Sitting on the Aegean and Ionian seas, Greece boasts thousands of islands that vary in size from the huge to the pinprick. It’s this variety that is one of the many joys of Greece, with each island having a different feel, flora, fauna and often food. And if you’re not island-hopping, the many antiquities of Athens, ‘the cradle of western civilisation’, will have you rapt.
Amazing Athens
Athens is also known as The City of the Violet Crown, and while that nickname is shrouded in mystery, with the right kind of light the Acropolis and Parthenon act as a crown at the head of the city. These ancient wonders have been preserved, restored and propped up to ensure that their thousands of years of history continue on into the future. Here are temples from Mycenaean times, many rebuilt after the Persians razed them to the ground in 480BC.
Continue your tour of ancient Athens by heading to the Temple of Olympian Zeus with its Corinthian columns, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a restored 161AD amphitheater, and the Byzantine and Christian Museum. The icons, sculpture and early books on display at the latter form one of the richest collections in the world.
Islands of life
From rocky outcrops to vast islands almost like small nations in their own right, Greece’s coastline is full of wonders. They’re not just beach destinations, but pack in the history too. Patmos combines both, with lovely beaches and a dramatic monastery overseeing it all. When it comes to nightlife, seek out Rhodes, Kos or parts of Corfu, while Skyros is a much quieter and undeveloped retreat.
Perhaps most striking of all is Santorini, which looks alluring as you approach it, and affords incredible views of the caldera once you’re on land.
The center of the world
According to ancient mythology, two eagles released by Greek god Zeus at the ends of the world met in Delphi, which makes it an important place in Greek life. It lies to the north-west of Athens and is undoubtedly popular with tourists. Zeus’ son, Apollo, was worshipped at the temple here, and one of the early precursors of the Olympic Games were also held at this site. They were the Pythian Games, which share a name with Pythia, the high priestess of the temple who was better known as the Oracle at Delphi.
Other remarkable ruins at the site include the stadium where chariot races were once held, the Temple of Pronoia Athena, the Treasure of the Athenians and more besides. Grab a table at Taverna Vakhos here for the incredible views of the valley below while you sample classics such as rabbit stew and hearty vegetarian options including stuffed zucchini flowers and eggplant salad. Finish with sticky baklava as you ponder Mt Parnassos.
Greece has so much to offer beyond this too – the hundreds of beaches, the modern art and architecture, the food revival – but that’s all for you to discover and explore with car rental in Greece.