The resort of Porto Heli is located on the eastern coastline of The Peloponnese in Greece. The resort is about a two and a half hour drive from Athens.

Porto Heli

Porto Heli has a natural harbour which overlooks the Saronic Gulf and is close to lots of really nice beaches, including those at Ververoda, Hinitsa and Maistraki. These excellent beaches offer all kinds of watersports, including swimming, snorkelling, boating, windsurfing and water-skiing.

The resort offers plenty of restaurants and tavernas serving local and international cuisine, cafes, bars, nightclubs, open air cinemas, shops and boutiques. For children there is a large funfair and the Nemo fun park complete with sports facilities, bouncy castles and amusements.

With plenty of historical sites in the area visitors can spend many days out

Epidauros

 sightseeing. Great excursions include visits to Epidauros which has an amphitheatre and shrine dedicated to Ascelepios (the Greek God of healing), the quaint fishing village of Ermioni and the ruins of Halieis which are just a short walk from the resort. Halieis was a city here over 2500 years ago and you can still make out parts of the homes, the baths and olive press which were all part of the city.
The nearby islands of Spetses, Hydra and Poros can be reached by ferry or water taxi, making an enjoyable day out for the whole family. The island of Monemvasia is steeped in history, with more than 30 Byzantine churches for visitors to explore.

Spetses

Porto Heli enjoys long hot summers and cool wet winters with plenty of sunshine all year round. Temperatures peak at around 33C in July and August with up to 12 hours of sunshine a day. Winter temperatures drop to around 14C with around 6 hours of sunshine a day.

The facilities at the resort attract families who take advantage of the many summer holiday packages to Greece which are on offer throughout the internet.

Spring is the best time to take one of the last minute holiday deals as the weather is just right for exploring the beautiful countryside, sightseeing and taking part in the outdoor pursuits on offer here in Porto Heli.

If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing break then look no further than the beautiful resort of Kefalos on the Greek island of Kos.

Located in the south west of the island, about 45kms from Kos Town, Kefalos is a purpose built resort with an idyllic laid back atmosphere.

The sand and shingle beach, and warm clear waters here make it ideal for lazing in the sun or having a go at one of the many watersports on offer. The monastery of Agios Nikolas is close enough to Kefalos that you can easily swim to it. However the nearby Paradise Beach is much kinder to the feet than the shingle beach at Kefalos!

On a stroll around Kefalos you can see a traditional house which has been turned into a folk museum showing the agricultural life in the village of times gone past, a traditional windmill and the ruins of an old castle.
At the port of Kamari, about 1km from Kefalos, there is a marina and the early 5th century christian basilicas of Agios Stefanos with their preserved mosaics and sculptures.
To see more of the island it is best to hire a car and take a leisurely drive.

There are lots of good restaurants to endulge in, especially the seafront taverns, and don’t forget to try the local deserts made from the famous local honey, you won’t be disappointed. There isn’t an awful lot of nightlife here but there is always something to do or see, with plenty of bars, some of which have live entertainment.

CLIMATE

The island of Kos enjoys hot, dry summers and mild winters with hardly any rainfall during the summer and only showers between October and March. Temperatures in July and August average around 28C during the day and 22C at night.

 We booked our direct holidays to Kefalos online and were completely satisfied with every aspect of our holiday.

With Greece being one of the most popular holiday destinations you will find there are lots of cheap package holidays available at the moment.

For more information on Greece and the Greek Islands  and to view my latest articles please visit my Greece Blog.

Santorini is the southernmost of Greece’s Cycladic Islands.Its port, Athinios, lies 147 miles southeast of Athens’ port, Piraeus. Santorini Airport is located 4 miles southeast of the island’s capital, Fira.

Santorini caldera

Santorini’s extraordinary shape is attributed to a massive volcanic explosion (around 1600BC), which blew out the middle of the island, creating the impressive sea-filled caldera (crater).

Santorini remains a favourite destination for romantic escapes. It’s popular with couples of all ages, and also makes a stunning wedding and honeymoon venue. It attracts visitors from all over the world, the west coast being popular with celebrities and moneyed travellers, while the east coast is more popular with travellers on bargain holidays. Most cruise ships sailing the East Mediterranean stop here for a day.

Santorini Water Park

Santorini is orientated more towards couples than families. Families are best catered for in the beach resorts of Kamari and Perissa. Not far from Perissa is the Santorini Water Park which has three pools, three water slides and a children’s playground. Some of the exclusive west-coast hotels overlooking the caldera do not accept guests under the age of 16.

From July to August temperatures can exceed 38°C (100°F). It is probably best to visit during the mid season (May-June and September-October) when the weather is warm and the island is not overcrowded. In the low season (November-April), most tourist facilities shut down completely.

Kamari

Santorini’s busiest beaches are the black-sand-and-pebble beach of Kamari on the east coast, and the soft black volcanic sands of Perissa and Perivolos on the southeast coast. Both Kamari and Perissa have watersports facilities. The Kokkini Paralia (Red Beach), backed by terracotta-coloured cliffs on the southwest coast, below Akrotiri is another beach worth a visit.

The cliff-top towns of Fira and Oia, overlooking the caldera, have whitewashed, cubic buildings and blue-domed churches that are typical of the Cyclades. Santorini’s top archaeological site is Akrotiri, an ancient Minoan town buried beneath lava in 1600 BC. It is currently closed for restoration. Beautiful ancient frescoes and ceramics from Akrotiri are on

Fira

display in the Museum of Ancient Thira in Fira. Santorini produces some of Greece’s best white wines, and several vineyards, including Santo Wines and Boutari, both near Pyrgos, are open to the public for wine tasting sessions and tours.

Popular excursions from Santorini include boat trips around the deep-blue caldera, where you can explore the tiny uninhabited black volcanic islets of Palea Kameni (with hot springs and therapeutic muds) and Nea Kameni (home to the smouldering volcanic crater). On the opposite side of the caldera, the island of Thirassia has several seafood tavernas. East of Santorini is the unspoilt island of Anafi, which can be reached by ferry, with it’s nice south-coast sand beach.