‘Historical Value’
What makes Greece such a fantastic location to visit is that it isn’t just all beauty and fun, here is a country thriving on the rich seams of culture and history, its historical value is amongst the most substantial in the world, sitting right there besides the likes of Egypt, China and Italy for three prime examples. There is so much to learn and all you need is that overwhelming desire to find out more, if knowledge and new experiences is what you love, Greece has that sweet juicy apple for your hungry curiosity.
In fact, Greece is considered to have the world’s first democracy, dating all the way back to the 5th century. The voting system wasn’t however quite as fair as it is nowadays, with women not allowed to vote. You also had to prove you were originally from the area, with foreigners who had moved there unable to vote. As I’m sure you can imagine, slaves were not given the right to vote.
‘Traditions’
If you know a thing or two about Greece, you’ll know about or at least of the great Gods that were once prevalent in religion and worship here many years ago, that doesn’t mean that with the coming of the modern age all was forgotten and put aside, one thing you’ll notice about Greece is that despite its modern thriving and busy daily lifestyles, there is still the presence of a belief, culture and way of life that were once abound. History is present in everything that is done here, from old age traditions to new age fads. Greek traditions are amongst the most prevalent in the world, carried over to every country and never forgotten, so it is easy to see why it still so present here.
‘Interesting Locations’
There is something in Greece for everyone, from traditional dishes passed down from generation to generation for the foodies out there, excursions and activities for the thrill seeker, history and ancient sites for the historians and archaeologists amongst us and nightlife and day fun to rival the best for the party heads. Crete, Corfu and Rhodes are just three of the many interesting locations you can visit for either of your interests.
‘Olympics’
If you loved the 2012 London Olympics, I’d recommend taking a trip down to ‘Olympia’ to find out where it all originated, dating all the way back to the 8th century, you will definitely want to discover what significance the Olmpics held at the time and why it was heralded at such high esteem, even to this day. Greece always enters the Olympic arena of choice first and Olympia is a good insight into why. Filled with ancient undisturbed architecture and explanations as to what took place there many years ago, it is an enlightening experience that will leave you amazed at how well preserved these structures are and the very fact that you now stand and walk where competitors and Olympians once were.
‘Seeing is believing’
And we haven’t even mentioned the incredibly beautiful beaches, various activities, stunning landscapes for hiking, abseiling or kayaking, plentiful festivals, tranquil pretty countryside locations, clear waters, traditional drinks and the intricate detail of buildings and structures so old they make your grandparents look young yet, if seeing is believing, then in order to find out just how mesmerising Greece is, you’ll have to check it out yourself. I think the Blue Caves are arguably one of the most unbelievable sights you could see on a holiday to Greece. They made it onto my list of things to do in Zante, alongside smugglers cove and the rich list of culinary options.
Wedding Traditions
I’m sure you would know this by now, especially if you’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but Greek weddings have a really interesting tradition which will leave you a bit shell shocked if you weren’t expecting it. As the music blasts out and relatives are all smiling and clapping, you will suddenly see people lift up plates and smash them onto the floor! If you do attend a wedding over here, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t happen, as it is a tradition of times gone-by, but some still choose to do this, even if more for fun rather than the traditional reasoning.
So are there any other traditions or classical elements you feel should have made the list? I’d love to hear them all! Get in contact and I’ll make sure to add them to the list. Hey, I might have to take a quick trip over to Greece to see them all up close and personally!