Sep 8, 2011

(Libertyville, IL, September 7, 2011)—Greece boasts warm sunny days through the end of October, so find the autumn sun with TourCrafters’ Athens and Aegean Cruise package that starts at $1,048 through October 15, and only $990 from October 16 to 31. The 7-day land-only package, which begins at the Athens airport every Saturday, includes two nights at the

Nov 18, 2010

They say that there are a few places in the world which exude spirituality and energy , sending positive vibes to any visitor who comes near. Bali is thought to be one such place, as is Baalbeck in the Lebanon and the Greek island of Delos. Unfortunately due to lack of time, I didn’t set foot on Delos itself, but I did have the opportunity to contemplate the

Sep 6, 2010

The starting point of my recent seven-day island hopping adventure was the Greek Island of Samos. I have visited before, but as this was only an overnight stop to catch the early morning ferry to Mykonos, I decided to not stray further than Vathi, the capital of Samos. I knew that Samos is very famous for its excellent wine, and to my delight there was a wine

You can easily spend a week on the Greek island of Crete, go on a different trip each day and still only have scratched the surface because there is so much to do and see. According to Greek mythology, the infant Zeus was raised in a cave in Mount Ida, which is the highest mountain of the island and was sacred to the mother goddess Rhea. With all these gods

Back again in Turkey, I don’t seem to be able to stay put. There is so much to see and to do and many wonderful Greek islands are so close by that they simply beckon for a day trip. My first was from the Turkish port town of Kusadasi to Samos. Kusadasi is well known, because many cruise ships have a stop there and it is a convenient location for a day trip

I spend several months each year in my small home in Didim, Turkey, a lovely fishing village half way between the more well-known Bodrum and the city of Izmir. It’s an ideal starting point for extensive travel in Turkey, but also for day trips by boat to several nearby Greek islands. Yesterday, I decided to go and visit Kos. During the summer months, a

I’m at present traveling in Turkey, a country which all by itself has a lot of attractions. However, an added bonus is the proximity of many Greek Islands which can be easily reached by ferry. One of them, which I decided to visit yesterday, is Samos, home to Pythagoras, Aesop and Epicur. A ferry leaves the port town of Kusadasi on a daily basis at 9.00 am

When I arrived at the coastal village of New Anhialos in the Greek province of Thessaly, I was enveloped by my aunt’s strong arms. My uncle stuffed the luggage into the trunk, and drove the few blocks to their home. Before the last suitcase was unloaded, Aunt Voula had endowed the table with a feast—traditional cucumber and tomato salad, olives and apricots

As the pine-green tour bus wound its way through the tree-laden mountains of central Greece, I had to bite my lip and focus on deep, cleansing breaths. No, I was not hyperventilating from the height, and our driver was a model of road decorum. I was attempting to restrain myself from inquiring of my seat mate what on earth had possessed her to travel all the

The towering rock of Monemvasia topped by a fortress, rises from the sea on the south eastern coast of the Peloponnese. Known as “Rosemary of the East“, or “the Gibraltar of Greece,” it has been a fortified settlement since ancient times. It got its name which means “Sole Entrance” from the 6th century AD because the only entry is through a

One of the great joys of traveling on a small island is the ability to explore the island. The logistics of getting from one place to another. For example, while driving anywhere in Greece can be a challenge, visitors can drive from Ancient Thera and the black sand beaches of Kamari through the largest city on the island, Fira, to the cliffs of Oia in less than

Put fresh ingredients, cutlery, and pans in my hands and expect a disaster. However, I have developed an educated palette over the years. I also know when something is so particularly delicious that I have no choice but to sing off of roof tops to offer well-deserved praises. After strolling with my wife along the quaint pedestrian walkway of Oia on Santorini

There is a rugged natural beauty to rocky cliff-side settings. Glistening water viewed from high up on a mountain edge is breathtaking no matter how over-used the word ‘breathtaking’ is. It is all so beautiful and inspiring. However, if you are a traveler, like myself, that doesn’t have a joy when traveling up the steep side of mountain pass

Okay, I am officially surprised. I have been riding the metro, buying the shopping districts, enjoying the pistachios — found on a cart next to the subway staion sold by a toothless woman — and snacked on greek fast food, which can found on every street corner. Athens is a great city. In the next few weeks I will start detailing my experiences here

The eagle has landed in Athens, namely me. To be honest my expectations were low — I have heard some very mixed reviews. From my end, I always question why people don’t like a particular place. What is it exactly that bothers them? Is it the food, customs, hotels? In my experience, I rarely hear something that prevents a good time. If I were to