Regional Guides

Winter is a time in Greece for hearty Christmas-time stews replace the summer salads, and new seasonal products start to appear, like mandarin oranges, wild mushrooms, sweets, cookies and Greece’s tasty chestnuts.

Google “how many islands does Greece have?” and these are some of the headlines you will come across: “Estimates range from somewhere around 1,200 to...

What is the name of those famous goats I always see in Instagram pictures of Crete? Where can I find Crete's goats? The kri-kri is a wild goat on the island of Crete, also referred to as the Cretan wild goat, the Cretan ibex, or “agrimi”, which means “the wild one.” Its scientific name is Capra aegagrus cretica. The wild goat was brought to Crete by Neolithic-era settlers at least 8000 years ago. The goats migrated from the Near East along with Cretan settlers. The kri-kri escaped human control in Crete and lived in the mountainous areas of the island. They were hunted even in Minoan times - we know this because Minoan art from over 3000 years ago shows that they were game. Homer also refers to an “isle of goats” in The Odyssey.

Does this island look familiar? The most famous scene in Mamma Mia was filmed on Skopelos. As one of the greenest islands in Greece, almost 80% of the island is covered with a green expanse of pine trees. It’s no wonder that Skopelos is also called the “green and blue island” for its combination of forest and pristine waters.

“This land, I would not exchange it for Babylon.” This quote is from the Ancient Greek poet Pinder, and he was describing the island of Kea. Today, Kea island is only one hour from Athens’s Lavrio port. You may be wondering “how have I never heard about it?” This is because Kea has been relatively overshadowed by the more popular islands in the Cyclades, like Santorini and Mykonos.  


The teardrop-shaped island is also called “Tzia” by the locals and is a popular weekend excursion from Athens. Kea is known for its beaches, old churches, watermills, and impressive walking trails to its four ancient cities.

Looking at Mount Olympus from afar, it is clear why the ancient Greeks believed that only gods could reside in such an unreachable yet mystical place. Mount Olympus, or Olympos as it is called in Greek, is the highest mountain of Greece, located between Thessaly and Macedonia, and easily accessible by car in less than 2 hours from the airport of Thessaloniki, the second-largest city of Greece.