New York to Dublin for $489 (incl. taxes/fees): Isn’t it the worst when a holiday comes up and you think to yourself, “This time last year I was in _____.” That happened to me this Easter as I thought back at how last year I snagged a super cheap flight to Dublin and spent a brisk, early April on the Emerald Isle. Well, it looks like the cheap deals are back, with this flight to Dublin for under $500.

Mykonos, Santorini & Athens for $1199: I normally don’t recommend packages, but if you’re one of those people who’s going to be staying in a hotel and are okay with the set schedule, this deal’s for you. Begin in Athens, then head to Mykonos and Santorini, and the price includes airline tix, hotels, and transport between the locales. Don’t worry, once there, you can ditch the other Americans you came with.

Chicago to Istanbul for $649 (incl. taxes/fees): Whenever I post a story about Turkey, I always have to Google: “Is Turkey Europe or Asia?” to which I get no good response. Well, in 2006, Istanbul was named as the 2010 European Capital of Culture, so that kind of clears things up. Next question: Central America — North or South America?

Greece has always been on my list of places to get to. Athens conjures up so many images in my mind. Say it with me, “Athens.” It must be the ancient legends, the great thinkers, and the lightning bolt-toting gods walking around town. Besides, my fondness for toga parties really goes without saying.

Apparently, Zeus had no control over the urban sprawl, noise, and pollution this city became known for. Over at World Hum, they discovered things to be already turning around for this symbol of ancient greatness.

Rising from the grey concrete that has become modern Athens (see above), are world class museums, a state of the art airport, pedestrian-friendly streets, arguably the best public transportation in Europe, and a sense of restored pride. At least I hope.

Lonely Planet’s doling out accolades to these ten countries as being very topping, with El Salvador being the toppingist of them all. Okay, they don’t really elaborate as to what this list mean, other than being the “hottest countries for next year,” but I assume they mean destinations that are, or have been, under the radar and are just coming into their own as hot spots for travelers. Which usually means one thing: Get there now before they’re firmly on the tourist trail.

Rounding out the top five are Germany, Greece, Malaysia and Morocco. And at number 10, experiencing a little Obama bounce, the U.S.A., which given the likelihood of a an anemic dollar for the near-term future, will likely be at the top of the list for many visitors, especially those carrying the enviably strong euro.

So what’s missing here? I may sound like a broken record, but let’s give a shout out to Colombia, a country whose culture and diversity, not to mention accessibility, makes it a great “top” country in 2010. A few of my own honorable mentions: Panama (have you seen how cheap it is to fly there in the winter?), Ireland (see Panama), and Namibia (everyone I met in Africa who was visited the country raved about the outdoor adventures that can be had there).

Perhaps the world’s most beautiful, partially collapsed island in the world, Santorini is the only inhabited caldera in the world, and for some reason, known the world over for their immaculate sunsets. So popular are the sunsets that every twilight, hundreds of people gather to watch the sun dip below the horizon, a ritual that surely has gone back thousands of years.

Maybe it has to do with the water, or perhaps some sort of volcanic-related fumes emanating from the island, but my guess is that little things, like sunsets, just look better when lounging on a hilltop perch on a Greek island.

As the Independent describes:

Santorini sunsets, viewed from the caldera, are said to be among the most beautiful in the world – a glorious explosion of color. The horizon glows, the cliff face lights up in a wash of pinks and purples, and the whole of the sea and sky seem to catch fire, melting into layers of crimson and liquid gold.

Just around the corner from the Acropolis, Dimotiki Agora (or what English speakers refer to rather lamely as the Athens Central Market) is probably the best place to see modern Athens in all its chaotic glory.

Wandering around the seemingly endless corridors of vendors, if one was so willing or so motivated by their OCD, one could count “some 108 butchers, 150 seafood stands and 80 fruit and vegetable stalls” that cram themselves under a giant glass roof and hawk their goods to some 30,000 locals on a daily basis. (Multiply that number by ten come Christmas, Easter, and interestingly enough, President’s Day. Seems Lincoln is huge in Greece.)

There’s also a number of restaurants that can be found underneath where it’s recommended that you sit down and try a steaming bowl of patsas soup (a tantalizing mixture of bull or lamb stomach wall and lamb feet). And you were just going to pick up a gyro? How lame.

Here’s where you can find the market next time you’re in Athens.

Forget Thanksgiving and live it up in Greece for the holidays where you can enjoy uncrowded sights, great weather, and food that will blow away a turkey dinner any day.

By Laura Bridgestock

Want to take a Thanksgiving break that won’t break the budget? Head for Greece (just don’t order the fish…).

Greece’s thriving tourist trade is highly seasonal — three-quarters of visitors go between May and September — and there is a downside to visiting outside this period: you miss out on the main program of cultural events in the capital, plus the “party islands” virtually shut down. But there are compensations: accommodation and transportation can be dirt cheap, there’s an undeniable charm to exploring Athens’ atmospheric ancient sites without hoards of tourists to break the spell, and it’s not out of the question to find yourself turning a corner on an island coastal path and discovering a hidden beach that’s all your own.

Luckily, I’d saved enough days of holiday from work to be able to spend a whole week in the country, which I divided equally between Athens and the island of Tinos. But if you only have a long Thanksgiving weekend, the decision of whether to visit the famous city or the now equally renowned islands could be a tough one. Here’s how they compare . . . (more…)

Skopelos may be getting the Hollywood treatment, but this little Greek island isn’t letting it get to its head — with looks like this who needs Hollywood?

By Andy Boxall

As of the date of this publication, there are no official “Mamma Mia!” tours in Skopelos as there are “Sex in the City” tours in New York, but given Skopelos’ prominent role in the hugely successful film adaptation of the stage show, the idea doesn’t seem too far-fetched — in theory at least. In practical terms, it’s highly unlikely. This tiny island of 5,000, just to the east of Greece’s mainland, is about as eager to embrace its new-found famed as it is to embrace the modern world in general — which is to say: not at all. So you can breath a sigh of relief; you won’t find any ouzo Cosmopolitans here, but what you will find is a charming, beautiful Greek island with some of the best sights in the Aegean Sea, and with hardly a tourist in sight for most of the year. Or for that matter, a singing Pierce Brosnan, a godsend to all.

Just thirteen miles in length and five miles wide, Skopelos is perfect for anyone seeking seclusion. There’s no airport on the island, and the only way of getting there is via boat. If you’re combining your Greek visit with a few days in Athens — which is the recommended way of doing things — you can take a two-hour journey south to the port of Agios Konstantinos and board a catamaran that will take you to the inland in about two hours. (Or you can fly to nearby Skiathos and take an hour-long ferry from there instead, all depending on your tolerance for open-sea voyages.) (more…)

An Insider’s Look At The Greek Island Of Lefkada

By Andy Boxall

If you’ve never fulfilled your travel ambition of visiting a Greek island due to your reluctance to take to the open seas, located off the west coast, the Ionian island of Lefkada may be just what you’re looking for (click here for a map). Although the island is a six-hour drive from Athens, it’s possible to take a 45 minute flight from Athens International Airport and then hire a car, something considered essential once you’re there anyway. After crossing the short bridge that connects the mainland to Lefkada,
you’re almost immediately amongst an abundance of trees, reenery and mountains.

Lefkada retains the traditional Greek island feel. The livelier towns of Nydri and Lefkas have plenty of afés, restaurants, shops and a smattering of nightlife; quieter villages like Vassiliki are less touristy and better for enjoying true Greek cuisine and mingling with the locals. Travel out of town however, and the island will begin to make sense; Lefkada isn’t about busy streets, it’s about beauty. (more…)