Greece - The Old World and the New
Greece offers great vacation potential … sun and
sand, art, culture and history, or just a great
vacation spot. Prices are reasonable within a vast
range of possibilities from inexpensive to luxury.
It is a country of contrasts; a land where both
ancient and modern influences of all the waves of
invaders can still be witnessed. There are Byzantine
towns, Venetian fortresses and Frankish monuments
as well as the glorious remnants of ancient Greece
itself, or the ruins of the Minoan era on Crete.
It isn’t necessary to be a scholar of history or
archeology to feel the wonder of Greece. It is the
cradle of civilization.
Greece has a history stretching back more than
4,000 years. The ancient people of the mainland,
termed Hellenes, organized great naval and military
expeditions and explored the Mediterranean and the
Black Sea, going as far as the Atlantic Ocean and
the Caucasus Mountains. One of those expeditions,
the siege of Troy, is narrated in the first great
European literary work, Homer's Iliad. As a result
of these travels, numerous Greek settlements were
founded throughout the Mediterranean, Asia Minor
and the coast of North Africa.
During the Classical period (5th century B.C.),
Greece was composed of city-states, the largest
being Athens, followed by Sparta and Thebes. A fierce
spirit of independence and love of freedom enabled
the Greeks to defeat the Persians in famous battles
of history: Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis and Plataea.
In the second half of the 4th century BC, the Greeks,
led by Alexander the Great, conquered most of the
then known world and sought to hellenize it.
In 146 BC Greece fell to the Romans. In 330 AD
Emperor Constantine moved the Capital of the Roman
Empire to Constantinople, founding the Eastern Roman
Empire, which was renamed Byzantine Empire or Byzantium
for short by western historians in the 19th century.
Byzantium transformed the linguistic heritage of
Ancient Greece into a vehicle for the new Christian
civilization. The Byzantine Empire fell to the Turks
in 1453 and the Greeks remained under the Ottoman
yoke for nearly a 400 year-long occupation, but
this time their language, religion and sense of
identity remained strong.
On March 25, 1821, the Greeks revolted against
the Turks, and by 1828 they had won their independence.
As the new state comprised only a tiny fraction
of the country, the struggle for the liberation
of all the lands inhabited by Greeks continued.
In 1864, the Ionian Islands were returned to Greece;
in 1881, parts of Epiros, Thessalia and Crete, the
islands of the Eastern Aegean and Macedonia were
added in 1913 and Western Thrace in 1919. After
World War II the Dodecanissos islands were also
returned to Greece.
Greece is one of Europe’s leading centers for sailing
and yachting as well as other water sports. There
are many cruise options available to visit the multitude
of islands, and some of the lesser-known islands
offer the unspoiled beaches that are pictured in
peoples’ dreams. The sunsets, the beautiful light
during the days, the “magic” is around every corner.
Part of the draw and charm lies in the exquisitely
simple examples of island architecture, the presence
of donkeys that are both a form of transportation
and pack animals, the remoteness, the stoic patience
of the island people, the turquoise waters and the
comforting “stillness” of it all. The archetypal
village is a huddle of whitewashed homes and churches
connected by a web of stone walkways with chairs
in the public square and trees strung with naked
light bulbs. The typical hotel room opens onto a
deck with the waves lapping up silently on the cliffs
below.
Of course, Greek culture is one of the major attractions.
One of the best ways to experience the rich and
varied culture of Greece is to visit some of the
medieval cities such as the ruins of Mystras on
the slopes of Mt. Taygetos or the present day community
of Monemvassia. The fortress-like city of Rhodes
is another favorite. I visited both Crete and Rhodes
in the year 2000 and will never forget either. Both
have a personality of their own, and I was not prepared
for the incredible history around every corner.
As Olympic host city in 2004, Athens invested heavily
in infrastructure with new hotels, a new subway
system rivaling London’s Metro, extending into the
suburbs of the city. The international airport has
been completely restructured, and handles over 16
million passengers a year. Athens, the jewel of
the Hellenic Crown and the home to five million
people … half of the Greek population … has finally
emerged from years of construction, snarled traffic
and smog. It is a modern city in many ways, yet
still preserves its ancient culture.
