Greece Is Mainland 2020 (English edition), the latest issue of Greece Is magazine, will be available this weekend (8-9/08) together with the International New York Times – Kathimerini English Edition everywhere international press is sold across Greece.

The issue will also be available at our eshop (in both English and Greek versions) for order from anywhere in the world at only the cost of postage and packaging.

Coming hot on the heels of Greece Is Islands 2020, our newest issue offers summer explorations of the other half of the country, from the beaches of the Peloponnese to the peaks of Mt Olympus.

While Greece’s islands tend to hog limelight, what dedicated lovers of the country will know is that the Greek mainland offers landscapes that are even more diverse, with soaring mountains next to endless coastlines, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, ancient forests and, of course, more history than you can wave a Bronze Age sword at.

Perhaps even more important in this summer of social distancing is that this great tapestry can be explored without the need to deal with boats or planes. All you need to do is just hire a car and go – making the mainland ideal for a last-minute adventure.

To further introduce the issue, below is the letter from the editor from Greece Is Mainland 2020:

ACHIN’ FOR A VACATION?

We hit the road and head for Greece’s most breathtaking spots.

By Giorgos Tsiros

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the countries with the best road infrastructure networks in the world are the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Switzerland. Each of these countries does have its merits, of course; but this summer especially, I doubt that they’d rank among the most popular responses on a TV game show asking contestants something like: “We surveyed 100 people about which countries they’d like to visit for their holidays. Which were the most popular?”

In contrast, good ole (and safe) Greece would likely be way up on the list.

Looking at the WEF figures, Greece was awarded a respectable 4.5 regarding the quality of its road network (with the top countries scoring over 6), placing the country in the upper 30 percent globally. Needless to say, if we were to take into account the diversity of the local landscape and the beauties in store on even the most difficult of routes – such as on some serpentine mountain roads that leave you breathless – then Greece would be at or near the top, hands down.

Here, you might be traveling through an alpine scene above the clouds one minute and suddenly be facing an imposing ancient temple the next; or you might be passing through a dense forest, only to find yourself – just an hour later – swimming at a fantastic beach; or you may be exiting some nondescript, unattractive provincial town, and only ten curves later find yourself gazing at a stunning landscape, feeling like you’re the first person to ever lay eyes on it; or, lastly, you might pick up a rental car for 5, 10 or 15 days and experience your own personal version of On the Road (minus the sense of vastness, but with more beauty), and never feel bored – not even a little bit.

And all of this while staying safe with your loved ones and maintaining distancing – simply enjoying life, in other words.

This was the thinking behind this issue of Greece Is, the second to come out in what is the most upside-down summer of our lives. So, we returned to beloved places, refreshed our notes, photographed the beauties of the country and put together small illustrated stories to offer all of you, whether readers of our Greek edition or friends from around the world who enjoy our English edition, some vacation ideas, as well as our best wishes for a splendid – and safe – summer!

PS. Our Greece Is Islands issue was very warmly received, and we’d like to thank you for that. If you missed it, however, you can obtain it free of charge via subscription.kathimerini. gr/greece-is, paying only shipping costs. This also goes for all of the back issues we have in stock.