History & Culture

Villa Posillipo is one of the most remarkable villas in Greece because of its history and unique location. The house is on the east side of the island of Corfu and was built before 1760 next to the Venetian Harbor and Arsenal. The villa looks over the Bay of Corfu, where in the past it could watch Corfu’s Channel in case attackers were coming towards the port. In 1880, after the Ionian Islands united with Greece, a Greek nobleman bought the property and it has stayed in the family for 5 generations as a country house.

Greek wines have been a part of Greek culture since ancient times. Dionysus was the god of wine and they organized festivals to honor him back in the day. For this reason, Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions on the planet, and mashed grapes were found there that are over 6500 years old. The ancient Greek story tells the story of the son of Dionysus, who was a shepherd. When he was grazing his goats, he noticed that some goats who ate wild grapes were acting crazier than others.

Greece is a haven for World Heritage sites - archaeological monuments, places of historical interest, and ancient sites are scattered on the mainland and in the islands. In this article, we highlight the most well-known UNESCO Heritage Sites in Greece, by the date they were added.

Mykonos is one of the most popular islands in the world. Hollywood actors, famous athletes, and lovers of wild nightlife all flock here. They are seeking the sun, the beautiful seas, and the party atmosphere.  Why did the island of Mykonos become so popular, and what makes it different from the other islands in the Aegean?

Lord Byron is one of the most famous narrative poets of the Romantic period and was a philhellene. Philhellene means “lover of Greece.” He was not born with Greek blood but loved the country of Greece so much that he fought in the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s and died for the nation. Byron was good-looking and came from a wealthy family. He was infamously known for scandals and love affairs throughout his life, but also for his heroism and his historic feats. The Greeks call him “Λόρδος Βύρωνας,” and he died for the freedom of Greece in Mesolongi in 1824 at the age of 36.

This is an original translation of the Greek story Ο Ούβε στα Καλούδια by Nikos Houliaras, published in the collection "Μια μέρα πριν, δυο μέρες μετά" (One day before, two days after) (Athens: Nefeli, 1998)