Greece
Greece is a popular destination for holidays but barely registers
on the overseas property map. There are some justifiable explanations
for this such as problems of land ownership, legal structure and transfer
tax, but these issues are easily surmountable with the right guidance.
After the success of the 2004 Olympics, Greece is raising its tourism
profile beyond cheap holidays in the sun and aiming for better quality
and including residential tourism. The Greek mainland, in particular,
will see increased interest from international property buyers because:
Good accessibility through the new Athens airport
Stable euro-based economy with low inflation and interest rates
Secure destination
Untapped opportunities |
|
|
|
The Peloponnese
The southern peninsula of Greece is rich in history both ancient
and modern: it is the home of the ancient cities of Mycenae, Sparta
and Corinth as well as Olympia, the famous site of the original
Games and location of the shot putt competition in the Modern Games
of 2004; the fight for independence from 450 years of Ottoman rule
started in the Peloponnisos mountains in 1821; and in the Second
World War this was the centre of fierce resistance to the German
invasion with villages suffering from severe reprisals.
Today, in addition to these historic sites, visitors can explore
the medieval town of Monemvasia, the Byzantine city of Mystras,
the rack-and-pinion railway up to the ski resort of Kilavrita and
the wild and barren southern peninsular of Mani.
|
|
|
|
Porto Heli
Argolida is the eastern region of the Peloponnese across the Saronic
Gulf from Athens and the port of Piraeus. Porto Heli is a seaside
village on the southern shore of Argolida which can be reached by
car on the mainland (two hours from Athens airport) or by high speed
boat from Piraeus.
This picturesque village clusters round its beautiful natural harbour
and backs onto the saltwater lake of Ververoda. Nearby villages include
Kosta and Ermioni with ferry links to the islands of Spetses and Hydra.
The area is very popular for summer holidays for Athenians and there
is a small, growing community of foreign tourists and ex-pats. |
|