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So me and a friend have decided to book a break next year where we can visit some of Greece and it's mythology hot spots. Has anyone ever been and made it tourist, mythology based especially? Looking at things like the cave of zeus, mount Olympus and the labyrinth so far. Greece looks beautiful and we think it may be a great break! |
Greece
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solidsneek 763 posts
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Registered 5 years ago -
Frogofdoom 17,973 posts
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Registered 9 years agoEnjoy sticking your used toilet paper in the bin rather than down the toilet 
Havent been to Greece for many years but it was lovely. Are you looking to do mainland or the islands? -
solidsneek 763 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 5 years agoFrogofdoom wrote:
Not sure really wherever is more convenient for the mythology part of the holiday we don't mind travelling I guess but we really wanna hit those temples etc.
Enjoy sticking your used toilet paper in the bin rather than down the toilet
Havent been to Greece for many years but it was lovely. Are you looking to do mainland or the islands? -
I'm also curious about this having just got back from Santorini. The missus told me to book the trip to Crete as soon as we got back, bookmarking this page. -
solidsneek 763 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 5 years agoGarlVinland wrote:
Ah awesome may be worth me doing the same to be fair. I am going away next year if my friend goes or not. Greece is somewhere that's always appealed to me especially with the history I really want to do japan but it's just a long haul and expensive.
I'm also curious about this having just got back from Santorini. The missus told me to book the trip to Crete as soon as we got back, bookmarking this page. -
If you want cheap and mythical why not just go to Stonehenge? -
DaM 17,729 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 20 years agoI've done some Greek island hopping a couple of times, last time on our honeymoon.
We were more into squid and beer in tavernas than mythology, but it's everywhere.
Would like to go back sometime.
Japan is amazing through, save up for that! Long haul is easy, just sit and watch films and drink. -
solidsneek 763 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 5 years agoDaM wrote:
I love Anime so really would love to visit the old parts of Japan with all the original buildings etc.
I've done some Greek island hopping a couple of times, last time on our honeymoon.
We were more into squid and beer in tavernas than mythology, but it's everywhere.
Would like to go back sometime.
Japan is amazing through, save up for that! Long haul is easy, just sit and watch films and drink. -
Been to Greece three times, once on holidays to Crete (package holiday treatment, first and last time for me), with a day trip to Santorini, and twice on business to Athens.
Hated it each time for different reasons, and to be fair the package thing was my then GF's fault for insisting on cheap and cheerful (it turned out to be neither to be honest).
Santorini is indeed beautiful but overrun by hordes of day tripper tourists (like myself at the time). Apparently it's nicer after 5pm when they all leave.
Athens is a dirty and run down sh**hole (the only impressive thing was the EU-funded subway, incidentally also the cleanest place).
And yeah, the bathroom experience is... different. -
solidsneek 763 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 5 years agoSYS64738 wrote:
Been to Greece three times, once on holidays to Crete (package holiday treatment, first and last time for me), with a day trip to Santorini, and twice on business to Athens.
Hated it each time for different reasons, and to be fair the package thing was my then GF's fault for insisting on cheap and cheerful (it turned out to be neither to be honest).
Santorini is indeed beautiful but overrun by hordes of day tripper tourists (like myself at the time). Apparently it's nicer after 5pm when they all leave.
Athens is a dirty and run down sh**hole (the only impressive thing was the EU-funded subway, incidentally also the cleanest place).
And yeah, the bathroom experience is... different.
It is certainly nice to get the other side of the coin too! -
If it's a toss up between Japan and Greece, Japan hands down. Rich in culture, top notch infrastructure and you don't have to watch out for getting ripped off by the locals, ever. Greece is the polar opposite based on my experience.
Been there 4 times over the past 15 years and still long going back now and then.
I suppose if you're really into Greek mythology you won't find much of that in Japan though. -
Alastair 24,828 posts
Seen 17 hours ago
Registered 20 years agoI've been to Crete and the Labyrinth. It's erm... not very mythological imo.
I guess if you want to tick off the mythological spots then it's right up there. -
Salaman 24,162 posts
Seen 6 days ago
Registered 17 years agoI lived there for 10-11 months in 97-98, so whatever I have to add will be slightly out of date. .gif)
I was living in Larissa, which is not too far from Mount Olympos. Never went to Mount Olympos, I don't think there's much to do or to see there.
I did visit Athens a few times. The Acropolis is quite disappointing. Worth visiting once, definitely not worth visiting 8 times (I had to take several visitors there).
The historical site at Delphi is well worth a visit.
Sparta was disappointing, as it's just a shitty modern day Greek town. Not much historical to be found there. The Peloponnese itself is worth a visit though, especially the ancient theatre at Epidavros and the fortified farmhouses/mansions around the south part. I did a tour of the Peloponnese twice, starting in Athens, passing the Canal of Corinthe, down to Epidavros and onwards to the south via the east part and then back up to the north on the west part towards Patras and onwards back to Athens.
Not necessarily a mythological site but the Monasteries of Meteora are worth a visit.
If you happen to be there at the right time of the year, there's a fertility festival in Tirnavos, near Larissa which was ... interesting.
Kastoria is quite far off the beaten path but quite pretty because of it's location on a peninsula in a lake. Not sure I'd trek all the way there if you weren't visiting something nearby though.
Chalkidiki, the three 'fingers' south of Thessaloniki are quite a pretty area. If you and your friend are both male, you could also visit the right most 'finger' which is owned by some monastery and not accessible to females.
I didn't go there, so not sure if it's worth a visit or not.
Another place that was nice/pretty but not related to mythology or Greek history was the island of Skiathos, where you can get with a ferry from Volos if I'm not mistaken. -
solidsneek 763 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 5 years agoSalaman wrote:
Cracking insight there thank you!
I lived there for 10-11 months in 97-98, so whatever I have to add will be slightly out of date.
I was living in Larissa, which is not too far from Mount Olympos. Never went to Mount Olympos, I don't think there's much to do or to see there.
I did visit Athens a few times. The Acropolis is quite disappointing. Worth visiting once, definitely not worth visiting 8 times (I had to take several visitors there).
The historical site at Delphi is well worth a visit.
Sparta was disappointing, as it's just a shitty modern day Greek town. Not much historical to be found there. The Peloponnese itself is worth a visit though, especially the ancient theatre at Epidavros and the fortified farmhouses/mansions around the south part. I did a tour of the Peloponnese twice, starting in Athens, passing the Canal of Corinthe, down to Epidavros and onwards to the south via the east part and then back up to the north on the west part towards Patras and onwards back to Athens.
Not necessarily a mythological site but the Monasteries of Meteora are worth a visit.
If you happen to be there at the right time of the year, there's a fertility festival in Tirnavos, near Larissa which was ... interesting.
Kastoria is quite far off the beaten path but quite pretty because of it's location on a peninsula in a lake. Not sure I'd trek all the way there if you weren't visiting something nearby though.
Chalkidiki, the three 'fingers' south of Thessaloniki are quite a pretty area. If you and your friend are both male, you could also visit the right most 'finger' which is owned by some monastery and not accessible to females.
I didn't go there, so not sure if it's worth a visit or not.
Another place that was nice/pretty but not related to mythology or Greek history was the island of Skiathos, where you can get with a ferry from Volos if I'm not mistaken.
I need to do more investigation in to this as it seems it depends where you go and what you do. Some great information from you guys it's nice to get a real insight as travel agents and holiday shows will all big it up as it's for tourism. -
Load_2.0 33,582 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 18 years agoFrogofdoom wrote:
I used to shit in the bin and flush the toilet paper in memory of the naval battle of Salamis.
Enjoy sticking your used toilet paper in the bin rather than down the toilet
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mrpon 37,366 posts
Seen 45 minutes ago
Registered 15 years agoUse the three seashells. -
JonFE 2,071 posts
Seen 1 hour ago
Registered 17 years ago@Salaman Well, I'm Greek and your post is really insightful, great work! Just wanted to add that since you've been here, the Acropolis museum has opened its doors, which I think you'd find interesting. -
macmurphy 4,447 posts
Seen 22 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoLoad_2.0 wrote:
I lived with Greek girl in England and she kept putting her shitty toilet paper in the bathroom bin.
Frogofdoom wrote:
I used to shit in the bin and flush the toilet paper in memory of the naval battle of Salamis.
Enjoy sticking your used toilet paper in the bin rather than down the toilet
Even when we told her she could flush it, she just smiled sweetly and said she couldn't break the habit.
She also never emptied said bin. It would just fill up with shitty toilet paper.
I fucking hated that bitch. -
Salaman 24,162 posts
Seen 6 days ago
Registered 17 years agoAh, that's no doubt an improvement.
Back then it was OK on first visit but didn't stand up to repeat visits.
Top tip for Athens, rent a scooter. A small 125cc scooter is (was back then) quite cheap to rent and zipping through the Athens traffic with your mate riding pillion (or vice versa) is scary yet exhilarating. -
LittleSparra 7,926 posts
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Registered 6 years agoBest sailing I have ever done was in Greece, southern tip of the mainland.
Absolutely brilliant fun: beautifully warm water, great winds, excellent food. -
Frogofdoom 17,973 posts
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Registered 9 years ago@macmurphy I now have a new favourite erotic story. -
macmurphy 4,447 posts
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Registered 14 years ago@Frogofdoom
She was really fit too. And she had awful body odour. That should make you a little bit moister.
Three of the most honking BO ridden people I've ever met were quite fit girls. It's almost like because they're quite fit no one wanted to tell them how much they stank.
Maybe a freaky coincidence, but I actually think all the ugly ones got told they were stinking because no one cared about offending them so they sorted their hygiene out. But the fit ones got left to fester.
Her jacket hanging up stank out the hallway. Fuck knows what her mooey was like. Probably you could have thrown some flour up it and come back an hour later to find enough bread to cover the lunchtime rush at Greggs. -
LittleSparra 7,926 posts
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Registered 6 years agoJesus christ. -
Vortex808 15,593 posts
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Registered 13 years agoLittleSparra wrote:
Fixed?
Jesus crust. -
SuperSoupy 306 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 10 years agoIf you're in the Zakynthos area I recommend the Kalamaki area. Just close enough to a touristy main street where some decent restaurants actually lie, but far away enough that you won't be overrun by drunken students on club-rep holidays (that area would Laganas. Do.Not.Go.There.)
The beach at kalamaki is a reserve for giant loggerhead turtles and if you're going around July, you'll be there during their annual trip here when female turtles come to lay their eggs. For about £40 I took a pedalo boat out for a few hours around crystal blue waters and swam with loggerhead turtles. It was amazing.
Outside of nature stuff you can also book coach and boat trips from here to various historical places around the islands (also recommended).
Edited by SuperSoupy at 17:20:12 21-08-2017 -
mothercruncher 19,474 posts
Seen 6 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoTurkey actually has incredible Roman history too, arguably better given they don't look after it brilliantly and just let tourists clamber all over the gaff.
I wouldn't recommend Turkey for any other reason though, unless you particularly like being persevered to buy a belt every two seconds. -
Rogueywon 12,387 posts
Seen 2 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoSpent a bit of time in Greece back in my postgrad days (largely unavoidable as a classicist). I can't speak for "mythological sites", but certainly a lot of the "historical sites" are quite disappointing. A lot of the really notable historical sites which don't involve big pretty buildings have been built over and were run-down industrial estates when I was there. Bear in mind this was the better part of 15 years ago, so well before the current economic woes hit. I don't imagine those have improved it much.
You can still find some remarkably pretty places in Greece, plus a handful of very well preserved historical sites, but you might be disappointed if you're expecting them to be anything other than tourist traps. -
elstoof 28,125 posts
Seen 7 minutes ago
Registered 16 years agoGreece is the last place you want to go for the mythology and culture - just take a day off work and wander round the British Museum, its all in there now -
PatrickEwing 2,553 posts
Seen 1 day ago
Registered 15 years agoLoad_2.0 wrote:
brilliant, that made me laugh a lot
Frogofdoom wrote:
I used to shit in the bin and flush the toilet paper in memory of the naval battle of Salamis.
Enjoy sticking your used toilet paper in the bin rather than down the toilet
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Pipe dreams are good.
Next summer you should imagine the Hindu Kush.
.gif)
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