Among so many famous ancient ruins, villages, sunny beaches, and delicious cuisine, we cannot but mention that friendly atmosphere is another characteristic of Greece, which makes it Europe’s top travel destination.
Actually, Greece is full of tourists due to the fact that everything is so beautiful there including many gorgeous islands, stunning landscapes, as well as historic sites.
Furthermore, tourists are also attracted by its nightlife and cultural events.
So, if you want to explore this amazing country, we would like to help you get familiar with places you should not miss while there.
The Ionian islands including Kefalonia and Corfu to those in the Aegean Sea, Mykonos, Santorini, Kos, and Rhodes, are just a few that Greece can really boast of.
There is also the pre-Hellenic Minoan culture of Crete, the monastery of Meteora, the ruins at Delphi, and the one that has to be mentioned is Athens and its Parthenon.
Let’s dive into a story about the best places in Greece.
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Cape Sounion
Cape Sounion is located at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula.
There you can find the ruins of the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon, the god of the sea.
The ruins are surrounded on three sides by the sea and many tourists who visit Athens go on a daily excursion there.
Thessaloniki
Besides the capital city of Athens, another most visited city in Greece is definitely Thessaloniki.
This is Greece’s second-largest city where tourists can enjoy festivals, social events, and excellent nightlife.
It is not unusual that this city is called the cultural capital of Greece, as it has everything.
There is a historic city center as well as a commercial district.
When visiting Thessaloniki, you can enjoy both old and new tourist attractions.
Byzantine walls, White Tower, and Turkish baths combined with small tavernas and nightclubs are just a part of Thessaloniki’s tourist offer.
It has to be said that this city has something for every type of tourist.
Zagori
Zagori is famous for its great natural beauty.
The place boasts two national parks and it is located in northwestern Greece.
Besides forests and mountains, it has beautiful powerful rivers and traditional villages which consist of stone houses from the late eighteenth century.
If you wish to explore this area, you should go hiking the numerous paths connecting the villages and make sure you do not miss the wonderful Víkos Gorge.
Halkidiki
When you mention Greece, people in Southern Europe would have Halkidiki in mind.
This is a peninsula near the city of Thessaloniki which boasts amazing beaches.
It consists of three separate peninsulas and each of them has its own beauties.
Kassandra is famous for the nightlife, Sithonia for the stunning beaches, and Athos for the monks.
They are attractive to tourists as they are close to Thessaloniki, so Kassandra, which is the closest, is more built-up.
The second one, Sithonia boasts campgrounds, hidden coves, and clear waters.
The last peninsula Athos belongs to the Mount Athos monastic community and only male pilgrims can visit it by boat.
Peloponnese
Peloponnese was traditionally called Morea, and it is situated in the southernmost region of both Europe and Greece.
This is a peninsula that is linked to the mainland by the Rio-Antirrio bridge and offers tourists a chance to visit numerous Greek temples, Venetian fortresses, Byzantine churches, and Mycenaean palaces.
Thanks to its extensive history, nowadays you can see ancient ruins in Olympia, where the first Olympic Games were hosted in honor of Zeus.
Delphi
Besides the Acropolis in Athens, Delphi belongs to the most popular archaeological site in Greece.
It is actually located two and half hours from Athens, making it a tourist attraction that can be visited during the daily excursion from Athens.
On Mount Parnassus, Delphi was once honored by the ancient Greeks as the center of the earth.
It is known as a dedication to the god, Apollo, and was an important oracle.
In the past, people would come to this sacred spot to ask for advice on numerous topics.
Interesting structures at Delphi are the Temple of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury, the theater, and the hippodrome where the ancient Pythian Games used to be held.
Meteora
The Greek word Meteora means “suspended in the air”.
That is the reason for the name of this place, as its spectacular cliffs rise more than 1,200 feet (366 meters) into the air.
This tourist attraction is located in the north-central mainland of Greece.
Besides the fact that these cliffs are stunning by themselves, when makes them even more attractive are the historic monasteries located on them.
These monasteries were built in the 14th and 16th centuries by monks who were looking for spiritual isolation and freedom from religious persecution.
Crete
Crete is not only the largest of the Greek islands but also a very inspiring one.
You can find various landscapes there, ranging from outstanding coastline to rugged mountains and countryside with olive trees.
It has everything a tourist needs, from metropolitan cities to quiet villages.
Not to mention its fantastic beaches.
Athens
As it is the capital city, Athens is a very popular tourist attraction.
Plus, the fact that it has been inhabited for more than 3,000 years makes it even more attractive.
Athens is famous as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy so you can find an ideal mixture of historical and modern features.
Some of its archaeological ruins and monuments are the famous Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Ancient Agora, and the Theatre of Dionysos.
However, ancient ruins are not the only reason why people visit this city.
Actually, this is an important center for business, culture, and nightlife, as well.
Greek Islands
Once Greece is mentioned, the first thing that comes into a person’s mind is the beautiful and exotic Greek islands and their beaches.
It is not unusual that they are one of the world’s top travel destinations.
Greece boasts more than 2,000 islands that include stunning beaches, ancient ruins, colorful harbors, and even some active volcanoes.
Santorini is definitely the most picturesque island and certainly the best place to visit in Greece.
Furthermore, Mykonos is a popular tourist destination as it is a combination of modern, cosmopolitan society and traditional whitewashed houses.
Rhodes, the island located in the Aegean Sea near the coast of Turkey, is also popular among tourists for its great beaches and historical significance.
Belonging to the Ionian Islands, Corfu was under the control of many foreign powers and this impact is reflected in its culture and architecture.