What is your favourite local destination?

[Nick]

Hi everyone,

In times like this, when it is more difficult to travel internationally (if at all), I think it is time to reclaim the beauty we can find in our own countries of residence.

Why not be each other's passport, taking a virtual journey through our shared photographs and experiences? 

What is your favourite destination within your country?

Wherever you are in the world I would love to know more about your favourite local travelling destinations. 

Maybe we can give ourselves some good ideas for our next respective trips by discovering places which we would not have thought of visiting otherwise.🙂

Looking forward to your suggestions.

Nick

[Helen427]

@Ana7 

Gorgeous, do you find in Croatia that the roads tend to have been created very close to the coastlines?

 In days gone by when people navigated the world by Sailing vessels, before air travel came about, life must have been quite an adventure.

What era are the homes in your photo built, do you know?

Every home has a story.

What is the population in Zagreb?

Who is Zagreb named after?

[Helen427]

@Nick 

Which island is that?

What's the name of the castle?

 I've fond memories of walking around the Knights of St John when I stayed in Rhodos. 

Seeing the Church of St Mary was like I had been there before, yet never had, nor did I know much about Rhodes .

 Visiting there is one of my most memorable and enriching travel experiences.

[Nick]

Hi @Helen427 

This is one small, lesser-known island of the Aegean sea, Astypalaia, and it's a true gem! It's located exactly where the Dodecanese meet the Cyclades, so in typical fashion has whitewashed villages and sun-drenched beaches. Its history expands to the pre-historic times and has been inhabited since then.

According to Greek mythology, Astypalaia was a woman who was abducted by Poseidon, who was in the form of a winged fish-tailed leopard. Astypalaia was the daughter of Phoenix and Perimede. She would have two sons with Poseidon: Ancaeus (King of Samos) and Eurypylos (King of Kos). It is believed the island was named after Astypalaia.

The castle on top of the hill is the Venetian Guerini Castle (13th c). The small three-storey houses built in the castle’s outer grounds are of particular architectural interest since the outer walls of the houses form the castle wall and narrow windows were used as battlements. Within the castle, there are two churches, painted in a pure white colour, with elaborate stone belfries: Panagia Evangelistria (1853), inside which you will see the founders’ inscription dated 1413 and the Guerini coats of arms; and Agios Georgios.

A few more photos:

[Patricia2156]

Impressive!

[J-Renato0]

@Nick 

What a beautful island... beautful clean water... amazing vernacular architecture. Greece is fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Lizzie 

I'll keep you posted. 

HaHaa  😂😂

[Nick]

What an idyllic scenery, @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  

Not sure I could do the skinny dipping in so cold waters, although I won't know until I actually try it. 

[Yannis37]

@Nick I think that is Astypalaia which is one of my favorite Greek islands.  Such a beautiful place. So many pleasant memories...
Another favorite destination in Greece for me is the area of Pelion. I really enjoy the fact that it combines both sea and mountain experiences. It offers amazing, exotic-like  beaches and picturesque villages on the mountain. You can visit Pelion during the whole year as it is ideal for both summer and winter holidays. My favorite spot of Pelion is around Tsagkarada and Mouresi.  For those who don't know, many scenes from Mamma Mia were filmed in Pelion...
I can't wait to visit again!

[Patricia2156]

Gorgeous!

[Nick]

Hi @Yannis37 
Yes, that is Astypalaia!

I can't believe you mentioned Pelion, and especially those two places - I was there last summer for 2 weeks. We were staying in Tsagkarada but were going to Mouresi as one of my favourite tavernas in the area is located there. I also like the place on the square. There was also a "panigiri" there one night although I can't remember what was it they were celebrating. We had a great time last year although one of our friends was getting dizzy all the time in the car and we didn't go to all the places I wanted to go. 

Anyhow, what is the beach in that second picture, the one with the waves, is that Plaka? I love how it gets deep very very quickly.

[Yannis37]

@Nick Hi Nick, the beach in the second picture is Agioi Saranta - there is also a great beach bat worth visiting! My parents own a house in Mouresi, so i fully understand why you like it there. Such a peaceful scenery

[Laura2484]

Wow stunning photography @Nick , these are certainly places to visit one day

I'm curious 'What are the white circular buildings used for ? (Photo 4)

Local history and cultural facts 👍🏾 Fun to learn also

Thanks for sharing your locale

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 @J-Renato0 @Yannis37 @Lizzie 

[Nick]

Thanks @Laura2484 I'm glad you like them 🙂 

Those are windmills, beautifying the hills of Astypalaia and all of the Cyclades. They were invented in the pre-industrial times, and give a perfect example of ecology, as they make the most of the gusty winds blowing in the area – especially the northern 'meltemi' – to grind local agricultural yields, mostly wheat and barley. The flour produced by the windmills was then sold to local bakeries, given back to the farmers for their own family use or transported with ships to other areas around the country or abroad.

They are traditionally three-story constructions made of stone, with a spherical shape, small windows and a customary pointed roof, made of wood. They are painted snow-white to blend in with the rest of the island's buildings, in sharp contrast with the deep blue of the Aegean sea and sky. 

[Dimitar27]

Ecology is one of the biggest benefits of the Greek tourism. I wish I could say the same for the countries around the Black sea...

[Laura2484]

@Yannis37 

Pelion is beautiful it would make a great holiday destination indeed. 

Thanks for sharing☀️