Discover
Greece
The cradle of Western civilization with idyllic islands and ancient mythology.
Top Destinations
Explore our curated selection of landmarks and cities you must visit.
Acropolis of Athens
A fortified ancient citadel perched on a rocky outcrop above Athens, containing the ruins of several historically significant buildings including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike, all dating from the 5th century BC.
Best Time
October to November. The summer heat exceeds 38°C and the crowds are overwhelming; autumn brings mild temperatures, golden light, and far fewer tourists.
Insider Tip
Arrive at the gate exactly...
Santorini
A crescent-shaped volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, formed by a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC. The iconic whitewashed cubic houses with blue-domed churches cling to sheer caldera cliffs above the deep blue sea.
Best Time
April to May or October. The spring and autumn shoulder seasons offer warm weather without the crushing July–August crowds where accommodation prices triple.
Insider Tip
Book a caldera-view table at...
Meteora Monasteries
A complex of six Eastern Orthodox monasteries built atop immense natural sandstone pillars rising 400 meters above the Thessalian plain, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monasteries were founded by monks in the 14th century who climbed the pillars using rope ladders.
Best Time
March to May or September to October. The spring wildflowers carpet the valley below, and the autumn mists create ethereal photography conditions.
Insider Tip
Hire a taxi for the...
Mykonos Old Town
The medieval settlement known as Chora, a labyrinthine tangle of narrow whitewashed alleyways designed to confuse pirates, filled with bougainvillea-draped windmills, boutique shops, and Cycladic churches. The famous pelican mascot Petros roams the streets.
Best Time
May to June or September. The peak summer months (July–August) see the island at its most vibrant but also the most expensive and crowded.
Insider Tip
Walk to the iconic row...
Delphi
The ancient sanctuary of Apollo, perched dramatically on the southern slopes of Mount Parnassus at 570 meters elevation, which the ancient Greeks considered the navel (omphalos) of the world. The Oracle of Delphi here advised kings and generals for over 1,000 years.
Best Time
April to June or September to October. Avoid July and August when the site is both extremely hot and extremely crowded.
Insider Tip
Visit the Delphi Museum immediately...
Rhodes Medieval Old Town
The largest inhabited medieval walled city in Europe, built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 14th century. The entire Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encircled by 4-kilometre-long walls with 11 gates and a dry moat.
Best Time
May to June or September to October. The island gets extremely hot and crowded in July and August.
Insider Tip
Rent a scooter and drive...
Knossos Palace
The largest Bronze Age archaeological site in Crete and probably the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization, the first advanced civilization in Europe. The palace complex covers 150,000 square metres and dates back to around 1700 BC.
Best Time
March to May or October to November. Crete is one of the warmer Greek islands and is comfortable year-round, but summer temperatures can reach 38°C.
Insider Tip
Hire a licensed guide at...
Thessaloniki Waterfront
Greece's second city, a dynamic port metropolis with a magnificent 3-kilometre waterfront promenade anchored by the iconic 15th-century White Tower, the symbol of the city. Thessaloniki has one of the richest and most layered histories of any European city, with Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, and Roman ruins all visible within walking distance.
Best Time
April to June or September to October. The city's famous Thessaloniki International Film Festival takes place in November.
Insider Tip
Climb to the Byzantine Walls...
Corfu Old Town
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Venetian-built capital of Corfu island is a layered architectural masterpiece of narrow Venetian lanes (kantounia), neoclassical mansions, French-era arcades, and British-era cricket grounds, reflecting 700 years of successive Venetian, French, and British rule.
Best Time
May to June or September to October. The island is lush and green in spring compared to the drier Aegean islands.
Insider Tip
Visit the Achilleion Palace, a...
Ancient Olympia
The birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, held every four years from 776 BC to 393 AD — a period of over 1,000 years. The sacred sanctuary of Zeus contains the Temple of Zeus, which once housed a 13-metre gold and ivory statue considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Best Time
March to May or October. The site is set in a shaded valley with plane trees, making it more manageable in warm weather than other open sites.
Insider Tip
Arrive early and walk the...
Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach)
A stunning white-pebble cove enclosed by towering white limestone cliffs on the northwest coast of Zakynthos, with the rusting wreck of the MV Panagiotis grounded in the center of the beach since 1980. The Ionian water here is an almost impossibly vivid shade of blue-green.
Best Time
May to June or September. The July–August peak sees enormous boat traffic reducing the pristine quality of the experience.
Insider Tip
Book an early-morning boat trip...
Samaria Gorge
The longest gorge in Europe at 16 kilometres, cutting through the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) of western Crete from the Omalos plateau down to the Libyan Sea. The gorge narrows to just 3 metres at the Iron Gates (Sideroportes), with walls rising 300 metres overhead.
Best Time
May to October. The gorge is closed in winter due to flooding. May and October offer the coolest temperatures for the 5–7 hour descent.
Insider Tip
The hike is one-way downhill...
Cape Sounion
A dramatic promontory at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula, 70 kilometres from Athens, crowned by the remarkably preserved Temple of Poseidon (444 BC). The temple's 16 surviving Doric columns stand at 60 metres above the Aegean Sea.
Best Time
April to October. The sunset views are exceptional year-round, but summer evenings are warmest. The site is magical on a full moon night.
Insider Tip
Take the coastal road bus...
Epidaurus Ancient Theatre
The best-preserved ancient Greek theatre in the world, built in the 4th century BC with 55 rows of limestone seats accommodating 14,000 spectators. Its extraordinary acoustics — a whisper on the circular stage is audible in the back row — have astonished visitors for millennia.
Best Time
June to August to attend the Epidaurus Festival performances. April–May for archaeology without crowds.
Insider Tip
Bring a picnic and watch...
Mount Athos Peninsula
A self-governing monastic community on the easternmost of Chalkidiki's three peninsulas, housing 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries that have operated continuously since the 9th century. The peninsula is accessible only to male pilgrims holding a special permit (diamonitirion), limited to 10 per day for non-Orthodox visitors.
Best Time
April to June or September to October. Summer brings more pilgrims but the warm sea makes the 2.5-hour boat journey more pleasant.
Insider Tip
Even without a permit, take...
Nafplio Old Town
Greece's most romantic city and first modern capital (1828–1834), a beautifully preserved neoclassical port town dominated by the Palamidi Fortress rising 216 metres above the Argolic Gulf. The old town's Venetian-era streets, fountains, and mansions are better preserved than anywhere else in the Peloponnese.
Best Time
April to June or September to November. Nafplio makes an ideal base for exploring the rich Peloponnese archaeological sites.
Insider Tip
Book accommodation in the old...
Patmos Island
A small, sacred island in the eastern Aegean where Saint John the Apostle wrote the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) in a cave around 95 AD. The magnificent Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, a fortified Byzantine monastery founded in 1088, dominates the hilltop village of Chora.
Best Time
April to June or September to October. Easter on Patmos is one of the most profound religious experiences in Greece.
Insider Tip
Attend the Easter midnight liturgy...
Delos Island
An uninhabited sacred island designated the birthplace of the twin Olympian gods Apollo and Artemis, one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The entire island is an open-air UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site, with no modern development permitted.
Best Time
April to October. The island is only accessible by day — no overnight stays are permitted. Mornings are best before the Mykonos day-trippers arrive.
Insider Tip
Take the first morning boat...
Vikos Gorge
Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's deepest gorge relative to its width, reaching depths of 900 metres in the Pindus Mountains of northwestern Greece. The gorge cuts through the Vikos–Aoös National Park, one of the wildest and most pristine wilderness areas in Europe.
Best Time
May to June or September to October. The spring snowmelt fills the Voidomatis River at the gorge floor with turquoise glacier-fed water.
Insider Tip
Stay overnight in one of...
Monemvasia Byzantine Fortress
A medieval walled city built entirely on a massive flat-topped rocky island, connected to the Peloponnese mainland by a single causeway. Known as the 'Gibraltar of Greece', the lower town's Byzantine and Venetian buildings have been painstakingly restored into luxury boutique hotels and restaurants.
Best Time
April to June or September to November. The summer peak (July–August) sees the small lanes become crowded; autumn and spring offer a magical, quiet atmosphere.
Insider Tip
Stay overnight in one of...
Travel Tips for Greece
- 1.
Island hopping requires planning
- 2.
Try the street food (Souvlaki)
- 3.
Sun protection is essential