What to see in Greece and the Aegean Islands

Article Written By: M. Fox

Located in Olympia, the Temple of Zeus was built to house the famed Statue of Zeus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) which depicts a sitting Zeus with skin made of blackened ivory and clothed in gold inlay. Unfortunately, the statue was destroyed centuries ago so this idol cannot be seen on tours of Greece, but the temple still stands in monument to what was.

The Aegean Island of Delos is said to be the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo and it is one of the most revered islands in Classic Greek mythology. It host ruins of numerous temples, marketplaces, and theaters, and the Terrace of Lions still showcases the remains of seven snarling marble lions that lined the avenue in dedication to the god Apollo.

The Acropolis of Athens is a flat-topped rock that rises almost 500 ft above sea level that many legendary temples are built upon including the Erechtheion and the Parthenon. It is an essential Classic Greece tour site and tours enter the acropolis through the awe-inspiring Propylaea which is made of white and gray marble columns. On the north side of the Acropolis, the temple of Erechtheion was built around 400 BC in honor of King Erichthonius. The Parthenon temple is one of the most famous monuments in ancient Greece and was built in honor of the goddess Athena around 440 BC.

The 4 mile long, man-made Corinth canal connects the Aegean with the Ionian Sea and was narrowly built in the 1890s. The walls are a very sheer 170 feet high and the waterway is only 79 feet wide which drastically limits the size of vessels that can pass through the canal. The Corinth Canal provides a very thin separation between the Peloponnesian peninsula and Greece's mainland and is well worth seeing on a tour of Greece.

The Asclepeion is a healing temple sacred to the god Asclepius who is thought to be Apollo's son. One of the largest and most celebrated Asclepeions was located just outside of the town of Epidaurus. Now in ruins, this Epidaurus' Asclepeion was a center for healing in 300 BC with more than 150 guestrooms, a theater and healing springs nearby.

Now an archaeological site but once a great military stronghold for Greece, Mycenae is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Tomb of Agamemnon, also known as the Treasury of Atreus, is located within the ruins of Mycenae and was constructed around 1250 BC. Classic Greece escorted tours are allowed to enter the ruins as well as the tomb.

In homage to those that have died in service, Greece's monument to the Unknown Soldier is guarded round the clock by an elite guard named the Evzones that also safeguard the presidential palace. Reverently inscribed in the monument is "...and one bed is carried empty, made for the unknown ones."

Home of the first modern Olympics games in 1896, Panathenaic Stadium is completely made of white marble and can hold almost 50,000 people. It was originally built in 330 BC but has been restored numerous times over the centuries and is still used today in Athens.

Built on immense sandstone rock pillars that jet from the countryside like meteors, Meteora's Eastern Orthodox monasteries showcase an ancient complex of stone buildings, some of which are still inhabited by Eastern Orthodox nuns. Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rightfully so; the buildings are built to the very edge of these towering pillars and seem to be suspended in the heavens. Meteora is an amazing destination to include on any Classic Greece tour.

Near ancient Sparta, Mystras is a beautiful castle fortress on a hill and is another UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the younger archeological sites in Greece, dating only to 1245 AD, but its medieval architecture definitely provides vacationers with the feeling of being in an ancient land.

About the Author

If you have been looking to explore the ancient lands, YMT Vacations has great last minute vacation offers to fantastic destinations like Classic Greece!

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