Land & Cruise Barcelona | Griekenland

About the destination:

Barcelona is een prachtige stad gelegen in het noordoosten van Spanje. Onder Nederlandse toeristen is Barcelona al jarenlang de populairste stad op het Iberische schiereiland. De combinatie van perfecte winkelstad, veel bezienswaardigheden, heerlijk eten en de ligging aan het water maken van Barcelona de topbestemming die het is.

Het aantal dagen dat je nodig hebt om Barcelona te verkennen is vooral afhankelijk van persoonlijke voorkeuren. Als je een groot deel van de hotspots wilt bezoeken inclusief een aantal musea, dan heb je al snel een dag of vier tot vijf nodig. Wil je ook nog op je gemak een of twee dagen aan het strand doorbrengen dan moet je er één of twee dagen bij optellen. Barcelona heeft voldoende te bieden om er een hele week naartoe te gaan als het weer een beetje mee wil zitten. Wie korter dan 3-4 dagen gaat die zal keuzes moeten maken. Je kunt tijd besparen door zo efficiënt mogelijk te plannen. Ook het vooraf kopen (via internet) van kaartjes kan ervoor zorgen dat je meer kunt doen in minder tijd. Vraag je echter af of dat hetgeen is wat je wilt.

About the destination: Piraeus is a port city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens urban area, 8 kilometres southwest from its city centre (municipality of Athens), and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf. According to the 2011 census, Piraeus had a population of 163,688 people within its administrative limits, making it the fifth largest municipality in Greece and the second largest within the urban area of the Greek capital, following the municipality of Athens. The municipality of Piraeus and four other suburban municipalities form the regional unit of Piraeus which sometimes called Greater Piraeus area, with a total population of 448,997, and is part οf Athens urban area. Piraeus has a long recorded history, dating to ancient Greece. The city was founded in the early 5th century BC, when this area was selected to become the new port of classical Athens and was built as a prototype harbour, concentrating all the import and transit trade of Athens. During the Golden Age of Athens the Long Walls were constructed to fortify Athens and its port (Piraeus). Consequently, it became the chief harbour of ancient Greece, but declined gradually after the 3rd century B.C., growing once more in the 19th century, after Athens' declaration as the capital of Greece. In the modern era, Piraeus is a large city, bustling with activity and an integral part of Athens, acting as home to the country's biggest harbour and bearing all the characteristics of a huge marine and commercial-industrial center. The port of Piraeus is the chief port in Greece, the largest passenger port in Europe and the second largest in the world, servicing about 20 million passengers annually. With a throughput of 1.4 million TEUs, Piraeus is placed among the top ten ports in container traffic in Europe and the top container port in the Eastern Mediterranean. The municipality hosted events in both the 1896 and 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. The University of Piraeus is one of the largest Greek universities and has the country's second-oldest business school, as well as the oldest academic department in the area of finance.

About the destination: Athens takes its name after the goddess of wisdom Athena, who is celebrated by the magnificent Acropolis, which overlooks the modern, cosmopolitan city that Athens is today. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities and it is the birthplace of western philosophy, democracy and theater. Up to this date, the Greek capital remains a major worldwide centre of culture, with its historic centre, iconic classical sites and museums filled with ancient Greece artefacts. The Acropolis, crowned by the emblematic Parthenon, has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cars were banned from the historic centre, which has become the most striking pedestrian promenade in Europe. In this archeological Park, visitors will witness the contrasting nature of this ancient metropolis being able to visit the New Acropolis Museum, a high-tech modern structure with light and airy exhibition spaces as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archeological museum in Greece built in the 19th century and devoted to ancient Greek art. The Acropolis and Mount Lycavittos, the city’s highest points, are used as orientation since they are visible from most places in the Plaka, the old historical neighborhood. The Plaka is under the Acropolis and stretches almost to Syntagma, home of to the Greek Parliament. For a taste of the hedonistic Athenian lifestyle one should visit Monastiraki, where locals go to eat, drink and mingle. The night time belongs to Psirri, a vibrant neighbourhood known for its bars, live music venues and exciting nightclubs. Southeast of the city centre, a glorious stretch of coast affords dreamy views over the glistening blue Aegean Sea. Surely few European capitals can claim sandy beaches and clean water for swimming within such easy access. Athens therefore offers the best of both worlds – a fantastic city break as well as a lazy beach holiday. Athenians are surprisingly friendly and outgoing and their enthusiasm for life’s pleasurable pursuits is so infectious that even the stiffest traveler will take time out for endless coffees and evening strolls, dine out until late and enjoy the city’s nightlife, long after the rest of Europe has gone to bed.

About the destination: Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, and the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits. Crete is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece. The tourist attractions include the archaeological sites of the Minoan civilisation, the Venetian old city and port of Chania, the Venetian castle at Rethymno, the gorge of Samaria, the islands of Chrysi, Elafonisi, Gramvousa, and Spinalonga and the Palm Beach of Vai, which is the largest natural palm forest in Europe.