In video: Prominent tourist sites in Athens (Photo: Reuters)
It's hard not to think of a vacation in Greece without imagining sun and beaches.
Most of the tourists who visit the country choose to do so, of course, in the summer months, thus taking full advantage of everything this wonderful country has to offer.
The advantages of visiting Greece in the summer months are obvious, but all those obvious advantages bring with them millions of tourists (nearly 30 million of them visited it in 2022), and the congestion at the tourist sites or popular islands is great, sometimes too great.
Greece in winter, on the other hand, is a completely different story - beyond the cheaper flights, and the cheaper hotels.
When we landed in Athens, the weather was absolutely reasonable - a few degrees less than Tel Aviv - and while the streets were empty of tourists, the restaurants and entertainment centers were open, attracting, it seems, mainly locals in the evening.
The tourist sites are almost completely empty.
Athens (photo: Walla! system, Nimrod Ofran)
In four days we did not hear a single siren on the roads
The next day, during a tour of the city, the sense of space was already much clearer: the streets near the Acropolis had never been emptier, Syntagma Square had never been quieter, and in the magnificent national parks we were almost alone - us, a number of ducks and a few mothers with babies.
This silence also remained for the rest of the trip - even though it is customary to compare the Greek character and the Israeli character, we note that in four days we did not hear a single siren on the roads (and maybe even here the winter - or more precisely, the absence of sun and tourists - speaks).
This would be a good place to present the full disclosure: we were sent on behalf of "Selina", the successful hospitality chain that was established nine years ago by a pair of Israelis and already counts 119 hotels around the world - three of them in Greece, and a fourth will soon be opened, on the island of Avia.
The branch in Athens was pleasant, colorful, with an emphasis on recycling furniture and preserving some of the elements of the old building.
The hotel is located in Theater Square - an area that until a few years ago was unpleasant for night walks, and has since developed - with a beautiful view of the top of the Acropolis, shared and personal work spaces, a wellness complex and reasonably priced accommodation options for every pocket - from the thrifty tourist who is willing to sleep with a few more people in a multiple room Bunk beds, through the couple who prefers to indulge in a suite, up to a family of four.
More in Walla!
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In collaboration with the Greek Tourist Board
The view (in summer) from the roof terrace of the hotel to the Acropolis (photo: Selina)
From Athens, we drove about four hours to "Selina" on Mount Philion.
We were greeted by snow left over from Hurricane "Barbara", and upgraded the view from beautiful to spectacular.
Good eye sight:
Spectacular view from the balcony (Photo: Walla! System, Nimrod Ofran)
And some snow left over from Hurricane Barbara (Photo: Walla! System, Nimrod Ofran)
The hotel is located on the side of a mountain in Makrinitsa, a lovely town, but with all due respect those who come here think of nature first, and rightly so: the sea is not far in the summer, a ski resort is half an hour's drive away in the winter, and around there are many other hiking trails, depending on the weather the air and the difficulty levels of the travelers.
Like in Athens, "Selina" in Philion sanctifies the common spaces - be it the common work spaces, the library/cinema hall, or the lovely roof on which yoga classes are held.
We were not in the third branch of the chain, in Paros, but we can only assume that there, as in Athens and Philion, the employees are young and nice, and while you can order "experiences" from them - city tours, nature walks, adventure sports - they give the impression of people who will probably know Also where you can drink the best coffee around, or see the best gallery that doesn't appear in the usual tourist guides.
One of the rooms in the Selina hotel in Filion (photo: Selina)
drink and drink without suffering from a hangover
In the evening, we came down from the mountain and drove about half an hour to the city of Volos.
Another advantage of winter and the absence of tourists is the possibility of getting a free table at Me Zen, a traditional restaurant that specializes, among other things, in great local tsifuro - with or without aniseed.
Our driver Nikos claimed that unlike ouzo, you can drink and drink without a hangover.
It seems he was right, but maybe you can't wake up with a hangover when your hotel room overlooks this view:
A good cure for a hangover (Photo: Selina)
And there is also a typical and nice town.
Makrinitsa (photo: Selina)
Meteora - a must at least once in a lifetime
Even vegans - like the writer of these lines - had something to eat, and these things are true for all of Greece, for the entire duration of the trip: it seems that awareness has increased in recent years, and even outside of Athens you can find options in almost every restaurant (and if necessary, make do with great bread and excellent cock oil).
Greece is not a paradise for vegans like Tel Aviv, but even at a gas station in the middle of nowhere, a fast food chain was found with more vegan options than can be found in most peripheral cities in Israel.
Another place that is usually full of tourists and much more pleasant and spacious in winter is Meteora - the hanging monasteries located about two hours' drive from Philion.
It is better that every person with a pair of functioning eyes and a choice should visit here at least once in his life, and given this choice - winter is an excellent time to do so.
The queues at the entrance were almost non-existent, and even inside the monasteries themselves there were very few people, which made it possible to enjoy this unique wonder and the spectacular view without interruption, without three people from every direction trying to take the perfect selfie.
No queues, no congestion.
Meteora (photo: Walla! system, Nimrod Ofran)
After a short trip in the snow of Makrinitsa, we drove to the airport - chilled but satisfied, and with a clear future conclusion: Greece is great in the summer, but it's just as good in the winter.
How much does it cost?
Selina, Athens branch:
in winter: standard room + breakfast - from 77 dollars per night.
Suite for four people + breakfast - from 140 dollars per night.
In the summer: standard room + breakfast - from 90 dollars per night in the middle of the week.
Suite for four people + breakfast - from 170 dollars.
Salina, Philion branch:
in winter: standard room + breakfast - from 83 dollars per night.
Suite for two people + breakfast - starting at USD 110 per night.
In the summer: standard room + breakfast - from 92 dollars per night midweek.
Suite for two people + breakfast - from 170 dollars per night.
The writer was a guest of the Selina network in Greece.
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