Continuously inhabited for over 7,000 years, Athens is one of the oldest cities in Europe.
Crete, Greece’s largest island and birthplace of the Minoan Civilisation, is the most southern one, except for the little island of Gavdos!
The species and subspecies of the native plants in Greece are about 6,000, almost as much as 50% of the native plants of Europe!
The first philosopher is considered to be Thales of Miletus (c. 624 – 425 B.C.). He is credited as giving the first explanation for the origin of the world that was not mythological.
Olympus (2,917m), the mountain of Gods and Muses is the highest mountain of Greece and the 2nd in the Balkans.
On Anafi Island, lies the rock of Kalamos, the second highest monolithic limestone after Gibraltar; a must-see for climbers who will enjoy a great challenge here.
Did you know that in Greece you can enjoy skiing with a sea view?
Greece' s official name is Hellenic Republic. However Greeks call their country Hellas or Hellada.
Greece's national drink is ouzo. Ouzo is a dry anise-flavoured aperitif. Cheers, "stin igia mas" in Greek!
Did you know that Greece has the biggest EU consumption of olive oil per capita, with around 12 kg per person per year?
About 7% of all the marble produced worldwide comes from Greece.
No part of Greece is more than 137km from the sea.
Did you know that Greece is the 4th largest cheese producer worldwide. Greeks eat 28 kg per capita per year. And guess what, mostly feta cheese!
Did you know that Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil in the world? Greeks have cultivated olive trees since antiquity. Some of the olive trees that are still producing olives date back to the thirteenth century.
Did you know that Greece hosts 50% of the brown bear population in western & southern Europe.
Crete's history as well as the inhabitants' personality were affected by the island's mountainous landscape.
An old Greek legend says that when God created the world, he sifted all the soil onto the earth through a strainer. After every country had good soil, he tossed the stones left in the strainer over his shoulder and created Greece.
Greece has one of the richest varieties of wildlife in Europe, including 116 species of mammals, 18 of amphibians, 59 of reptiles, 240 of birds, and 107 of fishes.
Alexander the Great, one of history’s greatest warriors and leaders of all time, was Greek. Alexander the Great conquered land all the way from Greece to Asia. His achievements and conquests gave rise to the later Hellenistic period (323 BC - 31 BC).
Greece is a leading producer of sea sponges.