24/09/2010 by Dave.

By: Rod Ritchie

The tiny Greek island of Paxos, with its groves of olive trees, secluded beaches and coves, and pretty coastal villages, has become a favourite destination for music lovers during its annual jazz and classical music festivals.

In June, the Paxos Jazz Festival attracts talented and well-known musicians from far and wide to perform in open-air, idyllic locations with perfect summer weather. And from 2–13 September 2006 the renowned Paxos International Music Festival features classical music concerts in Loggos.

Since 1986, this Festival has established a tradition of excellence in performance, and has developed a loyal following of visitors and locals. As well as presenting major works from the chamber music repertoire, the Festival has commissioned new pieces especially for the Island. These included We Shall be Here, for a thousand and a thousand more years, a cantata tracing the history of Paxos from its mythological beginnings to the present day and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf translated into Greek. Now directed by the UK’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the 2006 Festival will present major works by composers who have anniversaries this year, including Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet; Schumann’s Piano Quintet; a Bartok String Quartet and a Shostakovich piano trio. And Guildhall students and teachers will give five special concerts. For the first time in Paxos, singers will present a repertoire of songs and arias.

The cosmopolitan capital of the Island, Gaios, bustles with life at festival time and its harbour is packed with yachts and cruisers. Cafe bars and restaurants line the waterfront, nestled between charming villas with their Venetian architecture, and the island’s nightlife includes late-night music bars overlooking the harbour. At the waterfront terrace of Bar Taxidi, in picture-postcard Loggos, you might even find Spiros, the owner, making traditional music.

Some of the best accommodation on Paxos is to be found in the lovely little fishing harbour of Loggos but, be warned, with limited accommodation Paxos villas are in high demand at the time of the music festival so be sure to make your booking way in advance.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

Rod Ritchie, a travel writer and editor, writes for many publishers including AA Publishing and Fodors. Visit Sunisle Greek Holidays for a selection of great value villas on Paxos.

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24/09/2010 by Dave.

By: Webmaster Nexos

Naxos Island is the largest of the Cycladic islands. It is located in the centre of the Aegean Sea and has some of the best beaches in the Greek islands. Being a very popular tourist destination, each year thousands of tourists make a beeline to visit Naxos. Apart from its traditional style and natural beauty, the island is also reputed for its well developed tourism infrastructure. Fabulous and luxurious Naxos hotels are found all over the island. Most of these Naxos hotels are located right amidst the most famous tourist resorts. Many villages have turned into popular tourist hubs due to the innumerable Naxos hotels that have sprung there.

Beaches on Naxos are usually crowded in summer season. Many Naxos hotels are located close to the beach areas. Some Naxos hotels can even be spotted in the traditional mountainous villages. These villages are very picturesque and the surrounding landscape is amazingly panoramic. Thus, these Naxos hotels come with great views of the landscape in which the hotel is situated. The guests get a full opportunity to admire the beauty of this enormous island. Lush green vegetation, olive plantations, wild flowers and a vast endless blue sea looks better than a picture postcard. All Naxos hotels have spacious rooms and good dining options. Their location is of great advantage to tourists, since most Naxos hotels are situated at a walking distance from the centre of the village or a beach.

Almost all Naxos hotels provide excursion tours to their guests, as villages are filled with some wonderful spots. There you can admire the architecture or get lost in time when you visit the various museums and monuments. Many Naxos hotels have good transportation facilities for their guests. Some can arrange luxury air-conditioned buses to take their guests on a tour around the island. If requested to the hotel staff, they can hire a car for you to travel on your pace. Some Naxos hotels can also pick you up at your departure and drop you off when you leave. Those Naxos hotels that do not have their own private transportation facilities will definitely have contacts with the numerous car agencies on the island to render you the opportunity to hire a car or motorcycle.

Naxos hotels located near the beach can provide you with boat excursion trips to some beautiful nearby islands, like Iraklia, Koufonisia or Schinoussa. Usually, these boat trips last for one day at the maximum. You can also have the chance to enjoy adventurous water sport options here at the beaches. Many Naxos hotels provide trainers and staff to guide amateurs and over enthusiastic tourists during wind surfing, kayaking, water skiing or scuba diving. Some Naxos hotels even have their own parts on the beach. You might come across loungers and umbrellas on such a beach. There will be beach taverns and beach bars catering snacks and cool drinks. You can eat something while you watch the beach crowds enjoying themselves. Many have spaces for beach volley to provide some entertainment to tourists.

Naxos hotels are quite reputed for their impeccable services. Usually all Naxos hotels provide 24-hour room service to their guests. Some of the expensive suites come with their very own butlers and they can fulfill all your requests and wishes. Each of the Naxos hotels have their respective brochures that you can read through to know the services available here. Some brochures are very informative and let you know about the island and the touristy spots that you can visit during your stay. Most Naxos hotels also have their own websites on the internet. It is advisable to make your reservation ahead of the tourist season if you desire to get the best room, with the best views. Naxos is an island full of surprises and opportunities. Once you visit, you will never want to leave. Naxos hotels really know the art to pamper their guests thereby making them long to stay on this island forever.

Article Source: http://www.travelarticlelibrary.com

Naxos Hotels, the most beautiful island of Cyclades and to enjoy the best tourist facilities you could require from Naxos Hotels. Plaza Beach Hotel combines the comforts and luxury of all ( www.plazabeachhotel.gr ) Naxos Hotels to make sure that you will truly enjoy your summer holidays !

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02/06/2010 by Silver Blogger.

A View of the Greek Island Rhodes
by: Dan Williams
If you have always fancied a holiday on a Greek island but were worried about busy beaches and crowded bars and night clubs full of noisy young people having fun then perhaps Rhodes is the destination you’ve been looking for. Perhaps it’s the location of Rhodes that sets it apart from other Greek islands, being much nearer to the coast of Turkey than Greece. Rhodes certainly has a slightly different feel to the other main islands like Corfu, Kos, Mykonos, Naxos and Kefallonia and Zakynthos off the west coast. It seems to attract an older cross-section of travellers and more family groups.

As you read through the reviews posted by people about their visits to the island, the common theme is quiet beaches, relaxed surroundings and peaceful days in the sun.

Quality is another word associated with Rhodes and the island has its fair share of luxury 5-Star Hotels.

Rhodes is lucky enough to enjoy over 250 kilometers of coast and therefore has a great choice of beaches. One of the best is the oddly named Anthony beach, named after the actor Anthony Quinn who fell in love with the island while filming The Guns of Navarone and ended up buying some land on the island. This beach is small and beautiful but not well suited for families with young children as the rocks and stones are tricky underfoot.

A more developed beach with full facilities can be found at Faliraki Beach. It is one of the biggest and most developed beaches on the island and has lots of golden sand and clear waters to keep holidaymakers happy. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants on hand and also a choice of watersports activities for more active people. Kalathos beach and Tsabika beach both offer soft sand, but many beaches on Rhodes are stony so families with children should check carefully where they head for.

Like many Greek islands, the main town has the same name as the island itself and Rhodes town is certainly full of interesting attractions. It has its fair share of tourist developments, including large hotels and shopping areas but it also has a wealth of history to explore and enjoy. The medieval part of the city, sitting high above the harbour, dates back many hundreds of years and old fortifications indicate that the town was often subjected to siege and invasion over the centuries. It is this part of Rhodes that attracts many visitors. The large palace surrounded by paved walkways and alleyways, combined with squares, courtyards and gateways provides an old town that illustrates architecture and style throughout the ages. The main fortress is divided into northern and southern halves. In the south the Hora houses a Turkish bazaar and other markets, while the northern section, the Kollakio, has the Street of Knights the palace of the Grand Master. Rhodes town, which is accessed by one of eleven ancient gateways, has been nominated as a site of world cultural heritage by UNESCO, one of only 878 in the world.

Rhodes is also a very green town, with areas of grassland between the old castles and many tree-lined avenues. It certainly makes a stroll around the town a very pleasant way to pass the time.

The harbour is a central focal point for the capital and, although not large by any means, has an interesting mix of old and modern boats. It is also a stopping point for larger passenger ships and island hopping cruise ships.

Flights into Rhodes arrive at Diagoras International Airport, which is situated south-west of Rhodes town, about 15 kilometers away. The airport takes a mix of national flights, mainly from Athens and charter flights from abroad bringing holidaymakers to the island. The airport was opened in the late seventies but benefits from a new terminal which opened 3 years ago.

About The Author
Islands like Rhodes are popular tourist destinations and Dan Williams has all the information people look for before they travel. He can also help tourists find cheap flights to Rhodes and other locations such as those offered on the FlyThomasCook website.

Article courtesy of Article City

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