Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Wolfgang Staudt

Barcelona

To start off experiencing the Mediterranean in a major city filled with action, fantastic shopping and dining, and a nightlife that is second to none, Barcelona is an ideal place.  During the day, there are many museums to experience filled with the rich history of Barcelona.  One of the most popular is the Barcelona FC Museum, dedicated to the incredibly popular football team – it is the second most visited museum in all of Spain!  At night, you can visit one of Barcelona’s many nightclubs and dance your cares away.

Carassonne

Carassonne in southern France should be on everyone’s list of places to visit when exploring the Mediterranean.  It is a thriving medieval Castle that is filled with Renaissance history.  As soon as you enter through the drawbridge, you will feel like you have stepped into a history book.  The best way to get the full Carassonne experience is to stay overnight so you can have the city essentially to yourself after the many tour groups have left.  Halloween is an especially great night to visit thanks to the house of terror they put on as well as other decorations.

The Algarve

The Algarve is the most popular holiday destination in Portugal and with good reason.  It is very safe, very welcoming, and is relatively cheap.  The beaches are also stunning and clean, which is made even more impressive by the fact that there are over 200km of beaches to enjoy.  English is widely spoken at most of the resorts as well.  If you love playing golf, then The Algarve is a perfect holiday destination as it is home to over 30 courses.  It may shock you to learn that the total population of The Algarve is under 500,000, yet the region receives over ten times that amount of tourists per year.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Hugo Cadavez

Crete

Crete is the largest Greek island by area and is an extremely popular holiday destination for tourists.  Every year, over 2 million visitors travel to Crete, the majority of them staying in the capital, Heraklion.  One of the biggest draws is of course the magnificent beaches, but also the tremendous nightlife which will give you plenty to do to fill your days as well as your nights.  If beaches and nightclubs aren’t really your thing, Crete also has some magnificent mountains that are ideal for hiking in.

Cefalu

Cefalu located in Sicily is a beachside village that has a very strong feeling of history.  The streets are all narrow and cobbled and barely provide enough room for a Smart Car to navigate.  Lining the streets are antique shops, craft shops and fruit and veg markets, all of which are worth a visit.  Relatively quiet compared to other destinations, you will be able to enjoy the water in Cefalu without the frantic pace of life in other destinations.  There are a lot of ancient buildings, such as the Cathedral of Cefalu that provide a great experience for tourists too.  Cefalu is also home to numerous bars and restaurants so you will never run out of things to see and do.

Photo by admin

If you are planning on visiting the Med for the first time, look into staying at the La Manga Club.  A stay here is guaranteed to make you want to return time and time again.

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Samaria Gorge, Crete, Greece by Simon

The Samaria Gorge is located entirely within the Samaria National Park, which was developed in order to protect the beauty of the region as well as the plant and animal life that color home. There are actually a number of unique species of flora and fauna that can be found within the gorge itself that are in danger. In all, there are more than 450 different plant species that can be found within the Samaria Gorge.

When it comes to the animals that call the Samaria Gorge home, the most popularly seen inhabitants of the region is that of the wild goats that are most commonly referred to as agrimia locally. These wild goats are endemic to the island of Crete and it is not uncommon to see them throughout the region and even in the villages.

It was back in 1962 when the Samaria Gorge region was established as a national park. When the park was established, certain rules were put into place in order to protect the flora and fauna for future generations. One of these rules is that you are not allowed to pick any flowers or plants from within the park boundaries. At the same time, no one was allowed to live within the park boundaries, so the inhabitants of the Samaria Village were relocated. The village is still visible today within the park, and stand as the residence of the guards and other park staff.

Samaria Gorge, Crete, Greece by James Preston

For anyone who chooses to walk the distance, you will need to start at the village of Xyloskalo and purchase a ticket. A map of the walking path is illustrated on the backside the ticket, but it is not really needed on account of the steady stream of tourist that are making their way down to the coast. Just make sure that you bring a very good pair of hiking boots because it is a long journey to the other end of the gorge.

When you finally reach the end of the Samaria Gorge, you will need to present your ticket once again. Park officials do this to make sure that nobody gets left inside the park overnight. And while this is done for the safety of all people visiting the region, it does tend to slow down the last three kilometers of the hike to the beach.

You will need to make sure that you have plenty of sunscreen because there is no shade from the early afternoon sun. But it is all worthwhile as you step out of Samaria Gorge into the seaside village of Agia Roumeli; and soon you will be resting along the white sand beaches of the shoreline.

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Official language is Greek, which used Greek alphabet. It is the oldest still in use alphabet in Europe (since the 8th century BC). Majority of Greeks speak also English and German.

If you love nature and do not like excessive heat, the ideal time for you to visit Greece is June (or May, but the sea is still quite cold) or September and October. The water temperature is pleasant and it is also possible to plan your trips and hiking. However the main tourist season in Greece is July and August.

Greek cuisine
Greek cuisine is typically Mediterranean, and famous worldwide. The food must not miss olive oil, fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs and seafood. Greek Restaurants are called taverns.

Hors-d’oeuvre
Everyone will certainly be surprised by a number of appetizers, which mostly consists of various salads, spreads or light sauces. The most famous are the tzatziki appetizer, or roasted peppers. Tzatziki is a spread made ​​of thick Greek yogurt, which is often from sheep’s milk, shredded cucumbers, garlic, olive oil and salt. Tzatziki spread is usually served chilled with Arab bread or as a flavoring for food. Greek salads of fresh vegetables are excellent. Another interesting appetizer is dolmades, which are young leaves of cabbage, filled by rice, pine nuts and minced meat.

Main Dishes
Very popular local delicacy is gyros. Another popular delicacy is grilled souvlaki. If you do not like gilled meat, be sure to taste musaka. Muska are slices of eggplant baked with minced lamb, onions, tomatoes which is covered with béchamel sauce. Among the most popular vegetarian dishes you can find saganaki, which is a fried slice of feta cheese coated in bread crumbs.

Desserts
After the meal it is definitely a good idea to taste some desserts such as baklava, galaktoboureko.

Alcohol
Greece offers a wide range of delicious wines. Greek favorite drink is Metaxa, which is a good cognac. The local traditional drinks include Ouzo.

Greek Islands
Greek Islands, which are more than 2000, will welcome you with their unique culture (pure white houses with blue shutters and roofs), its history and pure nature, remote from the industry.

The most famous islands of Greece include Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodos, Samos, Kos, Lesbos.

Greek cities
Among the most important and best Greek cities you can find such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Patras, Sparta, Heraklion and Corinth.

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