What is the first thing that comes to your mind when considering a trip to Greece? Chances are you picture some of the best beaches in the world, or maybe the compelling tales of ancient mythology. But Greece also has destinations that are full of mystery. Here are a few places you should visit if you want to make your trip unforgettable.
Dimitrios Shipwreck
The Dimitrios is a cargo ship located on the easily accessible beach in Gythio. Gythio is a former Peloponnese municipality and the city where the port of Sparta was once located.
The Dimitrios is a small, 67 meter cargo ship with roughly 965 gross tonnes of cargo capacity. The ship was built in Denmark in 1950.
There are many conflicting stories of how the Dimitrios ended up stranded on Gythio’s beach. Some say that the ship was used to smuggle cigarettes between Turkey and Italy, and was subsequently captured by the authorities in Gythio and dragged to its current location. Others say that it was a ghost ship with no attributable origin.
The shipwreck has been stranded on the beach in Valtaki, Greece, since December 23, 1981. No one has claimed the ship in all the 40 years it’s spent there.
Our top 5 mysterious destinations to visit in Greece
Monastery of Agiou Nikolaou
The monastery of Agiou Nikolau is part of a group of six elevated monasteries in Meteora, a rock formation in central Greece.
The Monastery of Agiou Nikolaou is noted for its elegant construction atop the rocks of Meteora. The monastery was damaged during World War 2 and was subject to a series of restorations during 1960s. The restorations took place for nearly half a century, and finally ended by the early 2000s.
Kounopetra
Kounopetra is a coastal settlement located 43 km from Argostoli, the capital of the island of Cephalonia. Every year visitors from all over the world travel to the coast, some drawn in by the myth told by locals that the rocks and shoreline are shifting in place.
The beach is considered a spectacular geological landmark, and its storied rock formation juts out of the Ionian sea. The island’s natives say that every 20 minutes the rock moves. Intrigued travelers arrive on the shores of Cephalonia to witness this phenomenon for themselves, but many stay for the quiet beach with crystal clear waters.
Archeological site of Kaiada
The archaeological site of Kaiada, a historical area marked by a steep ravine between Sparta and Kalamata, is by far one of the most mysterious places in Greece.
Kaiada was the place where the Spartans threw criminals and “bad” babies (babies who were born deformed, weak, sick or intellectually challenged). The Spartans participated in this cutthroat practice because they believed these children would not be fit to become warriors.
Visitors claim that if you approach the cave you can feel a strong cold breeze, and local myth says that the wind comes directly from Hades.
War tunnel
Agia Galini is a village located in Crete. Throughout the course of the ’70s and ’80s, Agia Galini went from being a small fishing village to a bustling tourist attraction. The village boasts a plethora of lively hotels, bars, restaurants and clubs, and even has its own vacation camp.
Tourists who visit Galini are entranced by its see-through waters and the tiny church built on the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to Artemis.
Some visitors who have explored the island have accidentally discovered a tunnel that runs along Agia Galini’s slopes. The tunnel does not appear on the maps of the village and there is no signposting to find them. This is because the tunnel was originally constructed as a war tunnel that was used to move soldiers across the island undetected.
Today, the island is near a restricted military zone.
