Museum of Greek folk art

The Museum of Greek Folk Art is located in Athens and consists of four annexes. 

This ethnographic museum houses numerous exhibits of folk painting, pottery, woodcarving, weaving, embroidery, regional costumes, masquerades, shadow theatre,  silverware, metalware and stone carving.
 

The four annexes:

• The Central Building, at 17 Kydathinaion Str., Plaka.
• The Tzisdaraki Mosque, at 1 Areos Str. in Monastiraki Square, housing the folk ceramics collection of V. Kyriazopoulos.
• The Bath-house of the Winds, 8 Kyristou str., Plaka. The only remaining Public Baths of Old Athens.
• The Building at 22 Panos str., Plaka, housing the latest permanent exhibition.

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Lake Kerkini

Lake Kerkini is a significant birding site in Greece located at north Macedonia. The role of lake Kerkini is very important since it is situated along the migratory flyway for many species of migratory birds.  

The lake hosts at least 300 kinds of birds, many of them rare. 76 of them are recorded in the National Red Catalogue, and more than 30 of them are protected by EEC's Directive concerning wild life.

The wetland of Kerkini is included in the catalogue of the Ramsar Convention. It is considered the most significant area for hibernation of the Dalmatian Pelicans in Europe. 

Some rare species that use the wetland area are: the little egret, the European cormorant, the short toed eagle, the black tern, the pygmy cormorant, the squacco heron, the spoonbill, the white stork, the purple heron, the glossy ibis, the little grebe, the peregrine, etc

Panathenaic Stadium

The  Panathenaic Stadium(also known as the Panathinaiko Stadium or as the Kallimarmaron) is an athletic stadium in Athens that hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It' s the only major stadium in the world built entirely of white (Pentelic) marble.

 

The stadium was originally built  by Lykourgos in 330-329 BC for the athletic event "Panathinea". 

Between 140 and 144 AD, Herodes Atticus restored the Stadium, giving it a seating capacity of 50.000 people. Finally, the stadium was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century.

The Panathenaic Stadium is now a tourist attraction, used only for specific events. It is located in downtown Athens, next to the National Gardens and near the Zappeion Exhibition Hall.

The Methana volcano peninsula

The Methana volcano peninsula is situated just 50 km southeast of Athens and it contains 32 volcanoes (mostly andesitic and dacitic lava domes). It is part of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc and it has been historically active. The volcanic activity began one million years ago and continued gradually until 300 years ago. 

The latest eruptive activity was around 1700. 

Famous ancient writers such as Pausanias, Strabo and Ovid, reported a volcanic eruption in Methana around 230 BC (at Kameni Chora area).

There are many different kinds of volcanoes on Methana (explosive, domes, hdrothermal craters etc).There are many thermal springs as well as impressive gas exhalations. The volcano consists of a basaltic-andesite to rhyodacitic lava dome complex. The central caldera of the Methana peninsula is called Stavrolongos.

The Stoa of Attalos

The Stoa of Attalos or Attalus was built by King Attalos II of Pergamon (between 159 BC and 138 BC, Hellenistic age) as a gift to the city of Athens in gratitude for the education that he received there. 

The stoa is situated in the Athenian Agora. The Stoa of Attalos was almost destroyed by the Heruli in 267. Soon after, the ruins became part of a fortification wall. Fortunately, in the 1950s, the stoa was fully reconstructed.

The Stoa of Attalos was made of limestone and Pentelic marble while the architects used both the Doric and the Ionic order (the walls were made of limestone, the facade of Pentelic marble while the roof was covered with tiles). 

The stoa's original dimensions were 377 by 65 feet wide.

Cave of the Apocalypse

The book of Revelation states that its author, St. John the Theologian (Apostle John), was on Patmos when he was given a vision from Jesus (around 95 AD).

 

"I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet..." (Revelation 1:9-10)

Tourists can visit the cave where John is said to have received his Revelation (the Cave of the Apocalypse). The cave entrance is marked with a mosaic showing the visions of St. John. Inside the cave, seven silver lamps have been hung of which the largest is above the place where St. John slept.

The cave was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO (2006). The superior of the Cave provides to the visitors a description of how the book was written. Brochures are also available.

Nikopolis

Nikopolis is a very important archaeological site next to Preveza. Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece. Ancient Nikopolis (Victory City) was founded by the Roman Emperor Octavian to commemorate his victory against Mark Antony and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.

Within the archaeological site one can see many ruins of great significance such as the Roman fortifications, the Odeon,   the Theater,  the Nymfaion,  the “Vassilospito” and others.

The Nikopolis archaeological site  is open for visitors. The Archaeological Museum of Nicopolis is built near the site and displays exhibits of the city in Roman and Early Christian times.

The Medieval Castles of Kos

Kos is of the Dodecanese islands in the eastern Aegean and a popular tourist destination. There are several easily accessible medieval castles. The most famous castle of Kos island is "The Castle of the Knights".

It's a 14th century fortress at the entrance to its harbour, erected in 1315 by The Knights of Saint John of Rhodes.  Its impressive circular towers are located in the four corners. It is a monument well preserved worthwhile to visit.

Another  medieval castle (next to Antimachia village) is called "The Venetian Castle of Antimachia". It is located on a hill near the village. More castle ruins can also be found in Pili area as well as in Kefalos area.

Agrotourism and Ecotourism in Greece

Ecotourism is a form of tourism which purpose is to educate the traveler and to promote respect for different cultures. 

It involves travel to destinations where fauna, flora, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism focuses on socially responsible travel, environmental  awareness, promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity, and personal education.  

 

Greece is a country of exceptional beauty: it has 16.000 kilometres of coastline and thousands of islands while 80% of the country consists of mountains with protected fauna and flora.

 
It is one of the best countries for cultural tourism: prehistoric findings, Classical and Hellenistic monuments, Medieval castles, Byzantine buildings, Gothic churches, Mosques and traditional villages, create a unique mosaic of different cultures and civilizations.

Architecture in Greece varies greatly from one area to the next depending on the local history and geography.

Visitors will find apart from ancient monuments, neoclassical  buildings in the cities of Ermoupolis and Nafplion, ottoman architecture in the regions of Grevená and Kozáni, byzantine Orthodox monasteries in Chalkidiki, Castles in Kos island, whitewashed homes and windmills on Cycladic islands,  baroque homes on Corfu island and a whole Medieval city in Rhodes island.

Here is a list of list of the most important Greek monuments: