Hidden Gems Of Greece

Despite its troubles, Greece holds many hidden gems for the tourist. Of course, everyone who visits Greece heads to the usual tourist spots of the Parthenon and the Acropolis, but there's also a hidden Greece that many tourists overlook on their Greece holiday.

Galaxidi

Galaxidi is a small village in central Greece near Delphi and the famous Temple of Apollo. Situated on a sheltered bay, it was a center of trade and commerce until the early part of the 20th century and the home of a surprising number of shipping magnates. The visitor might visit the maritime museum, then take a walk to the top of the village and visit the cathedral with its wooden icons.

Mount Olympus

Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods. The real Mount Olympus is actually a mountain range. Nine of the mist-shrouded peaks are over 2,600 m high, with Zeus? Throne reaching 2,909 m. The range is divided into Lower and Upper Olympus. Lower Olympus has lovely forests and is an easy climb, while Upper Olympus, full of crevasses and ravines, can be treacherous. People are surprised to learn that the first successful ascent of the mountain wasn?t made till 1913 and by two Swiss mountain climbers. Intrepid mountaineers should have a guide before they attempt the higher peaks, which are often misty and snow covered. Fortunately, there are stations and monasteries along the way where a traveler can rest.

Pelion

Mount Pelion in Thessaly is where people from Athens come in the summer to enjoy its cool, lush forests and streams. The roads are good, as are the hotels. In the winter there?s even good skiing. But in the summer the air is scented with the fragrances of olive and fruit trees that grow on the lower slopes. Beeches and oaks grow higher up.

The center of Pelion village has a plaza shaded by old plane trees. The wooden houses are old fashioned, with overhanging upper stories and slate roofs.

Ambelaki Village
 

Another gem of hidden Greece is this village, also in Thessaly and found on the slope of Mount Ossa in the Vale of Tempe, very close to Mount Olympus. Ambelaki is a rather sleepy place now, but it was once a bustling city that was a center of silk and cotton manufacturing. In the late 18th century the workshops that made these fabrics combined to form a cooperative which sent agents all over Europe. It broke up in 1811 for various reasons, among them competition from the British, the Napoleonic wars and heavy taxation by Ali Pasha, who ruled the area at the time.

One must-see stop on any Greece holiday is George Schwarz? house in Ambelaki. He was the head of the cooperative and the owner of a beautiful house that was typical of the area. It?s made largely of wood, with projecting upper stories. Inside is much ornamentation and traditional round fireplaces.

Don't be afraid to go to Greece! Her treasures await.