Archive for the ‘Exploring the Mediterranean’

  • Deia, Mallorca (Spain)
    9
    Deia, Mallorca (Spain)
    If you plan a trip to Mallorca (Spanish) or Majorca (English), things are bound to be unpredictable. Well, in the good way of course. Make a trip to the little Deia village in Mallorca and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. About Deia When you approach the village of Deia, you are greeted with a view of the Serra de Tramuntana, which makes for a picture-perfect backdrop of this Spanish Village. The ancient church which sits atop the hill gives an almost divine feeling to this entire region. Deia, as a whole, sits almost precariously above the seashore. It seems like its clinging to Tramuntana mountains while it gets flanked by olive groves, orchards full of lemon and a generous outburst of pine and cedar forests. Cala de Deia The shingle beach of Deia is more pebbly than anything else; but the sight of clear waters make you forgive  [...]
    Posted at June 28th, 2010 at 12:06 am
  • Boutiques of Rhodes Island
    3
    Boutiques of Rhodes Island
    The island of Rhodes occupies significant importance in historical and present day Greece. The island is located at a very strategic location.  It is at a crossroads between Africa, the Middle East and Europe. As a result of this location, the city and island is famous for different identities, cultures, languages and architectures. The specialty of the island is that it boasts of small luxury boutique hotels.  Most of these hotels are in keeping with the architecture and style of the old town of 700 years. Rhodes Old town has many distinctions to its credit.  Besides being declared a UNESCO world heritage site since 1988, the town also ranks as the largest inhabited medieval town of Europe. Some of the main attractions of the town include the Street of Knights, this is the most important and imposing avenue of the town and includes  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010 at 01:02 am
  • La Spezia – The Spice of Italy – Part II
    0
    La Spezia – The Spice of Italy – Part II
    The pretty town of La Spezia is located at a minimal distance away from Cinque Terre, taking merely ten minutes via train to be able to reach it. As one takes a pleasant stroll along the walkway just off the Viale Italia, the pride amongst the locals regarding their town’s past becomes quite evident. One is braced with the attractive sights of the public garden located just across the port that proffers a fine chance to take an unwinding amble. On crossing the public gardens, one could visit the tourism office that is situated on Viale Mazzini to be able to access the maps and the timetable for the boat rides that ferry one off to the several other towns located alongside the shoreline, leaving at an hourly frequency that continues till seven or eight in the night varying with the season type. During the stroll one could stop by  [...]
    Posted at September 22nd, 2009 at 02:09 am
  • La Spezia – The Spice of Italy – Part I
    4
    La Spezia – The Spice of Italy – Part I
    La Spezia also known as ‘The Spice’ is the entryway to Cinque Terre, considered as Italy’s finest, spectacular and most amorous locales alongside the Ligurian coast. The tranquil, traveller-free, La Spezia is the perfect location to get going when one is journeying the vicinity. The accommodations in La Spezia are relatively pocket-friendly in comparison to its close by tourist townships and hence an idyllic spot for those intending on saving a few bucks. Hence, La Spezia, may perhaps be the best area to set up base camp for the period of one’s stay there. The preeminent means to unravel the fine nuances of La Spezia is by foot, with the inhabitants being quite cordial and obliging to assist. A foremost momentary look at La Spezia gives one the impression of it being a vital commercial and military hub with a bustling business  [...]
    Posted at September 21st, 2009 at 09:09 pm
  • Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part III
    3
    Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part III
    On the right of the gorge, a relatively smallish river gently winds its course along the gorge vanishing near the village of Samaria and appearing yet again at ‘Springhead’. During the winter months, the river gets raucous and violent swallowing all that comes in its way. One comes across the Neroutsiko point or Little Water which is located a little further and has a fine bubbly spring.  Nearly 4.5kms from Xyloskalo, one comes across the St.Nicolas Church that was believed to have been constructed on the remnants of the primitive temple of Apollo. The dense cover of trees and the calm, nippy water make it the idyllic locale to unwind. The trek through the Samaria Gorge would consume close to four or as much as eight hours, dependant on the speed one undertakes. Normally six hours is what one takes, particularly when one halts  [...]
    Posted at September 8th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
  • Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part II
    1
    Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part II
    The Samaria Gorge, locally known as the ‘Faranges’ is the key attractions located in the west Crete commences at Xyloskalo on the Omalos Plateau, tapering downward to the seashore Agia Roumeli village on the south Creten coast. Treading the Xyloskalo path lands one in a widely diverse scenery that leaves an indelible imprint on all. The access to the Samaria Gorge can be availed through three courses, namely, the Xyloskalo entryway located south of Omalos plateau, the Omalos entryway through Poria starting from the eastern side and through Linoseli from the western side. The well-maintained, signposted walkway that traverses the whole course of the gorge is the most treaded footpath in the entire of Greece coming second only to footpath of Mount Olympus. The footpath that goes way up to Agia Roumeli beaches is perennially bursting  [...]
    Posted at September 8th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  • Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part I
    5
    Braving The Majestic Samaria Gorge- Part I
    Soaring rocky walls ascend thousands of feet with an inlet clattering against its rocky surfaces, rising from the mountains and slithering downwards to meet the far-away ocean. The sheer, raw thrill of Crete’s Samaria Gorge spans 10 miles prior to pouring out into the Libyan Sea. Apparently, Samaria is the longest spanning gorge in entire of Europe that peaks at certain points to sixteen hundred feet and tapers to a mere eleven feet. Rumoured for its obduracy, the Samaria Gorge is a must visit for its colossal proportions and an opportunity to sample the genuine wilds experience proffered by a country ideally well-known for its old civilization. Trekking to the Samaria Gorge commences in the city of Hania with frequent, early dusk, bus departures. The bus journey winds through the quaint Lakki town that has hardly any dwellings  [...]
    Posted at September 7th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  • Primeval Kition – Part II
    2
    Primeval Kition – Part II
    During 1920, major digging of primeval Kition was initiated by the Swedes, though a majority of the primitive town remnants lay beneath the modern town of Larnaca. The British were utterly unsupportive in the excavation process, lugging stacks of excavated ‘debris’ to cover up the wetlands. The key site of curiosity is found in the Area II, wherein the wood based ramp proffers fine viewing of the in-progress excavations. The relics belong to the Phoenician relocation on the crest of belatedly Bronze era bases. An array of awe-inspiring primitive sacrosanct sites has been unearthed at this location. The major detectable constructions are those of a huge place of worship re-devoted to Astarte, the deity of fecundity, also identified as ‘Temple I’, made of ashlar having a debris filling material and a remarkable massive entry.  [...]
    Posted at September 6th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  • Primeval Kition – Part I
    4
    Primeval Kition – Part I
    Kition, formerly a noteworthy primeval city, is presently, majorly concealed beneath contemporary Larnaca. Initially Larnaca was founded three thousand years back by the Mycenaeans and the Phonicians and it was called Kition. Kition was the native land of the strong-nerved truth-seeker, Zeno. One can find numerous places of worship that were unearthed here that date back to the pre-Greek era. Initially settled in by the Mycenaeans during the 13th century B.C., the location of the contemporary Larnaca town was according to the Bible called as Kittim at that period. Much like major Cypriote towns, Kition was under the Persian rule in 450B.C. that lasted for a century. The statue of ‘Kimon the Athenian’, the Athenian general who laid down his life at sea in a huge clash protecting the town of Kition from the Persians, is seen standing  [...]
    Posted at September 4th, 2009 at 10:09 am
  • Mystery Islands Of Greece –Part III
    3
    Mystery Islands Of Greece –Part III
    The secluded, craggy, tiny, pastille-shaped Greek island of Antikythira, spans a mere twenty square kilometres and is situated sixteen maritime miles, south of Cape Capelas, of Kythira Island. Despite its aridness, it is quite productive with regular fresh yield of veggies, fruits, wines and honey. The Kythira and Antikythira islands are placed south of Peloponesse belonging to the region of Piraeus. It is noteworthy for the unearthing of the ancient Antikythera ruins located close to the capital and port, Potamos, a befitting proof of its lengthy spanning history. Antikythira is the perfect choice for those who prefer isolation from the urban craziness and adore bird-watching, the sights of plentiful blooms and being nuzzled in the lap of nature. Principally, Antikythira is a hilly, arid island having two key mountain ranges, the  [...]
    Posted at August 24th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Page 1 of 3123»