Go to Greece

Opa!  When you think about Greece, what do you think of first?  Cradle of Western Civilization?  Democracy?  Philosophy? Olympic Games?  Trojan Horses?  Big Fat Greek Weddings?  I think you can check all the above as Greece has everything.  History.  Culture.  People.  Food.  I could write an article just listing the wonderful things about Greece and fill up pages.  What’s amazing about Greece is that you don’t have to choose one thing that you love about it.  For me, I’m going to check all the above when I talk about Greece.

History

Ancient Greece and Early Civilizations

One of the earliest human settlements outside of Africa was found in Southern Greece, dating back 200,000 years. We mostly talk about history that exists in the last 10,000 years. Greece dates back 200,000 years and has seen its way through the Stone Age (Old, Middle, and New), the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Middle Ages, and presently through the Modern Ages. That’s a lot of ages! Greece is so old, it is the reference point we have for history and ancient civilizations.

One of the world’s first cultures dates back 5,000 years ago in Crete. The Minoan civilization created commerce, art, and architecture until the civilization collapsed after a series of natural disasters and economic disruptions around 1100 BC.

Next came the Myceneans from mainland Greece. The Myceneans developed around 1750 and lasted, like the Minoans, until around 1100 BC. These two cultures are the foundation of modern societies and cities. Language and written communications still exist.

Linear A is a form of the Greek language that has still not been deciphered, though you can see its remnants in places like Crete and Santorini. Linear B developed as the earliest form of the Greek language we are familiar with today. Likely, both civilizations perished during the Bronze Age Collapse.

The Rise of Classical Greece

Greece entered a dark age but rose to prominence again in the 7th century BC with the first Olympic games. Literature developed around this same time with the stories of the Trojan War passed down in the oral traditions of Homer. From Greece, we have early forms of poetry, dramas, comedies, and tragedies.

But the arts are not the only things Greece can lay claim to. As the world’s first democracy, the area exploded with thoughts and ideas, ushering in classical architecture, mathematics, science, and philosophy.

By the 5th century BC, Greek city states ruled the region. The Persian Empire invaded the Greek mainland in 492 but was defeated at the Battle of Marathon in Athens in 490 BC. This led to a union of the city-states called the Hellenic League in 481. The Persians were finally driven from the area by 479 BC, and peace followed – for a short time.

Moving through time, we meet Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. Prior to his death at the age of 32 in 323 BC in Babylon, Alexander had conquered lands from Greece to the edges of India. Greek culture spread during this time as the successors of Alexander’s empire divided up the spoils of victory. One of the most famous of these instances was the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt.

From the Roman Empire to Greek Independence

Eventually, Greece was absorbed and influenced by the Roman Empire. It’s interesting to note that despite being conquered, the Romans were so enamored by the Greeks that they adopted many aspects of Greek society, art, and culture. Many early Christians spoke Greek, and the language dominates the New Testament in the Bible.

As the Roman Empire waned, the Byzantine Empire rose. Then there were the Ottomans and Venetians. The French and the British gained strongholds in Greece against the Ottomans. However, the Ottoman Empire held fast to the Greek lands, stifling European influence.

By the 1820s, the first revolts of the Greek War of Independence were put down by the Ottomans, but then the Egyptians gained control. After intervention by France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet was defeated. The First Hellenic Republic was established.

The European powers installed a Bavarian prince and later replaced Otto with a prince from Denmark who took the name George I. Greece entered a dark period after an attempted expansion into Asia Minor. This led to hundreds of thousands of Greeks dying in Asia Minor, along with Armenians and Assyrians. The Greeks fleeing Turkey immigrated into Greek lands, abandoning their Turkish properties and assimilating themselves into Greek culture and language.

Modern Greece

Greece was one of many countries drawn into World War II when it fell to Germany. Thousands died of starvation and as enemies of the Nazi regime. Thousands of towns and villages were destroyed and burned, leaving over a million Greeks homeless.

After the war, Greece recovered. Currently, Greece is known as the Third Hellenic Republic and is a member of the European Union.

Let me note that these few paragraphs describing Greek history are woefully inadequate to describe the breadth and depth of how Greek culture and history have influenced our everyday lives. I could write a whole article on Alexander the Great and how Homer inspired modern storytelling. Please feel free to research some of these highlights as civilization stems from this humble country.

Geography

The world is the expanding Greece and Greece is the expanding world. – Victor Hugo

Greece sits along the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Mainland Greece lies just south of modern-day North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Greece also shares maritime borders with Italy along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and Turkey in the Aegean Sea.

Athens is the capital, which lies along the Greek peninsula. Northern Greece is mountainous, and southern Greece slopes down into gentler altitudes. It seems every island in Greece has a different geographical composition depending on its location and proximity.

Weather

Eternal summer gilds them yet, But all, except their sun, is set.

— Lord Byron, The Isles of Greece

Greece is the definition of a Mediterranean climate along the coastal and island regions, which calls for wet, mild to cool winters and hot, dry summers. The higher elevations in Northern Greece have a more Alpine climate with snowfall in the winter months and warmer summers.

Where Do I Go?

The problem with Greece is that she’s just too beautiful. — Unknown

The mainland of Greece takes up 83% of the country. On the mainland, you will find the global and historic city of Athens. Athens is a trip unto itself, with the glorious Parthenon sitting high above the city and other ancient sites preserved throughout the area. Athens is also a wonderful pivot point for daytrips.

Delphi

Once considered the center of the world, there are remains of the Temple of Apollo and an archeological museum. The trip is around 2.5 hours by car or 3 hours by bus.

Mycenae

This is a daytrip we took – along with Corinth – to the ancient remains of the Bronze Age Mycenae civilization. Very interesting to see these settlements preserved through time.

Islands

Greece relies heavily on ferries between islands, and it is easy to schedule a day or multi-day trip from Piraeus Port just south of Athens. Close islands include Hydra, Aegina, and Poros.

Meteora

This is on my bucket list for the next time I go. This UNESCO World Heritage site in the middle of mainland Greece has 24 giant rock pillars. Atop some of these pillars are Orthodox monasteries that look like they are suspended in the air at up to 1,300 feet (or 400 meters).

Everywhere Else

There are approximately 6,000 islands and inlets along the Aegean and Ionian Seas in the Mediterranean Sea. I could collect these islands like jewels in a crown, as each one has its own beauty, culture, and geography.

Greek Islands

It takes a lifetime to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her.

— Henry Miller

Of the 6,000 islands and inlets, 227 are inhabited and broken up into subgroups based on location and formation.

Saronic Islands

Located in the Saronic Gulf and a short ferry ride away from Athens are the Saronic Islands. Popular islands include Aegina, Hydra, and Poros, which I identified above as great daytrips from Athens.

Sporades Islands

These islands are located just off the eastern coast of mainland Greece. This island group will take a bit more planning from Athens, as the ferries leave from northern port cities. However, there is an airport in Skiathos with flights from Athens that take 25 minutes.

North Aegean Islands

This island group lies along the northeastern end of the Aegean Sea and includes islands such as Lesbos, Samos, and Chios. Ferries run around these islands, connecting them to not only the mainland but also other popular islands.

There are also regional airports in Lesvos (Lesbos), Samos, Chios, Lemnos, and Ikaria. All these airports have flights from Athens, but some have routes from the second-largest mainland city of Thessaloniki.

Dodecanese Islands

These islands are in the southeast Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkey. The island group includes Rhodes, Kos, and Patmos.

Rhodes is one of the largest and most populous islands in Greece. More than a hundred cities in Europe and the Middle East have direct flights there, including London, Vienna, Tel Aviv, Cyprus, and several others. Within Greece, you can get direct flights from Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete (Heraklion), Santorini, and Karpathos.

Ionian Islands

This island group is located off the western coast of mainland Greece. The islands are full of lush greenery and landscapes. The key islands of this group are Corfu, Zakynthos, Ithaca, and the beautiful Kefalonia. You can reach these islands by ferries, and most have a major airport.

Cyclades Islands

This island group holds popular destination islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, and Paros. Known for high tourist seasons, the islands feature beautiful white-washed buildings and blue-domed churches. They also have major ferry routes and airports.

Where Have I Been?

Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean Sea.

— Nikos Kazantzakis

In 2025, we were fortunate enough to be invited to a Big Fat Greek Wedding in Kefalonia. We spent four days there. From Kefalonia, we traveled to Rhodes, Patmos, Santorini, and Athens. Including our first stop in Naples for three days, this trip was just at two weeks, and I’ll tell you how we did it.

Kefalonia

We began in Kefalonia (or Cephalonia) after a brief stay in Naples and a layover in Athens. Landing at the Kefalonia airport just south of the main city of Argostoli, we were met with lush green landscapes surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea. This island blew us away with the beauty and diversity in geography.

We took a tour bus around the island, which included stops at the underground lake called Melissani and a stopover at Sami. While most of our time was spent enjoying wedding festivities, we were able to explore the island.

One of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever seen happened at Orealios Gaea Winery. The Greeks know how to do weddings. Let’s just leave it at that.

Rhodes

From Kefalonia, we moved from the western side of Greece to the east. Our flight from Kefalonia to Rhodes had a brief layover in Athens.

Rhodes (or Rodos) was a delight. We could see the Turkish coast from our hotel. We stayed in the city of Rhodes on the northern tip of the island but got to travel around the island with a tour guide to the lovely city of Lindos.

Rhodes hosts several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the medieval old towns of Rhodes and Lindos. The port of the city of Rhodes was once the home of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the Ancient World. While the statue is lost to history, you can imagine where it stood.

Patmos

From Rhodes, we took a high-speed ferry to the small island of Patmos. Patmos can be difficult to travel to because there is no airport. You must rely on ferries from larger surrounding islands that have airports or even a ferry from Turkish ports of call.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Seeing the Cave of the Apocalypse was mind-altering, as you can envision where the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation. We stayed in the port city of Skala in a wonderful hotel above the city overlooking Skala Bay, where the ferries come in.

The island is picturesque and has a peaceful presence. Do be mindful that a lot of things are closed on Sundays when trying to schedule your trip.

Getting Around the Greek Islands

After an overnight on Patmos and a tour that morning, we traveled back to Rhodes by ferry and took a flight to Santorini.

Here’s the thing about hopping around the Greek Islands…you’re either going to be on a ferry or you’re going to be on a plane. And if you are traveling by plane, understand that all roads lead to Athens. There is always a connection.

I am intimately familiar with the Athens international airport. We either had a layover, departure, or arrival from Athens no less than five times during this trip. It’s not a bad place to be, and I think I’m going to do a better job on the ferries for the next time we go.

Santorini

Back to Santorini. Talk about your bucket list item for me? This is it.

I’ve been dreaming of a Santorini sunset since I was barely a teenager – and that was a few years ago. So many years ago that any teenager sitting in a movie theater watching Arnold Schwarzenegger say, “Hasta la vista, baby,” in Terminator 2: Judgment Day is probably taking Motrin to get through the day.

It’s me. I’m taking the Motrin to get through the day.

Be Prepared for Stairs and Crowds

I mention the Motrin for a reason. There’s a lot of walking and a lot of stairs/elevation changes. Roads do not take you to the cliffside hotels. So, you and the much-appreciated staff of the hotel will have to carry your luggage up and down the stairs to get to where you are staying.

We went in mid-May, and I thought it was very busy. Yet, we kept hearing how lucky we were to be there before the crowds arrived. Standing shoulder to shoulder with other tourists, I can say that their “not-busy” does not reconcile with my definition of “not-busy.”

If it gets much busier than what we experienced, this would not be a place I would return during peak season.

The Good Side of Santorini

Crowds and over tourism are the bad. Now let’s talk about the good.

Santorini is a fascinating island rich with geological formations, white-washed buildings, and cobblestone streets. And stairs. There are a lot of stairs.

We stayed in a cliff-side hotel in Fira, which is along the western coast at the midpoint of the island. After a morning of swimming over the volcanic hot springs, we spent an entire afternoon and early evening sitting in a hot tub overlooking the port and cliffs. It is one of the top ten days of my life.

Would I Go Back to Santorini?

So, the next time I go…. yeah, I would go back. It’s very touristy and expensive, but I would go during a shoulder season to reduce costs and crowds. I would pack lighter and stay at the exact same place in Fira, as that was such a good day.

We did a day tour around the island to see Oia, a winery, and Akrotiri, which is a Bronze Age port city destroyed by a volcano. The remains are often called the “Pompeii of Greece,” as there are very well-preserved remains of the ancient settlement.

I would do all these again and would dedicate a whole day to just enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean Sea cliffside.

Athens

We ended our journey in Athens. While we’d already been in/out of Athens for layovers, we finally departed the airport and got to enjoy the city for our last two days.

We spent one day properly exploring Athens, starting with the Parthenon, Acropolis, and other ancient ruins peppered throughout the city. A food tour, which I highly recommend, gave us another way to experience Athens. We also drove through the city to see the Temple of Zeus and Panathenaic Stadium before enjoying the shops and restaurants near the Plaka neighborhood.

On our time out of the city, we did a tour of Mycenae and Corinth. This is another place that I would go back to in a heartbeat. Next time, though, I would like to do a daytrip up to Meteora and explore Hydra.

Next Time I Go….

The light of Greece opened my eyes, penetrated my pores, expanded my whole being.

— Henry Miller

We fell in love with Greece and have already started planning a trip back. I would go back to any one of the places we’ve already been but feel Kefalonia and Rhodes were the standouts of our first trip.

Where would I go on our next trip to Greece?

Crete

Everyone we talked to asked, “Where are you going?” or “Where have you been?”

While locals were thrilled that we went beyond the popular tourist destinations to visit places like Rhodes and Kefalonia, everyone, and I mean everyone, suggested we go to Crete.

And not for a quick overnight. Extended time in Crete. Enjoy Heraklion. Go to Chania.

We were also told that Crete is a food-lover’s dream. I’m sold and will incorporate several days in Crete on our next trip.

Kefalonia

We loved it that much. As much as I brag about a Santorini sunset, the sunsets in Kefalonia are just as majestic.

The next time I go, I would do a daytrip to Zakynthos from the southern port city of Skala. (Sidenote, this Skala is different from the Patmos Skala.) I would also spend time in Sami and take a ferry over to Ithaca.

Another feature of the island we did not get to enjoy was the night sky park up in the mountains. This island has so much to offer, and I would go back in a heartbeat.

Corfu

Just north of Kefalonia, Corfu is another island I would love to visit. The Old Town of Corfu is a UNESCO World Heritage site that has an interwoven history of Greek, Venetian, French, and British influences.

Meteora

I’ve mentioned it a couple of times already, so I must really want to go. Even though the location is a bit awkward to get to, I think the effort is worth the extra travel.

Island Hopping in the Dodecanese

I would go back to Rhodes tomorrow. It’s such a beautiful island full of rich history. Ancient and medieval.

From Rhodes, I would take the high-speed ferry to visit Symi, Kos, Patmos, and Samos. I would hope to use this as a launching point to get into Turkey to see Ephesus and Istanbul. However, I would be just fine enjoying these beautiful islands.

Go in May

I shouldn’t tell everyone this, but May is the time to go to Greece. While the air and water temperatures are still on the cooler side, the upside is that you have beautiful, sunshine-filled days and fewer crowds.

There is also the flora that blooms across Greece in the spring. Every single place we went had flowers blooming, and it perfumed the air.

Paris in the spring is nothing. Greece in the spring is everything.

Greece is one of my two favorite countries in Europe that I’ve visited. Rest assured, there will be a next time I go, as I love this place too much to not return.

Go to Greece. Enjoy the islands. Stay for the food. Get to know the people, as we were surrounded by gracious hosts that love to show off their country.