GREECE
The Land of Gods and Goddesses
Greece is the cradle of Western civilization, the
origin of drama and history and philisophy, the birthplace of democracy. It is
hard to imagine what civilized life would be like today without the influence
of ancient Greece... It also is hard to imagine what the world would be like
without the geometry of Euclides or Pythagoras, the logic of Aristoteles, the
unique architectural style which has influenced architects all over the world,
or even the fables of Aesopos known to children around the globe. Let us not
forget also the Olympic Games, with their spirit of world-peace and
brotherhood, first conceived and organized by the Greeks; or the Greek language
which has enriched other languages with so many words and concepts, like
philanthropy, harmony, music, techne, sophistication, architecture, ecology and
thousands of others.
Variety is, in fact, the hallmark of the geographical landscape of Greece. On
the other hand, there are high mountains and entire mountain ranges such as the
Pindus range (also known as Greece's backbone) or Mount Olympus (with its summit
the Pantheon, the highest peak in Greece at an altitude of 2,917 meters) and the
mountains of Macedonia and Thrace intersected here and there by a few valleys
through which relatively small rivers flow. On the other hand, the endless
lacework of the coastline produces a series of scenic surprises. It is these
heavily indented shores which
give Greece such rare beauty, quite unique in the
Mediterranean. 
Greece offers travelers a unique blend of most
beautiful Mediterranean landscape, overwhelming history and culture and a people
of great hospitality.
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