Best Places to Visit in Greece: Corfu, Crete & Rhodes

After visiting Venice and Santorini our cruise stopped at three other Greek Islands: Corfu, Crete and Rhodes. When we booked our holiday I had a different itinerary in mind, I wanted to visit the historic Acropolis of Athens and the blue and white picturesque villages of Mykonos so when I found out those we weren't going to stop there I felt a bit disappointed. However, I ended up falling in love with the places we visited. Today, I want to tell you a bit about each of them and share with you some of my favorite pics. If you are a fellow history lover, I'm sure you are going to enjoy this post.

Best Places to Visit in Greece: CORFU

Corfu means ‘twin peaks’, the town is bookended by two hills, on which two massive fortresses were built to repel the aggression of five successive Ottoman sieges. Corfu Town was the place we liked the least because it's less spectacular than the others. Nevertheless, we were able to attend a religious procession which we enjoyed a lot. On August 11th a silver case containing the body of St. Spyridon is exposed for public worship for 3 days and nights. Thousands pay homage to kiss his slippered feet.  It was a great way to mingle with the locals and learn about their traditions. The streets were crowded with a mixture of tourists, people dressed in traditional costumes and Orthodox priests.

 Best Places to Visit in Greece: CRETE

In Crete we visited Heraklion. It's top attraction is Knossos Palace, a must if you visit this island. I remember seeing picture of this archeological gem in my Ancient Greek text book back in my high school years. You breath history in every corner. It's fun to imagine what the place looked like 3,500 years ago when it was at its peak and the people living there.

Best Places to Visit in Greece: RHODES

Many believe that the name originates from the Greek word rhodon, translated to rose in English. The medieval city of Rhodes is another historic site. Here you can embark on a journey through past civilizations. Christian churches, synagogues and mosques coexist. The Old Town of Rhodes is a maze of cobble streets that makes you feel as if you were back in the days of the Byzantine empire. The knights templar stayed in Rhodes for more than 200 years, transforming the city into a mighty fortress with 12-meter thick walls. The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and the Street of Knights are beautiful landmarks of this city.

The city is also famous for one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World, the Colossus of Rhodes. It was a massive statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios (nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty), erected in 280 BC. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC. Some mystery remains as to where it was really located and what happened after it was destroyed.

Have you ever visited Greece? Which was your favorite island?
xo Cristina