Geography

Physical and human geography through the Helladic regions. Their natural and climatic setting.

  • Beyond the Meteors

    Modernity being what it is, Christmas in Greece is already a substitute, with the added bonus of spit-roasted meats that are still quite local. This is how the town of Trikala in Western Thessaly is currently lavishly decorated, while its so-called “Christmas” amusement park, whose official, marketed name is “Elves Park,” experiences its heyday during this time of year.

  • Zagori, a captivating region!

    Stereotypes sometimes have long lives and short memories. Especially those related to tourism, even when it’s popular. Thus, when we talk about the villages of Zagori in Epirus, we often refer to this region of immense beauty, presumably off the beaten track and even unknown to most tourists.

  • Downtime

    In Greece, the first day of May is deeply linked to the flowering of nature, the fertility of the Earth, the irrevocable end of winter and the welcome of the sunny and warm days that follow.

  • Beyond the Islands

    Greece, far from the islands, is often a revelation. We get rid of the clichés, we forget the crowds and sometimes… we even get away from the earthquakes and first of all from the disastrous din of mass tourism. As for example in Thessaly, my homeland, which is more in the middle of winter.

  • Deep Thessaly

    In Greece, in the heights of recent years, goats have become increasingly rare, as have cattle. This is the almost new situation in Western Thessaly, on the Pindus massif as well as on the plains. And as for men… Greek land!

  • Ottoman census

    As good historians, we do not at all wipe the slate clean of the past. In Greece, more particularly in Thessaly for our “local” case, we hardly forget, for example, the very long and trying period of Ottoman occupation, generally between 1420 and 1881, the year in which Thessaly was attached to the contemporary Hellenic State. Just as we do not omit in this regard to mention, or even to directly question, if possible, the direct Ottoman sources.