck is small but quite interesting and easy to navigate around. Perfect for a novice dry suit diver like me. Thankfully my buddy had more experience so we got some good underwater shoots. By the time we return the rest of the guys have start loosely preparing for the barbeque. Thodoros is our psitas (the person barbequing), Kostas is hanging around for ad hoc assistance and all three girls we traditionally prepare salads, drinks etch. I think I had one of the best dinners ever down there at the shipyard of Agia Kiriaki!

With sunset we leave, and I am happy that I do not have to drive all the way back to Thessaloniki. I am happier though that I had such an amazing weekend in this small secret port, diving in clear blue waters under the glorious November sun and having such good time with all the rest of the guys. Agia Kiriaki is the tinniest of villages that enters your heart fast and stays there forever!

Carnival season in Greece (Apokries) takes place in the weeks preceding the 40 day fast leading up to Easter. What this means in practice is usually the last two weeks of February but some years might include the first week of March (see below for Carnival dates for 2009-2010). Like most festivities the carnival season in Greece involves a lot of eating, drinking, dancing and generally making merry.

The second Thursday before the beginning of Lent is called Tsikno Pempti (Smoke Thursday), a day when every taverna in the entire country is packed to the roof. For the purists Smoke Thursday is the last day of eating meat until the end of Lent, for the rest of us it is a great excuse to stuff ourselves full of lamb chops and drink to excess. Whichever side you fall on, a good time is had by all.

The celebrations come to a head in the last week (and particularly the last weekend) before the beginning of Lent with Kathari Deutera (Clean or Ash Monday) marking the beginning of the eastern Orthodox period of Lent. Ash Monday is a public holiday in Greece and is marked by meat free feasts and the widespread flying of kites throughout the country.

The two week carnival period is a great time to be in Greece, and particularly in Athens where the downtown area is alive with costumed revelers and part goers until late every night. If you are looking for something completely different however, book yourself a trip out to the island of Skyros for the last weekend of the carnival and get ready for some real fun!

Getting to Skyros

Getting to Skyros is half the fun since the only way to get there at this time of the year is via the port of Kimi (about two and a half hours by car/bus from Athens on the western coast of Evia). The drive is pleasant enough; be sure to leave yourself a bit of extra time to enjoy it if going by car since you need to pass through some windy mountain roads in the middle of the journey. Buses to Kimi leave regularly from the main KTEL bus station in central Athens. Once in Kimi you are only a 2 hour ferry trip from Skyros and will soon be enjoying eating, drinking and dancing with the rest of the party goers… often the party will have already started on the ferry!

Carnival in Skyros

In all honesty I had no idea what to expect arriving in Skyros. I knew nothing about the specifics of carnival time in Skyros and would have remained unaware if not for a friend who had arranged for her child’s baptism to be held there and to invite a good sized group of friends to attend and, of course, to stay for the rest of the weekend to enjoy the party!
As the ferry pulled into the port I soon realised that something different was in the cards since our first sight was a group of strangely dressed figures kitted out with belts made from large bells dancing around and making an almighty racket in the light of sputtering red flares. Hmm, interesting! By the time we had disembarked the shadowy figures had disappeared and we set off on the short trip up from the port to the main town (hora) where the bulk of the festivities take place.

The Skyros festival is hardly a secret to the Athenians, meaning that the island is packed with them for this particular weekend. Usually a Greek island packed with Athenians means a less than fulfilling break, the festival in Skyros was a happy exception however with the throngs of party goers all celebrating in perfect harmony with their environment and each other! Foreign tourists were very rare on the ground and those there were quickly incorporated by groups of revelers curious to learn where they were from and how they managed to find out about the festivities on Skyros.

Skyros Carnival Traditions

During the beginning of the carnival period and on every weekend leading up to Clean Monday the streets of Skyros are alive with the sounds of clanging goat bells, worn around the waists of the island men who take part. They play the role of the ‘geros’ or old man a figure dressed in a hooded black cape, and white woven trousers. The geros carries a traditional walking stick in addition to the bells around his waist and his face is covered by a hanging goat skin. These men run through the streets of the town pausing occasionally to dance in place and generally make as much noise as possible.

The geroi usually travel individually or in small groups of two or three and are accompanied by an island girl, the ‘korela’. The korela’s face is also covered by a cloth, but she is dressed in white in contrast to the black clad geros. Her job is to clear the way for the geros to pass more easily through the tight reveler packed streets and to sing to him when he tires and rests.

The sight and sound of the geros and the korela moving through the streets of Skyros is great fun. The men (and even young boys) haul their belts, which may weigh up to 50 kilograms, around the hilly streets of the town until well into the night. When you see a few of them resting themselves in some hidden corner of a side street you really feel for them, such hard work while the rest of us are busy drinking and laughing!

Come 1am all but the most dedicated of the geroi have stopped for the night, but the party continues with every bar and café in the town packed to overflowing with the majority of the people taking their drinks out into the streets. As the night winds on those that are interested may find traditional Skyrian music at some establishments and if you are lucky an impromptu performance of the local dancing will take place. I am told that Skyrian dance steps are some of the most complex in Greece. Suffice to say that as soon as a group of Skyrian girls started dancing at the place we were at, all the Athenians sat down!

Ash Monday on Skyros

Ash Monday sees another Skyros carnival tradition take place once the clanging bell from the last geros has silenced. The ‘trata’ sees the island’s fisherman gather in the main square to tell tales in a lovely rhyming fashion. The tales often centre around contemporary Greek life and politics and can be quite bold and bring big laughs from the crowds gathered around to listen.

The day also includes a parade for the costumed children which involves a large amount of squealing and giggling kids along with a donkey or two and continues with a more official presentation of the island’s traditional dances in the main square.

Skyros in February, why not!

The Greek islands in February might sound a bit of an odd choice, and maybe it is! But if you are around at that time and want to see a bit of ‘real’ Greece, head out to Skyros for the Carnival and enjoy. For carnival dates for 2010 and beyond check here, and for more general information on Skyros have a look at Greek Island Postcards.

The official bus guide highlights 3 suggested walks as well as all the points of interest throughout the route. A good place to find the guide would be the GNTO information office at 136 Tsimiski Str. (Behind the YMCA building and next to the TIMES café-bar).

Thessaloniki Cultural Route Bus Stops and Sights

The bus makes 16 official stops from which you can explore 43 points of interest.

The official stops are:

1. WHITE TOWER
2. MUSEUMS
3. PALACE OF GALERIUS – ESPEROS
4. CHURCH OF AGIA SOFIA
5. ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE
6. TOWN HALL
7. DIIKITIRIO
8. AGIOS DIMITRIOS
9. KOULE KAFE
10. TAXIARCHON
11. UPPER CITY – KELADIS
12. TRIGONIO TOWER – AG. ANARGYRI
13. VLATADON MONASTERY – PLATANOS
14. PASHA GARDENS – AGIOS PAVLOS
15. EASTERN WALLS – HOSPITAL
16. ROTONDA – UNIVERSITY

The 43 points of interest that you can visit are:

1. White Tower
2. Society of Macedonian Studies
3. Archaeological Museum
4. Museum of Byzantine Culture
5. Thessaloniki Christian Youth Brotherhood (YMCA)
6. HELEXPO & Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art
7. Ippodromiou Square
8. Navarinou Square
9. Church of Agia Sofia
10. Museum of The Macedonian Struggle
11. Aristotelous Square
12. Ladadika
13. Port – Warehouses – Cinema Museum – Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
14. Modiano Market – Louloudadika
15. Skepasti Agora (Bezesteni)
16. Alkazar
17. Church of Panagia Halkeon
18. Diikitirio – Diikitiriou Square
19. Ancient Agora
20. Ancient Baths – Bei Hamam
21. Tsinari
22. Church if Agios Dimitrios (and catacomb)
23. Aigli – Geni Hamam
24. Alatza Imaret
25. Church of Panagia Lagoudianis
26. Koule Kafe
27. Church of Profiti Ilia
28. Church of Osios David
29. Church of Taxiarches
30. Old City
31. Byzantine Walls
32. Trigonio Tower
33. Eptapyrgio
34. Vlatadon Monastery
35. Pasha Gardens
36. Eastern Walls
37. Church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos
38. University – School of Philosophy
39. Rotonda
40. Arch of Galerius
41. Church of Agios Panteleimo
42. Church of Panagia Dexia
43. Fountain

Bus No. 50 Tickets & Timetable

The price of the ticket is 2 euros (1 euro concessions). The ticket is valid for 24 hours and during this period it can also be used on unlimited trips within all OASTH routes. When the ticket is bought from an OASTH ticket office it has to be validated on the Cultural Route Bus. When ticket is issued on the bus, further validation is not necessary. When using other normal routes validation is not necessary until your last trip before the end of the 24 hours. Other travel and unlimited journey cards are not valid on this route.

Thessaloniki’s Cultural Route Bus, not just for tourists!

Walking the town has always been a favourite pastime for locals and visitors alike, but this bus makes it easier to reach the northern city areas which are a considerable hike uphill and to see more sites in a shorter time. Bus No 50, although it is painted a pretty light blue, is not a tourist designated bus, so be prepared to mingle with the locals!

Thessaloniki Bus No. 50 Map – click here for a printable pdf version.

• Leukada’s eastern coast
• Inland Leukada
• The West Coast of Leukada
• Leukada Tips

Getting to Leukada

Getting to Leukada is a relatively pain free four and a half hour’s drive from Athens going via Patra, the Rio – Anti-Rio Bridge, up through Amfilohia and then over into Leukas Town via the above mentioned bridge. With the opening of the new Egnatia Odos, Thessaloniki is even closer, and lots of tourists fly in via the airport in Preveza, about a 40 minute drive from Leukas Town. However you get there, having a car is really essential if you want to get a true idea of what Leukada has to offer.

Walking in Leukas Town

Leukas town is a nice enough place to wander around for a couple of hours or even a couple of days. Highlights include the small archeological museum housed in the new city hall which holds finds all the way from the Neolithic to the Ancient Hellenic periods from various sites around Leukada.

The town also has many churches, mainly established in the 17th and 18th centuries. Keep an eye out for the church bells suspended from iron towers, built to withstand the frequent earthquakes that shake the island. Many of Leukas Town’s houses also display a unique deferral to earthquakes with the ground floors being built of stone and the upper floors being made of much lighter wood and sheet metal constructions, often painted in bright colours.

Leukada’s eastern coast

Leukada’s eastern coast is a cosmopolitan kind of place with a couple of good sized marinas that pull in the European yachting crowd all year round. The towns of Nikiana and Nydri are bustling places full of restaurants and bars with the expected crush of tourists in the summer months. The beaches are nowhere near as good as those on the west coast, but they seem to keep the package crowds happy enough. It is from Nydri that boats may be taken to tour the smaller Prince islands opposite Leukada which include Sparti, Heloni, Madouri, Skorpidi, Skorpios and Meganisi.

While Nydri is not my kind of place, too busy and too commercial, the view of the islands and the Agia Kyriaki peninsula is pleasant enough for a coffee on your way further south.Driving down the east coast offers a number of short diversions on your way south. First up might be the ruins of ancient houses just outside Leukas Town, follow the brown and yellow signs to the left of the main road, you will probably be the only one there.

Once in Nidri other signs will point you right and 3kms out of town you will park to make the 400 metre walk to the Dimossari waterfall. The gorge itself is interesting enough, although the waterfall is not really all that, and swimming in the frigid pool underneath it with a bunch of other strangers doesn’t really tickle my fancy much. South of Nydri are more archeological sites including tombs and buildings dating to the pre Hellenic period. Many of the finds from these sites are now on display at the Museum in Leukas Town.

Leaving Nidri behind we take the road for Vassiliki, another town on the far south coast that is popular with package tourists and is known for good wind surfing in its sheltered bay. Smaller roads lead down to other beaches including one at Poros and the more secluded Ammouso, Afteli and Kastri beaches. Any of the south coast beaches are a good bet when the wind is up, all of them are in protected south facing bays which keep the sea calm. If you fancy another coffee, Sivota has a pleasant seaside with a number of cafes and tavernas.

Inland Leukada

Leukada has some surprisingly fertile valleys in its mountainous inner region and the area is well known for its good hiking opportunities with a number of small churches and ruined monasteries to visit. Our trip started in Nikiana and then headed up the windy mountain that leads to Kolivata and Alexandros. The corners are sharp, so take it easy, but you are offered fantastic views of the channel and the smaller islands off Leukada’s east coast.

Stops along the way included the small Hermitage of the Holy Fathers, a small cave like space underneath what seems to be a recently defunct nunnery. Apparently the three holy fathers came to Leukada shortly after the First Ecumenical Council of Nikaia in 325 AD and are now buried here.

Next up was the church of Agios Georgios just above the town of Kolivata. There is also the similarly named Agios Georgios Monastery a short walk up a roughly paved mountain path which we had the pleasure to visit on a herb walk organised by our friend Brigitte Roth. The monastery is long abandoned and in ruins with a small church still maintained inside its walls.

Our return trip took us down to Perigiali and past another ruined monastery, that of Evangelistria or the Kokkini Ekklisia (Red Church), named for the red clay used to build the original church in the mid 1500’s. The Monastery is in ruins and a good chunk of the main wall is being held up by a wooden supports with signs telling of a reconstruction project with amounts in Drachmas(!). I’m not sure how long those walls are going to hold up, better get there while you still can.

The West Coast of Leukada

Leukada is probably most well known for its stunning west coach beaches which are long, mainly covered with small pebbles and feature beautiful turquoise waters that are unique to the Ionian islands. Driving from Agios Nikitas to the lighthouse at the far southern tip of the island is a nice day trip which takes you past all of Leukada’s famous beaches including Kathisma, Kalamitsi, Gialou, Egremni and Porto Katsiki. All of these beaches are ‘organised’ meaning they are stuffed full of loungers, umbrellas and cafes. Egremni with its 300 steps down to the beach and Porto Katsiki with steep picturesque cliffs pushing it into the sea are considered some of the world’s best.

Kathisma Beach

Travelling with baby meant we didn’t feel like climbing steps, so our first stop is the easily accessible Kathisma Beach about 5 kms south of Agios Nikitas. The beach is backed by a number of well developed café/bar type places and an tavern at the far southern end. I would imagine that in July and August Kathisma beach might be a bit unbearable. In mid September, even though the umbrellas are still out, there is literally hardly anyone around. The beach is about 2 kilometers long and we shared it with about 50 others on a Saturday morning when we figured there would be a few locals come for a swim. We tried the tavern that night after watching the sunset, it was ok, a bit pricey, but with a nice sea view.

Gialou Beach

After popping through the mountain village of Athani we headed to a Gialou beach, less umbrellas and less people. The beach has a number of shack type places offering coffees, beers and sandwiches which are all shut. One of them seemed to be opening as we left. The beach is again about 2 km long and there is all of 15 people on it, heavenly. The waves were a bit up and we have heard that if the winds and waves really pick up to be very careful. The beaches on the west coast can be wild and the undertow can be strong, no matter how good a swimmer you are, be careful, and always keep your things a good way up the beach, big waves can come out of nowhere and snatch your shoes, towels and baby toys in a flash.

The Lighthouse

Following the road further south takes you to a fork, going right takes you to the famous Porto Katsiki, left takes you all the way down to the lighthouse at the islands southern tip. We choose left, but not without stopping for a quick coffee in the café at the side of the road. It sits literally on top of the cliff with a stunning, vertigo inducing view of Egremni Beach from way way up.

The trip down to the lighthouse is pleasant, with the terrain getting steadily more rocky and wild as you go further south. The lighthouse offers lovely views south to Kefalonia and has some sad looking ancient stones that were part of an ancient temple. The lighthouse itself looks like its slowly falling apart, although it is still fully functional.

Agios Nikolaos Monastery and the dirt road to Vassiliki

Deciding to take the adventurous route back we stop to quickly visit the Agios Nikolaos Monastery, built in the 17th century although the current building are more recent and it is very definitely locked after a number of items were stolen from the church (by a local who was apparently nabbed sometime later while trying to transport or flog them. Across the clearing from the Monastery gates are a bunch of square stone cubicles, apparently ancient beehives.

Back on the paved road and heading north, another dirt road leads off to the right and it looks like it cuts along the mountain and will save you a good 30 minute trip back up and around to reach Vassiliki. We tried it in our trusty Hyundai Getz and had no problems. The road looks like it has had gravel recently laid in some sections and is on the whole in good shape except for a couple of tight squeezes along high cliffs if you happen to meet someone coming in the opposite direction. Arriving in Vassiliki needs celebration with another coffee to prepare for the drive back to Agios Nikita which will take the best part of an hour.

Leukada Tips

• Do go in September
• Do rent a car and explore.
• If you like walking and want to learn a bit about native herbs and plants phone or email our friend Brigitte Roth and take one of her Leukada Herb Walks (in german).
• If you want a recommendation for a place to stay, Elenaki Apartments above Agios Nikitas offer good value and are in a lovely peaceful olive grove with open verandas ideal for small children and small groups. Aggelos will be sure to give you the 15 minute rundown on what to do during your stay if you ask.

Until November 1st 2009
The Benaki Museum – Pireos Street Annex
www.benaki.gr/

Until October 4th 2009
Macedonian Museum of Modern Art
www.mmca.org.gr