Greece A to Z: H
10 entries from the Greece A to Z Travel Dictionary, starting with H. Search or filter them here, or open another letter.
Halki
RegionA small Dodecanese island west of Rhodes, with a neoclassical harbour village and almost no cars.
#Halkidiki
RegionThe three fingered peninsula south of Thessaloniki: Kassandra for resorts, Sithonia for quieter coves, and Mount Athos, the monastic peninsula that is closed to women.
#Hellenic Seaways
PracticalPart of the Attica Group alongside Blue Star Ferries, and the usual name on the Saronic Gulf routes from Piraeus: Aegina, Agistri, Poros, Hydra, Ermioni, Spetses and Porto Heli, with Cyclades and northern Aegean sailings as well.
#Hellenic Train
PracticalThe national rail operator, useful mainly on the Athens to Thessaloniki line and the Peloponnese suburban routes; buses cover far more of the country.
#Heraklion
RegionThe largest port on Crete and the usual arrival point from Piraeus, roughly eight hours away by conventional ship, which is why most people take the crossing overnight.
#Hermes of Praxiteles
SightOne of the celebrated sculptures recovered from the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia and today among the best known works in the Archaeological Museum of Olympia.
#Horiatiki
FoodThe 'village salad' of tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, olives and feta with oregano and olive oil.
#Htapodi sti schara
FoodGrilled octopus, the seafront taverna plate that arrives charred at the tips and dressed with nothing more than oil, vinegar and oregano.
How to make Htapodi sti schara
- Serves
- 4 as meze
- Time
- Prep 15 min, simmer 45 min, grill 8 min
Ingredients
- 1 octopus, about 1.2kg, cleaned, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small onion, halved
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- If the octopus is fresh, freezing it overnight and thawing it first will tenderise it. Frozen octopus is already halfway there.
- Put the octopus in a dry heavy pan over a low heat with the bay leaf and onion and no water at all. It will release plenty of its own liquid within a few minutes.
- Cover and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle.
- Lift it out and let it cool just enough to handle. Separate the tentacles and pat them dry.
- Whisk 2 tbsp of the olive oil with 1 tbsp of the vinegar and brush the tentacles all over.
- Grill over a hot charcoal fire or on a very hot ridged pan for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until the edges blister and catch.
- Cut into pieces on a warm plate, spoon over the remaining oil and vinegar and scatter with oregano, pepper and parsley.
- Serve warm with lemon wedges and a glass of ouzo or tsipouro.
Hydra
RegionA car free Saronic island close to Athens, its stone harbour town built up the hillside and explored on foot, by water taxi, or by donkey, the island's only forms of local transport.
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