Greek Trifecta: Athens, Thessaloniki & Meteora Adventure

About the destination: Athens gets its name from the goddess of wisdom Athena, who is honoured by the magnificent Acropolis, which towers over the modern, cosmopolitan city that Athens is today. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it is the birthplace of western philosophy, democracy and theatre. To this day, the Greek capital remains a major global centre of culture, with its historic centre, iconic classical sites and museums brimming with artefacts from ancient Greece. The Acropolis, topped by the emblematic Parthenon, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cars have been banned from the historic centre, which has become the most striking pedestrian promenade in Europe. In this archaeological park, visitors will see the contrasting nature of this ancient metropolis, with the opportunity to visit the New Acropolis Museum, a high-tech modern structure with light and airy exhibition spaces, as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archaeological museum in Greece, built in the 19th century and dedicated to ancient Greek art. The Acropolis and Mount Lycavittos, the city’s highest points, are used as landmarks as they can be seen from most places in the Plaka, the old historical neighbourhood. The Plaka is under the Acropolis and stretches almost to Syntagma, home of the Greek Parliament. For a taste of the hedonistic Athenian lifestyle, one should visit Monastiraki, where locals go to eat, drink and socialise. The night belongs to Psirri, a vibrant neighbourhood known for its bars, live music venues and lively nightclubs. Southeast of the city centre, a glorious stretch of coast offers dreamy views over the shimmering blue Aegean Sea. Surely few European capitals can boast sandy beaches and clean water for swimming within such easy reach. Athens therefore offers the best of both worlds – a fantastic city break as well as a lazy beach holiday. Athenians are surprisingly friendly and outgoing and their enthusiasm for life’s pleasurable pursuits is so infectious that even the most reserved traveller will take time out for endless coffees and evening strolls, dine out until late and enjoy the city’s nightlife, long after the rest of Europe has gone to bed.

About the destination: Thessaloniki, ceann de na cathracha is sine agus is mó san Eoraip agus an dara cathair is mó sa Ghréig. Síneann sé thar dhá mhíle i mbabhla a chruthaíodh ag cnoic ísle agus a osclaíonn isteach i gCuan Thermaikos. Is cathair bhríomhar í agus ceann de na hionaid trádála agus cumarsáide is tábhachtaí sa Mheánmhuir. Rinne an tine mhór de 1917 scrios mór ar lár na cathracha staire, agus rinne crith talún mór i 1968 damáiste breise. Ina dhiaidh sin, tá samplaí gan áireamh de shaibhreas staire agus cultúr na cathracha, cé go bhfuil siad i bhfolach i measc na forbartha tar éis 1917. Tá an meascán foirgneamh seo tar éis meascán iontach de stíleanna a chruthú atá an-ait do Thessaloniki. Tá séadchomharthaí Rómhánacha in aice le campais ollscoile nua-aimseartha, tá foirgnimh nua-aimseartha ag faire ar eaglaisí meánaoiseacha agus beidh struchtúir Otomanacha go luath ag cúlú túinéal nua Thessaloniki, an subway. Tá na húdaráis cathracha tar éis a lán a dhéanamh chun staid an oidhreacht chultúir a chaomhnú agus is féidir linn a shamhlú go ndéanfar níos mó chun a chinntiú nach bhfuil sé ach cuid bhuan de radharc na cathracha ach go bhfuil sé soiléir agus inrochtana do áitritheoirí agus do chuairteoirí araon. Níl mórthacht Thessaloniki, áfach, ach ina struchtúr seasta. Tá an chathair seo beo go fíor agus ní hamháin i gcás tráchta mór nó a lán tógála. Is maith leis na daoine anseo iad féin a léiriú amuigh faoin aer agus is deacair am a chaitheamh anseo gan roinnt de chultúr dúchasach agus fíor na cathracha a fheiceáil. Bíonn ceolchoirmeacha faoin aer ag Plateia Aristotelou i rith an tsamhraidh, ach bíonn cruinnithe spontáineacha ann freisin a thugann léargas do chuairteoirí ar shaol na nGriagach gnáth. Bíonn mic léinn ag caitheamh ama os comhair an Rotunda ag seinm a ngiotáirí san oíche agus bíonn an Agora Rómhánach uaireanta ina láthair do drámaí nó taispeántais a eagraítear ag grúpaí éagsúla sa chathair. Gach dhá bhliain, glacann an bláthú cultúrtha seo an cruth de na biennála ealaíne comhaimseartha, buaicphointe féilire phobal ealaíontóirí na cathracha. Is iad na heaglaisí Byzantine, na tógálacha Rómhánacha, na foirgnimh Mhuislim, an ailtireacht nua-aimseartha, an oíche bheo agus na tránna áille an t-essence de Thessaloniki. Mar an dara cathair is mó sa Ghréig, cumann Thessaloniki níos mó ná 2,300 bliain de stair le gach saoráid agus excitement a d'fhéadfadh cathair Eorpach nua-aimseartha a thairiscint do chuairteoir.