Travel Guide to Greece

Greece is made up of thousands of islands and these are the main attraction for tourists but there are attractive towns on the mainland as well. The Peloponnese peninsular, ancient Sparta, offers rugged terrain and quiet beaches. In the north the area around Thessaloniki is mountainous and unspoilt. There are also many archaeological sites that will enthral the visitor. 

What to see in Greece

Athens - is the capital of Greece and has its own page - Athens

Crete - is Greece's largest island and furthest south so its hot! Crete was the centre of the Minoan civilization (circa 2700–1420 BCE), the first advanced civilization in Europe. Some of the most famous tourist attractions include the Minoan sites of Knossos and Phaistos, the classical site of Gortys, the Venetian old city and port of Chania, the Venetian castle at Rethymno and the Samaria Gorge.

The Peloponnese - A large peninsular in the south west of Greece, it is separated from the mainland by the Corinth Canal. The peninsula has a mountainous interior and deeply indented coasts, with Mount Taygetus its highest point at 2409 m. The most famous place in the Peloponnese is Olympia which is the location of the original Olympic games, the ruins are now a World Heritage Site. 

Delphi - site of the ancient oracle on the side of Mt Parnassos overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. 

The Cyclades - comprise about 220 islands, not far from the mainland and forming a rough circular shape. The major ones being Amorgós, Anáfe, Ándros, Antíparos, Delos, Escháte, Íos, Kéa, Kímolos, Kýthnos, Melos, Mýkonos, Náxos, Páros, Folégandros, Sérifos, Sífnos, Síkinos, Sýros, Tenos, and Thera or Santoríni (see below). Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited. Mykonos is probably the most famous and most visited but it is worth it. 

Santorini - a small white town perched precariously atop black volcanic cliffs is a sight not to be missed. The ancient caldera of the volcano still smoulders in the middle of the bay.  Visit the black sand beaches on the other side of the island as well. 

The Dodecanese - (literally "twelve islands") are a group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, off the southwest coast of Turkey. Rhodes is the largest island and most visited. The others are; Kos, Patmos, Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leros, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos and Kastelorizo - take your choice!.