The myths and legends of ancient Greece still seem to hold sway on top of the Acropolis. Classical Greece’s legacy formed the enduring bedrock of Western civilization. It’s easy to lose yourself in its mythological stories. Rent a car and explore its historical sites on the mainland. Go island hopping on a few of its 6,000 islands.

Adventures | Must Sees: Athens | Must Sees: Mycenae | Must Sees: Olympia | Must Sees: Zakynthos | Must Sees: Delphi | Must Sees: Crete | Must Sees: Santorini | Must Sees: Mykonos | Must Sees: Nafplio | Food

ADVENTURES

Ferry to Zakynthos

For a break from the mainland, drive your car into the ferry. Enjoy some island time on Zakynthos.

Boat to Shipwreck Beach

At Zakynthos, take a 2.5-hour voyage to Shipwreck Beach. The boat ride is 30 minutes in each direction, plus an hour to explore.

Interisland Ferry

Go island hopping via an interisland ferry.

MUST SEES: ATHENS

Parthenon

Athens built the Parthenon atop the Acropolis as a temple for Athena and as thanks for repulsing many Persian invasions. The Doric marble columns are fluted with simple capitals on top. Half of its sculptures are now in the British Museum and half in the Acropolis Museum.

Erechtheion

The Temple of Athena’s Ionic columns have scroll-shaped volutes above. At the Porch of the Maidens, the Caryatids are six female figures supporting the roof. The sacred olive tree symbolizes Athena’s gift to Athens in her contest versus Poseidon.

Plaka

The Plaka is an old neighborhood of maze-like streets and neoclassical buildings built on top of ancient Athens. It contains many shops, cafes, and tavernas. You can walk from the Plaka past archeological sites to the steps of the Acropolis.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Roman Emperor Hadrian finished the temple 700 years after building started. The temple once had 104 Corinthian columns with acanthus leaf capitals. Inside was a giant gold and ivory statue of Zeus. After Rome sacked Athens, only 15 columns remained plus one on the ground.

Philopappou Hill

Before sunset, climb stone paths by green pine trees to a rocky outcropping for a great view of the Acropolis. Philopappou Hill has a monument to Philopappos, a prince of Commagene. An early site of democracy, the nearby Pnyx Hill had a platform where orators spoke before popular assemblies.

Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum houses the artifacts found on Athen’s famous hilltop. The museum’s highlights are the Parthenon Marbles. These plaques depicted mythic battles of the Olympians and the Giants and the Athenians versus the Amazons. Five of the six original Caryatid sculptures from the Erechtheion are also on display.

MUST SEES: MYCENAE

Agamemnon’s Palace

In the second millennium BC, Mycenae was a major civilization. Legendary King Agamemnon may have lived in the ancient citadel on a hill. Perseus, mythical founder of Mycenae, enlisted a Cyclops to build the walls with huge monoliths.

Lion Gate

The Lion Gate is the entrance to Agamemnon’s fortress. A triangular-shaped stone with two lionesses tops a weight-bearing lintel above two massive monoliths. The lion masonry forms a corbel arch carrying the load to the sides and away from below.

Mask of Agamemnon

At the museum, there’s a replica of the gold death mask found on-site. Homer’s epics, the Iliad and Odyssey cast Agamemnon unfavorably as leader during the Trojan War. Many tragedies describe the multi-generational curse on Agamemnon’s House of Atreus.

Treasury of Atreus

The tholos is a beehive tomb of stacked rings of bricks. A mound of earth covers the tomb of a Mycenean ruler and his treasures. Inside, it feels like you’re standing in a dome. Just as Atreus was doomed, at the end of the Bronze Age, mysterious sea peoples destroyed Mycenae.

MUST SEES: OLYMPIA

Temple of Hera

From 776 BC, Olympia hosted the Olympics for a millennium to honor Zeus. During tumultuous times, the games were brief periods of peace. The Olympic flame is still lit at the temple every four years, symbolizing the fire Prometheus stole from the gods.

Stadium

The stadium layout is simple. You enter through a shaded arched tunnel. All the runners lined up at the start line. The contest for determining the fastest person in the world was straightforward. Whoever crossed the finish first was the fastest.

Temple of Zeus

Upon the plains of the sacred Altis, the Temple of Zeus contained one of the ancient wonders. The colossal gold and ivory statue of Zeus sat on a throne of ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones. The sculptor, Phidias, also created the statue of Athena in the Parthenon in Athens.

Archaeological Museum

The museum contains a wealth of treasures from Olympia. The bronze collection contains griffin heads and warrior helmets. Paionios sculpted a marble statue of windswept Nike. The winged goddess of victory was flying down to offer a victory wreath of wild olive branches.

MUST SEES: ZAKYNTHOS

Navagio from Above

Just north of Anafonitria, there’s an overlook where you can see spectacular Navagio Beach on the island of Zakynthos. Climb the razor’s edge on a rocky narrow path. Below sheer white cliffs, spot the surreal cerulean sea grottoes.

Shipwreck Beach

On the white sand beach of Navagio, boats drop off visitors like clockwork. The beach is mostly sandy with smooth white pebbles at the turquoise waterline. The water is clear and refreshing to the touch. Carefully explore the smuggler’s tetanus rust bucket that crashed in a storm while being chased.

MUST SEES: DELPHI

Temple of Apollo

After climbing past treasuries along the zigzagging Sacred Way, you reach the temple. At Apollo’s home, the exalted Oracle was the mouthpiece of Apollo’s prophecies. The Oracle inhaled rising vapors from the ground and declared grand yet incoherent ciphers.

Theatre

The theatre was further up the hill above the Temple of Apollo. The seats were built right into the hillside. Spectators had views of the temple and the valley below. During the Pythian Games, the theatre held the vocal and musical competitions.

Stadium

At the highest spot in Delphi beneath Mount Parnassus, the stadium held the athletic events of the Pythian Games. They started after Apollo killed Python and set up the Oracle at Delphi. Victors received wreaths of bay laurel.

Tholos

Half a mile east of the entrance to ancient Delphi, the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia has a circular tholos. It once had 10 Corinthian columns in the center. Three of the 20 exterior Doric columns are still standing.

Archaeological Museum

Archaeologists found these treasures beneath the Sacred Way. The Sphinx of Naxos had a woman’s face, lion’s body, and a bird’s wings. The Naxians donated the sphinx, which sat on a column by the temple.

Omphalos Stone

The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the center of the world. According to legend, Zeus had two eagles fly from opposite ends of the world and they crossed paths here. So, Zeus placed the Omphalos near the Temple of Apollo to mark the navel of the world.

MUST SEES: CRETE

Knossos Palace

Red columns supported this palatial motherlode of Greek myths. Theseus killed the half bull Minotaur and escaped the labyrinth using Ariadne’s golden thread. Daedalus, maker of the thread and labyrinth, invented waxy wings. During their escape, Icarus flew too close to the sun and died.

Dolphin Fresco

Knossos Palace’s frescoes sing the ancient tales of Crete. In a palace room, there’s a pod of dolphins swimming next to coral and chasing pink, blue, and yellow fish. The dolphins remind you of Crete’s connection with the sea.

Heraklion Fortress

In Heraklion, there’s a jetty that protects the port from the Gulf of Heraklion in the Sea of Crete. Fishing boats bob in the gulf beside the fortress.

Archaeological Museum

The museum holds most of the finds from Knossos Palace. The famous Bull-Leaping Fresco and bull leaper figurine depict the Minoan fascination with the extreme sport. The enigmatic Phaistos Disc contains a text in an unknown script and language.

MUST SEES: SANTORINI

Could Santorini be the lost island of Atlantis? Santorini has a crescent shape from a volcano that obliterated the island while the caldera’s other half eventually sank.

Oia

Oia is a picturesque clifftop town with whitewashed buildings and bright blue domes. It’s simply magical against azure skies and cobalt water. Watch the superlative sunset with throngs of tourists. Go early and nab the best spot so you can enjoy the view and the festive atmosphere.

Fira

Fira’s homes, shops, and restaurants drape the side of the hillside. Colorful charming doorways appear to open to the sky and are portals to faraway vistas. The homes look like white frosting on top of the caldera’s tall rocky brown spines.

Old Port

There’s a cable car that takes you from Fira down to the Old Port. Some opt for donkey rides. Or follow the path to the water. When walking on the switchbacks, just give the donkeys a wide berth. After checking out the tavernas, the hike back up is 587 steps.

MUST SEES: MYKONOS

Windmills

The seven iconic windmills rest atop a hill by Hora’s harbor. The Venetians built the windmills in the 16th century for milling wheat. They hold a great position on the Island of the Winds.

Chora

Chora is the prime city of the party island of the Cyclades. Its twisty lanes were designed to confuse raiding pirates. The Gigantomachy was a legendary battle between the Olympians and Giants in Mykonos. The Giants are said to be buried beneath the island’s rocks.

Little Venice

After the Crusades, the Venetians ruled for a couple centuries. The colorful Venetian-style buildings hang right at the water’s edge. They are so close that the water tends to spill over the narrow stone walkway. Sea captains and merchants once lived in Little Venice.

Panagia Paraportiani

The white-washed building complex is actually five separate churches smooshed into one. The four churches at ground level form the base for the fifth church.

MUST SEES: NAFPLIO

Palamidi Fortress

Nafplio is a day trip from Athens at the Peloponnese peninsula. The fortress exchanged hands between the Venetians, Ottomans, and the Greece. The rocky hill is Escheresque with prickly pear cacti hanging off the walls. Getting to the top of the 999 steps requires ducking under archways and turning into alleys.

Acronauplia

The Acronauplia is the oldest part of Nafplio in the Argolic Gulf. Franks, Venetians, and Turks improved upon the fortifications on the peninsula.

FOOD

Souvlaki

Souvlaki consists of meat grilled on a skewer. It usually comes with a pita, lemon, sauces, sliced tomatoes and onions, and fried potatoes. Pork is the most popular meat in Greece. A gyro is a pita stuffed with the contents of this dish.

Grilled Octopus

Greeks are expert grillers. All they need is olive oil, salt, herbs, and lemon juice. An octopus tentacle is grilled until tender and juicy on the inside and a little crispy on the outside. Another popular preparation is chopped octopus marinated in vinegar, olive oil, and oregano.

Braised Lamb

You can smell the aroma of the lamb before you arrive. You may even see a lamb rotating over an open fire. Lamb braised in olive oil and mountain herbs is the real deal. It’s tender and juicy to the last bite and covered in a lemony sauce.

Grilled Sardines

Find a place with fresh sardines caught in the morning. The sardines are simply grilled with lemon and oregano. The flesh is juicy and the skin is lightly charred and salty.

Spreads & Dips

So many dips, so little time! Tzatziki is yogurt with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and dill. Taramasalata is a pink dip of roe, olive oil, yogurt, and lemon juice. Tirokafteri may be the best one with feta, peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and yogurt. The spicy cheese dip is smooth and chunky.

Mountain Greens

Horta are edible wild plants. The wild mountain greens are boiled until tender and served with olive oil and a heavy squeeze of lemon juice.

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish is more like a squid than an octopus with eight arms and two tentacles. In terms of flavor, cuttlefish is in the middle. The taste is more flavorful than squid but not as rich as octopus. For texture, squid is the firmest, octopus is the softest, and cuttlefish is in the middle again.

Dolmades

Traditional dolmades are tender grape leaves stuffed with rice, meat, and fresh herbs.

Horiatiki Salad

Horiatiki salad contains tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta cheese, and olives, and dressed with salt, oregano, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Yogurtlu

In the Monastiraki neighborhood of Athens, there’s a dish named Yogurtlu. The plate has beef kebabs slathered with yogurt and tomato sauce on top of a fried pita.

Strained Yogurt

Strained yogurt is a beautiful block of thick solid yogurt. It’s firm and soft at the same time. Have this smooth and creamy delight drizzled with honey and walnuts. In Athens, visit Stani, the dairy bar with the best strained yogurt.

Loukoumades

Loukoumades are deep fried dough balls drizzled with honey, walnuts, and cinnamon. Unlike doughnuts, they are crispier and less doughy. Every bite is a crispy cloud. Inside is a lightness that resembles cream and pastry. At Krinos Bakery in Athens, you can enjoy them with Nutella and ice cream.

Bougatsa

Bougatsa is a crispy phyllo pastry filled with semolina custard and dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. The custard has a texture similar to grits and pudding. The shell is crispy and flaky. Your mouth will thank you for every crispy and gooey bite it takes.

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