Life in Greece: land of the most beautiful women
Its name is woven into the fabric of our lives from childhood. Scholars build their analyses upon its foundations. Religious leaders mention it in sermons. And at school, its influence is everpresent. Every time a math teacher teaches us about Pythagoras, Uklid and Archimedes, history about Alexander the Great and Herodus, English about Homer, or sports about the Olympics, its name arises. Socrates, Aristotle and Plato are synonymous with it. Its language forms the very blueprint for modern medicine and science. Terms like cardiology and biology are direct echoes from its ancient past. Even if you forget every name we’ve mentioned, you will never forget the country that gave the world the word democracy. But this is also a land where secrets are whistled across mountains, where people live so long they forget to die, and where a discovery in an ancient shipwreck changed everything we thought we knew about history. Today we are going to explore this wonderful country. Stay with us. Welcome to Greece. Greece is a country in southeastern Europe with an area of 131,957 km and a population of approximately 9.9 million. Located at a strategic crossroads between Europe, Asia, and Africa, it is a nation blessed with a deep history and more than 6,000 beautiful islands scattered like jewels across the turquoise Aian and Ionian seas. Of these 6,000, only around 227 are inhabited, each with its own unique character and secrets. This is the land that gave birth to Western civilization as we know it. It pioneered the democracy that world leaders swear by, and in a quirky continuation of that legacy, voting is not just a right, but a compulsory duty for every citizen over the age of 18. Failing to vote can lead to difficulties in getting a passport or a driver’s license. But be careful how you interact here. Culture runs deep. Showing an open palm with your fingers spread, known as the matzah, is one of the most offensive gestures you can make. It’s not a friendly wave. This is a cultural relic from the Byzantine Empire when criminals were chained to a donkey and paraded through the streets while citizens smeared their faces with cinders and dirt using their open palms. The gesture today carries that same ancient insult of shame and disgust. It was here that the Olympics began in 776 BC, not as a global competition, but as a religious festival to honor Zeus. It was here that art, philosophy, and science were needed into the bread that would feed the entire world for millennia to come. Greece is a tourist paradise. Tourism is one of the pillars that keep the Greek economy going. If we were to describe the entire Greek economy as a whole, we would say that tourism is its vibrant beating heart. The country has a population of 9.9 million. Yet in 2024, it welcomed 35.9 million visitors, more than three times its own population with projections for that number to grow. This industry is so vital that 10% of its citizens work directly in tourism and another 25% work indirectly in related jobs generating over 21 billion euros which accounts for 13% of the nation’s entire GDP. So what brings this flood of humanity to Greece? The first reason is money. The amount of money tourists spend when traveling to Greece is much lower than in other European countries. This affordability extends beyond tourism. The cost of living in Greece, particularly in its major cities like Athens, remains significantly lower than in many Western European nations, the USA or the UK. For a single person, monthly expenses without rent can range from €800 to €1,200, while a family of four might expect to spend between €2,700 and €3,500. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Athens can be found for €400 to €800 in the city center and even less outside. The second is the climate. Greece enjoys over 300 days and 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, a powerful magnet for travelers from colder northern climates. Even its winters are mild. Add to this the genuine heartfelt hospitality of its people, a concept called philoxenia, which literally translates to friend to a stranger, and you have a recipe for a perfect destination. But tourism is only one side of the coin. Greece has another far more powerful economic engine that most people never see, the sea itself. Greek ship owners control the largest merchant fleet in the world. Despite being a small nation, Greece controls over 21% of the world’s total merchant shipping capacity. Their ships are the silent giants that move the world’s goods from oil to grain to consumer electronics. This dominance of the seas is a modern legacy of an ancient tradition, making families like the Onasses and Narcos dynasties legends in global commerce. When you picture Greece, you probably picture its islands. Let’s start our tour there. Santorini is an island that is a feast for the eyes. It is known for its white and blue colors, narrow streets, and the numerous tourists who wander them. Once a Hollywood movie, a travel magazine cover, and now an Instagram sensation, it has become an island so crowded with tourists that its 15,000 residents are complaining. An estimated 3.4 million tourists visit it every year. People from all over the world flock to the villages of Oya and Fira to take similar photos after seeing them on Instagram. Oya is one of the most crowded tourist villages in Europe where tourists wait in long lines to take photos. The main reason they come here is to watch the sunset and take photos with it. Santorini is built on the edge of a massive caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption so colossal it may have destroyed the ancient Manoan civilization on nearby cree. This gives it those dramatic cliffs and stunning views. Its beaches are truly unlike anywhere else with unique red and black volcanic sands. Mkos is another beautiful Greek island known for its vibrant night life. It is a haven for the wealthy home to famous artists and international DJs. Its golden beaches, paradise and super paradise are known for attracting a wealthy clientele. Luxury hotels, villas for rent, yachts, and luxury brands are all here. McConos, like Santorini, is home to whitewashed buildings, though its churches typically feature traditional tiled roofs. A famous unofficial resident is the Mecconos Pelican. A tradition started in 1958 when a fisherman found a wounded pelican and nursed it back to health. It was named Petros and since his death, a new pelican has always been introduced to carry on the legacy as the island’s mascot. But this is the Greece on the postcards. To truly understand this country, we have to go deeper to the places where ancient traditions refused to die. Remember, we are in Europe because we’re going to take you to Hydra, a city where driving is a crime. No matter how rich you are in Hydra, you cannot buy a car or even ride a bicycle. But you can satisfy your desire to ride by riding a donkey, a horse, or a mule. In Hydra, just like in the past, the only means of transport is by animal. This isn’t just due to its steep, narrow streets. It’s a deliberate law to preserve its timeless charm and ancient traditions. The absence of cars creates a profound silence broken only by conversation and the clopping of hooves, making it a preferred destination for international musicians, writers, and artists. Now, let’s travel to an island where the rules of life and death seem to bend. Icaria is one of only five places in the world known as a blue zone. Its unique identity is that its inhabitants receive the call of death much later than the rest of us. The inhabitants of Aaria are renowned for their exceptional longevity, often living well past 90 and frequently reaching over a 100red years old. However, those who celebrate their centenery do not like the rest of the world live in bed or in a wheelchair. Taking long walks, gardening and dancing are the most common activities of centenarians in Aaria. They follow a natural diet rich in wild greens, beans, locally produced goat milk, and a unique strong red wine. Their food is cooked with local olive oil. But perhaps their biggest secret is their approach to time. They have a non-negotiable appointment every afternoon, a nap, and their social ties are incredibly strong. Eating together, drinking wine, and dancing to music are central to their communal life. This way of life is said to be the secret to their longevity. If you think those places are unique, let’s journey to the mainland. Here, perched at top colossal natural rock pillars are the monasteries of Meteora. The name means suspended in the air. And that’s exactly what they look like. Built between the 14th and 16th centuries by monks seeking solitude and protection, these architectural marvels seem to defy gravity. Before the construction of modern roads and steps, the only way up was to be hauled 400 m into the sky in a net. A terrifying test of faith where the ropes were only replaced, as the monks said, when the Lord let them break. Even more mysterious is a place you may have never heard of, Mount Aos. This is not just a mountain. It is an autonomous monastic state, a self-governed republic of monks that has been operating under its own laws for over 1,000 years. But it has one unbreakable rule. No women are allowed to set foot on its soil. This rule, called the Avaton, extends to all female animals as well, with the exception of cats. For over a millennium, this peninsula has been a sanctuary for 2,000 monks, dedicated entirely to prayer, a place where time is still measured by the Byzantine clock and the Julian calendar. Let’s start our tour of Athens from Monasteraki Square. Here you will stand in a square and see three historical sites. This is the church of St. Mary built in the Byzantine era. This is the Tisarakis mosque built by the Ottoman Turks 260 years ago. And this is the modern metro station. Although Athens has many good sides, it lacks green spaces. For this reason, Athens has started to build a new city within the city that it has never seen before. The new village is called Elino. It is being built on a 6.8 km site where the former airport used to be with an 8 billion euro budget. It is the first high-rise in Greek history to be built with extensive green areas and renewable energy. The village is expected to create jobs for 80,000 Greeks and attract 1 million additional tourists a year. If you’ve ever been to Athens, let us know your favorite spot in the comments below. Further north is Thessalaniki, the country’s second largest city and its undisputed culinary capital. Away from the crowded islands, this is the perfect place to experience the real life of its people. The heart of the city is Aristotle Square, and its symbol is the White Tower, a 600-year-old structure standing guard by the sea. Here, coffee is a slow social ritual that can last for hours, and the streets are filled with the smells of bugatza, a creamfilled pastry, and sizzling. So, what does it mean to be Greek today? It means living in a world of beautiful contradictions. Greece allocates around 17.5 billion of its annual income to the health sector with free treatment for its citizens. Greek doctors and nurses are highly educated and professional. But alongside modern medicine, an ancient belief thrives. The number of people who believe in the evil eye charm is not small. This belief, the mati, holds that a glance of jealousy or excessive praise can bring bad luck. It’s a belief so ingrained that you might hear someone say ttoe after giving a compliment, especially to a child. This small symbolic act of spitting is meant to ward off any potential bad luck. You will find the blue-ey charm everywhere on jewelry, on clothes, in cars, and in homes. This deep connection to tradition extends to celebrations, too. For many Greeks, their name day, the feast day of the saint they are named after is a far more important celebration than their actual birthday. We conclude our visit today. Thank you for staying with us. If you enjoyed this journey into the heart of Greece, please consider subscribing for more deep dives into the world’s most fascinating places.
Is Greece just ancient ruins and crowded islands? Think again. In this video, we uncover the secrets hidden in plain sight: a 2,000-year-old computer that defies history, an island where people forget to die, and a language made entirely of whistles. Forget the postcards. We’re exploring the REAL Greece—from the surprisingly low cost of living that makes it one of Europe’s best-kept secrets, to the powerful shipping empire that rules the seas. Join us as we journey from the famous blue domes of Santorini to the gravity-defying monasteries of Meteora and the car-free island of Hydra. This is the Greece you never knew existed.
What’s the most surprising thing you learned about Greece? Let us know in the comments!
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