GREEK ISLANDS FAMILY ADVENTURE HOLIDAY
Family Holiday Overview
From the portside chaos to the ship’s horns booming, the screeching sea birds to the yell of porters, the quayside tavernas to the swarm of taxis, there's a magical buzz about Greek island-hopping. This is a place where millions of odysseys have begun, a land of simplicity and infinite variety.
Legend has it that giants once battled in the waters of the Aegean, leaving behind splintered rocks which became the Cyclades. From Jason and his adventuring Argonauts to Frankish Crusaders, myth and enchantment enfold this ring of 220 islands sprinkled south-east of the mainland. They offer a meze of charms; whitewashed villages garnished with popping bougainvillaea, rich archaeological sites set amongst ancient olive groves and seaside tavernas strung with garlands of sun-dried octopus. Evenings are made for watching sunsets and gorging on homemade food; tangy tzatziki with warm pitta, clouds of feta mixed with olives and rounds of juicy, deep-fried domatokeftedes, often served by an old sea captain who could pass for a Homeric sea god. Socialising is a way of life in Greece and the Cyclades boasts a culture alive with passionate locals sharing heated debates before collectively singing a chorus on the bouzouki.
Each of the islands has its own, distinct character but all offer fabulous opportunities for hiking and cycling and an amazing array of water sports helped by the prevailing Meltemi winds. Kitesurfing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, sailing, diving, kayaking, jet-skiing are all on offer. Hedonists (and beach bums) rejoice!
Wandering Tribe has suggested trip itineraries but if these don’t suit your requirements, we can tailor-make tours at no additional cost. If you would like to visit islands not listed, this is possible too - Amorgos, the Lesser Cyclades, Mykonos, Delos, Ios - just ask!
Interesting Facts
- The Greek alphabet is over 2,500 years old, there are 24 letters, seven of which are vowels - the word “alphabet” comes from the first two letters alpha and beta
- The island of Santorini actually remains an active volcano to this day (though in a dormant state) - scientists have found evidence of at least 12 large eruptions in the last 200,000 years, with the last one shaking its shores in 1950
- Ever wondered why so many of Greece’s islands are awash with beautiful blue and white houses? According to ancient beliefs, this particular shade of blue keeps evil away. The locals call the colour kyanos, which is where we derived the words ‘cyan’ and ‘cyanide’
- The saying “taking the bull by its horns” comes from the Greek mythical figure of Hercules, who saved Crete from a raging bull by seizing its horns
- Only about 170 out of the more than 2,000 Greek islands are inhabited
- The word “music” comes from the Muses, goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology
- During the first Olympic Games in 776 B.C., Coroebus, a cook, won the very first sprint race