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About us

Imagining Greece: How Tourism Shaped a Nation
Imagining Greece is a digital exhibition that explores the evolution of tourism in Greece from the end of World War II to the closing chapters of the Cold War. The exhibition examines multiple aspects of the phenomenon by showcasing a wealth of textual and visual material curated from a wide range of state and private archival repositories and sources, including the Greek National Tourism Organisation, architectural firms, advertising agencies and both domestic and foreign press and periodicals. It is further enriched by an ongoing oral history project that captures firsthand experiences from specialists and the general public. We hope this exhibition will bring the history of tourism in Greece to life while deepening understanding of its profound impact—both on Greek society itself and on the millions of international visitors whose journeys have helped transform Greece into one of the world's most beloved destinations.

Our Team
We are an interdisciplinary team with expertise spanning history, visual culture, design studies, architectural history, cultural heritage, and digital humanities. Led by Professor Eirini Karamouzi (Principal Investigator) and Dr Mary Ikoniadou (Co-Investigator), our team includes:

Dr Stavros Alifragkis and Dr Emilia Athanasiou (Scientific and Artistic Curators, Lead Researchers), Dr Christos Christidis (Special Advisor), Despina Tsilimagkou (Digital Humanities Director), Dr Marina Emmanouil, Dr Metaxia Papageorgiou and Dr Aphrodite Kamara (Researchers). Our work has been generously supported by the Onassis Foundation, the National Bank of Greece and Research England. We are honoured to have the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Greek Ministry of Tourism as our patrons, and we work closely with Greece’s National Historical Museum.

Our Goal
Our goal is to make Imagining Greece a widely accessible digital exhibition that serves as a valuable resource for schools, universities, tourism professionals, and the public in Greece and beyond. We aim to promote a deeper understanding of tourism as a crucial element of Greek culture, economy, politics, and society. The exhibition is organised around four thematic experiences: Picture, Travel, Discover, and Remember. Each theme presents carefully chosen artefacts in an intuitive, easy-to-explore journey. Visitors will explore a rich collection of promotional materials, including advertising, audio-visual culture, periodicals, commercial and government sources, tourist guides, tourism infrastructure and architecture, cultural artefacts from folklore, feasts and festivals, leisure activities, books about Greece, souvenirs, vacation photographs, and postcards. The entire spectrum of Greece as a tourism destination is accessible through the thematic experiences, the interactive map, or the chronological timeline.

The Future of Imagining Greece
Imagining Greece will continue to grow with new artefacts, and we welcome your contributions. If you have relevant materials to share, please contact us at: info@imagininggreece.com

Legal Notice / Disclaimer
Every reasonable effort has been made to trace and contact the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this digital exhibition, ‘Imagining Greece: How Tourism Shaped a Nation, 1945-1989’, and to obtain their permission for the use of copyrighted material. We apologise for any omissions in acknowledging copyright. If you own the copyright for any material used on our website and believe it infringes upon your rights, please contact us directly at info@imagininggreece.com

Acknowledgements
We thank the numerous institutions and private individuals who have contributed their valuable archival materials to this project:

Benaki Museum’s Photographic Archives Department, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Greek Film Archive, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive, Hellenic National AudioVisual Archive - Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, Hellenic Touring Club, Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece – National Historical Museum, Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, Constantinos A. Doxiadis Archives, ‘Konstantinos G. Karamanlis’ Foundation, The Library of the Hellenic Parliament, Modern Greek Architecture Archives of the Benaki Museum, National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, Neraida Floating Museum - John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Olympic Airways Workers Cultural Center, Philatelic Postal Museum, Spyros Vassiliou Archive - Dominum Artifex NPO, The Alpha Bank Art Collection, The Ghika Gallery - Benaki Museum.

Dimitris Antonakakis – Atelier 66, Archimidis & Eleni Athanassiou, Tasos Biris – Tassos Biris Architectural Firm, Vassilis Bogakos, Vassilis Giannakis, Panos Haratzopoulos, Erifyli Hontolidou, Maro Kardamitsi-Adami, Yannis Karlopoulos, Kostas Katsigiannis, Konstantinos Lyssaridis – ETETH SA, Eirini Philippides, Marina Philippides – AMK Architecture + Design, Jenny Perivolari, Christos Rallis & Georgia Sovatzoglou, Vassia Stylianidi – WOBI Architects, Vaggelis Stylianidis - Stylianidis Vaggelis Architects, Nicos Valsamakis – N. Valsamakis Architectural Firm, Ioannis Vikelas – Vikelas Architects.

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Picture
Travel
Discover
Remember
Displaying 162 artefacts
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Delphi Greece 1958 artifact

Delphi Greece 1958

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Ancient Greece 1962 artifact

Ancient Greece 1962

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Hydra Hellas 1959 artifact

Hydra Hellas 1959

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Delphi Greece 1961 artifact

Delphi Greece 1961

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Ancient Greece 1963 artifact

Ancient Greece 1963

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Olympia 1955 artifact

Olympia 1955

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Olympie Grèce artifact

Olympie Grèce

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Greece Land of myth and magic 1958 artifact

Greece Land of myth and magic 1958

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Greece Map and General Information 1958 artifact

Greece Map and General Information 1958

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Camping Sites in Northern Greece artifact

Camping Sites in Northern Greece

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Athens Greece 1958 artifact

Athens Greece 1958

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Thessaloniki Greece 1958 artifact

Thessaloniki Greece 1958

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Kastoria Hellas artifact

Kastoria Hellas

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Olympia Greece 1959 artifact

Olympia Greece 1959

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Argolis 1957 artifact

Argolis 1957

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Sparti Mystras 1959 artifact

Sparti Mystras 1959

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Greece Patras and Western Peloponnese artifact

Greece Patras and Western Peloponnese

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Aegean Cruises 1955 artifact

Aegean Cruises 1955

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The Village Hotel: Gkoura, Corinthia artifact

The Village Hotel: Gkoura, Corinthia

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The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island artifact

The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island

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The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetolia-Acarnania artifact

The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetol...

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The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica artifact

The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica

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The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona artifact

The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona

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The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion artifact

The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion

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The Village Hotel: Alonisos Island artifact

The Village Hotel: Alonisos Island

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The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea artifact

The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea

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The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia artifact

The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia

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The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis artifact

The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis

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The Village Hotel: Kastania - Georgianoi - Rodochori, Imathia artifact

The Village Hotel: Kastania - Georgianoi - Ro...

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The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania artifact

The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania

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Epidaurus Festival 1966 artifact

Epidaurus Festival 1966

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Poster
Hotel Olympia, Finikas, Syros artifact

Hotel Olympia, Finikas, Syros

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Epirus 1990 artifact

Epirus 1990

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Travelling to Olympia in the 1980s artifact

Travelling to Olympia in the 1980s

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Sparti, Mistras and Monemvasia artifact

Sparti, Mistras and Monemvasia

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The Civilized Way to See Greece in 1984. artifact

The Civilized Way to See Greece in 1984.

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1955 Aegean Cruises artifact

1955 Aegean Cruises

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Yugoslavia Greece by Car 1963 artifact

Yugoslavia Greece by Car 1963

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Sunny Coasts in Greece and Yugoslavia 1965 artifact

Sunny Coasts in Greece and Yugoslavia 1965

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Greece 1939 artifact

Greece 1939

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Greece 1965 artifact

Greece 1965

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Greece and its Antiquities artifact

Greece and its Antiquities

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Epirus Greece 1960 artifact

Epirus Greece 1960

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Epirus Greece 1962 artifact

Epirus Greece 1962

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Epirus Greece 1964 artifact

Epirus Greece 1964

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The Aegean Islands artifact

The Aegean Islands

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Camping Sites in Greece artifact

Camping Sites in Greece

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Macedonia Greece artifact

Macedonia Greece

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Greek Popular Art artifact

Greek Popular Art

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Greece Spas artifact

Greece Spas

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Villes d' Eau Grèce artifact

Villes d' Eau Grèce

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A Welcome to Greece by the Tourist Police artifact

A Welcome to Greece by the Tourist Police

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Pilion Sporades Greece artifact

Pilion Sporades Greece

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Thassos Samothraki 1960 artifact

Thassos Samothraki 1960

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Thassos Samothraki 1961 artifact

Thassos Samothraki 1961

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Thessaloniki & East Macedonia 1964 artifact

Thessaloniki & East Macedonia 1964

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Crete 1958 artifact

Crete 1958

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Crete 1960 artifact

Crete 1960

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Kreta Griechenland 1960 artifact

Kreta Griechenland 1960

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Crete Greece 1964 artifact

Crete Greece 1964

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Cyclades Grèce 1960 artifact

Cyclades Grèce 1960

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Cyclades Greece 1961 artifact

Cyclades Greece 1961

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Cyclades 1963 artifact

Cyclades 1963

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Mykonos Delos 1960 artifact

Mykonos Delos 1960

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Mykonos Delos 1963 artifact

Mykonos Delos 1963

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Syros Tinos Andros 1960 artifact

Syros Tinos Andros 1960

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Syros Tinos Andros 1961 -1963 artifact

Syros Tinos Andros 1961 -1963

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Mykonos Delos 1962 artifact

Mykonos Delos 1962

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Mykonos Delos 1959 artifact

Mykonos Delos 1959

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Mykonos and Paros 1958 artifact

Mykonos and Paros 1958

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Hydra 1960 artifact

Hydra 1960

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Hydra 1962 artifact

Hydra 1962

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Hydra 1964 artifact

Hydra 1964

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Argosaronikos Gulf 1960 artifact

Argosaronikos Gulf 1960

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Argosaronikos Gulf 1964 artifact

Argosaronikos Gulf 1964

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Paros Santorini 1959 artifact

Paros Santorini 1959

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Paros Santorini 1960 artifact

Paros Santorini 1960

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Chios 1967 artifact

Chios 1967

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Athens Festival 1958 artifact

Athens Festival 1958

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Rhodos Greece 1957 artifact

Rhodos Greece 1957

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Rhodes 1958 artifact

Rhodes 1958

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Rhodes 1959 artifact

Rhodes 1959

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Corfu 1957 artifact

Corfu 1957

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Thessaloniki 1956-57 artifact

Thessaloniki 1956-57

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Argolis 1959 artifact

Argolis 1959

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Delphi 1956 artifact

Delphi 1956

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Pylos Grèce 1959 artifact

Pylos Grèce 1959

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Pylos Griechenland 1961 artifact

Pylos Griechenland 1961

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Korfu Hellas 1958 artifact

Korfu Hellas 1958

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Korfu Griechenland 1959 artifact

Korfu Griechenland 1959

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Corfu Greece 1961 artifact

Corfu Greece 1961

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Corfu Greece 1963 artifact

Corfu Greece 1963

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Cephalonia Ithaca Zakynthos 1960 artifact

Cephalonia Ithaca Zakynthos 1960

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Kefalinia Ithaki Zakynthos 1961 artifact

Kefalinia Ithaki Zakynthos 1961

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Kephalinia, Zakynthos, Ithaki 1963 artifact

Kephalinia, Zakynthos, Ithaki 1963

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Kythera 1967 artifact

Kythera 1967

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Samos 1967 artifact

Samos 1967

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Thessaloniki 1959 artifact

Thessaloniki 1959

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Thessaloniki 1960 artifact

Thessaloniki 1960

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Thessaloniki 1961 artifact

Thessaloniki 1961

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26th International Fair of Thessaloniki 1961 artifact

26th International Fair of Thessaloniki 1961

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Olympia 1963-65 artifact

Olympia 1963-65

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Akti Apollon 1962 artifact

Akti Apollon 1962

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Akti Apollon 1963 artifact

Akti Apollon 1963

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Olympia 1967 artifact

Olympia 1967

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The Village Hotel: Zagori - 2nd Endeavor artifact

The Village Hotel: Zagori - 2nd Endeavor

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Olympia 1961 artifact

Olympia 1961

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4Oth Supreme Convention of the Order of AHEPA 1964 artifact

4Oth Supreme Convention of the Order of AHEPA...

Map
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Patras 1960 artifact

Patras 1960

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Patras 1962 artifact

Patras 1962

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Patras 1963 artifact

Patras 1963

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Rhodos Grèce 1963 artifact

Rhodos Grèce 1963

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Rhodos 1964 artifact

Rhodos 1964

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Fly to Greece in your private airplane artifact

Fly to Greece in your private airplane

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Pylos Messinia Grèce 1965 artifact

Pylos Messinia Grèce 1965

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Visit Yugoslavia and Greece 1952 artifact

Visit Yugoslavia and Greece 1952

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Xenia Network in Central Greece 1971 artifact

Xenia Network in Central Greece 1971

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Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966 artifact

Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966

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Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970 artifact

Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970

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Akronafplia Xenia Brochure of 1965 artifact

Akronafplia Xenia Brochure of 1965

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Ionian Islands in 1966 artifact

Ionian Islands in 1966

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Pelion Sporades 1963 artifact

Pelion Sporades 1963

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Delphi 1967 artifact

Delphi 1967

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Athens Greece 1964 artifact

Athens Greece 1964

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Athens Greece 1962 artifact

Athens Greece 1962

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Athens Greece 1967 artifact

Athens Greece 1967

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Aegean Islands 1965 artifact

Aegean Islands 1965

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Lesvos Chios Samos 1960 artifact

Lesvos Chios Samos 1960

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Lesvos Chios Samos 1963 artifact

Lesvos Chios Samos 1963

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Lesvos Chios Samos Limnos 1964 artifact

Lesvos Chios Samos Limnos 1964

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Sparti Mystras Monemvassia 1967 artifact

Sparti Mystras Monemvassia 1967

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Sparti Mystras 1962 artifact

Sparti Mystras 1962

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Argolis 1960 artifact

Argolis 1960

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Argolis 1963 artifact

Argolis 1963

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Argolis 1967 artifact

Argolis 1967

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Pylos Grèce 1963 artifact

Pylos Grèce 1963

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Argosaronikos Gulf 1962 artifact

Argosaronikos Gulf 1962

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Athens Greece 1971 artifact

Athens Greece 1971

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Argolis 1972 artifact

Argolis 1972

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Corfu Greece 1970 artifact

Corfu Greece 1970

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Wine Festival 1973-76 artifact

Wine Festival 1973-76

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Athens Nightlife 1973 artifact

Athens Nightlife 1973

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Epirus 1988 artifact

Epirus 1988

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Corinthia Argolis 1986 artifact

Corinthia Argolis 1986

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Delphi in Arabic artifact

Delphi in Arabic

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Northeast Aegean Islands 1981 artifact

Northeast Aegean Islands 1981

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Kavala Thassos 1988 artifact

Kavala Thassos 1988

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Lesvos in the 1980s artifact

Lesvos in the 1980s

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Grèce Les Cyclades 1981 artifact

Grèce Les Cyclades 1981

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Olympia in Japanese artifact

Olympia in Japanese

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Greek Festivals 1981 artifact

Greek Festivals 1981

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Saronic Islands 1988 artifact

Saronic Islands 1988

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Halkidiki 1983 artifact

Halkidiki 1983

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The Spa Town of Aidipsos 1992 artifact

The Spa Town of Aidipsos 1992

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Greek Festivals 1971 artifact

Greek Festivals 1971

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Greek Festivals 1973 artifact

Greek Festivals 1973

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Greek Festivals 1976 artifact

Greek Festivals 1976

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Carte de la Grèce 1962 artifact

Carte de la Grèce 1962

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Igoumenitsa Athens Road Map 1961 artifact

Igoumenitsa Athens Road Map 1961

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Map of Peloponnese 1962 artifact

Map of Peloponnese 1962

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KLM Brochure artifact

KLM Brochure

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MS Daphne artifact

MS Daphne

Photograph
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