TOP 5 Books to Keep You Inspired on Greece

1. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell .

What do you know about the real-life Durrells and their life on the island of Corfu?

My Family and Other Animals is Gerald Durrell’s memoir of his relocation from England to Corfu with his family in the years before World War II. Sweet and smart, the novel describes the flora and fauna of British naturalist’s new home in Greece in an exaggerated and funny way. He describes life in Corfu so vividly that the reader immediately wants to follow his example and relocate to a sunnier climate. Do you love binge watching TV series too? Don’t miss out on the highly recommend TV series The Durrells, based on the novel and the real-life events of the Durrell family when they resettled Greece .

If you become inspired to visit Corfu after watching the series or reading the book, you can create your very own Durrell trip to Corfu with us or experience one of our very special experiences in Corfu.

2.Walking in Athens by Nikos Vatopoulos

Discover Athens with an insider in this unique book of eclectic essays about the architecture of the city, stories of regenerating derelict buildings, and their hidden histories. All photos published in this book are part of the author’s lonely wanderings in various neighborhoods. Vatopoulos explores the changing architectural history of the city.

Enjoy a walk in Athens through our very popular walking tour, Faces of Athens.

3. It’s all Greek To Me:

From Homer to the Hippocratic Oath, How Ancient Greece Has Shaped Our World by Charlotte Higgins

The absolute guide in preparation for your trip to Greece and a brilliant textbook for beginners of Greek studies. 

The author captures the essence of Ancient Greece in an accessible style. She engaged the audience with the Ancient Greeks whose timeless material in the arts, philosophy, politics, theater, Olympic Games, architecture and mathematics still strongly influence the world. Want to learn more on myths and wonders of Ancient Athens next time you visit Greece?

Click here to discover Athens with our incredible tour experiences at the Parthenon, the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum.

4. The Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller

Henry Miller, who was living in Paris at the time, ignoring the beginning of World War II decided to visit Greece in 1939, having secured the hospitality of the English writer Lawrence Durrell, who was living in Corfu.

Miller initially moved all around Greece without any specific schedule. He was impressed by his meetings with Greek intellectuals such as Katsimbalis, Seferis, Antoniou, Hatzikyriakos-Gikas, and Tsatsos. and ended up extending his stay. He only left Greece under the pressure of the US Embassy at the onset of World War II.

His impressions from the trip became The Colossus of Maroussi.

5. Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis

This book is one of the most famous works of Nikos Kazantzakis, receiving an award for best foreign novel published in France in 1954 and has been named one of the 100 Best Books of All Time.

The plot of the play takes place in Crete, while the real Giorgis Zorbas transforms into the fictional face of Alexis Zorbas.

The story begins when the author and Zorbas, the two main heroes of the book, meet in Piraeus. The author, after being impressed by Zorba’s unconventional character and his constantly philosophizing passion for life, decides to hire him as a caretaker in his business.

While in Crete, they settle in the hotel of Madame Hortense, who soon becomes the mistress of Zorba – one of the many women of his turbulent life.

Zorba the Greek explores the beauty and pain of existence, inviting readers to reevaluate the most important aspects of their lives and live to the fullest.

After reading this book you will definitely be eager to create your very own itinerary in Crete by consulting our specialist tour designers team!

How to Experience Greek Culture During the Lockdown

As the world’s scientific community works to tackle the novel coronavirus outbreak, most of us are facing restrictions that would have seemed unfathomable just a couple of weeks ago. As we shelter in place, practice social distancing or go into self-quarantine or self-isolation, we’re having to come to terms with massive upheavals in our daily lives, work and travel plans. And while it’s crucial to follow expert advice and keep ourselves and each other safe, being confined to your home doesn’t mean that you have to stop exploring.

At Discover Greek Culture, we pride ourselves on offering some of the best cultural tours in Athens and beyond and helping visitors from around the world experience Greek history and culture. We’re not about to stop just because we’re working from home.

Without further ado, here’s a selection of virtual tours that will let you enjoy a taste of Greece without leaving your house!

Acropolis & the Parthenon

Enjoy a look around the Acropolis and the Parthenon, one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, to see key monuments, learn about the different structures, and take in the sweeping views across Athens. A series of high-resolution images and panoramas let you explore the Acropolis –the Parthenon, Propylaea, Erectheion, the Temple of Athens Nike, and the ancient walls surrounding the hill.

View of the Acropolis of Athens in the sunlight

Acropolis Museum

The award-winning Acropolis Museum is dedicated to showcasing findings from the Acropolis of Athens and boasts a collection of more than 4,000 artifacts. Get a taste of the extraordinary experience with a virtual journey  inside the Parthenon Gallery and the Archaic Acropolis Gallery.

Benaki Museum

The Benaki Museum – which is actually a total of seven open-to-the-public museums spread across the Greek capital – is one of the country’s finest cultural institutions. While premises will remain closed for the coming time, Benaki offers 360˚ virtual tours of all galleries and hundreds of works of art (with audio guides available in six languages) for four of its museums:The famed Benaki Museum is actually made up of 7 open-to-the-public museums spread across the Greek capital. Its flagship location, the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture (or simply Benaki Museum), is undoubtedly one of the country’s finest museums; housed in a beautiful neoclassical building next to the National Garden and Hellenic Parliament, it houses a unique exhibition on Greek culture arranged diachronically from prehistory to the 20th century.

Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

Benaki Museum of Islamic Art

Benaki Museum: Ghika Gallery

Benaki Museum: The Yannis Pappas Studio

Costumes from the age of the Greek Revolution

Museum of Cycladic Art

Browse through 159 photos of precious artifacts from the Museum of Cycladic Art, a prestigious museum dedicated to the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus and focused on Cycladic art of the 3rd millennium BCE.

The iconic Cycladic Statues

National Archaeological Museum

The National Archaeological Museum (NAM) is the largest museum in Greece and one of the most important in the world. It houses the largest and most significant collection of artifacts from prehistory to late antiquity, offering visitors an extraordinary opportunity to explore ancient Greek culture. You can browse the museum’s collections , learn about each period and view some of the most important artifacts online.

NAM houses an extraordinary collection of ancient Greek artifacts

The Best Museums in Athens: From Ancient Heritage to Modern History

Athens has long been celebrated for its incredible contribution to the world in fields such as art, democracy, philosophy, and science. For centuries, people have been coming to the city to experience its unique atmosphere and history. And today that’s easier than ever. From fabulous antiquities to fascinating modern history, Athens is full of fantastic museums that are a great way to discover the city’s — and the country’s — heritage.

So are you looking for the best museums to visit in Athens? Look no further! From the award-winning Acropolis Museum to the world-renowned treasures of the National Archaeological Museum and the enchanting 19th century artifacts of the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture, here’s our list of the best must-visit museums in Athens.

ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

The crown jewel of the city’s museums opened its doors to the public in 2009 and has been bringing home international awards and distinctions ever since. The museum houses more than 4,000 artifacts from the Acropolis, including the Parthenon’s magnificent 160m long frieze, and is itself built over ancient ruins that can be viewed through the glass floors. Visitors can also enjoy stunning views of the Parthenon from the museum’s lovely café and restaurant.

Closest metro station: Acropolis

Find out more: Acropolis Museum

View of the Acropolis Museum

MUSEUM OF THE ANCIENT AGORA

Housed in the Hellenistic Stoa of Atallos, which was originally built in the 2nd century BCE and reconstructed in the 1950s, the Museum of the Ancient Agora — aka the Agora of Athens Museum aka the Archaeological Museum of the Athenian Agora — showcases artifacts unearthed at the city’s Ancient Agora. Its main focus is the Agora’s role in ancient as well as commerce and everyday life in the heart of the ancient city.

Closest metro station: Monastiraki

Find out more: Museum of the Ancient Agora

The Hellenistic Stoa of Atallos

BENAKI MUSEUM

The famed Benaki Museum is actually made up of 7 open-to-the-public museums spread across the Greek capital. Its flagship location, the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture (or simply Benaki Museum), is undoubtedly one of the country’s finest museums; housed in a beautiful neoclassical building next to the National Garden and Hellenic Parliament, it houses a unique exhibition on Greek culture arranged diachronically from prehistory to the 20th century.

Closest metro station: Evagelismos, Syntagma

Find out more: Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

Costumes from the age of the Greek Revolution

BYZANTINE & CHRISTIAN MUSEUM

With thousands of artifacts from across the Greek world spanning a period from the 3rd to the 20th century CE, the museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Byzantine and post-Byzantine art and culture.

Closest metro station: Evagelismos, Syntagma

Find out more: Byzantine & Christian Museum

The Byzantine Museum of Athens

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF ATHENS

Housed in the former residence of Greece’s first royal family, this hidden offers a glimpse into the joy, optimism, and splendor of the 19th century Kingdom of Greece. The museum’s delightful café, Black Duck Garden, is a hidden oasis in the heart of the city.

Closest metro station: Panepistimio

Find out more: Museum of the City of Athens

The main hall at the Museum of the City of Athens

MUSEUM OF CYCLADIC ART

Dedicated to the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus and focused on Cycladic art of the 3rd millennium BCE, the Museum of Cycladic Art houses some of the world’s most iconic bronze age artifacts as part of a collection that spans from 3000 BCE to the 4th century CE.

Closest metro station: Evagelismos, Syntagma

Find out more: Museum of Cycladic Art

The iconic Cycladic Statues

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

One of the most important archaeological museums in the world, the National Archaeological Museum (NAM) houses an extraordinary collection of ancient Greek artifacts that spans from prehistory to late antiquity, including stunning masterpieces from the Mycenean and Hellenistic periods. NAM is home to such treasures as the golden Mask of Agamemnon, the Antikythera mechanism, and the colorful frescoes from Akrotiri on Santorini.

Closest metro station: Omonoia, Viktoria

Find out more: National Archaeological Museum

NAM houses an extraordinary collection of ancient Greek artifacts

NATIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Housed in the Old Parliament Building, the National Historical Museum showcases the history of modern Greece, from Ottoman rule through the Greek War of Independence and the establishment of the modern Greek state.

Closest metro station: Panepistimio, Syntagma

Find out more: National Historical Museum

The National Historical Museum showcases the history of modern Greece

WAR MUSEUM

From ancient artifacts to fighter jets, the Athens War Museum documents the country’s military history from antiquity to the present. Exhibits include weapons, armor, maps and other memorabilia connected with the Greek Armed Forces.

Closest metro station: Evagelismos, Syntagma

Find out more: War Museum

The War Museum

The Art Academy

How to convey culture to people with different backgrounds & mentalities?

Here is a conceptual proposal that will elevate your team’s free spirit and unleash their full potential!

Through creative workshops from famous artists, all participants will engage in acting, body movement and music!

The workshops will unveil everyone’s hidden creativity!

Acting

Participants guided by animateurs / facilitators will improvise extreme expressions of love, hatred, indifference, respect, passion etc.

Body Language

Participants become familiar with body expression, interpretation of relationships and situations and the creation of a theatrical character.

Music

Creation of vocal polyphony groups.

Following the workshops each group will perform a specific show to share among each other what they ‘ve felt .. and learned .


“ Simply, the best choice for developing events to remember for a lifetime: Professionalism, diligence, innovation and endless fresh ideas dedicated to each occasion is the recipe of Discover Greek Culture to deliver the most successful events. An absolute pleasure working with the DGC Team! “


Alexandra Tarassi Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company

Finding Socrates in the Ancient Agora of Athens

Finding Socrates is a treasure hunt, where teams share an amusing intellectual experience by searching for the various monuments within the ancient Athenian Agora that are connected with Socrates’ life and thought.

Each team will follow clues derived from ancient sources that describe Socrates’ experiences in certain places within the archeological site of the Agora.

In order to find the spots related to Socrates’ life the players will have to answer philosophical and historical questions. co o

The purpose of the game is to experience what Socrates’ life in the Agora must have been like, by recreating some of his visits and philosophical dialogues with the Athenians of his time. Winning requires cooperation between the players of each team and making good use of shared team values.

It is a fun and active way to explore the ancient Athenian Agora and find Socrates, the wisest of men!

Public | Literature Walks

Discover Greek Culture & Public invite you to experience the downtown area of major Greek cities, as imagined and described through the work of acclaimed Greek poets & writers.

These indulging city walking tours draw content from the landmarks & city corners featured in works of modern Greek literature.

This way the cities unfold through a different, more intellectual perspective in the eyes of the literature strollers.

Each Literature Walk consists of two parts:

The first part is an approximately one hour walking tour in selected parts of the city that feature prominently in the work and life of the writer.

After the walking tour, all participants gather at the local Public store Cafe to discuss & share thoughts with the writer or an expert on their work while enjoying a tasteful coffee break.

The Merchant’s Townhouse

Enjoy the exclusive opportunity to visit this magnificent townhouse, which is not open to the public. The venue, an iconic architectural masterpiece, is ideal for private meetings, cocktails & small gala dinners.

View from the hall

The venue is located at the heart of downtown Athens.

A marvelous collection of art treasures

Visitors get a glimpse of what private life was like for turn-of-the-century elite in the Greek capital.

The house features authentic interiors decorated with original 19th century furniture and an impressive collection of paintings, objects d’art, and various folkloric artifacts from Europe and the Levant.

The view from the rooftop terrace

Guests will have the chance to enjoy either a coffee break on the rooftop terrace with an unforgettable view of the Acropolis  or a meal at the mansion’s impressive 19th century dining room.

Premium catering services available

Awards