WHEN YOU'RE BORN IN A FAMILY THAT LOVES TO TRAVEL!

I’ve talked to you before about how lucky I am to have grown up in a family of travel lovers. My parents have been traveling since forever and they were – almost always – taking me along. In the beginning, it was short trips in Greece. I have scattered memories from these trips – playing on the grass or learning how to swim.

Then, when I was around 8-9 years old we visited Spain. It was an amazing, two-week trip and while I can’t remember all the museums or the landscapes, I do have many exciting memories. I strongly believe that traveling with your kids is the most amazing thing you can do and what I’m planning to do as well when the time comes. Even if they won’t remember every detail, they will see, smell and feel -and that’s the essence of traveling; the kind of stimuli that shapes their personalities.

But it wasn’t just me and my parents; my whole family were travel addicts. I was lucky enough to have an uncle from the UK. He was a diplomat working in Athens when he met my aunt in Athens, fell in love and decided to built a life in Greece. My uncle, aunt and cousins – their two boys who are my godfathers too – were always talking to me in English, so that I can quickly get familiar with the language. They both studied in the UK and one stayed there for good. Their parents and their in-laws share their lives between Greece and the UK.

As you can imagine, many of my relatives and acquaintances belong to the mature travelers category. They’re over 65 years old and reside in the UK.

They all have one thing in common; they love Greece and they keep traveling to Greece anytime they can. It’s a country they adore and with a good reason. In fact, there are more than one reasons to visit Greece, if you are a mature traveller.

1. The Mediterranean climate; Greece’s mild weather makes them feel energetic and happy!

2. Its rich history and diverse culture; with each visit, they delve deeper into the country’s philosophy, politics, art and the beginnings of Western civilization.

3. The unique landscapes of its islands; the dazzling white of Cyclades, the lush greens of Eptanisa and the cosmopolitan elegance of the Dodecanese.

4. Athens’ diverse charm; a modern, multicultural city with thousands of years of history – an irresistible combination.

5. It’s a great winter destination; Greece’s winter is milder than the UK’s and there’s a plethora of winter activities and an array of natural landscapes to explore around Greece and in close proximity to Athens.

6. It’s a short 4-hour flight to Athens.

Why am I telling you this? Well, for two reasons. Firstly, because I strongly believe that Greece is a great, all-year round destination to enjoy an unforgettable trip. Secondly, I truly believe that this specific travelers’ category deserves a shout out.

Did you know that more travellers over 65 years old travel around the world more than ever? It’s a very significant finding clearly stated on the latest Mature Travel Trends.

The number of UK residents over 65 years old that choose Greece for their holidays skyrocketed; it went up 315% over the last decade – from 1998 to 2018, according to stats from the British Office of National Statistics.

Isn’t this brilliant?

But it’s not always easy for mature travelers to deal with everything; transportation, accommodation, sightseeing, walking around, finding the best restaurants  etc. It can be rather exhausting and confusing. Don’t get discouraged though; there are so many amazing agencies that organize all the above for people nowadays that it’s not even an issue anymore. Visiting Greece has become really easy! And it’s definitely easier when they have the proper travel insurance; the one that’s personalized for their specific needs.

It’s rather discouraging that we keep focusing on young travelers or aiming to reach this group of people and we completely forget that there are older people who also love to travel. Like my parents. They are over 65 and they keep traveling. Maybe not following a hectic schedule like we do. They take it slower. They still need some rest. And maybe they won’t walk endless hours around town, climb that mountain or go hiking in Indonesia. But that’s ok. They do travel. They do want to explore new places or re-visit old places they love.

And you know what? Maybe that’s one of the best ages to travel! You don’t have to count your days off from work or worry about who is going to babysit the kids. You’re free to do whatever you love! 🙂

Happy Travelings to all, no matter the age! Take care of your health, make plans and everything is possible!

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but as always, all opinions expressed are based on my personal views*