The Nature of Northern Greece
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The Nature of Northern Greece Travel Passports Departure Tax You may need to renew your British Passport if Flight Taxes are included in the price of your you are travelling to an EU country. Please ensure holiday. your passport is less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left on it) and has at least 6 months validity remaining from the date of travel. Baggage Allowance EU, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino We advise that you stick to the baggage and Swiss valid national identification cards are allowances advised. If your luggage is found to be also acceptable for travel. For more information, heavier than the airlines specified baggage please visit: passport checker allowance the charges at the airport will be hefty. Your EasyJet ticket includes one hold bag of up to Visas 23kg plus one cabin bag that can fit under the seat As a tourist visiting from the UK, you do not need in front of you, (maximum size 45 x 36 x 20cm, a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, including any handles or wheels). If you book an Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You will upfront or extra legroom seat you can also take an be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day additional large cabin bag on board. period. For more information please visit: For all other passport holders please check the www.easyjet.com visa requirements with the appropriate embassy. For further information, please check here: travel to the EU Labels Please use the luggage labels provided. It is useful Greek Consulate: 1A Holland Park, London W11 to have your home address located inside your 3TP. Tel: 020 7221 6467 suitcase should the label go astray. Border Control Tickets At border control, you may need to: Included with this documentation is an e-ticket, • show a return or onward ticket. which shows the reference number for your flight. • show you have enough money for your EasyJet have now replaced their airport check-in stay. desks with EasyJet Baggage Drop desks. • use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss Therefore, you must check-in online and print citizens when queueing. out your boarding passes before travelling. Checking in online also provides the opportunity Taking food into EU countries for you to pre-book seats, if you wish, at an extra Please note you are not able to take meat, milk or cost. any products containing them into EU countries. Online check-in is available any time prior to travel Transfers using the reference number provided. Please see On arrival at Thessaloniki Airport, you will be met the enclosed e-ticket for more information or visit; by your Tour Manager in the arrival’s hall. Please www.easyjet.com look for a Travel Editions sign. The transfer time to Kerkini is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Please check that the details on your documentation are accurate and that all names Special Requests are spelt correctly and match the names on your If you haven’t done so already, please notify passport. Your flight ticket is non-transferable and Travel Editions of any special requests as soon as non-refundable. No refund can be given for non- possible to allow sufficient time to make the used portions. necessary arrangements. Accommodation Villa Belles, Akritochori The hotel is situated at the foot of the imposing Mountain Belles and overlooks beautiful Lake Dining Kerkini. Facilities include a snack-bar and café- The standard of food in Greece is excellent and bar. Each of the comfortable bedrooms include offers a remarkable variety of freshly prepared air-conditioning, TV, telephone, fridge, and most and very tasty dishes, many of which use locally of the rooms benefit from a balcony with a grown products and locally produced olive oil. magnificent view. When eating out the Greeks nearly always eat ‘mezedes’ style. This means ordering several For more information, please visit: dishes, starters and/or main plates, whatever http://www.villabelles.gr/ takes your fancy, to put in the middle of the table for all to share. It is a very sociable way to eat and a great way of tasting lots of different dishes! Kassaros Hotel, Metsovo Do not be shy in the amount you order, or if you This hotel is designed in keeping with the style of only find yourselves ordering starters – any the village of Metsovo, where tradition abounds. combination is acceptable. A stay here provides the opportunity to enjoy the authentic feel of the village as well as botanise When ordering fish in Greece you will find the easily in the surrounding area. The hotel exudes a price on the menu relates to a cost per kilo. Don’t warm relaxing atmosphere, and the rooms offer be put off by this. You are expected to go into the comfort in their decoration that similarly kitchen, choose the fish you want and then it will recognises the authentic style of the region. be weighed in front of you so you know what you Room facilities include private bathroom, air- will pay. conditioning, TV, minibar, safe and Wi-Fi. The hotel is located just 50 metres from Metsovo’s Nearly all tavernas sell their own ‘open’ wine, central square. known as village wine. It is something of an acquired taste, but it goes well with the local For more information, please visit: food. The white is usually always very drinkable, https://hotelkassaros.gr/en/accommodation/ but the red varies quite a lot. If you are unsure, you can always ask if you can try the wine before Philoxenia Hotel, Monodendri you agree to it. Prices of local ‘village’ wine are The family-run Philoxenia Hotel is a very usually around 5 euros per half litre. attractive, traditionally designed, stone-built hotel situated in the upper part of the quiet Other local drinks are ouzo, tsipouro, brandy/ village of Monodendri. Featuring wooden ceilings cognac. Tsipouro is the local firewater! This is and floors, warm colours and dark wood distilled from the residue of the grapes after furnishings; the comfortable bedrooms, with making wine. You will probably find you come private bathrooms, are equipped with TV, fridge across this whether you want to or not, as it is and hairdryer. A breakfast buffet is served daily in often served, complimentary, at the end of a a traditionally furnished dining area. The hotel meal. has a small bar and a small library, with books on the local area. Free Wi-Fi access is available in all Meals included in the holiday. public spaces; magazines and board games are Breakfast daily, two dinners and two lunches also available. Tavernas are within a 2-minute walk. For more information please visit: www.zagoriaphiloxenia.gr Destination This tour focuses on two regions of Northern For more information about Lake Kerkini, please visit: Greece, Central Macedonia and Epirus, both of http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/nature/lakes/an_escape_ which are known for their exceptional nature and to_lake_kerkini wonderful scenery. Our first base at Lake Kerkini is known for its abundance of birdlife but it was also https://juliaklimi.com/the-beauty-of-lake-kerkini/ chosen because of its serenity, its harmony with nature and because it provides something ‘quite Kalochori Lagoon unique’ that makes you wonder if you really are in The Kalochori Lagoon is located within the Axios- Greece. Epirus similarly offers something quite, Loudias-Aliakmonas Delta National Park, just 10 quite special, both in its astounding nature, flora kilometres south of Thessaloniki. Developed in the and fauna, but also in its cultural elements and its 1960’s following the construction of coastal absolutely outstanding scenery. embankments, which were necessary to protect local villages from flooding, the lagoon is fed both Places and sites of interest included in the tour: by sea and freshwater and is the gateway to the national park and attracts a large variety of birds, Lake Kerkini National Park including many waders. Large numbers of flamingos have often been seen here, due the Lake Kerkini is situated in Northern Greece and is large supplies of food found in its shallow waters. reputed to be one of the most important wetlands Within the protected area of the park, rivers, in Europe as well as being one of the top European lagoons, salt marshes, fertile fields and the sea bird watching destinations. give shelter to more than 370 species of plants. The lake was formed in 1932 when a dam was Some are protected, like the sea daffodil, the constructed in the River Strymonas, creating a lake water fern, and the water chestnut, while others on what originally had been marsh land. It is said are very popular across the park, but still that this is one time when man’s intervention in contribute greatly to the conservation of the nature produced a positive result, with the lake structure and functionality of this coastal water slowly metamorphosing into a paradise of nature. ecosystem. Around 300 bird species have been observed here: some nestle, some winter, others stop over for For more information please visit: rest or food on their way to warmer or cooler http://axiosdelta.gr/en/national-park/protected-area/ climes. The area is one of the most important cormorants’ and herons’ colonies of the Northern Balkan Peninsula. Dalmatian pelicans, one of the Metsovo rarest birds in the world, have often been spotted This tree-shaded village, retaining its traditional here. The rich fish fauna of the lake provides some character, dots the mountain side below Katara delicious dishes in the tavernas of the area.