Nowadays, a person with a secondary education is ashamed not to know where Greece is. This country is the cradle of our entire European culture and civilization. The first famous philosophers, scientists, sculptors and architects, writers and poets lived here. Ancient Greek civilization spawned the practice of the Olympic Games - sports between city cities. During their conduct, all wars ceased. But here we will not talk about the Games, but about a rich and amazing country - Greece. About its location on the world map. About its islands and rugged coastline. About the climate and the most popular resorts. And of course, about its rich and ancient history, which had such an impact on the whole of European civilization.
Where is Greece on the map
Let's start with geography. If we open the political atlas of the world, we will see that the Greek Republic is located in the European Union, in the southeast of its territory. This state - with the exception of the holy Mount Athos - has been included in the Schengen Agreement Zone since 2000. That is, to get to Greece, you need to open a visa. But the "Schengen", received at the embassy of this country, gives the right to travel throughout Europe. The Greek Republic occupies not only part of the mainland. In fact, its fifth part is the archipelagos and islands. Their total area is almost 25 thousand square kilometers. By the number of islands on its territory, this country occupies sixty-ninth place in the world. This is where the main stream of tourists rushes in the summer. But no less interesting is mainland Greece. The map shows that in the north the country borders on Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania. The border with Turkey mainly passes by sea, but on land it stretches for two hundred and six kilometers.
History
It is rather difficult to describe in a few words the eventful history of this land. In ancient times, Greek policies were very powerful. Their ships reached the Black Sea. The ancient Greeks founded colonies in the Crimea and in Colchis (the coast of the Caucasus). In 146 BC, Hellas became dependent on Rome, but with the split of this empire in 395 into the western and eastern parts, it could regain its former power. The capital of Byzantium moved from Athens to Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). But with the strengthening of the Seljuk Turks, the empire fell. It happened in 1453. Where Greece had its colonies, the Ottoman Empire established itself. Turkish rule lasted several centuries. Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire only after the national liberation war in 1830.
On which peninsula is Greece located
Now it's time to uncover the geographical map of Europe. We see that Greece (at least its mainland) is located in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. But this part of the land, washed by the Adriatic, Aegean, Ionian, Black and Marmara seas, is too large to serve as an exact coordinate. Together with Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina fully fit on the giant Balkan Peninsula. And Turkey and Romania are located in the Balkans partially. How to more accurately determine the location of Greece? Let's just say: this country lies between forty-second and thirty-fifth degrees of northern latitude. By its longitude it is limited by the 19th and 28th meridians of the Eastern Hemisphere. The area of ​​this state, together with the islands, is 132 thousand square kilometers.
Rugged coast
We answered the question about which peninsula Greece is on, but this information is not exhaustive. The map shows that the Balkans have a very rugged coast. And on the territory of Greece, we generally see a “fringe” that stands out at sea. The coastline of this country is impressive: fifteen thousand kilometers! Some peninsulas are connected to the mainland by such a narrow and long isthmus that they seem completely isolated. For example, the Peloponnese. This peninsula looks like a ripe berry hanging on a thin cuttings. The isthmus called Corinthian, 42 km long, is not very wide. In the narrowest place (six and a half kilometers) in the nineteenth century a canal was dug. In the Peloponnese there are such tourist places as Sparta and Olympia.
Relief of greece
About eighty percent of the country are mountains, rocks and plateaus. Such a raised relief is due to the peninsula on which Greece is located. The Balkans have several mountain systems on their territory. Bulgaria, Croatia and other countries of this gigantic peninsula boast winter ski resorts. Greece is no exception. Most ski resorts are located in the north of the country, in the rooms of Phocis and Eurytania, in the Pind mountains. But the highlight of the resort of Arachova (on the slopes of Parnassus) is that, after skiing among the sparkling snow, you can take a bus to the warm sea in half an hour. The highest point of the country is Mount Olympus (2917 meters), where, according to pagan beliefs, the gods live. There are plains in this country - in Boeotia, Thessaly, on the Peloponnese.
Climate
The uniqueness of the local climate is determined not only by the peninsula of Greece, but also by the relief, currents and winds. On the territories remote from the sea, the Central European temperate climate dominates with cold winters and rather hot summers. In the mountains, altitudinal zonation is observed. This climate is called alpine. Most of the country's territory lies in the subtropical natural zone. This means that warm winters (in Crete even in January the average temperature is + 10 C) with frequent rains gives way to sultry and dry summers. Heat is especially felt on the mainland. On the islands, due to the constantly blowing sea breeze, almost no heat is felt. This circumstance has earned Greece the fame of a world-class resort country. About twelve million people visit it every year.
How to get there
Almost all travel agencies offer trips to this wonderful country. However, in order to better know the national spirit of Greece, its culture, the life of its people, it is better to go on a trip yourself. The Balkan Peninsula, where Greece is located, can be reached in several ways. Due to the large distance from Russia, it is preferable to choose air travel. Theoretically, you can get to Greece by train: Moscow-Sofia will take you to the capital of Bulgaria, and from there you can get to Athens. But such a move is too long and exhausting. Almost every major city in Greece has an airport. By plane, you can reach the islands: Crete, Kos, Rhodes and others. Between cities ply buses. The islands are not isolated: there are ferries between them and the mainland. In general, water transport in the country is very developed, in addition to regular passenger flights, you can book a tourist cruise.
People
The Greeks are an extremely welcoming and hospitable people. By faith, ninety-five percent of the population are Orthodox Christians. This religion is elevated to the rank of state: all citizens, whether they like it or not, pay a tax on the maintenance of the Church. There are many Christian shrines where pilgrims and just curious people rush. It is enough to recall Mount Athos and the monasteries of Meteora. Greek cuisine is beyond praise. While in the country, it’s a sin not to try soufflaki, olives, meze meats and local ouzo vodka. This culture gave the world Greek salad, tzatziki, moussaka and many other dishes. Not to mention the wines. They are excellent here. And this is not surprising - after all, the god of winemaking Dionysus was born here. Greece, whose location is very advantageous, because it is at the crossroads of European, Asian and African cultures, has absorbed all the best that they could give to humanity.
The islands
Greece is full of interesting historical and cultural attractions, and this is the most significant reason to visit the country. If you arrive in the country through the capital's airport, extend your stay in Athens for a few days. It is impossible to go to the beaches without seeing the famous Acropolis, the temples of Zeus and Hephaestus, the theater of Dionysus and the arch of Hadrian. If you are a fan of Byzantine art, head to the city of Thessaloniki. Meteors, Athos, Delphi, Olympus are just some of the places on the list of attractions that mainland Greece is proud of. The islands (a map in Russian indicating interesting places is available at tourist information points) attract visitors with their beaches and unique climate. But there is something to see here. Crete is particularly notable. This is the largest island in the country. The mysterious Crito-Mycenaean civilization once flourished on it, which left us many beautiful artifacts. But Greece has three thousand islands - enough to choose one to taste. By the way, most of them are still uninhabited. People constantly live on only two hundred of them. Clusters of islands form archipelagos: Northern Sporades, Cyclades, Dodecanese and others.
Fur coats
All shopaholics of the world know where Greece is located. Since in this country such an interesting type of tourism was invented as fur coats with an obligation. What does it mean? In Greece, there is a small town of Kastoria, almost all of whose inhabitants are involved in the furrier business. Here fur animals are bred and fur coats and sheepskin coats are made from their fur. In order to lure buyers to Kastoria, remote from the sea, the local furrier association came up with “tours with an obligation”. If you sign a warranty card that you buy fur products for an amount not less than 1400 Euros, all expenses - flights, hotel accommodation and meals - are covered by the receiving party. Thus, you can relax on the beaches (tours involve visiting not only Kastoria), and purchase a new fur coat. If you are not sure about the assortment and prices of furs, you can buy a ticket without obligation.
What to bring from Greece
If buying a fur coat is still a pipe dream, let's think about what souvenirs you can bring from a trip. In addition to fridge magnets and pseudo-antique statuettes made in China, in shops of Greek resort towns and islands you can buy real, authentic things. And it’s better not to look for a souvenir shop at all. All original Greek is sold in a regular grocery store. The first is feta cheese. The Greeks themselves consume it in huge quantities - twenty-five kilograms per capita per year! Believe me, an authentic feta is very different from the Russian counterpart. Next is extra virgin olive oil. Maybe ouzo (aniseed tincture) is an amateur drink, but Greek wines are appreciated by absolutely everyone! If you made a trip to the monasteries, you will not return empty-handed: you will definitely buy cypress crosses, icons, figurines. For antiques (and not fakes), they go to Athens, on Monastiraki Square. Greece is at the crossroads of cultures, and here you can buy anything.