Magic Cephalonia!

Helsinki, Tallinn and now it's time for Cephalonia...my beloved island! This place has everything: mysteries, magic, beautiful beaches, mountain with national park, great food and wine and last but not least crazy locals! Once you visit this place, you cannot forget it...

The map of the island!

If you have watched the 10-year-old Hollywood film ''Captain Corelli's Mandolin'' with Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz you have wondered for sure where is this paradise... Well, this paradise is located at the west of Greece, in Ionion Pelagos (Ionian Sea). Despite the fact that it is the 6th biggest island of the country, its population is only 40.000 people.

Antisamos Beach - East side of Cephalonia

The capital of the island is Argostoli and has more than 10.000 habitants, it's just a small but beautiful town. Especially during the summer is vibrant because of the many tourists that visit the place. The majority of the tourists come from England, Germany, Sweden, Italy and of course Greece. Once you visit Argostoli you have to visit its museums, to walk along the popular pedestrian street of Lithostroto which has many shops and cafeterias and last but not least you may go to the Central Square of the town where the most bars and clubs are.

Lithostroto in Argostoli full of people during summer

Of course, you need a car to explore this magic and big island. The most famous village to be visited is Fiskardo and is located at the north of the island. It's a scenic landscape which is visited by many celebrities with their yachts every year. It's a good place not only to stay but also to eat.

Fiskardo

The next best thing in the island is the tiny but so remarkable village of Assos! You can see there the medieval castle of Assos and more places where you can eat or drink coffee, wonderful nature to walk around and a small and blue bay to swim!

the small bay of Assos

The most famous beach in Cephalonia across the world is Myrtos. People from all over the world come to this place to see themselves these beautiful colours that do change every now and then. The only con of the beach is that the water is a little bit dangerous because of the streams but if you swim close to the seaside nothing will happen!

View of Myrtos

But there more beaches in Cephalonia to swim except from Myrtos. Antisamos is at the east side of the island   and the water colour ranges from light blue close to the seaside to dark blue deep inside. Furthermore, Platia Ammos at the west side of the island is a beach that is known only by the locals, maybe because they want to keep this secret for themselves!

Platia Ammos Beach

That was the first part of our reference to Cephalonia... We have many tips and infos next time!

The Medieval Tallinn!

St Nichola's Cathedral

Tallinn is very close to Helsinki and a very common destination for the Finnish people. Finnish people love drinking alcohol, especially beer, and this is an important reason to visit Tallinn: buy cheap alcohol!


The experience begins early....you have to be at the port almost at 7.30 am to find a ticket with Silja Line or Viking Line. Then you get into the ship and try to find a place to sit. The ship leaves the harbor at 8 o'clock and some minutes later you realize that there is an orchestra really close to your seat and a man who singing. You feel sleepy and you think that it cannot be worse. Well, it can: Finnish couples of every age stand up and dance for the three following hours... What an experience!

This experience described above it was mine, of course, for three times! We were in Tallinn at 11 o'clock approximately. We walked some minutes until we find the Old Center, how beautiful it is! I thought that I had travelled in the time... 

the streets of Old Town

Beautiful builidings from medieval times, people dressed in folk costumes and places in which you can eat the traditional Estonian dishes are only a few things that can make you visit this small capital of the Baltic sea. While you are roaming into the streets of the old town you have to taste the traditional almonds, which are offered to you by the locals.

Women tasting the traditional almonds!

We did not miss a great breakfast at a place close to Alexander Nevsky's orthodox church. The must in Tallinn is to walk in the Old Center and see all of the city's sights, such as St.Nichola's church, the flea markets, the dominant castle, the Orthodox church or the beautiful palace just opposite of it.

Breakfast in Old Town

the castle of Tallinn

The time for lunch came! Do not hesitate to try some non-touristic and small places. The prices are really good and the quality of the food better. In order to relax after your meal you might visit a cafeteria at the Central Square of the Old Town. If you are lucky and you have visited Tallinn a sunny and warm day, it will be great!

the central square has a lot of cafes

As the day goes by you have to buy your souvenirs from Tallinn. There are several flea markets in the Old Town in which you can find from calendars to magnets and from woolen clothes to crystal items. Find something to remember this wonderful city!

a flea market of Tallinn

Late Summer in Helsinki

3rd of August 2010: Evening flight from Athens (40 degrees Celsius) to Helsinki (18 degrees Celsius). First flight abroad ever; nice flight; I was only wondering what was then. We landed in Helsinki at 00.30, I could feel the not so hot (as in Greece) weather. It was my exchange experience, therefore I was so excited that I didn't want to wait for my luggage!

View of Helsinki

My stay was scheduled for four months, so the first days were dedicated just to explore the city. Actually these were the last days of summer in Finland. The temperature every day was going down steadily and slowly, so in general the first week in Helsinki ranged among 14 to 18 degrees Celsius during the day. 

Helsinki was still full of tourists in every sight across the city. The classic place that everybody could meet, sit and chat was the magnificent Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral close to the port, especially the sunny days. Very close to this place is the statue of the Mermaid, just in Esplanadi. I loved to walk in this area during a sunny day!

Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral

It was one of the first days in Helsinki that I was walking on a bicycle path close to the Orthodox Church when a bicycle was coming so quickly that I avoided it the last moment! I was totally terrified, I was not used in bicycles! So, if you visit Helsinki be careful of them!

Just in the port we can find the Market Square, a kind of flea market. Stores are open mainly during the morning. Mentioned before, the Orthodox Church, named Uspenski Cathedral, in my opinion, is the second badge of the city, after the Lutheran Cathedral. Both can be seen from far away..

Uspenski Cathedral

At the other side of the centre there are more sights. I cannot refer to everything, but I cannot skip into the Finnish Parliament. I think it's a really dominant building, especially when the weather permits us to see the green in front of it.

The Parliament

The truth is that summer is a good season to travel to Helsinki. You can see everything without being bothered by the weather. The first weeks of my stay were brilliant. There are many places to discover, despite the fact that the population of the city without the urban areas is just 588,000 people! The center is easily walkable but there is always the public transportation that can help you. Trams 3B and 3T make circular path in order every sight to be seen during its' route, so do not hesitate to take them!

I <3 Helsinki!

Shall we start?

The idea for this blog came somewhat abruptly, but ultimately there was a delay in the action! I want to share the memories and the dreams with people who love to travel. I cannot hide that  I am a little embarassed, but my joy is greater...


I was lucky enough in a short time to go to places that I hadn't ever imagined, but I have the misfortune to miss these places so much..! Here hangs the wise saying ''all good things come to an end''. Well, I will prove that they don't end, and they become flesh and bone through here!


So, be ready for all that I can share with you ...
Lucky you!