Greece: the land of gods and monsters, sun-drenched beaches and the healthiest diet on Earth
‘“Eleftheria i Thanatos”' (“'Freedom or Death”'), reads Greece’s motto. It was first shouted as a war cry during the mid-19th-century Greek War of Independence but has remained in use long after. And flipping through the country’s 4000-year history, it would have certainly been fitting long before. Does the Battle of Marathon ring a bell? In one of the most heroic fights ever fought in human history, legendary Athenian general Miltiades led his fearless contingent to victory over a Persian armada ten times its size, changing the course of the Greco-Persian Wars and European history forever. The Roman conquest of Greece in 146 BC marked the beginning of centuries of foreign occupation that came to a head during the Greek Revolution against Ottoman rule in 1821. Greece finally regained its independence in 1829 and went on to become the Ellinikí Dhimokratía (Hellenic Republic). Today, legions of honeymooners, art lovers, winter sun-seekers and history buffs are the country’s main occupying force, greeted with a warm welcome, chill vibes and fun-loving crowds.
Athens: the capital of Greece and Western civilisation
Western culture was built on the ruins of Ancient Greece. Thankfully, many of those ruins are still around today to teach lessons, tell stories and keep Greece’s robust legacy alive. Why not start at the beginning? Visit the hotbed of the Minoan civilisation on the island of Crete. Praised by Homer and rumoured to be the inspiration behind the legend of Atlantis, the southernmost Greek island gave birth to the region’s dominant Bronze Age cultural and sea power, the chilling legend of the Minotaur and the most vibrant pieces of prehistoric art. Stand enthralled within the monolithic columns of the Acropolis’s crown jewel, the Temple of Athena Nike. Erected some 2,500 years ago, the Ionic sanctuary was a premier place of worship in time of war, where Athenians pleaded with city patroness Athene in the hope of a victorious outcome. Add a trip to medieval Greece to your itinerary, too. Rhodes is home to the continent's largest medieval old town, frozen in time during the 200-year rule of the Knights of The Order of St John of Jerusalem, who turned the island into a major stronghold on the one hand and a living and breathing time capsule on the other.
Eat good, eat Greek
Do you want to live a long and healthy life? You should give some serious thought to moving permanently to the island of Ikaria, one of the world’s five blue zones, aka places where people have the longest lifespans on Earth. If that’s not an option, eating your way through Greece can be a viable alternative. Learn the basics of the life-changing Cretan diet in one of the many gastro temples around Heraklion’s Morosini Fountain. Stock up on the non-negotiable ingredient, olive oil. Greece’s dripping gold is a serious business in every corner of the country, but the extra-virgin varieties produced in the Protected Denomination of Origin Areas of Kolymbari and Sitia are said to be the finest. Get a taste of Rhodes’ ever-blazing love of pasta and truly amazing pasta dishes, made with makarounia, matsi, koulouria, trachana or hilopites. Phyllo pastry is another thing Greeks proudly say they’ve elevated to the level of art. Judge it for yourself: try Thessaloniki’s trademark phyllo triangles, Trigona Panoramatos, or bougatsa, an all-purpose, all-Greek breakfast food filled with semolina custard, minced meat or fresh mizithra cheese.
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