Honeymoon in Greece

If you are looking for special honeymoons look no further than beautiful Greece and the Greek Islands; Home of the Gods, ancient civilization, philosophers and myths.

Greece is the perfect honeymoon location with it's amazing white sandy beaches, sparkling blue seas, archaeological sites, and romantic sunsets in beautiful Greece.

There are so many amazing sights in Greece and the Greek Islands so it's really very hard to pick just a few for your Greece Honeymoon. However the following attractions are ideas which can be worked into one intinerary to get a real taste of Greece and are specially selected for romantic honeymoons.

1) Athens - The Acropolis

The spectacular Acropolis is perched on a hill overlooking the city of Athens. The Acropolis was the focal point of Ancient Greece and today it is the main tourist attraction of Greece.

The Parthenon was built in the 5th Century BC on the site of the Acropolis as a Temple for the Greek Goddess Athina.

Also must - see : the new Acropolis museum and wander through the amazing old quarter of Plaka at the foot of the Acropolis, with it's maze of shops, cafes and taverns.

2) Athens National Archaeological Museum

The National Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in Greece and one of the world's great museums.

The museum houses finds from all over Greece.

More than 20,000 exhibits provide a panorama of Greek civilization from the beginnings of Prehistory to Late Antiquity.

A must-see for all visitors

The ancient ruins of Delphi, situated at the foot of Mount Parnassos, are awe inspiring, as are the views from the site.

Delphi was the site of the famous Delphic oracle in the classical Greek world and pilgrims travelled from miles around to consult the oracle. It was a major site for the worship of the god Apollo. See the Temple of Apollo, the amphitheatre and the site museum.

The island of Santorini, also known as Thira, is one of the most popular destinations for a Greece Honeymoon

A huge volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini around the 17^th century left a huge caldera as the land collapsed inwards and plunged into the sea.

The capital of the island, Fira, is a town perched on the cliff top overlooking the caldera. Santorini is famous for it's fabulous sun sets which have made it an absolute favourite destination for romantic honeymoons.

Take a donkey ride up or down the the cliff face from Fira to the port. Boat trips run from here to the hot volcanic springs in the caldera. Enjoy the romantic winding cobbled streets, the cafes, restaurants and shops of the quaint island capital. Hire a car or bike and explore the whole of this small island in a day.

The island of Crete is another popular destination for honeymoons and holds many treasures. Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands.

No visit to Crete is complete without seeing The Minoan Palace of Knossos, near Heraklion. Knossos is the legendary home of King Minos and is said to be the souce of the mythical Labyrinth which held the half man - half bull Minotaur.

Take a boat from Elounda (75kms east of Heraklion) to the the nearby island of Spinalonga, an old leper colony. Or head west to the town of Chania with its pretty Venetian Harbour (150kms west of Heraklion). Relax on any number of beautiful sandy beaches or hire a car and discover the surrounding countryside and enjoy the famous Cretan hospitality and wonderful Cretan food.

The transport infrastructure in Athens is superb as the whole city benefitted from a complete makeover for the Athens Olympics 2004. The new Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" is served by regular buses and trains to and from the city centre, 30 kms away. Getting around Athens is easy, and is a real pleasure, with the completely modernised and immaculate Metro.

The Metro Museum - culture while you travel!

The Syntagma metro station in the heart of Athens is an amazing showcase for the relics unearthed during the building of the metro. Shiny new marble floors meet the glass walled exhibtions. This is part museum - part ulra modern metro station.

These top five sights can easily be seen over a two week honeymoon vacation, without too much of a breakneck itinerary and with time to relax and enjoy the fabulous beaches and the local culture too.

Start with a few days in Athens then take a day trip from Athens to Delphi (5 hour round trip - or stay overnight and return the next day). From Athens travel south to the island of Santorini and then from Santorini continue further south to the island of Crete. From Crete you can return to Athens for your home journey.

Getting to Athens

There are flights from all major international airports.

Frequent transport from Athens International Airport to Athens city by train and bus (30kms).

Getting to Delphi

By bus, tour bus, taxi or hire car. Delphi is 200 kms - approximately a 2½ hour drive from Athens.

Athens to Santorini

Daily flights from Athens International Airport to Santorini (Thira) with Olympic / Aegean Airlines. Flight time 45 minutes.

Ferries daily from Piraeus port (Athens) to Santorini (Thira) with Hellenic Seaways - Highspeed vessels, journey time 4 hours and Blue Star Ferries - journey time 7 to 8 hours.

Santorini to Crete

From Santorini to Heraklion, Crete with Olympic /Aegean Airlines. Flight time 45 minutes.

Daily ferries from Santorini (Thira) to Heraklion include a Highspeed catamaran fromBlue Star Ferries - journey time 1 hour 45 minutes and GA Ferries - journey time 4 to 5 hours.

Crete to Athens

Daily flights Heraklion and Chania to Athens with Aegean/Olympic Airlines and Ryanair. Flight time 45 minutes.

Daily ferries between Heraklion or Chania (Souda) and Athens (Piraeus) with ANEK Lines - journey time 9 hours and is usually overnight (e.g. Dep 21.00 hrs. Arr 06.00 hrs next day).

Try to avoid the heat and crowds of the high summer months, in July and August. The best months to travel and sightsee in Greece are May/June and September/October.