Athens
Athens is the country's capital situated on the island of Attica. Vibrant, lively and now considered very desirable, Athens is too busy and polluted for some but since the 2004 Olympics the capital has cleaned up its act. The infrastructure is far better than previous years and there are lots of upmarket shops, hotels and restaurants. Standard apartments, even in central locations can be remarkably cheap while prestigious suburbs such as Ekali or the nearby island of Aegina can command very high prices. With mild winters and hot summers this is a perfect destination for holidaymakers.
Corfu
Located in the Ionian Sea, Corfu is the second largest island in Greece and an international tourist centre which caters to all of its visitor's interests. It is a very green island with pine forests and a mixture of long sandy beaches and small shingle coves. There are incredible sightseeing opportunities, a huge night life, music festival, numerous beaches, water parks and much more.
Property tends to be divided into high-end villas, often in small fishing villages on the north-east coast, cheap apartments in large-scale resorts and village properties. Much of the island is very well developed due to the long history of tourism and this offers scope for a longer season.
Peloponnese
A large land mass joined to the Greek southern coast, the area is a mix of developed coastal resorts, a wealth of historic sites, peaceful mountain villages and rural areas. This is also an attractive holiday destination to Athenians who come to escape the city. The beaches down the west coast of Peloponnese are considered some of the best in Greece because apart from their natural beauty they are considerably less crowded than those in other tourist destinations.
Like the islands, property ranges from standard apartments and new-build developments in popular tourist locations, to small cottages in undisturbed villages or coastal towns.
Crete
This is the largest of the Greek islands and is very popular with both Dutch and UK buyers. Two airports on the island mean both halves of Crete have their fair share of tourists. To the western side of the island are the busy towns of Chania and Rethymnon, while the east has the major towns of Heraklion and Malia's sprawling resorts. Crete is the most popular holiday destination in Europe mainly due to the amount it has to offer visitors from its clubs, bars, restaurants and hotels in its developed tourist spots to quieter areas that offer small mountain villages, quiet coves and hidden beaches.
There are many small, pretty villages both inland among the mountains, and along the coast that offer a mix of traditional stone houses, renovated property and ruins ripe for restoration.
Rhodes
A part of the Dodecanese islands, Rhodes is one of the largest islands in Greece and often referred to as the isle of sun. It has a mature tourist market and offers a combination of cultural and historic sites, good beaches and lively resorts. Some of the beaches are able to offer water sports and the night life is boasted to be one of the best in Greece although it is usually within the resorts.
There are restrictions on development to protect the coast and rural areas and there is a large ex-pat population of all nationalities. The northern part of the island is less developed by tourism and is popular with property buyers. Popular towns such as Lindo and Tsambika are particularly expensive.
Patras
Patras is the third largest city of Greece and the capital of the Achaea prefecture. A beautiful and historic city, it is the 2007 European Capital of Culture and has had much interest from the media and tourism as a result. Carnival seasons, festivals, good restaurants, little cafes and lively inner city streets all add to the atmosphere and culture of the city. Patras is also home to the second largest port in Greece and so thrives on its shipping business.
Kos
Kos shows a mixture of old historic Greek and Roman architecture imbedded within the modern restaurants, shops and cafes. It's no secret that Kos's main attraction from tourists is its lively nightlife and clubbing scene in locations such as Kos Town and Kardamena and is said to be the touristiest place in Greece. One of Kos' most popular monuments is the castle of the knights of St Johns which is a very popular attraction. Tigaki Beach offers over ten kilometres of sand and is one of the most popular beaches on the island while Kefalos beach has the added quaintness of the Monastery of Agios Nikolaos positioned on a rocky mass a few hundred metres out to sea.
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