From the Greek Islands to the Black Sea

The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic Gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. Mesmerize by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colorful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns. Don’t miss anything of the city’s cultural past. Pay a visit to the National Archaeological Museum, or the Cycladic Art Museum.

This unusual gem belonging to the Saronic islands is located to the east of the Peloponnese. There are no cars here. Named after the island, the harbor town is layered up the slopes of a mountainous bay. Take a view of beautiful stone mansions. These are traditional here, as are the multi-colored caïques along the quays. Further along the shore, within the walls of the “Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary” is a museum of Byzantine art. Collections from Athens National History Museum are exhibited in the elegant villa Koundouriotis.

The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Don’t be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. For instance, see the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. Chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.

Nestling in the Cyclades, the harmonious and much less crowded island of Sifnos is home to many treasures. Exploited since antiquity for its gold and silver mines, this little-known pearl boasts gentle landscapes and is a botanical paradise. The rich endemic flora can be admired along the island’s mountain paths that have been trodden for thousands of years. From the main port of Kamares, set off to discover the nearby sandy beach which runs along a lagoon and whose dunes are covered in sea daffodils. The picturesque fortified village of Kastro is another of the island’s wonders. Sitting atop a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea, this spot, where people have lived since prehistoric times, is very much an open-air museum.

Famous for its white marble, the island of Paros is located in the Cyclades. Along the quays of Parikia, its main town, see the Byzantine churches and neoclassical buildings. To make the most of the turquoise waters, stop over in Naoussa. This little fishing port is bounded by a very beautiful cove and offers more than one café to sit and unwind.

This legendary Cyclades island of Delos stands just a few miles southwest of Mykonos. The ceremonial solemnity of this ancient holy sanctuary does not leave indifferent. The sheer size and importance of this UNESCO World Heritage site which covers over half of the island, thrilling itself. From the Stoa of Antigonos, the Terrace of the Lions, to the carved marble animal statues, make discovery after discovery, against a backdrop of the Aegean stretching to the horizon. The theatre steps on the hillside are a particularly good place from which to enjoy the expansive view.

Nicknamed “little Venice”, Mykonos is famous for its Alefkandra district where houses are built right on the water’s edge. Their multi-colored loggias are emblematic of this Cyclades island, as are the pelicans and windmills. Get close up to the birds on the quaysides of the old port. Up the hillside is the windmill sails turning. In the cobbled streets of the pedestrian center, bougainvillea bedecks immaculate facades. As weaving in and out of the little streets, snatches of coastline are undoubtedly calling to the island’s beaches, the quietest of which can be found on the northern coast.

The attractive seaside resort of Kusadasi is located in a gulf on the western coast of Turkey. Bathe in clear water or stroll along the coastal walk, in the shade of palms. In the historical district, take a mosey down the narrow streets and explore the colorful shops in the bazaar. Close by, the Ephesus archaeological site in the hillsides provides an opportunity to discover the ruins of one of the most famous cities of Antiquity.

The Dardanelles Strait is an emblematic, 61 km-long waterway connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is strategic for controlling the passage between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. Like the Bosporus, or Strait of Istanbul, it separates Europe from Asia. A surface current flows along with it, while a more saline undercurrent flows in the opposite direction. Along the strait, you will be able to admire hilly landscapes and arid lowlands brightened by fields and groves of olive trees.

Built on a peninsula on the south-west coast overlooking the Black Sea, the town of Nesebar possesses an age-old history. Founded by the Greeks and then colonized by the Romans and the Ottomans, it is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Ramble in the historical district without worrying about cars, because the area is fully pedestrian. While walking through the streets, look out for the houses with wooden corbels, and, in the squares, admire the Byzantine sanctuaries and their astonishing multi-colored adornments, like Saint-Paraskevi church. The Archaeological Museum has a very rich collection of ancient vestiges. Don’t forget to try the local specialty, touloumbitchki dipped in syrup.

Located on the Bosphorus, Istanbul is one of the most beautiful of all Turkish cities. Named Byzantium when founded by the Greeks, and then Constantinople under the Roman Empire, this city is steeped in history and, for this reason, is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. The great Blue Mosque is can see on the Sultanahmet hill, the mysterious Hagia Sophia and the vast Topkapi Palace and its countless mosaics. In the Beyazit district, admire the elegantly covered passages of the Grand Bazaar. A little further away, the delicate aroma of loukoum and spices that draw the attention at the Egyptian Bazaar.