Is a cosmopolitan and bustling capital city, set amongst ever present reminders of a long and glorious past, graceful Greek temples, proud Roman arches, and ornate Byzantine churches. The rock of the Acropolis, with the ruins of the Parthenon rising above it, is one of the universal images of western culture. Simple and elegant, the Temple of Athena site and the Parthenon itself, set on the rock’s highest ground. As the first great building in Pericles’s scheme, it was designed to utilize all the architecture available to the Doric order in achieving an extraordinary and unequaled harmony. Proportions are correct, straight-appearing lines are in fact slightly curved, providing an optical illusion as the columns slant inward. The Acropolis Museum contains some of the portable objects, which have been removed from the site since the 19th century in order to protect them from environmental pollution.

The Plaka is the old Turkish Quarter of Athens, and virtually all that existed of the city when Athens was declared the capital of independent Greece. The Plaka holds a compelling fascination and is still the most picturesque part of the city. On the protected side of windswept Mount Parnassus, a hundred miles northwest of Athens, lies Delphi, one of the most beautiful sites in Europe where the Delphi Oracle foretold the destiny of man. Here lies the Temple of Apollo where the Oracle lived, built in the 6th century B.C. at the height of its importance. See the Sacred Way, the stadium, and the Castillian fountain, where pilgrims cleansed themselves in preparation for consulting the Oracle.

Located in the southernmost portion of the Balkan Peninsula, the Peloponnese is a region rich in history, and mythology. Just across the Corinth Canal from the mainland, you will find the Peloponnese is covered with natural beauty. Nafplion of today is lively, well sited, and contains a grand, fading elegance inherited from the days when it was the fledgling capital of modern Greece. The seat of government resided here from 1829 to 1834 and it was in Nafplion that the first Prime Minister, Capodistrias, was assassinated. Here too the first King of Greece, Bavarian Prince Otto, had his royal residence.

Built on the banks of the river Penios, Olympia is beautiful, green and placid. Walking through the ancient Altis, it is easy to make out the buildings as they once were: the Palaestra and Gymnasium, the temple of Hera, the Mitroon, the Echo Portico, the treasuries and, in particular, the magnificent temple of Zeus which housed the gold and ivory statue of the god made by Phidias, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is here, where the origins of the Olympic Games are rooted in legend in honor of Zeus. Legend has it that Hercules was one of the first victors.

Mykonos is the island of whitewashed houses, little chapels, blue sea and beautiful beaches. Mykonos Town is the island’s port and capital. There is a famous row of windmills, and the best view on the island is from the 400-year old Boni Windmill, which stands just above town.

Santorini, the island of Thira, also known as Santorini, is considered the most spectacular of the Greek islands. Santorini was formed from the remains of an ancient volcano eruption. Excavations began in 1967 by the late Professor Spyridon Marinatos, who was killed at the site in 1974. His excavations uncovered an ancient city, which had been buried beneath volcanic ash. The buildings date to the late 16th century BC and some ruins are two and three stories in height.

Crete, has a distinguished and amazing history. As early as 2000 B.C., the Minoans who lived here had a remarkably advanced society as a maritime trading empire. This was first based on myth, and later substantiated by excavations early this century. The island occupied a unique position between the eastern and western worlds even then, and we now know from the art and artefacts found on Crete that Greece, Rome, and Byzantium had a great influence in the island’s history. The north coast has been significantly developed while the mountainous interior is still wild and quite remote. It is also possible to move around the island by taking the frequent ferries which transverse the coasts between small villages, which are otherwise quite removed from civilization.

Corfu, the island of Kerkyra, also known as Corfu, is one of the most desirable Greek Islands, set in the clear blue-green waters of the lonian Sea at the mouth of the Adriatic. The scenery is breath-taking with thousands of olive trees that carpet the landscape and plants that are unique to the sacred land, with bougainvillea, wisteria and sweet-smelling jasmine abundant all over the countryside. With its astonishing blue waters lapping the rocky, pine-rimmed coves, Corfu is said to be the inspiration for Prospero’s island in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. To this day, Corfu remains true to its rural roots: an enchanting mixture of simplicity and elegance, a sleepy island, hidden away from the touristic honeypots.

Greece has a Mediterranean climate with plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and a limited amount of rainfall.

Due to the country’s geographical position, its rugged relief and its distribution between the mainland and the sea, there is great variation in Greece’s climate.

In summer, the dry hot days are cooled by seasonal winds called the meltemi, while mountainous regions have generally lower temperatures.

The winters are mild in lowland areas, with a minimum amount of snow and ice, yet, mountains are usually snow-covered. Moreover, a common phenomenon is the occurrence of different climactic conditions during the same season (for instance, mild heat in coastal areas and cool temperatures in mountainous regions).