Greece Travel Guide
|
 Greece |
Top 5 Destinations in Greece |
 Athens |
 Thessaloniki |
 Santorini |
 Rhodes |
 Delphi |
Top 5 Nature Destinations |
 Meteora |
 Zakynthos |
 Melissani Cave |
 Corfu |
 Monemvasia |
Other Destinations |
Argos (Άργος) – one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, for over 7000 years.
Athens (Αθήνα) – the capital and largest city of Greece. Famous for the Acropolis with the Parthenon.
Chania (Χανιά) – the second largest city of Crete; with Byzantine, Arab, Venetian, and Ottoman history.
Corinth (Κόρινθος) – an ancient city famous today for Acrocorinth and the Corinth Canal.
Delphi (Δελφοί) – an extensive archaeological site rich with monuments and iconic of Hellenic unity.
Diros Caves (Διρος) – the Alepotripa and Vlichada caves are located near the village of Diros.
Epidaurus (Επίδαυρος) – ruins of the ancient Greek city founded around 600BC.
Gytheio (Γύθειο) – a small coastal town close to the famous shipwreck of Dimitrios.
Heraklion (Ηράκλειο) – the largest city of Crete, founded by the Arabs in 824AD.
Mani Peninsula (Μάνη) – the highlights of Mani have to be Gerolimenas, Limeni, and Vatheia.
Marathon (Μαραθώνας) – site of the battle of Marathon (490BC).
Meteora (Μετέωρα) – stunning monasteries built on top of immense natural pillars.
Monemvasia (Μονεμβασία) – truly the Gibraltar of the East. The Rock holds a powerful medieval fortress.
Mount Athos (Άθως) – an autonomous state within the Greek Republic and home to 20 monasteries.
Mount Olympus (Όλυμπος) – the highest mountain in Greece at 2917m.
Mystras (Μυστράς) – a now abandoned fortified town, founded in the 1200s.
Nafplio (Ναύπλιο) – a seaport most famous for the castles of Bourtzi and Palamidi.
Olympia (Ὀλυμπία) – the site of the ancient Olympic Games in beginning in 776BC.
Patras (Πάτρα) – Greece’s third-largest city, dubbed Greece’s Gate to the West.
Rethymno (Ρέθυμνο) – a beautiful port city on the island of Crete.
Sparta (Σπάρτη) – site of the ancient city-state of the same name.
Thermopylae (Θερμοπύλαι) – famous for the battle between Greek forces and the invading Persians.
Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) – the second largest city in Greece and formally the second most important city of the Byzantine Empire.
Greek Islands
Greece has over 6000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which just 227 are inhabited. Listed below are just a few.
Corfu (Κέρκυρα) – one of the most famous and most visited of the Greek Islands.
Delos (Δήλος ) – one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece.
Hydra (Ύδρα) – a beautiful island in the Aegean Sea.
Lefkada (Λευκάδα) – a beautiful in the Ionian Sea.
Lesbos (Λέσβος) – the third largest island in Greece.
Kefalonia (Κεφαλονιά) – the largest of the Ionian Islands, and one of the most beautiful.
Kos (Κως) – a beautiful island just off the Anatolian coast of Turkey.
Milos (Μήλος) – famous for its beautiful white rocked coastline.
Mykonos (Μύκονος) – one of the most famous of all the Greek Islands.
Naxos (Νάξος) – a beautiful island in the middle of the Aegean Sea.
Poros (Πόρος) – a small island not far from Athens.
Rhodes (Ρόδος) – a beautiful island with thousands of years of history.
Santorini (Σαντορίνη) – the picture perfect and most famous of all the Greek Islands.
Skiathos (Σκιάθος) – a beautiful island in the Aegean Sea.
Zakynthos (Ζάκυνθος) – famed for the stunning Smuggler’s Cove.
Caving – visit the Diros Caves and take a boat ride through the cave’s many passages.
Diving – with so many islands and warm water, Greek is a perfect destination for diving.
Greek archaeological sites – Greece has perhaps more archaeological sites than anywhere else in the world. Be sure to check out at least a few site. My top picks are Athens, Corinth, Delphi, Olympia, Thessalonika, and Rhodes.
Greek Islands – with over 6000 islands and islets, you must explore at least a few of the islands!
Shipwrecks – visit the stunning shipwrecks of Dimitrios, near Gytheio, and MV Panagiotis on the island of Zakynthos.
National Parks |
Ainos – Mt Ainos (1628m) is the highest mountain on the island of Cephallonia.
Alonnisos – the largest protected marine area in Europe.
Oeta – Mt Oeta (2152m) is the core of this national park.
Olympus – home of the gods and highest mountain (2918m) in Greece.
Parnassos – Mt Parnassus (2457m) is a limestone mountain that towers above Delphi.
Parnitha – Mt Parnitha (1413m) a densely forested mountain range and highest mountain in Attica.
Pindus – characterized by dense forests of black pine and beech, rocky ridges, rapid streams, mountain lakes and several peaks over 2000 metres.
Prespes – Lake Prespa is a freshwater lake shared between Albania, Greece, and Northern Macedonia.
Samaria – Samariá Gorge is a World Biosphere Reserve on the island of Crete.
Sounio – Cape Sounion is the promontory at the southernmost tip of the Attic peninsula, famous for ruins of the Temple of Poseidon (444BC).
Vikos–Aoös – mountainous terrain, with numerous rivers, lakes, caves, deep canyons, dense coniferous and deciduous forest.
Zakynthos – this marine park is located on the island of Zakynthos.
UNESCO Sites |
Cultural (16)
Acropolis, Athens (1987)
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina) (1996)
Archaeological Site of Delphi (1987)
Archaeological Site of Mystras (1989)
Archaeological Site of Olympia (1989)
Archaeological Site of Philippi (2016)
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns (1999)
Delos (1990)
Medieval City of Rhodes (1988)
Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios (1990)
Old Town of Corfu (2007)
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika (1988)
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos (1992)
Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus (1988)
Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae (1986)
The Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos (1999)
Mixed (2)
Meteora (1988)
Mount Athos (1988)
Typical Costs |
Accommodation
Hostels: EUR9-32
Hotels: EUR20+
Activity Costs
The Acropolis, Athens: €20
Ancient Corinth: €4
Delphi: €12 peak season, €6 off season
Epidavros: €6
Eat/Drink
Beer: €3.50
Coffee: €2.90
Sitdown Meal: €10-15+
Tipping:
Transportation
Athens 90m ticket: €1.40
Athens 24h ticket: €4.50
Athens 5d ticket: €9
Athens Athens Airport (one way): bus €6, metro €10 (45m-1h30m)
Budget
Tight: €25
Relaxed: €50
Guidebooks |
 |
 |
 |
Useful Websites |