Home of the Olympian Gods

Greece is the cultural centre of the European culture. Even today, we are still bound to this beautiful country by a thousand ties. For centuries, our poets have sung the praises of the Olympian gods, longing for Arcadia. Teachers and students adventured the ancient world under the guidance of Homer, sculptors swore by perfect proportion. Scholars took their words from the classical Greek language, so that the intellectual heritage of Ancient Greece became, in the course of time, the common heritage of all peoples.

Written by: Continent Surfer

It is therefore no everyday experience to travel to the source of our culture, to the landscapes of sunny Greece, to the remains of famous sanctuaries, ancient palaces and fortifications. At the foot of the barren mountains, among the undulating olive and orange groves of sky-pointing cedars. Climb up the palm trees to Byzantine monasteries and admire the golden icons and mosaics.

Athens

Walking among the ancient monuments and temples of Athens, you can travel back in time thousands of years. But the history of the city is apparently not continuous. The polis, which flourished in antiquity, began to decline in Byzantine times, shrinking to almost a village under Turkish rule. Its renewed greatness is due to the last 150 years.

Athens, the capital of Greece, is the cradle of democracy. It owes its unrivalled reputation to its past. The oldest city in Europe, it is the starting point of European civilisation. It is the birthplace of the social and political forms that have served as a model for European civilisation. The name of Athens is linked to the first decent society in the history of the world – democracy. The Olympic Games and the marathon are all synonymous with Athens, with Greece.

Islands

The many beautiful, exotic islands that rise out of the sea surrounding Greece are still the most popular tourist destination today. Not only can you admire museums, ancient monuments and the past, but you can also indulge in diving, sailing, and swimming.

City-states

Concepts such as Sparta, Athens and the unquestionable desire for freedom are associated with Hellas.

Greek city-states were a favourite destination for ancient conquerors. The scenes of battles such as Marathon, Thermopylae, etched forever in world history. It was thanks to these that freedom and democracy survived. The sacrifice of the famous Tridents – who has not heard of them – is still an example to all freedom-loving people.

Love

The birthplace of free love, where same-sex love and sexuality were not only shocking, but also enduring in both literature and the visual arts. In Sparta, the military city even encouraged and even educated men to be attracted to each other, believing that this would make them more courageous in the battlefield. Hence, the famous saying ‘shoulder to shoulder’. 

Democracy

Athens, a prosperous city, is not only a cornerstone of democracy, but also a source of commerce, arts and sciences. Athens’ most important and famous square is the Syndagma, or Constitution Square. Here we are greeted by a very lively life. Hotels, cafés, restaurants, shops and many more await us here. Unfortunately, outside the palaces, the classical atmosphere has disappeared, and the buildings are made of reinforced concrete and glass. Its landscaped areas are lined with orange trees and cypresses. Climbing the steep slopes of the Acropolis is a challenge, but the view from the Citadel makes up for it! 

When in Greece, don’t forget the home of the gods, the site of Olympus. One of the highest mountains in Europe, where climbing enthusiasts can ‘try’ to conquer the throne of Zeus.

Climate, wine, hedonism

Thanks to its excellent location and climate, Greece is rich in excellent grape varieties and, as a result, excellent wines. Separate wine bars offer good value for money. Even in ancient times, Greece was a famous wine exporter.

The Greek wine culture is quite diverse and is reinforced by religious rituals and cults of the gods. One of their most popular gods is Dionysus, the deity of wine, intoxication and merrymaking.

The offerings of wine and the many feasts offered to him symbolised the people’s joyfulness and love of life, which lived on in the religious cult of the Romans, and which was also taken over by Christian European civilisation.

The Greek way of life can be described as “live for today“. They are a bit hedonistic, unpredictable, unreliable. Which is probably true, but anyone who has been here knows that they are very friendly and direct. They are willing to help foreigners, they have no prejudices, they are open to new things. They are happy to mix with tourists, hoping and offering friendship, love, sex. Prices are affordable and excellent and healthy Greek cuisine is unmissable. Just think of the Gyros that so many places try to imitate.

Travelling

Greece is easily accessible. For those brave enough to drive or ride a motorbike, the experience is unforgettable. Cruising along the coast and visiting the roadside inns will be a memory to last a lifetime. English is easy to communicate in, as the Greeks are quite fluent in it, tourism being one of their main sources of income. Unfortunately, this is reflected in their current economic situation, with the coronavirus causing them a pretty serious downturn. Of course, this is not only due to the fact that they are not doing very well, but also to their aforementioned motto of “live for today”.

It could have been a major front in WWII. Churchill planned to land here, instead of Normandy. If it had turned out that way, it would probably have been the Western Allies liberating Middle Eastern Europe, not Stalin’s armies.

Its ports, airports and excellent rail links today also make it an important trading centre between east and west.

“The essence of travelling is that unexpected things happen. It’s the desirability of it, that’s what makes it interesting. Adapt to the situation and try to make the most of it.”

No responsibility is taken for what is said in this article. This article does not necessarily reflect our views! As we love thought-provoking, interesting writing, we welcome yours or if you would like to share your experiences, but writing is not your forte, let us know and we can arrange an interview.

Did you know?

The official name of Greece isn’t actually named Greece. If someone referred to Greece by its official name you probably wouldn’t recognize it at first – but hey, that’s what makes it such an interesting fact! Greek people actually refer to their country as Hellas or Hellada and the complete official name is the Hellenic Republic.

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Source(s):

Original article: Olümposzi Istenek hazája Translated by: BOGI – CONTINENT SURFER

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If so, please support us, every litte counts and much appreciated!

You will help us to come up with useful information regularly, so please support us every once and a while or even on a monthly basis! Thank you!