A Taste of the Mediterranean on the Gulf Coast
Strolling through the sun drenched streets, with restaurant windows advertising souvlaki, gyros and baklava on one side, the boat lined harbour on the other, it feels like the perfect day on a Mediterranean holiday.
Except it isn't. The Mediterranean is almost 6,000 miles away, and this picturesque Greek village is actually located on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Situated less than two hours' drive from Orlando's International Drive and only 30 miles from Busch Gardens, Tarpon Springs is the perfect place to visit when you need a change of pace from a hectic theme park based Florida vacation, or as part of your fly-drive holiday.
This village was, in the early 20th century, a world leader in the natural sea sponge trade thanks to the capable Greek immigrants who settled in the area at that time. However, this business, along with the sponges in the area, all but died out around the middle of the century, only to be revived in the 1980s when healthy sponges were rediscovered.
To this day, Greek immigrants and their families still continue the traditional sponge diving industry, offering boat trips to visitors who would like to see exactly how this is done. In addition, there are dolphin watching excursions out into the picturesque Gulf of Mexico throughout the day, as well as opportunities for deep-sea fishing.
After all that sea air, food is bound to be foremost in your mind. Fortunately, Tarpon Springs has an abundance of fabulous eateries with massive selections of food to tantalize everyone's taste buds, from hamburgers and fries to moussaka.
Attached to many of the restaurants lining the docks are bakeries which offer a varied selection of cakes and pastries. When ordering food, you should be sure to bear in mind that you will want to save space for a slice of deliciously rich chocolate pasta topped with a slice of fresh strawberry, or one of the many other desserts available.
For those visitors to Tarpon Springs who prefer not to test their sea legs but would still like to experience some of what the Gulf Coast has to offer, the salt-water aquarium houses over 30 species of fish (including tarpon, after which the village is named), and a variety of other sea life. While there, you can watch sharks and alligators being hand fed, or even touch and stroke stingrays and sharks.
Tarpon Springs has something for everyone, and for those who would prefer a completely land based activity, there are shops selling sponges harvested locally and other souvenirs of the area. If your interests lie in a more artistic direction, you may enjoy spending some time browsing the many antiques shops and art galleries located in the area.
The rich history of Tarpon Springs is visible all around you. On display in the shopping area next to the docks are boats which were involved in World War II manoeuvres, while located a short distance away is the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
The cathedral is a replica of the Byzantine St Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople, and the home of the largest Epiphany ritual in the United States. Since 1920, teenage boys have plunged into the waters of the Gulf Coast every 6 January, hoping to recover the Epiphany cross and the one year of good luck it is said to bring.
A day spent soaking up the sedate, laid-back atmosphere of Tarpon Springs will make a refreshing change from the usual fast-paced, roller coaster ride focused holidays in Florida that most people usually experience, and will surely have you coming back for more.