This year’s performance is predicted to be around 2019 levels, according to the Bank of Greece’s (BoG) Interim Report on Monetary Policy.

BoG analysts expect 5.0 percent growth in 2022 and 3.9 percent growth in 2023, based on robust international tourism, eurozone recovery, and increased investment.

The interim report focused its evaluation on tourist success in 2021, which surpassed forecasts and somewhat offset Covid-19 sector losses.

Indicatively, travel revenues increased to 10.2 billion euros in January-October 2021, with arrivals reaching 13,763 thousand, with the Omicron variation halting the trend in December.

According to BoG analysts, tourist income will continue to expand in 2022 and 2023, boosting the Greek economy. The study also mentions the sector’s essential significance as an economic engine owing to considerable planned investments.

According to the interim study, Greece should reduce its reliance on tourism to prevent future volatility in export profits. Instead, the BoG blames the epidemic for the large decline.

Researchers say Greece must diversify its tourist offering, including increasing themed tourism and expanding markets. New export items are needed to stabilize income.

In terms of competitiveness, Greece has maintained its fourth place in the Mediterranean market, after Spain, Italy, and Turkey. Pre-pandemic 2019, the nation increased its proportion of total income and arrivals in the area.

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Who we are
CEL TOURS is considered one of the most well-established tour operators in Greece. It was founded in 1982 by a team of professionals from the accounting and shipping industry. Their mission was to create a travel service provider offering products between Greece and Asia that can satisfy even the most demanding customers in the local as well as international market. The deep knowledge of the Asian destinations together with high standard services offered at competitive prices have proven to be keys to success for CEL TOURS which soon took the lead in the outbound market of Greek travelers to Asia. Our long list of “Top Performer” Awards received by governmental bodies, airlines and hotel chains across Asia testify to our commitment to excellent performance and the overseas recognition of our work.

These achievements drove us to continue making headway and conquering new destinations. In 1986 CEL TOURS expanded its activities in Asia by opening two affiliated companies: CEL TOURS THAILAND in Phuket and MARWIN TOURS THAILAND in Bangkok. The year 2001 marked a milestone for our organization as it was chosen to handle the first groups of Thai and Indian tourist visitors to Greece. Today, with more than 30 years of experience in Asia, CEL TOURS is the Greek tour operator who best understands the needs and demands of Asian travelers, offering with great success tailored made travel services to its guests from Asia in Greece. Honeymooners, MICE groups, adventure travelers or pilgrims: our highly diversified product range can meet the needs and interests
of all different types of travelers. Well known as a pioneer in opening new destinations, the past five years our company has been continuously introducing the Best of Greece to its Asian guests, including yet undiscovered regions of uni
que beauty, culture and historical importance.

Our Mission
Efficiency, flexibility, quality service with a personal touch and state-of-the-art technology combined with strong purchasing advantages and value for money: these are the key words that describe our mission. Our pursuit is to offer competitive and value-for-money products along with high level services in order to ensure the total satisfaction of our clients. Our strong commitment to meet and exceed all business clients goals and objectives makes us strive for excellence in quality, integrity and value in everything we do and at all times. We want our partners and ourselves to grow profitably in our respective field using market analysis, continuous product development, aggressive yield management and prudent financial risk monitoring.

Awards
The high standard of services that CEL TOURS offers to its demanding clients has earned it an enviable reputation both at home and abroad as proven by the following prestigious awards:

1) Thailand Tourism Authority Awards 1999 – 2001
2) China Women Travel Services Top Operator Awards 1999 – 2006
3) Top Ten Tour Operators Award 1996 – 2008 by Thai International Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa, Kuwait Airlines, Gulf Air & Royal Jordanian Airlines.
4) Certificate of Recognition by the ACCOR Group of Hotels 2005 – 2010

In addition to the awards given to CEL TOURS as a wholesaler, many individual awards have also been handed to its Managing Director Mary Souli Kafkios for her valuable contribution to the cross-border tourism and cultural relations between Greece and Asia. Ms. Souli Kafkios has been named twice Tourism Ambassador by both Tourism Organizations of China and India and earned the title of Business Woman of the year 2002 by the prestigious Greek magazine Epsilon.

Core Business Area
Incoming Tourism
– Tour Operators Representation
– B2B Online Travel Manager (OTM)
– Incentives & Conferences (MICE )
– Special Interest Groups & Special operations
– Event organizer Inland Activities
– Transfers

Outgoing Tourism
– Ticketing
– Holiday Packages
– FIT – GIT

Local Tours & Activities
– Excursions and guided tours
– Hotel reservations
– Transfer services
– Specialized VIP tours
– VIP yacht & Limo chartering
– Car rentals
– Boat trips
– Water sports & beach games
– Spa & Wellness programs
– Team building activities
– Other Activities (carting, horse riding, donkey riding, quatrobike..

Destination Management Events
– Conference hall and meeting venues
– Technical audio-video systems
– Hostesses, guides and tour escorts
– Simultaneous translations
– Musical and dance performances
– Catering (including vegetarian, halal, etc ) and Gala dinners
– Booth setups
– Graphic services, photography and video productions
– Indoor and outdoor set designing
– And all other miscellaneous services that you need for your event

Some of our portfolio customers

Services
We provide full support to charter operators, internet based tour operators as well as to leisuregroups, FIT travelers and MICE Group specialists on the following domains:

Accommodation

CEL TOURS features one of the largest “Bed Banks” in Greece contracting thousands of rooms in all destinations of our network and offering a broad selection of accommodation in all categories(from low-budget-self-catering units to exclusive De Luxe hotels, as well as villas and other special types of accommodation) at most competitive conditions.

Contracting / Product
Our profound experience and know-how in this field allows us to provide tailor-made solutions that cover all kinds of operation (charters, chains, FIT packages, special interest groups, conferences, island hoppin etc.). Our high traffic and volume of clients gives us a solid bargaining and negotiation power so that we can always achieve the best deals and rates possible in accommodation and travel services (even lower than the ones offered by the international groups).

Reservations
Our Reservation Department consists of a high-skilled team that has deep knowledge of the product it offers, striving to meet the specific and personal needs of every customer. The latest version of our reservation software system, ABS (Automatic Booking System), can “handshake” with any reservation software our partners are using. All year round individual bookings can be made online through our B2B system.

Transfers for all passengers
Our company is one of the best known and strongest providers of transfers in Greece, having its own counters at the arrival terminals of most major airports and offering stable shuttle bus transfers from the airports to the main tourist destinations of each region. Our fleet, which is used for all transportation services, from airport transfers to group excursions and private tours, consists of luxury owned and leased buses as well as mini-buses and limos driven by experienced drivers. All vehicles are in compliance with the latest EU quality and safety standards, coming equipped with the most modern audio-visual facilities, including wireless broadband internet, and carrying an unlimited insurance coverage for all our passengers.

Car rental
In cooperation with the most reliable local and international car rental organizations, we offer overly competitive rates for car rental (including pre-bookings and reservations on the spot).

Groups & Incentives
CEL TOURS has an independent department that is specialized in the organization of leisure and MICE groups. Its team consists of highly qualified, deeply experienced professionals who have an extensive knowledge of all tourism aspects and an in-depth understanding of the destination of Greece, its various facilities and available services. They are trained to cater to any requirement with the most flexibility and to design customized packages regardless of the size of the group (ranging from small special interest to large congress groups) in order to meet any group specification and budget range. We emphasize on innovation, cost-efficiency and excellence in designing, planning and implementing outstanding group travel experiences, corporate meetings, incentives and special events. Throughout the years we have built up a solid network of reliable local suppliers and associates – hotels, all types of restaurants and dining venues, activity providers, licensed guides etc. – all over the Greek mainland and the islands, with whom we keep strong strategic partnerships.

Our client base includes top companies in the sectors of pharmaceutics, banking, telecommunications, insurance as well as incentive, convention and leisure travel. In the field of leisure groups we co-operate successfully with well-established tour operators, providing them with exclusive tailor-made designed programs all over Greece. Our creativity and consistent professionalism, the high standard of our services, our attention to detail and the final touch that makes each of our programs a unique experience for the participants are our guarantee for success.

Excursions
CEL TOURS offers a great variety of itineraries that are available in all major languages and appeal to all interests, ranging from history, culinary and culture to shopping, recreational and adventurous activities. All of our excursions, boat trips and daily cruises are accompanied and guided by high-skilled and experienced guides. Our aim is to cover every aspect of interest in each region of Greece. Apart from the “classical” tours that focus on the rich history and natural beauty of the country, CEL TOURS offers its clients the opportunity to actively discover and experience the cultural tradition and heritage of Greek people. Interactive excursions allow our clients to participate in local cooking, wine and olive-oil producing and tasting, pottery manufacturing, bread baking, folklore dancing, donkey rides and much more.

Cruises

CEL TOURS provides a wide range of cruise programs and shore excursions at competitive rates at all call ports of Greece, for both groups and individual travelers. In co-operation with the largest and most reliable cruise lines, it also offers fascinating cruises between the mainland of Greece, its magnificent islands and Turkey. Our vast experience in this area allows us to put together top quality itineraries designed to achieve the best-value-for-money available.

Excellent Conference Facilities
CEL TOURS provides spacious state-of-art meeting rooms equipped with all technical mean necessary for even the most demanding conferences (video projectors, slides and overhead projectors, projection screens, speakers podium with microphone, table and floor microphones, laser pointers etc.).

Cel Tours Events
CEL TOURS delivers a full programme of simply amazing entertainment events and shows creating unique and unforgettable experiences.

Santorini Wedding
CEL TOURS can plan your Santorini wedding to perfection and organize the ceremony of your dreams. It offers a great choice of wedding packages, including wedding photography and venues.

Technology – XML – B2B Booking system

Investing in technology is one of our top priorities as we continually strive to stay updated with the constant development of online booking systems and all the latest technological advances in the market. The reservation software we use is therefore always updated with the latest technology advancements and can “handshake” with any other reservation system. We have already developed our own B2B system offering all our products online with real-time availability, so that our partners can purchase them in an easy and pleasant as well as efficient and cost-effective way.

Our affiliated web booking system supports both White label & Back Office solutions, while the XML connectivity services we use link our product’s real-time availability to the distribution channels (websites, reservation systems, dynamic packaging machines etc.) of our partners. All the information on our website is analytic (based on OTA standards) and linked to Google maps.

Technology and online connectivity of all companies’ operations and departments is of vital importance for the company’s expansion and the creation of the extended network of its ranch offices.

Customer Testimonials
Dear Ilias/Sofi/Mary,
Thank you so so much for being such wonderful hosts. I never imagined a tour operator would do so much to make their customers happy. Everyone on the team has been very warm, very personal, and very helpful. This trip we will never forget. And the most we will remember is the help you all provided. Lots of love and regards,
Nisha, Ayush

Your day sounds almtost exactly like the tour that Randy and I did of the Pelopponese, right down to lunch. I actually thought the lunch was really good the wine was great (first time I had ever had sweet, chilled red wine), and our dessert was the best oranges I’d ever had.
We actually stole the leftover oranges to eat on the plane on the way home. I loved basically everything we did in Greece and Turkey, but my favorite day by far was the day we spent on the island of Rhodes. Our (many) photos from our trip are here: if you want to look. I’m glad you had such a fantastic trip!
Daniela

I’m hearing group is having a great time Thanks to your amazing services
Tech Mahindra

Dear Maria,
We had very good experience with you, all passenger and Kulin is happy with your services.
In our future group we will defiantly working with you. Once again thank.
Rajesh Jodhani

Hi, Thanks once again for all the arrangements that were brilliantly executed.
It was a great trip for all of us very well put together by the Indian & Greek team. Its a lovely country with the most friendly & helpful people & we enjoyed every bit of it.
Rgds,
Neeru khare
Aitken Travel Services

Hello Mary,
First of all. id like to thank you(primarily),Elena,Dimitris & Illyas for making our tour enjoyable.We really had a good time and would communicate the same to many people.You can identify us from the photographs above I am a regular reviewer on trip advisor and you wanted the references which I have pasted below.You need to press CRTL+click Im very sure many well to do Indians would like to visit Greece but tour operators avoid(preferring UK/Italy/Germany/France(very good embassy procedure) due to the slow procedure.I know you said that they cannot hire additional staff for 2 ½ months but they know the period April-June, which is regular .Others hire temporary staff to cope.This is like your July-August holidays in Greece
My son saw that you have got an award from the Kashmir Govt and China also. Many congratulations !
Hope to be back sometime to see Crete & Delhi
All the best

Padmanabhan Nair

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On the fourth side, the lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia, the lagoon is connected to the sea in two places, in the northwest and southwest. The depth of the caldera, at 400m, makes it possible for all but the largest ships to anchor anywhere in the protected bay, there is also a newly built marina at Vlychada, on the southwestern coast. The island’s principal port is Athinias. The capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon. The volcanic rocks present from the prior eruptions feature olivine and have a small presence of hornblende.

It is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The volcanic arc is approximately 500 km (310 mi) long and 20 to 40 km (12 to 25 mi) wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago, though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around the Akrotiri.
The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption (sometimes called the Thera eruption), which occurred some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of metres deep and may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) to the south, through a gigantic tsunami. Another popular theory holds that the Thera eruption is the source of the legend of Atlantis.

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The sea was traditionally known as Archipelago (in Greek, Αρχιπέλαγος, meaning “chief sea”), but in English this word’s meaning has changed to refer to the Aegean Islands and, generally, to any island group.

Etymology

In ancient times, there were various explanations for the name Aegean. It was said to have been named after the Greek town of Aegae, or after Aegea, a queen of the Amazons who died in the sea, or Aigaion, the “sea goat”, another name of Briareus, one of the archaic Hecatonchires, or, especially among the Athenians, Aegeus, the father of Theseus, who drowned himself in the sea when he thought his son had died.

A possible etymology is a derivation from the Greek word αἶγες – aiges = “waves” (Hesychius of Alexandria; metaphorical use of αἴξ (aix) “goat”), hence “wavy sea”, cf. also αἰγιαλός (aigialos = aiges (waves) + hals (sea)), hence meaning “sea-shore”.

The Venetians, who ruled many Greek islands in the High and Late Middle Ages, popularized the name Archipelago (Greek for “main sea” or “chief sea”), a name that held on in many European countries until the early modern period.

In some South Slavic languages the Aegean is often called White Sea (Belo more in Serbian, Бело море in Macedonian and Бяло море Byalo more in Bulgarian).
Geography

The Aegean Sea covers about 214,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi) in area, and measures about 610 kilometres (380 mi) longitudinally and 300 kilometres (190 mi) latitudinally. The sea’s maximum depth is 3,543 metres (11,624 ft), east of Crete. The Aegean Islands are found within its waters, with the following islands delimiting the sea on the south (generally from west to east): Kythera, Antikythera, Crete, Kasos, Karpathos and Rhodes.

The Aegean Islands, which almost all belong to Greece, can be divided into seven groups: Northeastern Aegean Islands, Euboea, Northern Sporades, Cyclades, Saronic Islands (or Argo-Saronic Islands), Dodecanese (or Southern Sporades), with the exclusion of Kastellorizo, Crete

The word archipelago was originally applied specifically to the Aegean Sea and its islands. Many of the Aegean Islands, or chains of islands, are actually extensions of the mountains on the mainland. One chain extends across the sea to Chios, another extends across Euboea to Samos, and a third extends across the Peloponnese and Crete to Rhodes, dividing the Aegean from the Mediterranean.

The bays and gulfs of the Aegean beginning at the South and moving clockwise include on Crete, the Mirabello, Almyros, Souda and Chania bays or gulfs, on the mainland the Myrtoan Sea to the west with the Argolic Gulf, the Saronic Gulf northwestward, the Petalies Gulf which connects with the South Euboic Sea, the Pagasetic Gulf which connects with the North Euboic Sea, the Thermian Gulf northwestward, the Chalkidiki Peninsula including the Cassandra and the Singitic Gulfs, northward the Strymonian Gulf and the Gulf of Kavala and the rest are in Turkey; Saros Gulf, Edremit Gulf, Dikili Gulf, Gulf of Çandarlı, Gulf of İzmir, Gulf of Kuşadası, Gulf of Gökova, Güllük Gulf.
Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Aegean Sea as follows:

On the South. A line running from Cape Aspro (28°16’E) in Asia Minor, to Cum Burnù (Capo della Sabbia) the Northeast extreme of the Island of Rhodes, through the island to Cape Prasonisi, the Southwest point thereof, on to Vrontos Point (35°33’N) in Skarpanto [Karpathos], through this island to Castello Point, the South extreme thereof, across to Cape Plaka (East extremity of Crete), through Crete to Agria Grabusa, the Northwest extreme thereof, thence to Cape Apolitares in Antikithera Island, through the island to Psira Rock (off the Northwest point) and across to Cape Trakhili in Kithera Island, through Kithera to the Northwest point (Cape Karavugia) and thence to Cape Santa Maria (36°28′N 22°57′E) in the Morea.
In the Dardanelles. A line joining Kum Kale (26°11’E) and Cape Helles.

Hydrography

Aegean surface water circulates in a counter-clockwise gyre, with hypersaline Mediterranean water moving northward along the west coast of Turkey, before being displaced by less dense Black Sea outflow. The dense Mediterranean water sinks below the Black Sea inflow to a depth of 23–30 metres (75–98 ft), then flows through the Dardanelles Strait and into the Sea of Marmara at velocities of 5–15 cm/s. The Black Sea outflow moves westward along the northern Aegean Sea, then flows southwards along the east coast of Greece.

The physical oceanography of the Aegean Sea is controlled mainly by the regional climate, the fresh water discharge from major rivers draining southeastern Europe, and the seasonal variations in the Black Sea surface water outflow through the Dardanelles Strait.

Analysis of the Aegean during 1991 and 1992 revealed 3 distinct water masses:

Aegean Sea Surface Water – 40–50 metres (130–160 ft) thick veneer, with summer temperatures of 21–26 °C and winter temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) in the north to 16 °C (61 °F) in the south.
Aegean Sea Intermediate Water – Aegean Sea Intermediate Water extends from 40–50 m to 200–300 metres (660–980 ft) with temperatures ranging from 11–18 °C.
Aegean Sea Bottom Water – occurring at depths below 500–1000 m with a very uniform temperature (13–14 °C) and salinity (3.91–3.92%).

History
Ancient History
The current coastline dates back to about 4000 BC. Before that time, at the peak of the last ice age (c. 16,000 BC) sea levels everywhere were 130 metres lower, and there were large well-watered coastal plains instead of much of the northern Aegean. When they were first occupied, the present-day islands including Milos with its important obsidian production were probably still connected to the mainland. The present coastal arrangement appeared c. 7000 BC, with post-ice age sea levels continuing to rise for another 3,000 years after that.

The subsequent Bronze Age civilizations of Greece and the Aegean Sea have given rise to the general term Aegean civilization. In ancient times, the sea was the birthplace of two ancient civilizations – the Minoans of Crete and the Mycenean Civilization of the Peloponnese.

Later arose the city-states of Athens and Sparta among many others that constituted the Athenian Empire and Hellenic Civilization. Plato described the Greeks living round the Aegean “like frogs around a pond”. The Aegean Sea was later invaded by the Persians and the Romans, and inhabited by the Byzantine Empire, the Bulgarians, the Venetians, the Genoese, the Seljuq Turks, and the Ottoman Empire. The Aegean was the site of the original democracies, and its seaways were the means of contact among several diverse civilizations of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Modern history
Economy and politics
Many of the islands in the Aegean have safe harbours and bays. In ancient times, navigation through the sea was easier than travelling across the rough terrain of the Greek mainland (and to some extent the coastal areas of Anatolia). Many of the islands are volcanic, and marble and iron are mined on other islands. The larger islands have some fertile valleys and plains. Of the main islands in the Aegean Sea, two belong to Turkey – Bozcaada (Tenedos Τένεδος) and Gökçeada (Imbros Ίμβρος); the rest belong to Greece. Between the two countries, there are political disputes over several aspects of political control over the Aegean space, including the size of territorial waters, air control and the delimitation of economic rights to the continental shelf.

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The Cyclades

History
The significant Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Cycladic culture is best known for its schematic, flat idols carved out of the islands’ pure white marble centuries before the great Middle Bronze Age Minoan civilization arose in Crete, to the south: these figures have been looted from burials to satisfy a thriving Cycladic antiquities market since the early 20th century.

A distinctive Neolithic culture amalgamating Anatolian and mainland Greek elements arose in the western Aegean before 4000 BCE, based on emmer and wild-type barley, sheep and goats, pigs, and tuna that were apparently speared from small boats (Rutter). Excavated sites include Saliagos and Kephala (on Kea) with signs of copperworking, Each of the small Cycladic islands could support no more than a few thousand people, though Late Cycladic boat models show that fifty oarsmen could be assembled from the scattered communities (Rutter), and when the highly organized palace-culture of Crete arose, the islands faded into insignificance, with the exception of Delos, which retained its archaic reputation as a sanctuary throughout antiquity and until the emergence of Christianity.

Geography
The Cyclades comprise about 220 islands, the major ones being Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Folegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos, and Thira or Santoríni. There are also many minor islands including Donousa, Eschati, Gyaros, Irakleia, Koufonisia, Makronisos and Schoinousa. The name “Cyclades” refers to the islands forming a circle (“circular islands”) around the sacred island of Delos. Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
Ermoupoli on Syros is the chief town and administrative center of the former prefecture.
The islands are peaks of a submerged mountainous terrain, with the exception of two volcanic islands, Milos and Santorini. The climate is generally dry and mild, but with the exception of Naxos the soil is not very fertile agricultural produce includes wine, fruit, wheat, olive oil, and tobacco. Cooler temperatures are in higher elevations and mainly do not receive wintry weather.
The Cyclades are bounded to the south by the Sea of Crete.

Administration
The Cyclades Prefecture (Greek: Νομός Κυκλάδων) was one of the prefectures of Greece. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the prefecture was abolished, and its territory was divided into nine regional units of the South Aegean region: Andros, Kea-Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Thira, Syros, Tinos.

Provinces

Province of: Amorgos: Amorgos , Andros: Andros , Kea: Ioulis , Milos: Milos , Naxos: Naxos , Paros: Paroikia , Syros: Ermoupoli , Tinos: Tinos , Thira: Thira

Cuisine

Local specialities of the Cyclades include: Brantada , Fava santorinis (made from Lathyrus clymenum) , Fourtalia (Andros) , Kalasouna (Naxos) , Kalogeros (Naxos) , Kakavia (soup) , Ladopita , Louza, similar to the Cypriot lountza , Mastelo (Sifnos) , Strapatsada , Lazarakia (dessert) , Melopita (dessert)

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Geography

Modern Phocis has an area of 2120 km² (819 mi²), of which 560 km² (216 mi²) are forested, 36 km² (14 mi²) are plains, and the remainder is mountainous.
The massive ridge of Parnassus (2,459 m/8,068 ft), which traverses the heart of the country, divides it into two distinct portions. The neighboring prefectures are Aetolia-Acarnania to the west, Phthiotis to the north and Boeotia to the east. Much of the south and east are deforested and rocky and mountainous while the valley runs from Itea up to Amfissa. Forests and greenspaces are to the west, the central part and the north.

Its reservoir is the Mornos Dam on the Mornos river. It covers nearly 1 km to 3 km². It was completed in the 1960s, and GR-48 was extended to pass through the dam.

Prefecture

Phocis was created as a prefecture in 1947 out of the Phthiotis and Phocis Prefecture. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Phocis was created out of the former prefecture Phocis (Greek: Νομός Φωκίδας). The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
New municipality Delphi (Delfoi), Amfissa, Desfina, Galaxidi, Gravia, Itea, Kallieis, Parnassos, Dorida, Efpalio, Lidoriki, Lidoriki, Tolofon, Vardousia.

Provinces
Province of Dorida – Lidoriki, Province of Parnassida – Amfissa.

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Administration -Municipality

The municipality of Aegina consists of the island of Aegina and a few offshore islets. It is part of the Islands regional unit, Attica region. The municipality is subdivided into the following five communities (population in 2011 in parentheses ) Aegina (7253) , Kypseli (2124) , Mesagros (1361) , Perdika (823) , Vathy (1495).

The capital is the town of Aegina, situated at the northwestern end of the island. Due to its proximity to Athens, it is a popular vacation place during the summer months, with quite a few Athenians owning second houses on the island.
Province

The province of Aegina (Greek: Επαρχία Αίγινας) was one of the provinces of the Piraeus Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipalities Aegina and Agkistri. It was abolished in 2006.

Geography

Aegina is roughly triangular in shape, approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) from east to west and 10 km (6.2 mi) from north to south, with an area of 87.41 km2 (33.75 sq mi).

An extinct volcano constitutes two thirds of Aegina. The northern and western sides consist of stony but fertile plains, which are well cultivated and produce luxuriant crops of grain, with some cotton, vines, almonds, olives and figs, but the most characteristic crop of Aegina today (2000s) is pistachio. Economically, the sponge fisheries are of notable importance. The southern volcanic part of the island is rugged and mountainous, and largely barren. Its highest rise is the conical Mount Oros (531 m) in the south, and the Panhellenian ridge stretches northward with narrow fertile valleys on either side.

The beaches are also a popular tourist attraction. Hydrofoil ferries from Piraeus take only forty minutes to reach Aegina; the regular ferry takes about an hour, with ticket prices for adults within the 4-15 euro range. There are regular bus services from Aegina town to destinations throughout the island such as Agia Marina. Portes is a fishing village on the east coast. See more…

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is the capital and largest city of Greece. Dominates the Attica region and is one of the world’s oldest cities. With its recorded history spanning around 3,400 years. Classical Athens, as a landlocked location was a powerful city-state that emerged in conjunction with the seagoing development of the port of Piraeus.

A centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato’s Academy and Aristotle’s Lyceum, it is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization.

The birthplace of democracy. Largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC on the rest of the then known European continent.

Today a cosmopolitan metropolis, modern Athens is central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece.

In 2012, Athens was ranked the world’s 39th richest city by purchasing power and the 77th most expensive in a UBS study.

The City of Athens is recognised as a global city because of its geo-strategic location. Its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, culture, education and tourism.

It is one of the biggest economic centres in south-eastern Europe, with a large financial sector and features the largest passenger port in Europe and the third largest in the world.

Has a population of 664,046 (in 2011, 796,442 in 2004) within its administrative limits and a land area of 39 km2 (15 sq mi).

The urban area extends beyond its administrative municipal(City) limits, with a population of 3,074,160 (in 2011) over an area of 412 km2 (159 sq mi).

According to Eurostat in 2004, the Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) was the 7th most populous LUZ in the European Union (the 5th most populous capital city of the EU), with a population of 4,013,368. Is also the southernmost capital on the European mainland.

The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by ancient monuments and works of art. The most famous of all being the Parthenon, considered a key landmark of early Western civilization.

The city also retains Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as a smaller number of Ottoman monuments.

Landmarks

Athens is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery.

Landmarks of the modern era, dating back to the establishment of Athens as the capital of the independent Greek state in 1834.

Include the Hellenic Parliament (19th century) and the Athens Trilogy, consisting of the National Library of Greece, the Athens University and the Academy of Athens.

Was the host city of the first modern-day Olympic Games in 1896. 108 years later it welcomed home the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Athens is home to the National Archaeological Museum. Featuring the world’s largest collection of ancient Greek antiquities, as well as the new Acropolis Museum.

Come with us and visit this magnificent city

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Lake Marathon
Attica is a triangular peninsula jutting into the Aegean Sea. It is naturally divided to the north from Boeotia by the 10 mi (16 km) long Kithairon mountain range. To the west, it is bordered by the sea and the canal of Corinth. The Saronic Gulf lies to the south, and the island of Euboea lies off the north and the eastern coasts. Mountains separate the peninsula into the plains of Pedias, Mesogaia, and Thriasion. The mountains of Attica are the Hymettus, the eastern portion of the Geraneia, the Parnitha (the highest mountain of Attica), the Aigaleo and the Penteli. Four mountains—Aigaleo, Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettus (clockwise from the southwest)—delineate the hilly plain on which the Athens-Piraeus metroplex now spreads. The plain of Mesogaía, now called Mesógeia, lies to the east of Mount Hymettus and is bound to the north by the foothills of Mount Penteli, to the east by the Euboean Gulf and Mount Myrrhinous (modern Merenta), and to the south by the mountains of Laurium (modern Lavrio). Athens’ water reservoir, Lake Marathon, is an artificial lake created by damming in 1920. Pine and fir forests cover the area around Parnitha. Hymettus, Penteli, Myrrhinous and Laurium are forested with pine trees, whereas the rest are covered by shrubbery.
The Kifisos is the longest river of Attica.
According to Plato, Attica’s ancient boundaries were fixed by the Isthmus, and, toward the continent, they extended as far as the heights of Cithaeron and Parnes. The boundary line came down toward the sea, bounded by the district of Oropus on the right and by the river Asopus on the left.

History

Ancient history

The Temple of Poseidon (c.440 B.C.) at Cape Sounion, the southernmost point of Attica.
During antiquity, the Athenians boasted about being ‘autochthonic’, which is to say that they were the original inhabitants of the area and had not moved to Attica from another place. The traditions current in the classical period recounted that, during the Greek Dark Ages, Attica had become the refuge of the Ionians, who belonged to a tribe from the northern Peloponnese. Supposedly, the Ionians had been forced out of their homeland by the Achaeans, who had been forced out of their homeland by the Dorian invasion.Supposedly, the Ionians integrated with the ancient Atticans, who, afterward, considered themselves part of the Ionian tribe and spoke the Ionian dialect. Many Ionians later left Attica to colonize the Aegean coast of Asia Minor and to create the twelve cities of Ionia.
During the Mycenaean period, the Atticans lived in autonomous agricultural societies. The main places where prehistoric remains were found are Marathon, Rafina, Nea Makri, Brauron, Thorikos, Agios Kosmas, Eleusis, Menidi, Markopoulo, Sparta, Aphidnae and Athens. All of these settlements flourished during the Mycenaean period. According to tradition, Attica comprised twelve small communities during the reign of Cecrops, the legendary Ionian king of Attica, and these were later incorporated in an Athenian state during the reign of Theseus, the mythical king of Athens. Modern historians consider it more likely that the communities were progressively incorporated into an Athenian state during the 8th and the 7th centuries BC.
Until the 6th century BC, aristocratic families lived independent lives in the suburbs. Only after Peisistratos’s tyranny and the reforms implemented by Cleisthenes did the local communities lose their independence and succumb to the central government in Athens. As a result of these reforms, Attica was divided into approximately a hundred municipalities, the demes (dēmoi, δῆμοι), and also into three large sectors: the city (ἄστυ), which comprised the areas of central Athens, Ymittos, Aegaleo and the foot of Mount Parnes, the coast (παράλια), that included the area between Eleusis and Cape Sounion and the area around the city (ἐσωτερικό-μεσογαία), inhabited by people living on the north of Mount Parnitha, Penteliko and the area east of the mountain of Hymettus. Principally, each civic unit would include equal parts of townspeople, seamen, and farmers. A “trittýs” (“third”) of each sector constituted a tribe. Consequently, Attica comprised ten tribes.
Fortresses
During the classical period, Athens was fortified to the north by the fortress of Eleutherae, which is preserved well. Other fortresses are those of Oenoe, Decelea and Aphidnae. To protect the mines at Laurium, on the coast, Athens was fortified by the walls at Rhamnus, Thoricus, Sounion, Anavyssos, Piraeus, and Eleusis.
Places of worship
Even though archaeological ruins are found in nearly the whole area of Attica, the most important are those found in Eleusis. The worship of the goddesses Demeter and Cora, beginning in the Mycenaean period, continued until the late years of antiquity.
Many other types of worship can be traced to the prehistory. For example, the worship of Pan and the Nymphs was common in many areas of Attica such as Marathon, Parnes and Ymittos. The god of wine, Dionysus, was worshipped mainly in the area of Icaria, now the suburb of Dionysus. Iphigeneia and Artemis were worshipped in Brauron, Artemis in Rafina, Athena on Sounion, Aphrodite on Iera Odos, and Apollo in Daphne.
The festival of Chalceia was celebrated every autumn in Attica. The festival honored the gods Hephaestus and Athena Ergane.
Medieval period
After the period of antiquity, Attica came under Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule. During the Byzantine period, Athens was invaded by the Goths under the commands of Alaric in 396 AD. Attica’s population diminished in comparison to the neighboring area of Boeotia.
The sites of historical interest date to the 11th and 12th centuries, when Attica was under the rule of the Franks. The great monastery of Dafni, that was built under Justinian I’s rule, is an isolated case that does not signify a widespread development of Attica during the Byzantine period. On the other hand, the buildings built during the 11th and 12th centuries show a greater development that continued during the rule of the Franks, who did not impose strict rule.
During the Ottoman rule, Athens enjoyed some rights. However, that was not the case for the villages of Attica. Great areas were possessed by the Turks, who terrorized the population with the help of spahis. The monasteries of Attica played a crucial role in preserving the Greek element of the villages.
In spite of its conquerors, Attica managed to maintain its traditions. This fact is proved by the preservation of ancient toponyms such as Oropos, Dionysus, Eleusis, and Marathon. During the Greek War of Independence, the peasants of Attica were the first to revolt (April 1821), and they occupied Athens and seized the Acropolis that was handed over to the Greeks in June, 1822.
Attica after 1829
Attica has, since 1829, belonged to the independent Greek state. From 1834, Athens was refounded and made the new Greek capital (moved from Nafplio in Argolis), and people from other parts of Greece gradually began to repopulate Attica. The most dramatic surge came with Greek refugees from Anatolia following the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey under the Treaty of Lausanne. Today, much of Attica is occupied by urban Athens. The modern Greek region of Attica includes classical Attica as well as the Saronic Islands, a small part of the Peloponnese around Troezen, and the Ionian Island of Cythera.
Climate
Attica enjoys a Mediterranean climate. It has a distinct, long, dry period in the summer and a short, wet period in the winter. The highest precipitation is experienced during the winter months. The southern part of the peninsula has a hot, semi-arid climate.

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