Stay Greece Rentals, Vacation Rentals in Greece

Greece is one of the poorest countries in the European Union, even though its financial system has improved after the adoption of the EU's single currency (the euro) and the country's preparation for the Olympic Games. Greece is an agricultural country. 22% of the workforce is employed for agriculture, 27% in the industry sector and 50 % in the services. The sector of sightseeing, hotels, travel and shipping contribute the most to the economy of the country. At independence, Greece had an area of 47,515 square kilometers (18,346 square mi.), and its northern boundary extended from the Gulf of Volos to the Gulf of Arta. Under the influence of the "Megali Idea," which in its most broad interpretation meant the expansion of the Greek state to include all areas where significant Greek communities existed, Greece acquired the Ionian islands in 1864; Thessaly and part of Epirus in 1881; part of Macedonia, Crete, Epirus, and the Aegean islands in 1913; western Thrace in 1918; and the Dodecanese islands in 1947. Greece entered World War I in 1917 on the side of the Allies. After the war, Greece took part in the Allied occupation of Turkey, where many Greeks still lived. In 1921, the Greek army marched toward Ankara, but was defeated by Turkish forces led by Kemal Mustapha Ataturk and was forced to withdraw. In an exchange of populations under the Treaty of Lausanne, more than 1.3 million refugees from Turkey poured into Greece, and almost 800,000 Greek Turks were sent to Turkey. This large influx of people created enormous challenges for the Greek economy and society.

Greece, the English name for the Hellenic Republic, derives from an ancient Latin word for that area. "Hellenic" derives from the word ancient Greeks used to refer themselves, while "Romaic" comes from the medieval or Byzantine Greek term. Although Romaic was the most common self-designation early in the nineteenth century, it has declined in favor of Hellenic since that time. The words "Greek," "Hellenic," and "Romaic" refer not only to the country but also to the majority ethnic group. Greek culture and identity reflect the shared history and common expectations of all members of the nation-state, but they also reflect an ethnic history and culture that predate the nation-state and extend to Greek people outside the country's borders. Since 98 percent of the country's citizens are ethnically Greek, ethnic Greek culture has become almost synonymous with that of the nation-state. However, recent migration patterns may lead to a resurgence of other ethnic groups in the population.

Greece is located in Europe, next to Italy, on the Mediterranean Sea. All of Greece has pretty much the same weather, it hardly changes. Snow can fall anywhere in Greece, but it is very rare, especially for the islands. Greece's climate is called Mediterranean or subtropical. The summers are long, hot, and dry and it usually stays that way with no rain fall for three to four months. Winters are short, and mildly wet, it is also the wettest during this season. Spring and autumn are the shortest seasons because it either rains or it's hot. If it does happen to rain in the summer, it rains in the morning and is hot and dry in the afternoon, just enough time to go to the beach. Greece has a lot of mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands. It snows heavily in the mountains in the winter time. The land in Greece used to be covered with trees until man came through with animals and demolished them and started growing crops.

Greece is a peninsular country of the South East Europe. It is mostly a mountainous country and it is located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey and the FYROM. However, it has about 160 islands and less than half of them are inhabited. Greece has two seas: The Aegean Sea at the East and the Ionian Sea at the West. The country is divided in regions and islands groups that are organized into prefectures. The most important of all Greece cities is Athens, the capital of the country, which concentrates more than one third of the population. The second largest city is Thessaloniki on the North and the third is Patra on the south west.

Acropolis in Athens is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Greece. Acropolis is marvelous and splendid religious complex, which consists of many temples. They got built by the world's first democracy during the 5th century BC. Parthenon is a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. The Parthenon became the paragon of classical Greek architecture, and has suffered serious damage over the years. A small museum features an outstanding collection of ancient Greek sculptures.

National Archaeological Museum of Athens i s one of the most important archaeological museums in Greece, which houses the collections of Prehistoric items, Sculpture, Pottery and Minor Art, Bronzes, and Egyptian Art. Athens Olympic Stadium is located in the outskirt of Maroussi, which is a popular tourist attraction in Greece. It was given a major facelift for the 2004 Athens Olympics Opening ceremony. Schinias Beach lies in the east coast of the Attica Peninsula, which is reachable within less than an hour from central Athens. The Beach is one of the most beautiful bathing spots of Greece located near Marathon. The White Tower is one of the popular sites to visit in Thessalonike, Greece. This White Tower is a defensive structure dated to the 15th century. Later, it was used as a guard's quarters by the Janissaries and as a prison for those who were convicted to death. Byzantine Museum is one of the finest museums in Thessaloniki, which houses the amazing collection of Byzantine art in Greece. This museum focuses on preserving, researching, and studying the remains of the Byzantine civilization.

By Plane: For small-scale travel on the continent, Let’s Go suggests budget airlines for budget travelers, but more traditional carriers have made efforts to keep up with the revolution.

By Train: Although trains in Greece are cheap, they run less frequently than buses and don’t cover as wide a geographic area. They are generally slower than other European trains and can get pretty gritty.

By Bus: Buses are an essential part of travel in Greece. Service is more extensive, more efficient, and often more comfortable than on trains, and fares are cheap.

By Car: Cars offer speed, freedom, access to the countryside, and an escape from the town-to-town mentality of trains. Although a single traveler won’t save by renting a car, four usually will.

By Boat: If you spend any time on Greece’s many islands, you will get to know the widespread, unpredictable system of ferries and other aquatic transport very, very well.

By Moped And Motorcycle: Mopeds and motorized bikes don’t use much gas, can be put on trains and ferries, and are a good compromise between costly car travel and the limited range of bicycles.