Spring break to Constantinople

Being a Greek travelling to Constantinople is a sentimental experience for me, the air, the churches, the Greek Byzantium monuments, Hagia Sophia, the few Greeks friends that live there the atmosphere...Never boring, crossroads of different cultures, bazaars, exquisite food, shisa shops, skyscrapers, humble neighbourhoods, the views of the Bosporus and lots of people...14.000.000 million people in one city make things interesting and diverse enough for everybody.

Spending Easter in Constantinople was a sure bet for fun for us and the nice weather forecast would only make our time there even better.

It was spring and all the roads where filled with colorful tulips the national flower of Turkey.

The Tulip were originally a wild flower growing in the Central Asia and were first cultivated by the Turks as early as 1,000 AD. The flower were introduced in the Western Europe and the Netherlands in the 17th century by Carolus Clusius, a famous biologist from Vienna.

Kythnos escapism to simplicity

You are burned out in the office, living in the chaos of a big city, you have constantly a bad temper and you want to return to a slow, simple life. You love Greek islands but you are sick of the touristic chaos taking place in the summer, you want to relax. Pay a visit to Kythnos like many Athenians do every weekend during the summer months and you will discover an unspoiled Greek island and maybe you inner peace too.

Visit Kolona beach 

The stunning beach of Kolona is a narrow strip of land that connects Kythnos with the islet of Agios Loukas. It has fine golden sand and the sea lapping at both of its sides.We got there with a taxi boat from the port of Merichas. The beach can be reached also by foot, if you are hiking and by jeep as the road is pretty rough. If you cannot stand the sun, bring your own umbrella, there are no trees to provide shade and the only facility is a tavern that operates in the daytime.

the beach is surrounded by gentle, quite infertile slopes Source: www.greeka.com

The beach of Kolona is basically a narrow strip of land that connects Kythnos to the islet of Agios Loukas. However, it has a particular charm, partly due to its fine, golden sand and the sea lapping at both of its sides. In addition, the beach is surrounded by gentle, quite infertile slopes. Kolona beach is situated approximately 3 km to the west of Chora village and can be reached by taxi boat from Merihas, the main port of Kythnos. It can also be reached on foot, which takes a couple of hours from the port. Source: www.greeka.com

Milos island, extraterrestrial beauty

Sarakiniko

Arriving at Adamas gave me a feeling of serenity, a feeling that kept going during all my stay in Milos and made my days there. This was followed by a more strange feeling, like I landed to another planet of the solar system when we were driving from Adamas to Pollonia. Low colourful hills, rugged landscape next to deep blue sea. Milos was created by volcanic activity that took place 2-3 million years ago and stopped 90.000 years before. Islands ordinary rocks are tuff, trachyte and obsidian and the natural harbour is the hollow of the principal crater. That is why I had this extraterrestrial feeling all these surreal rock formations and dramatic coastal views, I was surrounded by an unusual and serene landscape I have never met before. 

Do not make the mistake and compare Milos with Santorini, although both volcanic the low hills of Milos have nothing to do with Santorini's cliffs soaring over 300m from the caldera. Milos is not so touristic either therefore is mostly preferred by romantic couples in Greece. It provides the right amount of extraordinary scenery with relaxed nightlife and cool places to chill out with your other half.