Recently in Greece Category

People generally don't need too many travel tips for the Greek island of Mykonos. Watching the sunset is often reason enough. Wherever you go on the island, you'll find something exciting, interesting, and fun, from the flawless beaches on the southern coast to some fantastic restaurants, bars, and clubs in and around the town of Hora. But even though it's impossible to have a bad time in Mykonos, it's worth looking out for the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, because it helps put in perspective the beautiful yet ancient island you're walking on. It houses the archaeological finds from Mykonos and nearby Reneia, and features several centuries of fine art and sculpture. A large ceramic vase known as a pithon from the Seventh Century B.C., for example, has an elaborately carved relief depicting the fall of Troy on its surface. A collection of Rhenian gravestones, meanwhile, feature intricate stonework detailing the lives of the people they commemorate. A display of ceramic and glass dolls and rings shows that artists of the time had a whimsical side as well. The museum is located just minutes from the Santa Marina Resort & Villas, Mykonos, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.

Greece's Spinalonga Island is just a 15-minute ferry ride from the luxurious Blue Palace Resort & Spa, but a visit to this uninhabited rock is like taking a trip back in time. Spinalonga was of great strategic importance during the Venetian occupation of Crete, so a mighty fortress was erected in 1579 over the ruins of an acropolis in order to protect the port of Elounda from marauders and other unsavories with ill intent. The island fortress remained defiantly Venetian for 50 years after the Turkish conquest, providing a refuge for Christian refugees until 1715. Its last inhabitants were residents of a leper colony, which operated on the island until the advent of better and more humane care prompted its closure in 1957. Today, Spinalonga is one of the most popular day-trip destinations in Crete, drawing adventurous visitors who come to explore the towers and fortifications of this once mighty fortress and enjoy panoramic views of Crete and the surrounding sea. It isn't every day that you get to see such a well-preserved example of Venetian island fortification in the Eastern Mediterranean, so it's worth it to take a short break from the beach for a stroll through another era.

The Greek island of Delos is a short ferry ride from the island of Mykonos, but while Mykonos is a luxury destination boasting all the modern conveniences, visiting Delos is like traveling back in time two thousand years. This small, rocky island in the center of the Cyclades was known to the ancient Greeks as the birthplace of Apollo, the god of music, truth, and light, and Artemis, goddess of hunting. And with acres of ruins dating back to as far as 1000 B.C., it's one of the most important archaeological sites in all of Greece, and that's saying something. Only a small group of archaeologists are allowed to live on the island full-time, because the entirety of its 40 square kilometers is a national park, with the well-preserved ruins of an ancient Greek religious temple area scattered throughout. Fortunately, several different ferry boats provide shuttle service from Mykonos Town to Delos for a day trip you'll never forget. Wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and granola bars, because to see all the ruins requires a fair bit of hiking. Highlights include the ancient theater, the Temple of Isis, and the famous lions of Delos, a row of growling lions dedicated to Apollo by the residents of nearby Naxos. A climb to the top of 112-meter Mt. Kynthos affords 360 degree views of the ancient Greek ruins against the shimmering blue waters of the Aegean Sea that are the very definition of breathtaking. You'll do plenty of walking, but if you're reasonably fit, I guarantee you'll be so awed by the overwhelming beauty of the place that you won't feel tired until you sit down on the ferry back to Mykonos. Guests at the Santa Marina Resort & Villas, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection, won't want to miss this fascinating window into Ancient Greece.