Tourist Places To Visit In Greece

The land that simmers with stories and tall myths, the soil that bore an ancient civilisation and produced philosophers and thinkers that left their mark on the world, and of course, the land of glittering beaches where you can run along in your bikinis and swimming trunks - Greece is so much and more. From Athens to Mykonos, Crete to Corfu, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece boasts of so many brilliant tourist places to visit. Read on to find out how each offers either a historical nosedive or a luxurious vacation, some amazing Greek food or strolls through stone churches.

The ancient as well as contemporary capital of Greece, Athens is home to some of the most iconic Greek sites like the Parthenon ruins, the Temple of Sea and Acropolis. A walk down some of the oldest Athens neighbourhoods will make you heady with history, such are the impressive buildings, monuments and the streets. Plaka and Monastiraki are two very charming neighbourhoods that offer this kind of an experience. The Syntagma Square is great for you to enjoy an evening and sunset in a cafe. Athens also hosts some amazing restaurants, cafes and bars to make you feel the throbbing of its city pulse, while retaining its link to bygone era in museums, sea-side promenades and temples.

Thessaloniki, for all intents and purposes, can be termed the cultural capital of Greece. Being the second largest city that hosts a hoard of events and festivals all year round, Thessaloniki would be on your list to visit when in Greece. There is a deep history here steeped in Roman ruins and Ottoman and Byzantine remains, things that only leisure walking tours will reveal to you. There are stain glass churches and ruins of temples, as well as sea side cafes and pubs. Do visit the White Tower, Archof Galerius, Hagia Sophia of Thessaloniki and the waterfront square Aristotelous Square for chic cafes and urban diners. There is also the Archeological Museum if you are interested in more history.

It is an island of Greek’s northwest shore and home to rugged hills with to-die-for aqua watered shoreline. Located in the Ionian Sea, Corfu Island makes for one of the most elegant places in Greece for tourists. It is home to stupendous Venetian architecture coupled with churches as old as time and forts that breathe the sea in. You must visit Palaiokastritsa or its many beaches and caves with hidden monasteries, the Achilleion Palace and Museums, Sidari beach for its thumping nightlife and Mt. Pantokrator for a summery hike.

One of the most coveted Greek holiday island, it has some of the plushest resorts and swoon-worthy beaches in the world. Even though Rhodes is an old town holding ruins of temples and churches, it attracts young, hip crowd like honey does bees. There is something in the labyrinth style alleys and cobble-stone lined lanes, the Old Town square and gorgeous seaside resorts that make people let go of all baggages and just rivet in the town’s pace. This was once the wondrous site of Colossus and still holds a lighthouse and ancient monuments from that era 'Before Christ.' Prasonisi is a great haunt for beaches and nightlife, while palace of Grand Master is for history buffs.

The island that most novelists base their Mediterranean romances in, Santorini is a Cyclade Island in the midst of the Aegean Sea. Its whitewashed houses and temples, cobalt blue domes and arches, cobbled streets canopied by pink bougainvilleas and the pristine blue Aegean on the side just make this place swoon-worthy. So much so that you would never want to leave. Strolls down Santorini’s small lanes and terracotta lined terraces make for most of your free time. There are beaches of turquoise to dive into, as well as villages and villas where the locals treat you like their own. Two big towns here are Oia and Fira, each still retaining their charm. You can go sightseeing to Akrotiri, Imerovigli, Santorini caldera and the ancient Thera.

Mykonos is another island in the Cyclades group, a jewel in the Aegean Sea. It is a summer haunt for most tourists and locals; the party scene in the pubs and streets bring a real summery warmth even in winter days. The general nightlife is so coveted here that it remains pulsating with cafes and bars and DJs even after dawn. You must also visit places like Ftelia Beach, Cynthus, Delos island and the town square for sightseeing. One legendary site to behold here is the row of windmills, said to be built in the 16th Century, that adorn the mountain above the town. There is also the Gyzi Castle, Myconian grave in Angelika and beaches like Agios Kalafatis, Lia and Sostis. There is a line of water sports here too, from water-skiing to tube and banana boats, wake-boarding to jet skiing and windsurfing.

Crete is the largest island in Greece, rugged and vivid in its terrain, from white mountains to sand beaces, cliffs and caves to ruins of the greek mythology. Some very famous tourist attractions on Crete include Elafonisi beaches, the white Mt. Ida, Ideon Cave (allegedly the birth place of Zeus), Heraklion Archaeological Museum and the island of Knossos. There is also a national park in the Chania region that makes Crete more appealing. The Chania town still carries a Venetian charm from its colonising days. For luxury resorts and spas along with mountain village exploration you need to head to Rethymno, with other nearby areas like Heraklion and Lasithi.

Once upon a time Hersonissos was the most glamorous Roman port here. Today it is a popular tourist destination that makes perfect family holidays possible. What with its museums, sandy stretches of beaches, amusement parks, historical ruins and shopping arcades, Hersonissos is simple, earthy and beautiful. Do visit the Seaworld, Lychnostatis Open Air Museum, Star Beach Water Park and Arion Stables. For some adventurous lot, there is the Cave Of Zeus to traverse, as well as Cretan Farm and Vrontisi Monastery to visit. The town is also renowned for its store of fresh sea catch and mouth-watering seafood prospects. Greek dishes are made all the more fresh with the sea’s bounty here.