CELEBRATE GREEK EASTER ON SANTORINI

Santorini, GREECE, February 10, 2009 – Easter in Greece is one of the world's most magical and festive events. The pageantry, superb Greek Easter specialties and the warm camaraderie of the Greeks – all make for a truly memorable experience. Colorful processions wind through village streets. Candle-light services in tiny churches recall Byzantine times. A midnight supper with mageritsa soup and a delicious feast of roast lamb in the open air offer opportunities to eat well and make lasting friendships. Astra Apartments and Suites, on the Greek island of Santorini, invites travelers to join in one of the country's major cultural events and make lifelong memories in the process.

One of the leading boutique properties in Santorini, Astra is offering a package that allows travelers to experience Greece like an insider during the country's most festive holiday. Astra's General Manager George Karayiannis will fashion individual itineraries for guests – from which village has the most exciting epithafios procession to where to attend midnight services and which restaurant serves the most delicious midnight feast – he knows all the best places. Then, on Easter Sunday, Astra's guests are invited to a multi-course feast of Greek specialties served around the hotel's infinity pool with the view for which Astra is famed. George may even let you turn the roasting lamb on the spit.

For Greek Easter weekend, April 18-20, Astra's "Magical Easter" package starts at about $960 for two persons and includes the traditional Easter lunch of spit-roasted lamb, kokoretzi, red eggs and Greek salad, a daily breakfast of homemade yoghurt, Greek honey, local cheese, ham and fresh bread served on the guest's private balcony, a bottle of Santorini wine upon arrival, daily maid service and all taxes.

High up on a cliff overlooking the Aegean, offering a bird's eye view of the 3,600-year-old caldera, Astra provides genuine Greek hospitality in a setting of simple elegance. Wildflower-filled paths and whitewashed staircases lead to the cozy reception area filled with books and artwork. The signature colors of the Cyclades are reflected in the sparkling infinity pool hanging 1000 feet above the turquoise sea and the roomy day beds draped in white linen. Consistently rated one of the top three on the island, this boutique hotel has a loyal following with guests returning year after year.
April in Santorini is always sunny with average temperatures hovering around 65 degrees Fahrenheit and can get up in the 70s.

Each of the 28 spacious suites and rooms are decorated in traditional island style with works by local artists. The complex has 16 domed-ceiling apartments and 12 luxurious suites – eight with private plunge pools or outdoor Jacuzzis. A day spa offers a full range of massages and facials. New last year, Astra's restaurant serves delicious fresh fish and Santorinian specialties under the stars.
The low season rate for a standard apartment is about $320, or €250 for two persons. Low and high season rates for superior apartments, two-bedroom apartments and suites range from about $385, or €300 to $1030, or €800. All rates are for one or two persons and include all taxes. Free high-speed Internet access is in all rooms and suites.

For more information about Astra Apartments and Suites, go to www.astra.gr For reservations, visit the website or call: 011-30-2286-23641.

February 11, 2009   Posted in: Greece