PHOTO: Painting Religious Icons at Pefkis Workshop of Byzantine Icons in Greece

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At Pefkis Workshop of Byzantine Icons near Meteora, Greece, son Theodore Pefkis paints specially commissioned Greek religious icons

Pefkis Workshop of Byzantine Icons is a family affair. The shop was started by Father Pefkis, a master iconographer who began painting exquisite religious icons 32 years ago. In addition to being an artist, Father Pefkis is also an Orthodox priest (Greek priests are allowed to be married, have a family, and a second career). … Read more

PHOTO: Rio Antirrio Bridge Connects Greek Mainland with Peloponnese Peninsula

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Antirrio Harbor and Fort, with the new Rio Antirrio Bridge in background, which connects the Greek mainland to the Peloponnese Peninsula

Following a remarkable visit to the ancient Oracle of Delphi on the mainland of Greece, our Collette tour headed for the Peloponnese Peninsula. Beyond a valley carpeted with thousands of gray-green olive trees we crested a rocky escarpment. I gasped. Hills carpeted with undulating grasses swept down to the azure blue Gulf of Corinth. Our … Read more

Traveling through 7,000 Years of Greek History with Collette

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Athens simply oozes with Greek history. Here, the Tower of the Winds is directly ahead, while the Parthenon sits atop the Acropolis, watchng over the city

I stood upon the rugged flanks of Mount Parnassus and turned slowly, soaking in the 360-degree panorama. Behind me, pockets of fleshy pink limestone peeked from beneath the mountain’s gray shroud. Before me, a cluster of stately stone columns, carved from the pinkest stone, stood on a crumbling foundation. Giant blocks that once formed the … Read more

PHOTO: Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Meteora, Greece

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Of the original 24 Meteora Monasteries in Thessaly, Greece, only six remain. Perched atop a sandstone pinnacle, this is one of the most picturesque.

If the Monastery of the Holy Trinity (Agia Triada) looks familiar to you, you’re likely a James Bond fan. The final scenes of the film, “For Your Eyes Only,” were shot here. Originally numbering 24, only six of the original historic Meteora Monasteries remain. All of them were constructed upon rock outcroppings near the present … Read more

PHOTO: Monolithic Rocks Frame the Pretty Greek Town of Kalambaka

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Kalambaka Greece is the gateway to the famous site of Meteora, home to monasteries built atop rock pinnacles

Though primarily known as the gateway to Greece’s famous Meteora monasteries, the village of Kalambaka is exquisite in its own right. During a brief lunch stop during my two-week tour of Greece with Collette, I managed to squeeze in a walk around the old town area. Every corner I turned opened onto yet another spectacular … Read more