Top 10 Greek islands

194 Pages·2013·23.465 MB·English

by  French, Carole

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
10
TOP
GREEK ISLANDS
10
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10 Picturesque villages
10 Fascinating museums and galleries
10 Best hotels for every budget
10 Top restaurants in each area
10 Insider tips for every visitor
YOUR GUIDE TO THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING

TOP 10
GREEK ISLANDS
CAROLE FRENCH
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
s
t Left Colourful ceramics, Páros Centre Street vendor, Crete Right Limestone cliffs, Kefalloniá
n
e Contents
t
n
o
C Greek Islands’ Top 10
The Greek Islands’
Printed and bound in China by Highlights 6
Leo Paper Products Ltd
First published in the UK in 2011 Corfu Old Town 8
by Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL Rhodes Old Town 10
A Penguin Company
13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Monastery of St John,
Copyright 2011, 2013 © Dorling Pátmos 12
Kindersley Limited, London
Reprinted with revisions 2013 Delos 14
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a Néa Moní, Híos 16
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
Pythagóreio and Heraion,
photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the Sámos 18
copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record is available from the Phaestos Palace, Crete 20
British Library.
ISBN 978 1 4093 7350 6 Palace of Knossos,
Within each Top 10 list in this book, no Crete 22
hierarchy of quality or popularity is implied.
All 10 are, in the editor’s opinion, Temple of Aphaia,
of roughly equal merit. Égina 26
Évvia 28
Moments in History 32
Bays and Beaches 34
The information in this DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of
going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices,
gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are liable to change. The publishers cannot
accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book, nor for any
material on third party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will
be a suitable source of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers
very highly. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides,
Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, UK or email [email protected]
Cover: Front – 4Corners Images: SIME/Giovanni Simeone main image; DK Images: Tony Souter clb.
Spine – DK Images: Tony Souter b. Back – DK Images: Max Alexander tc; Tony Souter tl, tr.
2
C
Left Blue-domed church, Santoríni Right Boats in Vathý harbour, Itháki
o
n
Natural Wonders 36 Around the Greek
t
e
Islands
Myths and Legends 38 n
t
The Ionians 68 s
Museums and Galleries 40
The Cyclades 82
Monasteries and
Churches 42 Crete 96
Picturesque Villages 44 The Dodecanese 106
The Northeast
Children’s Attractions 46
Aegean Islands 118
Outdoor Activities 48
The Sporádes and Évvia 130
Greek Dishes 50
The Argo-Saronic Islands 140
Arts and Crafts 54
Streetsmart
Festivals and Events 56
Practical Information 154
Restaurants 58
Places to Stay 164
Secluded Beaches 60 General Index 180
Nightlife Spots 62 Acknowledgments 190
Beach Resorts 64 Selected Map Index 192
Left Stunning Navagio beach, Zákynthos Right Archaeological site, Delos
Key to abbreviations 3
Adm admission charge

GREEK
ISLANDS’
TOP 10
The Greek Islands’ G
Highlights 6–7
R
Corfu Old Town E
8–9E
Rhodes Old Town K
10–11
I
Monastery of St John, S
Pátmos 12–13L
A
Delos
14–15N
Néa Moní, Híos D
16–17
S
Pythagóreio and ’

Heraion, Sámos 18–19T
O
Phaestos Palace, Crete
20–21P
Palace of Knossos,
1
Crete 22–25
0
Temple of Aphaia,
Égina 26–27
Évvia
28–29
The Greek Islands’ Highlights
Comprising over 6,000 islands and islets, spread across several archipelagos,
the Greek Islands offer a fabulous choice of holiday destinations. Some host
bustling holiday resorts, while others consist solely of rural communities, and
0
1 ancient temples sit alongside cosmopolitan towns. Add beaches, pine forests,
olive groves and coastlines indented with spectacular coves and bays, and
p
o the result is a collection of islands just begging to be explored.
T

s’ ! Corfu Old Town
d The arcaded
n terraces of the Pérama
a Listón, the ancient Lárisa
sl fortresses of Palaió Corfu Lefkímmi
Greek I FFSValrreploo nicaúúeonrrtiimáooiad ,bn aaai nn,an dewrdc NtihPtoihélt a eogittc ievstíe ua r e, ianno IIslands ALnedPfíkapáxadíxaí AmfKiAloagrcrdíhníítiasoa Lamía
Corfu Old Town its Ionian
infinite charm. Sea Itháki
Museums include Sámi
the Antivouniótissa Kefallonía Pátra
Museum (see pp8–9). Zákynthos Zákynthos
Town Pyrgos
Trípoli
Kalamata
£ Monastery of
St John, Pátmos
Dedicated to St John,
who reputedly wrote
@ Rhodes Old Town the Book of
This city was occupied by the Revelation nearby,
Knights Hospitallers (1309–1522) who this 11th-century
left such magnificent treasures as the monastery is a
Palace of the Grand Masters and the UNESCO site
Street of the Knights (see pp10–11). (see pp12–13).
% Néa Moní, Híos
Containing one of Greece’s
finest collections of mosaics, this
11th-century monastery was built
by Emperor Constantine IX
Monomachos (see pp16–17).
$ Delos
According to Greek mythology, this tiny
uninhabited island was the birthplace of
Apollo and Artemis, and an import ant place
of worship. It has remains of civilizations
dating from the 3rd century BC (see pp14–15).
6 Preceding pages Delos
& Phaestos
Palace, Crete
The remains of this
palace, one of the
two from the Minoan
period, were found at G
what is one of Crete’s r
e
^ Pythagóreio and Heraion, marcohsat eimo lopgoirctaanl ts ites ek
Sámos (see pp20–21).
The remains of Pythagóreio, an Is
ancient Greek and Roman fortified l
a
port, and Heraion, a Neolithic
n
temple, have put Sámos on the
d
heritage map (see pp18–19).
s
Vólos ’
T
Skiáthos o
N
SHaalalkmíd iananaSdp AÉovtrhávideaen ss KýmiAeSgSekeýarÁaonsndroPssará ane gIesAl tasanehdtrs oHLíoésIsnvooússÇSsáeesmşmose *TaCMrhrcieenh t PCoaelaaaer,r neolgta htlePoecesage tlira ceBocamerfl o saKoniitnfzne esKo onAosnofgs setohs soe,s p 10
Kéa Tínos Ikaría gives an incomparable
Kýthnos Sýros Mýkonos Arki insight into this ancient
SElpaéfótsneisssoÝdsrago-Saronic Islands SMériilfooKssímolosCSiyPfncaolraosdsesÍosSAannNátáofxiroínAsisAtympoárlgeóasSKýárnlyaDmodencaoKnsLoeéssreos TcSíýliovmsiilization (see pp22–5).
Kýthira Ar Rhodes
Kattavia
Andikýthira Sea of Crete Kárpathos
Chaniá
Crete Dia Kassos
Réthymno
Mýrtos
50 miles 0 km 50
) Évvia
This long
narrow and largely
mountainous
island lies off the
coast of main land
Greece. Évvia has ( Temple of Aphaia, Égina
been ruled in turn by A well-preserved Doric temple
the Macedonians, dedicated to Aphaia, the ancient Greek
Romans, Venetians and Ottoman goddess of fertility, this structure dates
Turks. Their influence gives the island from around 480 BC. It stands on a
its inimitable character and distinct hilltop covered with pine trees on the
architecture (see pp28–9). island of Égina (see pp26–7).
7
Corfu Old Town
With its cobbled plazas and tiny alleyways dating back to ancient times, Corfu
Old Town continues to retain its old-world charm. Palaces, museums, fortresses,
gourmet restaurants, traditional tavernas, cultural venues and a lively harbour
0
1 combine to give the town its inimitable character. It has beautiful arcades
remniscent of the finest in Paris along with elegant Venetian mansions, which
p
o line the town’s main thoroughfare, the Kapodistrou. Add Greek, Italian and
T British influences and you have an eclectic architectural anthology.

’
s
d Top 10 Features
n 1 Palaió Froúrio
a
l 2 Néo Froúrio
Is 3 Plateía Spianáda
k 4 The Listón
e 5 Maitland Rotunda
e 6 Church of Ágios Spyrídon
r
G 7 Palace of St Michael and
Cafés lining the arched
Listón, Corfu Old Town St George
8 Dimarchío
Watch the world go
by while you enjoy a 9 The Old Port
coffee at the chic 0 Antivouniótissa Museum
cafés at the Listón.
! Palaió Froúrio
• Map B5 A landmark of the capital,
• Palaió Froúrio: Palaió the Old Fortress was built in
Froúrio Islet; 26610 the 16th century on a tiny
48310; open sum mer: islet to protect the city from
9am–3:30pm daily; invaders. Its interiors have
winter: call ahead; adm been restored and it has
€4, concessions €2 become a popular venue for
• Néo Froúrio: Plateía cultural events. At its base @ Néo Froúrio
Solomóu; open May– stands St George’s Church. The Venetians built
Nov 9am–9pm daily; this mighty fort (left) in
adm €3 the 1500s to strengthen
• Church of Ágios the town’s defences. De-
Spyrídon: Agíou spite its name, the New
Spyrídonos; open Fortress was com pleted
6:30am–8pm (tourist only a few years after the
visits discouraged during Old Fortress. With a maze
church services) of tiny medieval walkw ays
• Palace of St Michael to explore, the former
and St George and naval garrison is now
Museum of Asiatic Art: open to the public.
Plateía Spianáda; 26610
30443; open summer:
9am–4pm Tue–Sun; Plateía Spianáda#
winter: call ahead; adm One of the largest
€3, concessions €2 squares in Greece, the
• Antivouniótissa Plateía Spianáda (right) is
Museum: Prosfórou 30; always bustling. Its Venetian
26610 38313; open and French archi tecture
9am–4pm Tue–Sun; give it an elegant feel. The
adm €2, concessions €1 labyrinth of alleyways off the
square, Campiello, is one of
the town’s oldest parts.
8 Corfu Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 2007.