Offlate I see many Indians visiting Greece. Greece is an exotic destination! Through all the photography of houses there, I really wish to visit a home in the country and see how they live! Most houses having a blue coloured doors and windows make me curious! Upon my research, I realized that this is their way to ward off from evil.

Well, Greece is a neighbour to Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey. The country is flourishing with beautiful lakes, mountains and forests. Being the southernmost country in Europe, it is bestowed with blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Ionian Sea to the west. All of Greece is less than 140 kilometers away from water. People there enjoy 9000 miles of coastline which is 10th longest coastline in the world! Since I am exploring about fascinating facts of various countries of the world, I wanted to do the same for Greece and know why it has become one of the most favoured destinations for Indians. I being a nature lover, gathered some natural facts which fascinate. So, I am presenting to you-

Some fascinating facts of Greece

1. Greece is formed due to the collision of a tectonic plate with Europe that created Greece’s  mountainous ranges. This movement of plate causes earthquake all around the Aegean even today.

2. There are three main geographical regions – the mainland, the islands and the Peloponnese (the large peninsula south of the mainland).

3. We can’t navigate in rivers due mountainous terrain which comprises 80% of Greece.

4. Mount Olympus having a heighest peak of 2917 meters has over 50 peaks. Ancient people believed this mountain to be the abode of Gods!

5. The deepest gorge- Vikos Gorge has stunning views. It is in The Pindus mountain range on the mainland.

6. Out of 2000 islands of Greece, only 170 are inhabited by humans. Largest island is Crete which has 8,260 sq. km. of area.

Islands in Greece, picture credits – Pixabay

7. 100,000+ migratory birds stop in Greece while traversing from northern Europe and Asia during winters. Geese, ducks and swallows stop here while migrating from Africa to Europe. It is a famous destination for bird photography.

8. There are ten national parks housung 116 species of mammals, 18 of amphibians, 59 of reptiles, 240 of bird. Two endangered creatures- the loggerhead turtle and the monk seal are being conserved in marine park. One can see starfishes, sea anemones, sponges and seahorses. There are 107 species of fish. 

9. Fauna includes maquis, a tangle of thorny shrubs that don’t need a lot of water. These plants include fragrant herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and bay and myrtle trees.

On my visit to Greece, I will ensure to see at least five National Parks and few islands along with deepest canyon! On the other side Shopping at Athens, in food charcoal-grilled and spit-roasted meats, gyros and skewered meat with pitta bread, with spices and curries is a must must try.

Nidhi KM