One of the most outstanding trends in European travel over recent years has been the rise of Greece as a highly satisfactory destination for tourists, both from Europe and America. Modern transportation has conquered the remoteness of Greece which once limited travel in this most rewarding of countries. We are publishing this book annually in response to this trend.
Paradoxically, the birthplace of Western civilization is one of the last remaining places in Europe to have been spared the more adverse effects of modern civilization, particularly those felt so acutely during the height of the travel season. Greece has made a remarkable effort to improve the comfort
and convenience of travelers. There are new roads, Diesel
engined trains and frequent air and sea services to nearly all points of the country. There is a plethora of hotel and motel building, prominent among them those built and supervised by the National Tourist Organization, in accordance with a long term plan for the development of tourism. They are mostly situated in locations well known for their scenic beauty and historical or archeological interest.
The Grecian scene has remained unspoiled by these facilities. Greece remains a relatively unexplored and unspoiled country for the present-day tourist.
This, we feel, makes Greece an exceptional travel buy. Prices are well down toward the bottom in the European travel picture but, despite this, not many other countries have so much to offer. Greece has always drawn persons of art, history or mythology and she will continue to do so. What few people realize, however, is that Greece has also become one of Europe's leading centers for sailing and yachting-which can be enjoyed under conditions comparable only to those of the Caribbean-and one of the last comparatively untouched spots for skin diving and spear-fishing.
A tremendous variety has been packed into Greece over dozens of centuries and it can be easily appreciated by the traveler. Actually, this relatively small country offers no less than three different types of travel: historic continental Greece in the Peloponnesus etc., the Balkans in the region of Thessaloniki and some of the world's most fascinating island-hopping from Corfu to Rhodes.
It is a land of contrasts where the influences of all the waves of invaders which flowed and ebbed across Greek soil can still be seen. There are Byzantine towns, Venetian fortresses and Frankish monuments, as well as the glorious remains of ancient Greece itself, or the ruins of the Minoan era on Crete. It is not necessary to be a scholar of history or archeology to feel the closeness of ancient Greece.
Last, but far from least, there are the Greeks themselves. The oldest civilized people of the West, their hospitality is almost Oriental. They are good linguists and the English-speaking tourist will find no difficulty in making himself understood, even in outlying villages.
In our guide, we have naturally devoted considerable space to the history and mythology of ancient Greece and its worldrenowned sites. But we also have included a large amount of practical information for the yachtsman who wants to cruise the Aegean, the sportsman who wants to swim, fish or even ski, or just the easy-going wanderer who wants nothing more than a pleasant spot with sunshine by day and congenial cafes by night.