Greece Touring Rally

A Taste of Greece...



Greece is fairly described as “the beautiful miniature of the world”! 

HERITAGE

 

As the birthplace of Western civilization, Greece is home to the fascinating monuments of great historic importance. Modern Greece is inextricably linked with its ancient roots by the relics and ruins of remarkable monuments. Diverse remnants from periods of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman rule, followed by over 180 years as an independent nation, are also preserved and present everywhere throughout the mainland and islands.

 

 

 

 

 

LANDSCAPE

 

The meeting of land and sea creates an intricate complex pattern of hills, mountains, islands, inlets, gulfs and bays while the recurring contrast of the deep blue sea and cloudless sky against the white-washed buildings and terracotta rooftops, contribute dramatically to the unique quality of light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOODS

 

The Greek diet is the perfect example of traditional Mediterranean eating. High in nutrients and low in animal fats, Greek cooking offers an incredibly rich and diverse array of foods and beverages that are the culmination of literally thousands of years of living, cooking, and eating.

While each Greek meal is fresh and inviting, it is also a trip back through Greece's history. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEATHER

 

Greece is perfect for those who enjoy the sun, as for over two thirds of the year the country basks under clear, sunny skies.

 

Throughout April and into May, spring wildflowers will be in bloom, brightening roadsides and spirits. Keep an eye out for splashes of color as you wander the Greek byways.

 

 

 

 

MYTHOLOGY

 

For the ancient Greeks, the natural phenomena  were attributed to divine intervention. One of the most beautiful legends of Greek mythology explains why the seasons change. It is the story of Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter (Goddess of fertility, harvest and prosperity of nature), with whom Hades (God of the Underworld) fell in love with and kidnapped to the Underworld.

 

One day, while the young woman was picking flowers along with the goddess Athena, Artemis and the Oceanids nymphs, the Earth suddenly opened and Hades appeared with his dark chariot and grabbed her.  After losing her daughter, the grief-stricken Demeter withered nature, stopping crops from bearing their fruits and the flowers from blooming. She then went to the Underworld to ask for her daughter back. Hades agreed to allow Persephone to spend half  the year on earth with her mother and the remaining months she had to return to the Underworld with him.

 

So, every time  Persephone went  to the underworld, Demeter was so distraught  that she would freeze nature making it winter on earth. When Persephone returned, flowers blossomed, nature was fertile and the weather was good, reflecting Demeter’s feelings of euphoria.