Secret corners of Greece

To describe all the advantages of this beautiful land, there is not enough time. We decided to move away from the usual, well-known sights, and tell you about places that are not very popular among tourists, but absolutely deserve attention.

 

One of the best ways to get to know Greece is to rent a car. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of life of local residents, study the culture from the inside, visit all the interesting places. And what exactly, we will tell later.

 

Not all tourists know about the existence of the small town of Naoussa. It is located on the slopes of Mount Vermion. It is famous for its festivals, delicious restaurants and ski holidays in winter. And also a unique park-reserve, named in honor of St. Nicholas.

 

 

In the center of the park there is a church of the same name. The grove of ancient plane trees shelters visitors from the sun, the Arapitsa River, which divides Naoussa in half, gives coolness, and the nearby mountains make the air clean and fresh. In this grove you can simply wander aimlessly, having fun and admiring the beauty around, or you can ride a local train or horses, and also try to catch trout for dinner in the local pond for a small fee.

 

 

 

It's a beautiful place. A huge well-equipped park with observation decks, walking paths, restaurants and souvenir shops. There are 11 waterfalls in the complex. The most popular, it is the largest waterfall Koranos, fascinates with its beauty and power. You can always see a rainbow around it. In addition, the park is very green with many flowers and plants. Also near the waterfall is a small stalactite cave, which can be visited for a small fee.

 

Stalactite and stalagmite cave, absolutely unlike all the others, it is considered one of the largest in Europe. The huge size, interesting structure, as well as the rich and diverse filling make it truly unique.

 

Previously, this cave was inaccessible to tourists, it was studied by geologists and archaeologists, but in 1998 it was opened for general visits and excursions.

 

To get into the cave, you need to climb the mountain through the picturesque landscapes, and then walk through a long and wide artificial tunnel, after which all the hidden underground beauty will appear before the eye. Equipped paths and special lighting will make your trip not only interesting, but also comfortable. Near the cave is a museum with finds from it, take a little time to have time to look there.

 

 

 

This thermal lake is available to visit all year round. The water in it is considered healing, and feed its underground springs. Under the water there are real labyrinths of caves, but access to them is limited by buoys and the strict eyes of rescuers. On the territory of the lake there is a whole complex for recreation with a restaurant, changing booths, showers, as well as sunbeds and umbrellas.

 

The lake itself is surrounded by picturesque rocks, against which tourists like to take pictures.

 

 

In addition to its external beauty and healing properties, this lake is interesting because it is inhabited by Garra Rufa fish. These are the small fish that are used in spas. They swim near the descents into the water, and if you lower your legs there, they immediately swim up and begin to quietly pinch you, scraping keratinized skin remnants. It's perfectly safe, except it's ticklish.

 

 

 

It's just an amazing, huge private zoo. Initially, his owner planned to open a bird park, which he actually did in 2000 - this is the third largest collection of birds in the world. But very quickly, Bird Park reclassified into a real zoo. A huge area of 20 hectares, about 2,000 animals, and most importantly, you will not see the usual cells and grids there. All animals live in almost natural conditions, of course, a little limited for the safety of visitors. For example, a huge zone is reserved for the habitat of lemurs.

 

 

In fact, it is a huge complex with houses, trees and benches where lemurs live, it is fenced with a small fence and a gate with the inscription: “Do not touch lemurs with your hands”, but when you go inside, the lemurs touch you. These are very friendly and curious animals that are happy to climb on visitors and look at them, and those in turn take funny photos. The territory also has its own dolphinarium, where free shows are held.

 

This zoo seems to have it all: plenty of cafes, playgrounds, souvenir shops, even a picnic area!

 

 

Take at least one day to visit, believe me, you will not regret it!

 

 

 

 

Despite its historical value, this attraction is not in particular demand among tourists. Cape Sounion is wrapped in many legends and myths. The most famous is that of King Aegeus, who waited for his son Theseus after a battle with the Minotaur. The young man forgot to change the sails for white and his father, who was waiting for him at the cape, decided that he was dead. Then he jumped off a cliff. In his honor, the sea was named, which washed the cape. Now the Aegean Sea is one of the most famous in the world.

 

On the cape there is an ancient temple of Poseidon, which was the patron saint of local fishermen and gave them a rich catch and a quiet sea. In gratitude, they built a powerful temple towering over the valley.

 

 

In addition to the historical value, this place has stunning beauty and breathtaking views of the sea and valley. It is also worth coming here to meet the stunning sunset on the top or to dine against the backdrop of the stunning landscape.

 

Of course, this is only a small part of the special and interesting places of the beautiful state.

Text by Alesya Kurzaeva

Photo: Alesya Kurzaeva, Pinterest