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Is Greece on your travel list? Awesome! Getting your dream vacation done is easy with Go and Europe – The European Travelers Guide, your best Europe travel guide tips that will lead you to the most popular tourist destinations in Greece.
Even though the economy has been misbehaving lately, Greece is still one of the best places to go on vacation. When you go to Greece, you’ll find a country with great historical sites that go back 4,000 years and include both famous and unknown places.
Some of the most stunning coasts in the world are on Greek islands, and their rough interiors make them perfect for hiking. The Greek islands are one of its greatest treasures. They range from remote outposts where the ferry only stops twice a week to popular tourist destinations near me, like Santorini and Mykonos.
Traveling to Greece will inspire anyone who cares a little about the culture. On a trip to Greece, you can never have too much of a desire to be culturally aware. Simple pleasures like swimming in warm water at sunset, talking and drinking under the stars, and eating simple, fresh food are just as appealing. Also, the warm welcome at even the most simple taverna will make you want to start planning your trip for next year as soon as you get home.
Even though our first Rough Guide to Greece came out more than 40 years ago, we still enjoy going there. Here is our guide to a country with surprises and a sense of discovery for even the most experienced traveler (and head here for our top 15 general tips for traveling in Greece).
Greece is in the continent’s southeast, the southernmost point of the Balkan peninsula. It is where Europe, Asia, and Africa meet (also known as the Peninsula of Aimos). It shares borders with Albania in the northwest, Bulgaria in the north, the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in the east, and Turkey in the northwest. The Ionian Sea is in the west, the Aegean Sea is in the east, and the Mediterranean Sea is in the south.
Its total size, 131.957 sq km, is made up of three “major” geographical units:
Greece is one of the countries in Europe with the most mountains. About 80% of its land is mountainous or hilly. It has a coastline of about 16,000 km, of which 7,500 km are on the Greek islands. It’s a unique geological feature for the whole of Europe.
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Many travelers can attest that Greece gets pretty hot in the summer. Mid-July to August is the most popular time to visit Greece when temperatures reach the mid-30s, and many travelers and Greeks are on vacation.
June and September are beautiful because they have the best weather and few people. May may be the best time to visit the Cyclades and Crete, and May and October are good times to go because the prices are low, but if you live in the west or the mountains in October, you might see some storms, and the weather will be less predictable overall.
During the winter, many resorts and islands will close down many of their services from December to March. That’s not a problem in the cities, however. Rhodes and the southeast of Crete are the best places to get winter sun.
In Greece, buses are easy to find and can take you to all the mainland’s major cities. However, bus service on the islands is not as good. If you want to see more, you’ll need to rent a car, motorbike, or scooter.
Just recognise to drive on the right side of the road. Greece may be much fun to visit because of its beautiful mountain scenery and lovely roads along the sea. On the other hand, the train system has its limits and is sometimes slower than the bus.
Even though it might be worth taking an internal flight from Athens to a starting point on the group of islands you want to visit, island hopping requires boat rides. For example, a trip from Athens to Rhodes takes two hours by car and 28 hours by boat.
Greece is known for its natural beauty and unique culture. It has more than 6,000 islands and some of the most important historical sites in the world. Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe to visit because it has many ancient historical sites, cliffs that drop into azure waters, beaches with pebbles and sand, and a warm Mediterranean climate.
Along with the country’s capital, Athens, the monasteries of Meteora and Ancient Delphi are two of the best places to visit on the mainland. Most people come here, though, to get on a boat to one of the famous islands, like Santorini, Mykonos, Zakynthos, Corfu, or Crete. Our list of the best places to visit in Greece will help you plan your trip.
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands. It is in the Aegean Sea, close to Turkey. Rhodes Town, the capital of Rhodes, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations near me. After taking control of the island in the fourteenth century, the Knights of St. John built a unique defence system around it. This system included towers and gates that were hard to get through.
Walking around the old town’s cobblestone streets without a car is fun. Marmaris is on the coast of Turkey and can reach by an excursion boat, and Lindos, a charming village on a hill by the sea, is also close by. The port of Athens, Piraeus, is linked to Rhodes by an airport and many ferries.
Thessaloniki doesn’t seem to care that most people don’t want to go there. The people who live there like having all of the area’s attractions to themselves. Near me, the main tourist attractions are the Byzantine churches on the UNESCO list. Still, you should check out the Triumphal Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda from the 4th century, the White Tower on the beach from the 15th century, and the Byzantine Museum, which is one of the best in the world.
Thessaloniki, also called “Salonica,” is Athens’s second-largest city. It is in northern Greece and has a view of the Aegean Sea. Because it is next to Bulgaria and Turkey and founded in 316 BC, it has always been a place where many different cultures and beliefs meet.
Mount Olympus, the tallest mountain in Greece, is one of the best day trips from Thessaloniki. This beautiful natural attraction is only 80 kilometres away and is well worth the trip. Most of the popular hiking trails start near Prionia.
Naxos, one of the essential Cycladic islands, is also a popular place to visit. This vast island is not as famous as Santorini or Mykonos, so it is less crowded and more fun to explore. When you travel, you should stop by places like Filoti, Halki, and Apiranthos, all small towns.
Spend some time in Chora, Naxos’s capital city, especially in the Kastro neighbourhood. There are many stores with a wide range of goods here and some cute restaurants with lovely patios.
When it comes to beaches, Naxos does not disappoint. Check out places like Paradise Beach, Agia Anna, and Agios Prokopios. If you like kiteboarding, you should go to the windy Mikri Vigla.
Corfu is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece. It is an island in the Ionian Sea, just off the country’s western coast. Corfu Town, the island’s capital and a Venetian stronghold for a long time, is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its beautiful Italianate architecture. Explore the charming alleys only open to people on foot to see two 16th-century defences and the Liston, which surround by old cafés.
Outside of the main town, the island is green and beautiful. In the north, rough limestone cliffs drop into the sea, and in the south, fluffy green hills rise from the sea. Paleokastritsa is the beach area with the most visitors. It is on the west coast, about 25 kilometres from Corfu Town and several deep, sloping coves with sand and pebble beaches lead into a clear sea. Igoumenitsa and Patras on the Greek mainland are connected to Corfu by an airport and ferries. During the summer, boats from Ancona and Venice also stop here.
1. Look around the islands
Some of the best and most well-known islands in the world are in Greece. Soak up the sun, look at the white sand and blue-roofed houses, check out the windmills, a symbol of the Cyclades, and take it easy. Milos, Santorini, Ios, Mykonos, Naxos, Zakynthos, Rhodes, and Kos are all great places to visit. During the summer, the islands get crowded, so make your plans early.
2. Climb Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus was said to have the Greek gods. The town of Litochoro, 150 kilometres (93 miles) south of Thessaloniki, is the starting point for any climb up Mount Olympus. It is the highest mountain in Greece at 2,917 meters (9,570 feet). The hike up is complex and mysterious at the same time. As you go up, it’s easy to see why the Greeks thought the gods ruled from this mountain.
3. Learn about the history of Crete
Crete goes back a very long time. It was once home to the Minoans, who lived before the Greeks. You can still see Knossos’s ruins, the Minoan empire’s capital in the Bronze Age (also considered the oldest city in Europe). The island is the biggest in all of Greece. It has beautiful beaches, including one pink sand, lots of hiking trails, quaint towns, and delicious food and wine. It’s cheap, and because the island is so big, you can still get away from the crowds in the summer.
4. Stop by the Acropolis
This beautiful hilltop complex from the 5th century BCE is in Athens. It comprises ancient buildings and ruins, such as the temple to Athena and the well-known Parthenon. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a great place to learn about the city’s history. You’ll also have a wonderful view of the nearby cityscape and ruins. It’s packed with tourists in the summer, so get there early. Admission is 20 EUR, or you can buy a 5-day ticket for 30 EUR, which gives you access to this and many other Athens archaeological sites. Athens Walking Tours offers guided tours that skip the line and cost about 50 EUR (including admission).
5. See Meteora’s monasteries
Meteora is known for its monasteries built on top of cliffs. They are a beautiful sight that makes the steep climb to the top worth it. Orthodox Christian hermit monks built the monasteries in the 9th and 10th centuries. They lived alone on the cliffs and in the many caves in the area. In the 12th century, the monks got more organized, and in the 14th century, they built the Great Meteoron Monastery (one that you can visit today). There used to be more than twenty monasteries on these sandstone cliffs, but now there are only six. They are still strong, and about 17 monks and 50 nuns live here. Each monastery costs 3 EUR to enter.
Athens Travel Guide Tips
Santorini Travel Guide Tips
Have you ever been to Greece, or it’s your first time visiting the country? If so, I’m sure you’ve heard of some of Greece’s attractions in popular destinations. You have arrived at the right place; our Greece travel guide tips will give you all the guidance you need to know about this country.
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