There are so many interesting attractions in Greece and you don’t know which are the best places to visit in Greece for your summer destination?
No worries! This article will help you solve this problem!
Before listing the main places to visit at Greece I would like to tell you some words about this wonderful country!
General information
Located in the south part of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is strategically positioned at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa.
The country is bordering the Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea, as well as Bulgaria, Turkey, Albania and North Macedonia.
The official name of Greece is the Hellenic Republic and its official capital is Athens.
The country has a population of 11 million people and a surface of 132.000 square metres.
Greece has a very rich history, being considered as the place where democracy was born.
The place is full of ancient ruins and history-making this country a top destination for historical enthusiasts.
For a more precise analysis, I split the countries and the best places to visit in Greece into 2 main categories: places to see on Greece mainland and the most beautiful and interesting islands that Greece have.
Greece mainland
Greece mainland is actually the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula together with two peninsulas: Peloponnese and Chalkidiki.
The mainland offers many interesting attractions like the ancient ruins spread all over the territory and the small and picturesque fishermen’s villages.
For those of you fascinated by mythology, ancient sites, wonderful sceneries and beautiful cities this is the place to be!
I listed below which are the main attractions of Greece mainland and why you should visit each of them:
1. Meteora
Location: Meteora is located on the north part of the mainland, very close to Bulgaria, at 360 kilometres away from Athens.
How to get here: The easiest way to reach this magnificent destination is by car.
There are many car rental companies from where you can rent a vehicle and explore the country.
With a car, you can organize your trip more efficiently and you don’t have to stick to a fixed schedule.
Get the best price for your car rental today
What to see: Meteora, which in local language means “suspended in air”.
It is a complex of orthodox monasteries built up in the sky at a maximum altitude of 1.300 meters, on the huge rocks.
This is definitely one of the best places to visit in Greece!
6 of the monasteries which exist today were built in the XIV century and the rest of the constructions are newer.
Not all monasteries are open to the public.
There is a public road built up to the mountain which links all the monasteries which are open to the public.
It is the only place in Europe where so many monasteries are built on top of a mountain.
The Byzantine frescoes and the architecture are really beautiful and make from these monasteries one of the best places to visit on Greece!
The monastery of Holy Trinity appeared in a film from James Bond series, For your Eyes Only
How much time do you need: you need at least one day to explore the whole area and to visit all the monasteries which are open to the public.
Where to sleep: set your camp on the bottom of the mountain, in the small town of Kalabaka.
Meteora House is our proposal for this town.
It is an apartment complex which offers studios and apartments, with a fully equipped kitchen where you can prepare your meals.
The place is very clean and well maintained, has free private parking and is located just 2 kilometres away from Meteora.
2. Athens Ancient Ruins
Location: right in the capital of Greece, in Athens
How to get there: on foot, by public transport.
We don’t recommend you to go by car, because you will have difficulties in finding a parking place.
If you have a car leave it in a parking place outside the city and from there take public transport.
What to see: Athens is one of the best places to visit in Greece if you are looking for ancient ruins.
No matter where you look you will see ruins.
The constructors have serious problems when they need to excavate because they will find ruins and their working should stop immediately.
Trust me! There are ruins everywhere!
Among the most important ruins, I would name The Acropolis, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Ancient Agora, Temple of Hephaestus, Stoa of Attalos and Temple of Olympian Zeus.
How much time do you need: you need at least 2 days to explore the most important sites
Where to sleep: Athens Tiare Hotel is the place where we have stayed.
The hotel is located in the business district of Athens, about 30 minutes walk to Athens ruins.
The rooms are modern and well maintained. The breakfast is tasty and varied and the parking space is a few buildings away.
3. Thessaloniki
Location: this beautiful port town is located in the north part of the country, close to the Bulgarian border.
How to get there: you can get there by car, by plane or by public transport.
What to see: Thessaloniki is the second-largest city of Greece.
It is an amazing city with many places to visit on Greece holiday.
There is the White Tower with its wonderful promenade from the nearby, the Arch of Galerius, the Aristotelous Square and lots of museums.
How much time do you need: you’ll need a full day to explore all the beautiful attractions of this city
Where to sleep: Sleeping is not a problem in Thessaloniki.
There are many wonderful hotels around.
Antigon Urban Chic Hotel is our choice for this city.
It is a very stylish hotel, located close to the city centre, with very nice and spacious rooms and really comfy beds.
The breakfast is fabulous and the services are really great. This hotel definitely has a great price-quality ratio.
4. The Oracle of Delphi
Location: The Oracle of Delphi is located 180 kilometres north from Athens and is considered one of the best places to visit in Greece.
How to get there: The easiest way to get there is by car.
If you set your camp to Athens and plan to visit this historical site, then we recommend the following tour: From Athens: Full-Day Bus Trip to Delphi & Arachova.
This is a bus tour with a total duration of 8 hours which gives you the unique opportunity to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site from Delphi.
On your tour, you will admire this wonderful ancient ruin, the incredible mountainous scenery of Parnassus and you will feel the vibes of the ancient site.
What to see: The Oracle of Delphi also known as Pythia is a sanctuary dedicated to Apollo.
It is believed that the sanctuary was built in 1400 BC and is one of the most important shrines from entire Greece.
This place was considered to be a holy place with mystical powers.
People from all over the world came to this place to find out their future.
The ones who gave the answers about the future were the priestess of Apollo.
Delphi became a fantastic showcase of art prizes and all Greek states would send out rich gifts to keep the Oracle on their side.
It lastly concerned an end in the fourth century AD when a recently Christian Rome proscribed its prophesying.
How much time do you need: one day is enough to visit the entire place
Where to sleep: I recommend you to search for accommodation in Athens and take a day trip from there.
Athens Tiare Hotel is our choice. The location, the rooms, the breakfast and the existence of a parking place nearby the hotel makes it a great choice for your Greece holiday.
5. Ioannina one of the best places to visit in Greece
Location: Ioannina is located in the western part of Greece, 400 kilometres away from Athens
How to get there: you can reach this beautiful town by car or by bus from Athens
What to see: Ioannina is a small town with many universities and is considered to be an intellectual city.
Most of those who visit this city take a cruise on lake Pamvotis, which is the city’s most famous attraction.
Another interesting attraction is the castle built in the VI century, a castle considered by most historians as the oldest inhabited byzantine ruin in the world.
Take some time and walk along the old streets of the city, admire the old houses and visit the Fetiche Mosque.
How much time do you need: one day is enough to explore this wonderful town.
Where to sleep: Our recommendation for this place is Anemolia Resort Spa , a really great hotel opened recently.
The hotel is located near the lake, just 4 kilometres away from Ioannina.
You will like the spa, the rooms which are furnished with old-style furniture, as well as the tasty breakfast and the great services.
6. Stadium of Olympia
Location: Stadium of Olympia another ancient wonder is one of the most interesting places to visit in Greece.
It is located 250 kilometres west from the capital of the country Athens in the Peloponnese peninsula.
How to get there: you can reach the place by car or by public transport from Athens.
What to see: Stadium of Olympia is the place where the first Olympic Games were held.
All the major sports competitions from ancient Greece were held here.
The stadium has a total length of 212 meters and 30 meters wide.
How much time do you need: just for visiting the place you need a few hours, but if you stay in Athens and plan a round trip to Stadium of Olympia then you should book a full day.
Where to sleep: book your hotel in Athens at Athens Tiare Hotel and do a day trip to the Stadium.
7. Temple of Poseidon and Cape Sounion
Location: these wonderful places to visit on Greece are located in the southern part of the mainland, just 70 kilometres away from Athens.
How to get there: These places are easy to reach by car or by bus from Athens. Many tour companies organise day tours at these attractions.
Cape Sounion with Guided Tour in the Temple of Poseidon is one of the best tours which we recommend you to book.
The tour starts in the afternoon in front of a hotel from Athens, where it is the meeting point and lasts for about 5 hours.
You will have a professional guide during your trip, the entrance fee at the site is included as well as WIFI in the bus.
What to see: Besides the incredible view from the cliffs you will have the unique opportunity to see one of the best places to visit in Greece at sunset.
The temple is located on top of the hill, at about 60 meters above sea level.
Throughout its glory duration, the Holy place was surrounded by an impressive fortified city.
Currently, some enforcing ruins stocked the sunlight near to the sea, reminding us of the splendor of Cape Sounion.
How much time do you need: book half a day for visiting these beautiful places to see on Greece.
Where to sleep: Athens is again the best option and do a day trip from there to this wonderful place.
Athens Tiare Hotel is our recommendation because of the best price-quality ratio you get.
Greece islands
Greece has more than 200 inhabited islands spread in all three seas which border the mainland: Mediterranean, Aegean and the Ionian Sea. All of these are wonderful and worth visiting but if I would have to list the best 5 places to visit on Greece I would say as below:
1. Mykonos
Location: is an island in the Aegean Sea in the Cyclades group.
How to get there: you can get to Mykonos by ferry or by plane.
What to see: Mykonos is considered to be the capital of entertainment and endless parties from the whole of Greece.
It is one of the best places to visit in Greece if you want to party till morning.
There are dozens of white sandy beaches with bars and music where you can party all the time.
Famous DJs come and mix the entire night for you to have fun.
Besides that, the place is famous for its windmills dating from the XVI century located on top of a hill right near Mykonos town.
How much time do you need: You should spend here at least 3 days to do a complete tour of the island and visit the most important bar from the beach.
Where to sleep: Lithos By Spyros Flora would be our choice for Mykonos.
This nice hotel is located near Agios Ioannis Beach and has a private pool and modern designed rooms.
Each room has a balcony, a kitchenette and a living room.
You can have breakfast at the property at an extra cost.
2. Santorini
Location: is an island in the Aegean Sea in the Cyclades group.
How to get there: you can get to Santorini by ferry or by plane.
What to see: I am sure that everybody heard about Santorini.
Santorini is the iconic island of Greece.
Its cubiform, whitewash houses cling to cliffs above the water from Fira and Oia is one of the most photographed places from Greece.
This island is one of the best places to visit in Greece especially if you are looking for a great honeymoon destination.
Honeymooners from all over the world crowd to take photos with the sun setting in the sea behind the caldera.
Oh! I forgot to tell you! Santorini is a volcanic island!
The island was devastated by a massive eruption many hundreds of years ago and what’s left after the eruption is what we see today!
How much time do you need: book at least 3 days to explore the whole island
Where to sleep: Being one of the best places to visit on Greece, Santorini is a pretty expensive destination.
Still, we found a very beautiful accommodation in Fira at a good price-quality ratio.
Lemon Suites Santorini is the aparthotel I am talking about.
It is located very conveniently, close to the bus stop and Fira’s main square.
The rooms are modern and new and the staff is very welcoming.
3. Crete
Location: 160 kilometres away from Greece mainland, in the Mediterranean Sea
How to get there: plane and ferry are the two ways of getting to this island
What to see: Crete is the largest Greece island and is famous for its ancient ruins, wonderful beaches and impressive mountain peaks.
Among the best places to visit in Greece Crete, I would name The Palace of Knossos, the Samaria Gorge with a total length of 16 km.
Greece is the birthplace of Zeus, the greatest god from Greek mythology.
Heraklion, the capital of the island is home of a great history museum where you can find Minoan artefacts and a settlement from the Bronze Age.
How much time do you need: you will need at least 3 days to explore the island
Where to sleep: Blue Palace Crete is a 5-star hotel located close to Elounda on top of a hill with a magnificent view over the sea and the island of Spinalonga.
Most of the bungalows have their private pools where you can relax the entire day.
The services and breakfast are wonderful and the private beach is extremely beautiful! It is a really great hotel!
4. Rhodes
Location: Located in the Dodecanese islands in the southeast Mediterranean Sea
How to get there: you can reach this wonderful island by ferry and by plane
What to see: Rhodes is one of the top places to visit on Greece.
The island has many beautiful beaches and interesting ancient sites.
Even though the Colossus of Rhodes is gone, there are still many beautiful attractions around: Byzantine churches, mosques and Roman ruins, the beautiful village of Lindos and the magnificent town of Rhodes.
Not to mention the great beaches: Tsambika, Anthony Quinn Bay, Faliraki or Prasonisi.
All these best places to visit in Greece are found on a single island: Rhodes.
How much time do you need: you will need at least 3 days to fully explore the island.
Where to sleep: We slept at Sentido Port Royal, a beautiful 5-star hotel with a private beach, bars and restaurants open all day and beautiful bungalows.
We liked here the food, the view from our room, the atmosphere from the hotel and the services.
Definitely is a place where we would like to come back when we have the opportunity.
5. Corfu
Location: Corfu or Kerkyra as is named is located in the Ionian Sea, on the east part of Italy
How to get there: you can reach Corfu by plane or by ferry
What to see: Kerkyra is an interesting mix of Venetian, French and British colonial influences.
Some places of Corfu reminded me about Tuscany, just that here we also had the beaches which were incredibly beautiful.
Spend a relaxing afternoon at a winery and enjoy the rest of the day at the beach.
You will be fascinated by the small and cosy villages, beautiful mansions and olives groves.
How much time do you need: 3 days are enough to explore the island and its attractions
Where to sleep: These best places to visit in Greece offer great accommodations in idyllic places!
We discovered Domes Miramare Corfu a wonderful and secluded hotel located 300 metres away from Moraitika Beach.
The rooms are modern and clean with a nice view of the sea.
From the reception area, you can rent a car or a bike and explore the surroundings.
6. Skiathos
Location: located in the northwest of the Aegean Sea and also it comes from Greece, Skiathos is an island that belongs to the Northern Sporades island group
How to get there: as you probably guess, you can reach Skiathos by ferry or by plane
What to see: Skiathos is the smallest island from the Sporades group but is one of the top places to visit on Greece by families.
Families with babies love to come to this island because of the beautiful beaches with powder sand, turquoise waters and amazing landscape.
How much time do you need: you will need about 2 days to explore this island
Where to sleep: we recommend you to book your accommodation at the Skiathos Palace Hotel , a wonderful 4 stars hotel located right near the beach.
The view from the rooms is breathtaking!
The hotel offers a tennis court, an outdoor pool and 2 restaurants.
These are the best places to visit in Greece during your summer holiday!
There are many other hidden attractions waiting for you to be discovered!
Pack your luggage and hit the road!
Greece is waiting for you!
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