Athens
During ancient times, Greece served as a geographically strategic meeting place for people from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Today, the country remains as diverse and vibrant as the cultures that shaped it.
Athens emerged during the Classical Age, in the 5th century BC, as the most prominent city-state in Greece. It is located in the southernmost region of Central Greece, and is the port city where most begin their tours of the popular Greek islands. It is situated in a basin surrounded by four mountains: Mt. Hymettos to the east, Mt. Parnis and Mt. Aigaleo to the West, and Mt. Pendeli to the north. It is home to countless archeological sites, museums, and social attractions. Greek is the language spoken here, although as in most places, English is also spoken and understood. Currency in Greece is the drachma.
To Greeks, Athens is an overcrowded, expensive, and decadent place to avoid if you are the quiet, peaceful type. To tourists, however, Athens is an exciting, bustling city filled with shops, cafés, monuments, and character. Although pollution and traffic do add to the grit of the city (think New York's traffic jams and Los Angeles air quality), the energetic tourist will find plenty of opportunities for sightseeing.
While Greeks like to ridicule Athens, 40% of the country's population lives here, and 5 million people can't be wrong. The street congestion is partially alleviated by a newly constructed subway system called the metro, but taxis are still the primary mode of transportation for visitors. And although Athens is a modern city, the history and antiquity of Greece is not entirely forgotten here. The city is home to many places that recall Greece's achievements in science, sport, architecture, and art during from Classical Age. It boasts of relics from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods. History enthusiasts will want to visit the Natural Archeological Museum. And no one who visits Athens should miss the city's most impressive legacy, the Acropolis and the perfection of the Parthenon. It is an architectural must-see, looming 200 feet above the city.
Just as Athens offers plenty to do, it also offers plenty of places to unwind. Traffic jams and overcrowding can be quickly forgotten while enjoying appetizers at a local restaurant or sipping coffee at a tranquil side street café, as Athenians are also masters of food, friendly debate, discussion, and relaxation.
Rhodes
Rhodes is one of the principal Dodecanese islands. The Dodecanese are the easternmost of the Greek islands, neighboring Asia Minor, and some of its most beautiful and diversified. Rhodes is the most traveled of the 12 Dodecanese, enticing tourists with its gorgeous land and fascinating history. It is also the largest Greek island, with 540 square miles of beautiful land. It is believed that Rhodes was once a part of nearby Turkey, as evidenced by the similarities in their terrains. A volcanic eruption separated the two.
Helios, the Sun god, is the signature god of Rhodes. This is perfectly fitting, as Rhodes enjoys an average of 300 or so days of blissful sunshine a year. Obviously, its sun-drenched environment is enough to draw visitors from all over the world, but it is Rhodes impeccably maintained terrain that charms them to come back over and over again. Rhodes has remained seemingly unspoiled by pollution and a growing population, and this is a testament to how much pride residents of Rhodes take in their home. Rhodes has a reputation for kindness that is unrivaled by other European destinations. It is not unusual here for strangers to engage in conversation, and the locals love to share their warmth and tradition with tourists. Hospitality is nearly a given, especially if you are new to the island.
From sleepy mountainous village areas to the vibrancy of Rhodes Old and New Towns, this island is a lovely display of rich earth and sparkling beaches crowned by an aura of history that links East to West with an indescribable magic.
Rhodes is a tourist's dream. For that reason, it has earned itself the reputation of being the most crowded of the Dodecanese. If you are visiting Rhodes in late summer months like July and August, brace yourself for crowds. Reservations are recommended at most restaurants during those months, and some museums also offer reservations in addition to regular walk-in availability. But if you are fortunate enough to visit Rhodes during off-peak times such as October or November, you will be able to enjoy all of the beauty and festivities that the island has to offer without the lines and crowds. Either way, you are sure to take pleasure in the rich history and natural beauty that is Rhodes.
Haifa
Haifa is Israel's city by the bay. Israel's biggest commercial port and third largest city, 300,000 people call Haifa home. Among them is a sizable percentage of Christians and Muslims, making this northern port town one of the few places in Israel where people of different backgrounds are truly able to coexist.
Haifa is a mountainous region that can be separated into three parts. At the top is the Carmel district, with breathtaking views and clean, crisp air. In the middle is the Hadar district, where most of Haifa's business gets done. Finally, the area around the port is Haifa's industrial center, with most of the work centered around the sea.
Haifa's beaches lie just south of the city itself. They are easily Israel's finest. Resort companies are just finding this out, and as a result there are developments springing up around the area, despite the objections of the locals who view this land as their own private paradise.
Haifa's history has centered around the sea. The ancient Phoenicians called the area Zalemona, and it thrived as a major trading outpost. In Biblical times, Elijah the prophet defeated King Ahab and his wife Jezebel's forces in a battle atop Mount Carmel. The area lay dormant after the Arab reconquest of the area one thousand years ago, only to revive when Great Britain chose Haifa as the site for a new harbor. The northern city was the first to come under Jewish control after World War II, and thousands of Holocaust refugees settled here.
Most tourists base their Israeli itineraries around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and that is understandable. There is so much to see in Israel's two largest cities that it can be hard to find time for a trip up north. But a visit to Haifa completes Israel's picture. Only when you combine the history of Jerusalem, the modernity of Tel Aviv, and the beauty and functionality of Haifa, will you get a true sense of Israel.
Messina
Messina is an unfortunate city on the northwest corner of Sicily. Actually, unfortunate doesn't begin to describe Messina's miserable luck. The invading Carthaginians destroyed the city over two thousand years ago. The city was rebuilt, and became a powerful port for Crusaders to stop in on their way to the Holy Land. Richard the Lion-Hearted himself stopped in here to gather his courage. But the good times stopped abruptly. In the 18th Century, a ship stopped in Messina carrying the black plague, ravaging the entire town. Devastating earthquakes leveled the town in 1894 and 1908, the second one destroying practically everything in sight. Two-thirds of Messina's population of 120,000 died from the 1908 quake. As a result, Messina's architecture stands apart from the rest of Italy's. Every building is short so that it won't topple if another earthquake hits.
Today, Messina struggles because it lacks that connection to the past that draws visitors to other Italian cities. The town tries to be tourist-friendly. In fact, the tourism office here is one of the best in all of Italy. However, smiling faces can only do so much, as most people who visit Sicily spend their time in Palermo or Taormina, using Messina only as a place to change trains and get a quick bite to eat.
Naples
Naples can be an acquired taste. Italy's third largest city is sure to conjure up strong feelings. For some it's an admiration of the city's authentic vibe, while for others it's a dislike for the economic disparity that exists here. Sophia Loren and Enrico Caruso are native Neapolitans, and the city is stubbornly proud of its image. One thing is certain; you will not leave Naples without an opinion.
Since late 1993, the city has sought to overcome its high crime rate by opening more museums and galleries, thereby attracting a cultured group of visitors and residents. The unconventional strategy is starting to pay off, as crime is down twenty-five percent. The resulting feeling of security has increased tourism by almost fifty percent. Naples feels like any other big city in the world, with no need to fear for your safety.
If Italy is the place to go for the best pizza and pasta in the world, and Naples is the best place to enjoy them in Italy, that would make Naples the pizza and pasta capital of the world, right? So bring your appetite!
If you have the time, try and take a side trip out to Pompeii, the ancient city buried by a volcanic eruption on nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The opportunity to see a city frozen in time is rare, and well worth a visit.
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