Greece, the cradle of Western civilization, the origin of the drama and history and philosophy, the birthplace of democracy... etc, etc. It hard to imagine what civilized life would be like today without the influence of ancient Greece. The Greeks did indeed invent drama, and amphitheaters to perform it in. They also invented the Olympic Games. Pythagoras formulated the theories in geometry. And who hasn’t studied the logic of Aristotle. Ancient Greece created a style of architecture that was the model for the state capitols and the White House. Doctors still take the Hippocratic Oath. Children learn about the characters from the fables of Aesop. And Greek myths (Apollo, Hercules, Homer, Odysseus, the Trojan War, ... etc, etc.), have become so interwoven with our civilized consciousness that we sometimes forget where they came from. And then there’s the Greek language... metropolitan, aristocratic, philanthropy, gymnastics, pornography, ... etc.

Cyclades Islands

CYCLADES ("circular islands") are called the Aegean islands around the sacred isle of DELOS, Greece’s spiritual center in classical times. The circle begins at Sifnos and closes at ANDROS, going through Amorgos, Anafi, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Koufonisia, Kythnos, Milos, MYKONOS, Naxos, PAROS, Antiparos, SANTORINI, Serifos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros and other small, mostly inhabitant, islands.

This was the birthplace of one of the Mediterranean's most important civilization, one which took its name from the islands: the Cycladic civilization (3000 - 1000 BC).

What I have love most about the Greek islands is their simplicity. The whitewashed houses, the unpretentious cuisine, the sharp light that endows even the most ordinary objects with extraordinary beauty; a tin can planted with geraniums, a crumbling earthenware pot, a cluster of cafe tables. And then there's the sea. More than just a body of deep-blue water, Greece's Aegean is the embodiment of thousands of years of history and legend. Immersing yourself in the same waters that buoyed Ulysses is a visceral link to the ancient gods and heroes who remain such a potent part of the contemporary landscape. I will have to return to these places and visit the other islands, its well known beaches full of sun worshippers and goddesses. The honey-sweet, nut crushed baklava, the grilled squid and oktapodi.....

Saronic Gulf Islands

The five islands of the Saronic Gulf - Salamis, Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses; might best be described as "commuter" islands. Lying only half an hour by ferry or hydrofoil form Piraeas, the islands are sometimes treated as an extension of the mainland, or suburbs of Athens.

Archaeological Sites