According to the greeknewsonline.com:

So far you’ve visited the breathtaking islands, climbed the Acropolis, and were fascinated by the antiquities in Greece’s treasured museums.  Now you’re in the mood for something a little more offbeat,” says Florida-born Kathy Cambas, longtime resident of Athens, enthusiastically compiling a list of insider suggestions on where go and what to do in Greece this summer for the Greek News “Let’s Go To Greece This Summer !” 2013 campaign encouraging Greek Americans, philhellenes, and the public at large to travel to Greece.

“Let’s Go To Greece!” not only for the sheer joy of partaking in the country’s pleasures and because we love Greece and everything it has stood for to our ancestors and to western civilization, but to help boost the morale of the Greek people and their economy.

“Since the dream to fly was born in Greece, what could be more exhilarating than to fly into one of the most historical places in the world by bungee jumping?  Why not be a modern-day Pegasus and fly into the Corinth Canal for the exhilarating experience of a lifetime!” Cambas suggests, explaining that the Corinth Canal, which is only an only an hour away from Athens, was conceived in the seventh century B.C. in order to save sailors the long trip around the Peloponnese, but it wasn’t finished until the 19century. It’s now a tourist site for visitors as they cross into the Peloponnesos.”  And while you’re there, you must stop at one of the roadside restaurants which for decades has revived  travelers coming through from their villages in the Peloponnesos with the inevitable roadside souvlaki.

“Do cemeteries conjure up images of ghosts and goblins?  How about some of the most famous figures in Greek history?“ Cambas asks, suggesting a visit to The First Cemetery of Athens, “the final resting place of noted Greeks and foreigners since 1837.  The official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built, The First Cemetery is located behind the Temple of Olympian Zeus.  Adorned with pines and cypresses, it has been declared an historical monument and includes the tombs of such famous personalities as Nobel Prize winning poet Odysseas Elytis; amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who excavated the site of Troy; conductor and composer Dimitris Mitropoulos; General and politician Theodoros Kolokotronis; Prime Ministers George and Andreas Papandreou; actress Aliki Vougiouklaki; actress Melina Mercouri and her director husband Jules Dassin, and a host of others.”

Another fun and unusual way to experience Athens is to take a Segway tour, a two-wheeled journey to some of the most important sites in the city!  You’ll quickly learn how easy it is to maneuver the vehicle and be led through Athens with a player that will give you information in any one of seven languages,” Cambas reports, “ Choose from a group, private, or night tour, as well as souvlaki or mythology tours, archery events, and treasure hunts.”

Turning to the subject of food, which for us will always be one of Greece’s primary attractions.   Cambas says, “You’re probably tired and hungry from the flying, running, and wheeling around that you’ve been doing,” she surmised, “Now you’re in the middle of central Athens: you find yourself surrounded by exotic smells, sounds, and colors.  Vendors are selling everything from souvenirs to hardware to herbs, when suddenly at the famous Athens Meat Market.  Did you ever wonder what those mouth watering lamb chops looked like before they were cut and charcoal grilled?  Well, here’s your chance to find out!  In fact, there are even 24-hour tavernas where you can sit, before dawn, and watch the meat be hung before the best chefs in the city take the best cuts.  Further down, you’ll find the fish market, the fruit and vegetable market, not to mention the delicious cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, and coffee.”

Cambas even suggests that you can unearth treasures in Athens.  “Looking for buried treasure?” she says, “then look no further than Avyssinias Square, a section of Monastiraki where you can literally find ‘any old thing’, from accordions to vinyl records, antique tea sets to books… you just might find that treasure you’ve been looking for or never even knew you wanted! “   Sundays are traditionally the days to go, as anyone who has anything to sell can bring it here. she advises, so be sure to go early for the best picks and to avoid the afternoon crowds.”

Shadow theater, or “Karagiozis” has long been a traditional art form in Greece, featuring transparent puppets that appear as shadows against a white screen.  Generations of Greeks, and especially children, have been entertained by the funny stories and political satire of the Karagiozis, said Cambas, recommending The Spathario Museum of Shadow Theater, located in the northern suburb of Maroussi,  “The museum features a rich collection of puppets made by the Spathari family, who are renowned Karagiozi players, as well as puppets from Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, and China.”  (Although Karagiozi performances are not held at the Museum, it does hold an annual festival in the first part of September.)

We’ve focused on Athens up to now, but a notice from the Northern Aegean Dolphins Project about a new volunteer project on dolphin-sightings offers an unusual opportunity to leave the city behind and jump on a boat to Alonissos for something you probably didn’t know the existence of.  Designed and implemented by MOm/The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, this project will be carried out from June 15^th until the end of September 2013 in the wider area of the National Marine Park of Alonnisos, in Greece’s Northern Sporades, currently the largest marine protected area in Europe (approximately 2.260 km²), hosting various marine mammal species.

An effort to learn more about dolphin populations, this project involves daily field surveys at sea, collecting data and working on the side of Mom’s researchers, along with evening seminars, which will provide the participants with valuable experience and insight on Greece’s precious marine ecosystem.  To find out more on what could be a wonderful summer experience on Alonissos and exactly how much time it would entail, go to www.mom.gr  or e-mail: info@mom.gr

Back on the mainland, Cambas says, “So much for the offbeat… now for the running!  Want to feel like a true Olympian?  Want to run with the gods?  On June 30, 2013, the Olympus Marathon, which covers approximately 44 kilometers, will take place, reviving the sacred trail that the ancient Greeks followed to Mount Olympus to honor and sacrifice to Zeus.  The mountain, apart from being a national park, is also listed as a “World Natural Heritage Monument” by UNESCO.  The runners will reach up to 2800 meters, just below “Zeus’ Throne”, one of the highest and steepest peaks of the mountain, all the while surrounded by truly magical scenery.”

Honoring Zeus is a good way to draw this tour to a close.  This summer we’ll see you in Greece, the most beautiful country in the world.