Southern Aegean an Experience
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SPECIAL EDITION APRIL 2019 Southern Aegean An Experience The National Herald www.thenationalherald.com 2 SPECIAL EDITION APRIL 2019 Tribute to the THE NATIONAL HERALD ❙ Southern Aegean Why A Greek Island-Hop is Your Perfect By My Greek Friend Celebration Vacation elebration vacations have become a ri - sing travel trend in recent years, and is - land-hopping packages have proven to be one of the most popular getaways for couples looking to celebrate a milestone anni - versary or birthday in an unforgettable way. CThe Greek islands, with their whitewashed, bo - ugainvillea-covered houses, delicious food, and ho - spitable local culture are arguably some of the best in the world to plan a vacation around. An excellent way to experience them while com - memorating a special event is to book an organized island-hopping package. Here’s why: CONVENIENCE An island-hopping package eliminates the hassle of planning a multi-stop vacation. Instead of spending hours online researching hotels and arranging transportation, travelers simply choose the package that interests them. The company will arrange airport/port/hotel transfers, ferry tickets and hotel reservations; all you’ll need to do is arrive at your meeting place. This leaves you and your lo - ved one more time to celebrate and enjoy your trip and minimizes stress over timetables and other travel details. That being said, organized island-hopping trips offer vacationers flexibility and the chance to ex - planed city squares and beautiful architecture, in - perience the local culture. As opposed to an island cluding an opera house, attest to its history. cruise that keeps passengers on a strict For a couple’s celebration vacation, such variety arrival/departure schedule, island-hopping pac - ensures that every day you and your significant kages allow visitors to wake up on the island, eat other will experience something memorable. a traditional Greek breakfast and explore the lo - cation as they wish. ROMANCE On Santorini, for example, you’ll decide if you Finally, there’s a certain air of romance to the want to spend your day at the Akrotiri archeological Greek islands. On an island-hopping vacation, you site, a local winery or both. For dinner, you can re - really will swim in turquoise seas so calm and clear serve a table at that cute restaurant in the village that you’ll see small fish gliding beneath you. At you read about. With island-hopping packages, you sunset, you’ll trek through winding village streets are at your leisure to plan your day, eat where you to watch the sun descend into the sea. And after like and return to your hotel when you choose. nightfall, the jovial atmosphere is contagious; you’ll see Greeks and other visitors strolling the streets, THE CHANCE TO dining beneath the stars, and clinking glasses in EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT ISLANDS garden-bars. You’ll feel as though you’re all friends, The Greek islands are famously unique, differing all on vacation together. In our modern, tech-driven from one another. An itinerary such as Mykonos- world, it’s a rare experience and one that is won - Tinos-Syros is a great example. In cosmopolitan derful to share with someone you love. Mykonos, you’ll be enchanted by white windmills, picturesque Little Venice and, if you’re up for it, This article has been released by My Greek energized by the nightlife. Tinos, on the other hand, Friend, an online travel agency specializing in cre - has a religious atmosphere with its awe-inspiring ating personalized vacation packages to Greece. monasteries, churches and museum of marble art. You can reach us out via email at info@mygreek - Syros, however, is one of the few areas of Greece friend.travel , phone on +30 2810247365 or visit to have experienced the Renaissance, and its well- our website at www.mygreekfriend.travel. Transfers and personal driver Santorini Dimitris Elite Travel is a travel agency specialized on VIP travel services. We operate from 2006. Our goal is to offer the best options to our clients with personal, friendly care and out of the bitten paths. We offer all sort of travel services: from hotel accommodation, luxury villas, private airplanes, helicopters, yachts of all kind, vip transfer with luxury van etc. Aquamarina Cruises offers private yachting from 2010. We charter all kind of boats from small engine boats which the customers can rent without a license, rib boats, speed boats, sailing yachts and motor yachts of all sizes. Vlychada, Th ra, Kikladhes, Greece b i T: +30 693 651 9608 a [email protected] www.aquamarinacruises.gr ❙ THE NATIONAL HERALD Tribute to the SPECIAL EDITION APRIL 2019 3 Southern Aegean Easy Travel with the By Heini-Sofia Alavuo Greek Island Pass Interview with the Mayor of Paros “A top tourist destination in the Cyclades” How did Paros close out the 2018 tourist se - velopments that will ensure the growth that we ex - ason? pect during this year. Markos Koveos: Paros, thanks to the consistent and continuous marketing strategy that it has im - How can tourism in Paros be improved? plemented in recent years, has reached the top of Our main concern, as I said before, is to improve the tourist destinations in the Cyclades, marking a infrastructure as well as to protect the environment successful 2018 tourist season. This of the island, preserve its physio - was also helped by the expansion gnomy, highlight its traditions and of the airport, which gives even preserve its rich historical and cul - Island hopping is a great way to discover the Greek islands and to experience the unique - more significant growth prospects tural heritage. We do this first and ness of each one of them. Because of their proximity to one another, the Cyclades and for the coming years. This expansion foremost as a debt to our country, the Dodecanese are two wonderful island groups to explore in this way. Island hopping has brought development to the is - but also because we believe that the allows tourists and locals alike to enjoy the clear blue Aegean Sea, set sail and feel every land, which are financed by the tourist development of an area can - island’s unique vibe. Greek government. Arrivals at the not go against its values. Additio - Those who prefer to travel without fixed schedules and timetables can organize their island hopping port were the best they have been nally, our aim is to maintain our re - Madventure independently, booking each ticket online when it’s time to change place: one good search in 35 years. curring visitors and, if possible, to site is www.ferryscanner.com. Buying individual tickets close to departure-date can be expensive th - increase them. This means that we ough, which is why getting a Greek Island Pass from Interrail & Eurail is a viable option! Does Paros do anything to tar - want to keep our tourists satisfied – Travelers can choose from two passes: the first pass includes 6 ferry trips within a 1-month period, get tourists in the off-season which makes their happiness the fo - including 2 international trips between Italy and Greece and 4 domestic trips to Greek islands. The months? Markos Koveos. cal point of our policy. price for youth (ages 12-27) is €155 and €176 for adults (ages 28 and older). Up to 2 children under Given the success of the peak months, we are the age of 12 can travel with an adult for free! The second pass includes 5 domestic trips in Greece now seeking to extend the tourist season by pro - What drives the tourism of Paros? within a 1-month period. The price for youth is €68 and for €90 for adults. moting, above all, alternative activities for our future In order to avoid any problems from the increa - Visitors with a pass can choose the routes of the Attica Group (Superfast Ferries, Blue Star Ferries tourists. This is precisely the goal that reflects the sed tourist flow to the island in the summer, we fo - & Hellenic Seaways). These trips can be booked only through the Attica Group’s Call Center in Athens strategy that has been drawn up for 2019: continue cus on the quality of alternative forms of tourism, or via email, and all trips need to be booked in advance of traveling – preferably as soon as possible to to highlight the cosmopolitan dimension of the is - but, as I said before, our main goal is the sustaina - ensure there are still seats available. For some this might sound restricting, but many like to have land, which, unlike many other destinations, contains bility and the preservation of the island – its envi - their travel plans ready before heading off for vacation. After booking your trips, mark the travel dates the elements of culture, including historical and re - ronment and its tradition. Our goal is primarily to and details on the Travel Calendar in the Pass – the pass is not valid for travel on days that are not ligious monuments, along with gastronomy and all extend the tourist season, with the emergence of marked on the Travel Calendar. Then you are good to go! the other advantages it has at the level of tradition, alternative forms of tourism, such as religious and The Greek Travel Pass brochure suggests the following routes for travelers interested in the such as the activities of the Cultural Associations, archaeological trips, and immediately focusing on Cyclades and the Dodecanese: the festivals, etc. Our main concern, however, is the the upgrading of the infrastructure, with the main Piraeus-Syros -Paros-Naxos-Piraeus. This is a route for those who wish to see the three of the Hellenic protection of our island and the preservation aim of establishing a viable tourist product.