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Greece, with its gorgeous islands and its entrancing mainland, ranks as one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. Known for having beaches that are in a class all of their own, Greece offers the quintessential holiday experience and should be on every traveller's must-see list.
Where to Go in Greece
The entire country may be overwhelmingly charming, but there are certain areas that have proved exceptionally popular. Favourite holiday destinations on mainland Greece, for example, include Parga, on the north-western coast, which is famous for its beautiful bay and ruined Venetian fortress, as well as Halkidiki, the three-fingered peninsula on Greek's south-eastern Aegean coast. Halkidiki is best known for its many idyllic beaches and its numerous intriguing archeological sites.
Mediterranean Crete and Aegean Lesvos are two of Greece's largest and most popular islands. While Crete, however, is best known for its luxuriously upscale resorts and is one of the fastest growing tourist centers in all of Greece, the Emerald Island of Lesvos offers guests hot springs, petrified forests, ancient temples and stunning beaches.
Rhodes and Kos are the most visited of the Dodecanese Islands, which lie just off the coast of Aegean Turkey. Apart from sporting exquisite seaside resorts, both of these islands also boast rich historical heritages, and no trip to Greece would be complete without paying a visit to the Palace of the Grand Master on Rhodes and the Plane Tree of Hippocrates on Kos. The Cyclades are also popular tourist hotspots, and Santorini and Mykonos are the most well known of these south-eastern Aegean islands. No visitor should miss the opportunity of lounging on the Santorini beaches beneath the iconic palm-frond umbrellas or dancing the night away at the numerous clubs and bars on festive Mykonos.
The Ionian Islands lie off Greece's western coast in the Ionian Sea and include the magnificent isles of Kefalonia, Corfu and Zante, sometimes called the "paradise on earth". Kefalonia boasts some of the best Roman archeological sites in all of Greece while Corfu is known for its extremely tourist- friendly North East Coast and Zante for its beautiful port of Zakynthos.
Skiathos and Alonissos, islands of the Northern Sporades Group, are also not to be missed. Tiny Skiathos attracts tourists with its unparalleled beaches, romantically ruined forts and enchanting satellite islands while secluded Alonissos often successfully persuades guests to swim in its Marine Park, which boasts the cleanest waters in the Aegean, and to explore its inviting sea caves.
Understanding Greece
Travelling in Greece will not pose a problem to English speaking tourists as, although Greek is the official language, everyone in the tourism industry - in fact, almost everyone in Greece - has a thorough working knowledge of English. Italian, French and German are also spoken, and, although most signs are in Greek, they are not extremely difficult to decipher.
A trip to Greece would undoubtedly be the highlight of any tour of Europe, and the Greek Isles are also perfect destinations for the quick weekend getaway.
