#274 Greece...Thanks Sofia!

This wonderful cover features 5 touristic spots in Greece.

The 0.54€ stamp and 0.02€ stamps are from 2008 Greek Islands issue showing Kalymnos and Xios.

Located in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kalymnos belongs to the Dodecanese and is between the islands of Kos (south, at a distance of 12 km) and Leros.Kalymnos owed its past wealth to the sea, mainly with trading and boat building, but the main industry of the island was Sponge fishing. Here the island was the main centre of production in the Aegean, and still now is a traditional occupation with related exhibitions, along with other local folklore, at three local museums.

Chios (Xios) island is a relatively large island in the East Aegean sea, situated very close to the western shore of Turkey. It is famous for the production of "masticha (mastixa)", and historically known for a great massacre of islanders during the war of independence. A not trustworthy tradition says that the poet Homer was born in this island.

The 0.10€ and 0.02€ stamps are from 2004 Island Views issue showing Mykonos and Santorini.

Mykonos is a Greek island and a top tourist destination, renowned for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. The island is composed primarily of granite. It has little natural fresh water and relies on the desalination of sea water in order to meet its needs. It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity.

In Greek mythology Mykonos was the location of the battle between Zeus and the Titan, and the island was named in honor of Apollo's grandson Mykons. During these ancient times, Mykonos, due to its proximity to the then highly populated island of Delos (situated about 2 km away), became very important as a supply island and possibly as a getaway location for Delian citizens.
Today, Mykonos is one of the most cosmopolitan islands in Greece, having become increasingly popular with mass tourism. It is known for its diverse and intense nightlife as evidenced by a vast number of bars and nightclubs. Mykonos is also known for its sandy beaches.

Santorini is a small, circular archipelago of volcanic islands located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece's mainland. The largest island is known as Thēra, forming the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands.

Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and leading to the creation of the current geological caldera.

The 0.03€ and 0.01€ stamps are from 2006 Island Views issue showing Hydra and Lesbos.

Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by narrow strip of water. In ancient times, the island was known as Hydrea (Υδρέα, derived from the Greek word for "water"), which was a reference to the springs on the island.Garbage trucks are the only motor vehicles on the island, as cars or motorcycles are not allowed by law. Donkeys, bicycles, and water taxis provide public transportation. The inhabited area, however, is so compact that most people walk everywhere.

Lesbos lies in the far east of the Aegean sea, facing the Turkish coast from the north and east; It is the third largest Greek island and the largest of the numerous Greek islands scattered in the Aegean. The island is forested and mountainous with two large peaks, Mt. Lepetymnos (968 m (3,176 ft)) and Mt. Olympus (967 m (3,173 ft)), dominating its northern and central sections.The island’s volcanic origin is manifested in several hot springs and two principal volcanic harbors.