Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.
Crete is separated into 4 prefectures, as we go from west to East; the Prefecture of Chania, Prefecture of Rethymnon, Prefecture of Heraclion, and Prefecture of Lashiti.
Imagine, a lagoon with white sand, emerald shallow waters between the western tip of Crete, and a small round shaped island closing lagoon’s west side. Two more tiny islets called Gramvousa lay at the north. The closest is the mild Gramvousa and the farther wild Gramvousa.
This is Balos, one of the nicest beaches in Crete.
Tip: Balos is a folklore dance of the Aegean.
If you go there you may not feel like dancing Balos but you will definitely feel that you want to remain there forever.
Sandy organized, beach party beach in Chania, one of the best beaches in Greece
The beach at Falasarna is a huge beach on the west coast of Crete in the prefecture of Chania. It is considered the most beautiful in Crete and is included in the top 10 beaches in Europe, it has wonderful white fine sand and warm, crystal clear waters.
The area of Falasarna has a great variety of flora and fauna, but also a special natural beauty. Therefore is a protected Natura 2000 plan area.
The southern part of the beach is Pachia Ammos. Fully organized, with umbrellas and sunbeds, and gathers a large number of visitors.
Of course, due to the size, there are also quieter pieces where you can lie on your towel away from the crowds.
Choose the beach if you love windsurfing and don’t mind the winds but also if you are young since beach parties are often organized in the evenings.
Sandy remote beach in Rethymno, Crete, Perfect for families
A uniquely beautiful sandy beach 38 km from Rethymnon, on the south coast of Crete.
The river Kourtaliotis flows into the beach, on the banks of which there is a forest of palm trees that offer rich shade and special beauty in the landscape.
It is a very popular destination for families and a fully organized beach with water sports, sunbeds, umbrellas, pedal boats, restaurants, cafes.
At a distance of 20 minutes is the historic Monastery of Preveli from where it got its name.
Somewhere in Southern Crete, in the bay of Messara, near the archeological site of Phaistos and 71km south of Heraklion are Matala. Today it’s a typical tourist village.
Next to the beach, there are the clay rocks that hide the intense history of this place.
The holes seen in the rocks were the homes of 1960s hippies.
When Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and others spent their days and nights under the Cretan sky when the slogan “Peace Man” prevailed, and the hippies of 1960 after protesting in Woodstock ended up here.
Tourists today come to see a legendary place and maybe to get a taste of the past charm.
But Matala today is nothing more than a small village with a beautiful sandy beach, There is some tourist traffic with lowkey nightlife thought and the place doesn’t remind anything of the Matala of the 60s.
Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets… Read More
Cyclades islands have some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks. In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.… Read More
Corfu Beaches are countless, beautiful, and enormous. Most are sandy and crowded, although many peaceful and quiet remote beaches are not missing.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.
Lalaria beach is located on the northeastern side of Skiathos, a small island of the northern Sporades. Its beauty and its unique characteristics are what have made Skiathos known to the world.
The beach has a majestic appearance that evokes awe and admiration for those who come here for the first time. Mainly because of the huge stone with the famous hole in the middle.
The rocks are impressive and start from the top of the slope ending at the back of the shore.
The steep white rocks are constantly exposed to the cold north winds. These winds for millions of years formed the round-white pebbles called “Lalaria” that today cover the entire beach.
These round-shaped pebbles are the special feature of the beach, and they gave their name to it.
The beach is secluded and the only way to visit it is by the sea, you better start in the morning by boat from the port or rent a boat by yourself.
Golden Beach is the largest beach in Thassos, a small island in the North Aegean south of Kavala.
The beach is located in the eastern part of the island, 12 km from the port and just 4 km from Panagia.
The coast at Golden Beach has crystal clear waters and has easy access and parking spaces. A fully organized beach that offers many facilities and water sports.
This enchanting beach owes its name to the dazzling, golden reflection of the sun on the very fine, blonde sand. Its shallow, crystal clear waters make Golden Beach ideal for young children.
Its location is ideal for walks, especially to the other end of the beach, Chrysi Akti or Skala Potamias.
There are many hotels, rooms to let and camping, therefore the area is a complete vacation resort.
Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets… Read More
Cyclades islands have some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks. In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.… Read More
Corfu Beaches are countless, beautiful, and enormous. Most are sandy and crowded, although many peaceful and quiet remote beaches are not missing.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets at the east of the Cyclades and very close to the Asia Minor coast.
Among them is Rhodes, Karpathos, Kos, Patmos, Astypalea, Leros, Kasos
Tsampika is one of the most popular beaches in Rhodes located 26 km southeast of the city of Rhodes, and 5 km from Archangelos.
It is a natural beach, that is located under the rock that hosts the famous monastery of Panagia Tsambika of Psili to which it owes its name.
This large beach has golden sand and shallow waters located in a magnificent landscape. All this makes it suitable for families with young children but also for young people of all ages and requirements.
Tsampika is quite well organized with umbrellas and sunbeds for rent, a shower, a beach bar to enjoy your coffee or drink as well as to eat something casual, and taverns to dine when you want. There are also several possibilities for water sports as well as inflatable toys for children!
You can reach it by car or bus, or by the boats that make day cruises from the city of Rhodes.
Pebble and sand remote beach in Karpathos, Dodecanese
Apella is the beach that stands out of all beaches in Karpathos.
It’s a beach with clean white sand, some pebbles, and crystal clear waters in a magnificent environment full of pine trees.
The beach is about 16 km away from Pigadia. While the nearest settlement is Myrtonas at a distance of about two kilometers. It is partially organized with some sunbeds at the center.
Apella is also accessible by small boats from Pigadia.
The crystal clear waters are ideal to enjoy swimming. Rocks and pines blend harmoniously creating one of the most beautiful settings in Karpathos.
Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets… Read More
Cyclades islands have some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks. In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.… Read More
Corfu Beaches are countless, beautiful, and enormous. Most are sandy and crowded, although many peaceful and quiet remote beaches are not missing.… Read More
At the southern Aegean and north of Crete is the big group of Cyclades islands.
Here you can find islands such as Andros, Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Amorgos, Anafi, Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros, Tinos, Folegandros, and more.
In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks.
Tip: The oldest European civilizations developed in Cyclades and Crete from 3300 to 1100 BCE, ie 5000 years ago!
Sandy cosmopolitan party beach in Myconos, Cyclades islands. A beach almost exclusively for young people.
Super Paradise is the most characteristic beach and the meeting point of Mykonos. Probably the most cosmopolitan beach in Greece.
It is the meeting place of the VIPs and a beach where the crazy parties take place. Elements that made the island the most important attraction for young people.
It’s always crowded here, with extreme clubbing and eccentricity in all its glory. If you suddenly see a popular artist next to you, do not be surprised.
If you want to live a unique experience with fun without limits, you will find it in its clubs.
Super Paradise lays about 7 km away from Chora and is accessible by private vehicle or by boat from the sea.
The most beautiful sandy beach in Myconos, Cyclades islands
One of the largest and most beautiful beaches of Mykonos in the southwest of the island, with turquoise transparent crystal clear waters and distant views of the neighboring island of Naxos.
Elia is a picturesque beach and one of the most cosmopolitan, with endless golden sand, and a beautiful natural environment around it, beauties that if you are in Mykonos you shouldn’t miss.
It is fully organized with sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, beach bars for cocktails and snacks, lifeguards, toilets for the disabled, shower, mini market restaurants, free parking, and all facilities for water sports such as water skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, windsurfing, etc.
In addition, is a “Gay-friendly” beach. There are also specially designed areas for nudists on the right side.
Distance from the town of Mykonos is 12 km and you can visit it either with your own vehicle or with a bus that takes 30 minutes and costs 2 €. From Platys Gialos and Ornos, you can visit the beach by boat.
Plaka beach is the largest beach in Naxos with a length of almost 4 km.
It is located in the center of the west coast of the island in an open bay and at a distance of about 10 kilometers from Chora, the capital of Naxos.
From here you can see Glaronissia and Paros. It was a hippie destination in the 1970s.
It is a vast golden sandy beach with shallow turquoise waters and is a favorite destination for all ages and ideal for families with children. In some parts, nudism is allowed.
There are cafes, beach bars, and taverns to enjoy Greek and international cuisine after your swim.
Tip: The enchanting scenery of the beach and the wonderful sunset overlooking Paros will surely be unforgettable !!!
Red volcanic Sandy beach in Santorini, Cyclades islands
Santorini is not famous for its beaches rather for its scenery.
Despite this though, Red beach in Santorini is one of the top beaches in Greece and among the most famous beaches in the world.
It is located on the southwest coast of the island, at a distance of 12 km from Thira and 23 km from Oia.
Its name is due to the red color of the rocks in the area, and this rare scenery is complemented by the black volcanic pebbles that make up the beach.
The beach is not fully organized, although there are umbrellas and sunbeds in which you rarely can find a place. For this reason, we suggest you get to the beach early.
You should also keep in mind that the space even for a beach towel only, may be insufficient due to the crowds.
It is a good idea to have a water mask with you as the underwater rocks are also impressive! Also, be prepared for high temperatures on Red Beach because it is protected from north winds, so there is no cool breeze.
Tip: Your visit to Red beach can be combined with a tour to the nearby archeological site of Akrotiri, where the famous prehistoric settlement was discovered buried under the volcanic ash.
Akrotiri settlement is Greece’s Pompeii, the only difference is that Akrotiri was 4000 years older than Pompeii!
Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets… Read More
Cyclades islands have some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks. In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.… Read More
Corfu Beaches are countless, beautiful, and enormous. Most are sandy and crowded, although many peaceful and quiet remote beaches are not missing.… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.
Seven large and hundreds of smaller islands form the Ionian islands or Eptanissa cluster, with Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaka, Kefalonia, Zakynthos(Zante), and Kythera to be the larger.
These are the greenest islands of Greece. If you love green emerald and calm waters this is the place for you to visit. Here you can find some of the longest beaches in Greece as Halikounas in Corfu, and the very famous and most photographed beach in Greece, Navagio in Zante.
A remote beach with fine pebbles in Zante, Ionian islands
This is it.
You’ve surely seen that place before, in tourist brochures or cards. Because it is one of the most famous and most photographed beaches in Greece.
And of course one of the few candidates claiming the title of the most beautiful beach in Greece.
Just imagine though! This beach didn’t exist before 1983. That’s proof that this country is constantly shaping by nature!
But how this magic place shaped?
In northwestern Zakynthos, there was once a secluded and deserted cape without a beach called Agios Georgios.
After continuous landslides that began in 1922, a rudimentary beach created that still remained completely unknown.
In 1983, a ship carrying smuggled cigarettes, named PANAGIOTIS, due to engine failure and bad weather stranded on the shore. The crew of 3 Greeks and one Italian managed to escape with another boat and the ship left to rot on the beach, which continued to grow due to the ongoing landslides.
This was how today Zakynthos has the most photographed but also one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, Navagio beach which means wreck. The old name of the site has been forgotten.
The beach even today can be reached only by sea and is visited by hundreds of small and large yachts every summer.
Another strong candidate for the best beach in Greece.
Katsiki in Greek means Goat. Hence the name of the beach comes from the goats that could reach the inaccessible beach long ago.
It is located in the southern part of the island among a hollow rock, southwest of the city of Lefkada.
The beach is famous for its natural beauty, impressive landscape, and emerald sea.
Today you can easily access it from the street and therefore during the summer season, it is packed with thousands of visitors from all over the world.
It is an organized beach with sunbeds, bars just above the cliff, and parking spaces.
Organized and protected beach in Zante, Ionian islands
Gerakas is one of the most beautiful beaches in Zante and is located at the southeastern tip of the island, not far from the town of Zakynthos.
It is a very large sandy beach and ends at a small cape made entirely of clay rocks.
Today the cape is closed to the public because the clay rocks are dangerous for landslides.
Gerakas is the breeding ground for the Caretta Caretta turtle, here the turtle eggs hatch, and the newborns make their way to the sea.
For this reason, it is a protected beach without large tourist facilities. You are prohibited to enter half an hour before sunset until half an hour after sunrise.
5- Agios Gordios(Gordis) beach Corfu
St Gordis beach in Corfu
Sandy large organized beach in Corfu, Ionian islands
Agios Gordios or Gordis lays at the exact center of the west coast of Corfu, opposite Benitses, you only need to travel 14 miles from Corfu town in order to reach it.
Used to be where the villagers grew their crops, but now it is a bustling resort with a good choice of hotels, villas, and apartments. Souvenir shops are found in the single street that leads to the beach.
The Agios Gordios beach is a long wide sandy stretch, one of the best beaches in Corfu, well-organized offering water sports and plenty of entertainment in the bars and tavernas along its length.
At its southern end, the beach finishes where a sharp high rock stands upright on the sea, it is called Ortholithi which means standing rock (Greek=orthos vrachos) …See more
6- Halikounas beach Corfu
Corfu – Chalikounas beach
Sandy remote huge beach in Corfu, Ionian islands
Chalikounas beach may not be the most beautiful, but it is definitely the largest beach in Corfu.
The beach is enormous, endless, with variations in the landscape, close to a forest, a lagoon behind the sand dunes, and above all, it is pristine – no hotels or uncontrolled tourist development.
This part of the island looks like the Sahara desert in Corfu.
It is located in southwest Corfu near the village of Agios Mattheos of which is a part and at a distance of about 17 miles from Corfu town and 16 miles from the airport.
Chalikounas has brown fine golden sand and permanent waves, perfect for sailing and water sports.
This beach caters to adventure enthusiasts, if you love sailing, surfing and the winds and waves aren’t bother you then this place is for you … See more
7- Rovinia beach Corfu
Rovinia beach
Pebble remote beach in Corfu, Ionian islands
Rovinia beach is located in the area of Liapades in western Corfu just south of the rocky shores of Paleokastritsa.
Small, remote, beautiful, and unspoiled. Therefore during the low season months, you can have it all for yourself.
It is perhaps the most beautiful of the hidden beaches in western Corfu, after all, it is considered by many tourists as the top beach in Corfu.
Rovinia is accessible from the sea as well as from the land through a small path with steps, about 600 meters long. Unlike the other isolated beaches of the area which are accessible only by the sea.
It is deserted, therefore not very crowded, with fine pebbles, little sand, and a turquoise crystal clear sea in a landscape of exceptional natural beauty. It could be a nudist beach too…See more
8- Voutoumi beach Antipaxos
Voutoumi beach from google earth
Mixed remote beach in Antipaxos, Ionian islands
Another top-rated beach in Greece.
The beach of Voutoumi is made of silk white gold sand and has the cleanest and brightest blue-green waters in the whole Ionian sea.
Voutoumi is located in Antipaxos, a tiny island south of Corfu.
The waters are so clear that the bottom can be seen as it was looked through a glass. It is visited during the summer by yachts from everywhere.
You can visit it by boat from Corfu and Paxos, and from the nearby mainland villages of Parga and Sivota…See more
Being the largest of the Greek islands, Crete has plenty to offer. Many small islands around and especially some of the best beaches in Greece.… Read More
Medium to small size islands close to the coast of Thessaly at the North Aegean, Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros is the most known islands offering beautiful beaches and holiday destinations.… Read More
The beautiful beaches of Dodecanese islands in Southeast Aegean in Greece are here. This island cluster has 12 big and hundreds of smaller islets… Read More
Cyclades islands have some of the most famous beaches worldwide and extremely popular among tourists and Greeks. In these islands there are some of the most famous beaches worldwide… Read More
The beaches in the Ionian islands are among the best in Greece. Laying on the west coast of Greece on some of the most beautiful Greek islands.… Read More
Corfu Beaches are countless, beautiful, and enormous. Most are sandy and crowded, although many peaceful and quiet remote beaches are not missing.… Read More
Greek Mythology is familiar to most people on Earth, it wasn’t the oldest but undoubtedly is the most famous and the richest of all.
It may borrow some tales from preexisting mythologies but it evolved them and made them beautiful stories that will remain forever.
Hellas was and is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The Hellenes have a long history and an endless culture that created and shaped almost everything that we know today. That is why Hellas considered the cradle of the so-called western civilization.
Coast in Greece
Α diverse land shaped by the wild fury of nature and the intense geological activity that is constantly still changing it. That’s why you can find some unbelievable landscapes making you feel they are out of this world, and thousands of islands with distinct characteristics that don’t exist elsewhere.
Only a land of this variety and beauty can inspire its people to imagine and create such fantastic stories!
Ancient Myths and The Hellenic(Greek) Mythology
Greek Mythology
We, the Hellenes, have our Cosmogony, which is part of Hellenic(Greek) mythology.
Greek mythology, without a doubt, is the richest of all with the most tales and myths by far. There is no natural thing in this world without a deity behind it. The ancient Greeks left absolutely nothing without a mythological explanation.
The tales are so many that if someone wants to gather them all in books it needs a lifetime to do it.
Stories are deeply human, with gods, humans, heroes, semi-gods, good and bad monsters, all of them full of passions, defects, and human weaknesses. Greek Mythology has nothing to do with any religion since it interprets everything with humans and not God at its center.
See some of the nicest Greek myths here, it’s really worth reading some of these beautiful stories. As Love, Passion, Terror, Sins, Life and Death, the unexpected, betrayal, self-sacrifice, remorse, happiness, misery are all included!
Greek Mythology and its legacy
Greek mythology is the source of most myths borrowed later by monotheistic religions and adapted to every monotheistic religion’s purposes.
The myth of the flood of Deucalion borrowed by the Jews to construct the tale of the flood of Noah. The God Sun also borrowed to form their God.
In the traditions of the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean, India, Mesopotamia, Scandinavia, and Central America, there are at least two dozen Gods who experienced the drama of death and redemption of the resurrection. Long before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Osiris, Dionysus, Adonis, Odin of the Vikings, Ganesha and Krishna in India, Leminkaiken, Tamuz, Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs, Mithras, and dozens of others killed and resurrected. So say the mythologies and the same says the Bible about Jesus Christ.
But one of the biggest legacies of Greek Mythology is the huge pool of tales that inspire until today. Science still draw names from mythology’s endless name list to name newly discovered planets and other space objects.
Greek Cosmogony
Every ancient religion has a kind of Cosmogony. The Greek cosmogony is quite rich in stories, with wars between Gods and Titans, most of them really funny and naive.
These tales were passed from generation to generation and skewed from mouth to mouth.
Cosmogony was an epic poem written by Hesiodos (Hesiod).
Hesiod was an epic poet like Homer. He collected all the tales and around 700 BCE wrote an epic poem, the Cosmogony. Long after the two epic poems of Homer who wrote Iliad and Odyssey around 762 BCE, and long after the Trojan war.
Hesiod tried to collect all the myths that circulated in Greece regarding the creation of the world. Ηe also tried to decipher the genealogical tree of the gods out of these myths.
Order out of Chaos – The Primordial Gods
In the beginning, there were only three autogenous elements, Chaos, Gaia (Earth), and Eros.
Eros does not give birth to any offspring himself but unites the other two elements and helps them to give birth to their offspring.
So, from Chaos that is a deity without sex, Erebus and Night are born, which in turn gave birth to Etheras and Hemera(Day).
Gaia(Mother Earth) gives birth without fertilization to Uranus, Pontus, and the Mountains. In essence, Gaia creates the world and the Universe by creating its characteristics.
From the unification of Gaia(Earth) with Uranus, the Titans were born, Cronus(Saturn), Koios, Kreios, Hyperion, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Tethys.
Also, the Cyclops and the Hundred-hands creatures were born.
The Titans
Cronus, the strongest and the leader of Titans defeats his father Uranus and takes over his power, he cuts his genitals and throws them into the sea near the coast of Cyprus. From the sperm inside them, Aphrodite is born who comes out of the sea naked.
From the blood of Uranus the Erinyes, the Giants, and the Melies are born.
Cronus takes his sister Rhea as his wife.
But the defeated Uranus had prophesied that his son Cronus would also be defeated by one of his children.
Cronus trying to eliminate the danger decides to eat his children, in fact, to swallow them alive.
So Rhea continuously gives birth and Cronus swallows his children one after another. Dimitra(Demeter), Hestia, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon were all eaten by their father Cronus.
When the 6th child Dias(Jupiter) born, Rhea hid the baby in a cave on Mount Dikti in Crete and gave Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes to swallow.
The Gods
Dias or Zeus grows up with the help of the Nymphs who raised the newborn feeding him with the milk of a goat.
Soon he became strong enough to challenge his father and force him to take his brothers out of his womb.
Thus is formed the group of gods led by Dias(Zeus) that comes into war with the group of the Titans of Cronus. We have the first War of the Titans. The Great Titanomachy lasted for 10 years.
The Gods of Zeus prevailed, and the defeated Titans exiled in Tartara(Tartarus), a dark and miserable place very far away from the Earth.
Gods had to face another challenge though, the Giants.
There was another war, the Gigantomachy that lasted equally long.
Finally, the gods beat them all and settled on the top of Olympus mountain from where they ruled the world.
Gods and other Deities
Greek Gods and Goddesses are countless. There were deities for every natural phenomenon, rain, night, moon, trees, lakes, rivers, mountains, sea, storms, thunder, love, hate, fear, passion, betrayal, jealousy, literally anything you can think of. Also, the tales behind them are thousands.
Ancient Greeks saw their Gods as humans with all kinds of human defects, human weaknesses, and passions.
The 12 Olympian Gods – The Greek Pantheon
Olympus mountain is in Thessaly, a region north of Thermopylae, and it is the highest mountain in Greece. It was the home of the 12 ruling Gods.
The 12 Olympian gods were the following 14!
(Hephaestus wasn’t a permanent Olympus resident and Hestia gave up her Olympian throne in favor of Dionysus. God’s tricks!)
1- Dias or Zeus (Jupiter in Roman)
He was the son of the Titan Cronus (Saturn in Roman) and Rhea, daughter of the Gaia(Earth). He overthrew his father, Cronus, king of the Titans, and became the leader of the Gods comprising mostly of his siblings and children. His wife was Hera known for her jealousy, as Dias was always unfaithful to her.
He controlled the lightning and used it as the tool of his strength.
2- Poseidon (Neptune in Roman)
The God of the sea, horses, and earthquakes. He had the trident as a tool and many strange children. Among them were the flying horse Pegasus and the one-eye Cyclop Polyphemus.
3- Hermes (Mercury in Roman)
The winged messenger of the Gods, but he was also involved in many spheres. He was the protector of animals and associated with fertility, music, luck, and deception.
4- Hera (Juno in Roman)
The queen goddess, sister, and wife to Dias. She was almost always jealous and not without a reason.
5- Hades (Pluto in Roman)
The lord of the underworld or the world of the dead. Husband of Persephone. Ηe had to give Persephone magic pomegranate seeds so she could manage to stay with him for a part of the year.
6- Dionysus (Bacchus in Roman)
Son of Zeus born to a mortal woman. Zeus accidentally killed his mother before Dionysus was born. In order to save his son Zeus sewed the young infant into his thigh and, when the young Dionysus emerged, passed him to the care of the Maenads. Dionysus is symbolized by a bull and he is the God of sex, celebrations, and wine.
7- Demeter (Ceres in Roman)
Demeter, the Goddess of agriculture, was the mother of Persephone who was the wife of Hades. Demeter is related to the Eleusinian Mysteries, the most important religious rites in ancient Greece.
8- Apollo
Brother of Artemis, Son of Zeus. He is the God of music, light, protector of the arts, and divination.
9- Ares (Mars in Roman)
Ares is the Greek god of war and son of Zeus and Hera.
10- Artemis (Diana in Roman)
Artemis is one of the oldest, most complex, and the most interesting forms of the Greek pantheon. Daughter of Zeus and Leto. Twin sister of Apollo, queen of mountains and forests, goddess of hunting, protector of children and animals.
11- Athena (Minerva in Roman)
Athena was the goddess of wisdom, the olive trees, strategy, and war.
She was the beloved daughter of Zeus. Her mother was Metis, the first wife of Zeus.
Zeus after prophecy learned that Metis would give birth to a child who would overthrow his father, so he swallowed Metis while she was pregnant in Athena.
Later, Zeus began to suffer from headaches and called on Hephaestus for help. So Hephaestus with a big hammer hit the head of Zeus and Athena came out from Zeus’ head in armor, wearing helmets and holding a shield.
12- Aphrodite (Venus in Roman)
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, sexuality, pleasure, and childbearing.
According to Hesiod, in his Theogony, Aphrodite born from the foam of the sea (hence her name as the foam is Aphros in Greek) when Saturn cut off the genitals of Uranus (his father) and threw them into the sea. The foam pushed by Zephyrus to the coast of Cyprus, Aphrodite came out of the sea naked on the shores of Paphos.
There are more tales about the birth and later life of Aphrodite, many of them contradictory.
13- Hephaestus (Vulcan in Roman)
God of fire and the great metalworker. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. Despite his ugliness and deformation, he married Aphrodite who frequently cheated on him with her lover Ares, the god of war. He could visit Olympus, but he didn’t live there, most of the time he stayed at home, the island of Lemnos where he had his workshop.
14- Hestia (Roman Vesta)
She was the goddess of the house, fireside, and family, she gave up her Olympian throne to Dionysus.
Other deities
Those were the 12 most important gods of the Greek pantheon, but as we said before, ancient Greeks had thousands of deities, anything natural or unexplained represented by a deity.
It is not worth mentioning every deity, every monster, every human-form monster, or a human-animal hybrid of Greek mythology because they are countless.
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