v1115 · Your guide to Greece

Discover the HEART of Greece

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Welcome to Heart Greece, your guide to a country we love. From ancient wonders and whitewashed islands to mountain villages and long seaside lunches, find the best of Greece.

Explore

Iconic sights and hidden corners across the country.

Aerial view of the Acropolis of Athens

Athens

The historic capital of the Acropolis, museums and a buzzing food scene.

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The magical island of Santorini

Santorini

The famous caldera, whitewashed villages and sunsets over the sea, with the clifftop village of Oia the classic spot to watch the sun go down.

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Mykonos island

Mykonos

Beaches, nightlife and Cycladic charm, anchored by the whitewashed Little Venice waterfront and the row of iconic windmills above it.

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Crete island

Crete

The largest island, with mountains, gorges, beaches and proud food, from the Samaria Gorge hike to the pink sand of Elafonissi in the southwest.

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Corfu Greece

Corfu

Lush, Venetian-flavoured and green, the jewel of the Ionian.

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Meteora monasteries

Meteora

Monasteries perched on dramatic rock pillars, six of an original twenty-four still active and open to visitors.

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Delphi archaeological site

Delphi

The ancient sanctuary of Apollo on Mount Parnassus.

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Peloponnese region

The Peloponnese

Nafplio, Mycenae, Olympia and Epidaurus, rich in history, with Nafplio's hilltop Palamidi Castle and the ancient theatre at Epidaurus among the highlights.

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Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki

Greece's vibrant second city of food, history and nightlife.

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Rhodes Old Town medieval walls

Rhodes

The largest Dodecanese island, with a walled medieval Old Town and long beaches.

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Navagio Shipwreck Beach Zakynthos

Zakynthos

An Ionian island known for Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach and its loggerhead turtle nesting bays.

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Vikos Gorge in the Zagori region of Epirus

Zagori (Zagorochoria)

A cluster of stone mountain villages in Epirus above the dramatic Vikos Gorge, linked by old arched bridges.

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Monastery of Hozoviotissa on the cliffs of Amorgos

Amorgos

The easternmost Cycladic island, dramatic and little-visited, known as the filming location for the film "The Big Blue" and for the cliffside Hozoviotissa Monastery built into a sheer rock face.

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Hydra island stone harbour town Greece

Hydra

A car-free Saronic island close to Athens, its stone harbour town built up the hillside and explored on foot, by water taxi, or by donkey — the only local transport.

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Rugged coastline of Ikaria island Greece

Ikaria

A rugged Aegean island identified as one of the world's five 'Blue Zones', where residents are noted for unusually long, active lives, credited partly to local diet and an unhurried pace of life.

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Myrtos Beach on Kefalonia island

Kefalonia

The largest of the Ionian islands, known for the turquoise waters of Myrtos Beach, the Melissani cave lake, and the Robola vineyards on the slopes of Mount Ainos.

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Porto Katsiki beach on Lefkada island

Lefkada

An Ionian island connected to the mainland by a causeway and floating bridge, so it's reachable by car, with beaches like Porto Katsiki ranked among Greece's best.

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Sarakiniko's white rock formations on Milos

Milos

A volcanic Cycladic island famed for its lunar-white cliffs and coloured coves at Sarakiniko and Kleftiko, and as the discovery site of the Venus de Milo statue.

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Portara ancient temple gate on Naxos

Naxos

The largest and most fertile of the Cyclades, with a mountainous village-dotted interior, the Portara ancient temple gate at its harbour entrance, and well-regarded local potatoes and cheese.

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Naoussa harbour on Paros island

Paros

A central Cycladic island balancing lively resorts with quieter villages like Lefkes, plus windsurfing beaches at Golden Beach and the marble-built Panagia Ekatontapiliani church.

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Symi's pastel neoclassical harbour Greece

Symi

A Dodecanese island close to Rhodes with a pastel neoclassical harbour built on sponge-diving wealth, and the pilgrimage site of Panormitis Monastery.

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Aerial view of the Corinth Canal cut through rock

Corinth Canal

A narrow, sheer-sided canal cut through solid rock in 1893, linking the Aegean and Ionian seas and separating the Peloponnese from mainland Greece — a dramatic stop for photos or bungee jumping en route south.

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Whitewashed hilltop church in the Cyclades islands

Cyclades

The whitewashed Aegean island group — Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos and more — the postcard image of Greece.

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Coastal view across the Dodecanese islands

Dodecanese

The southeastern island group including Rhodes and Kos, closest to the Turkish coast.

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Elafonissi pink sand beach lagoon on Crete

Elafonissi

A pink-tinged sandy lagoon on Crete's southwest tip, one of Greece's most striking beaches.

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Ancient theatre of Epidaurus in the Peloponnese

Epidaurus

The 4th-century-BC theatre in the Peloponnese, famous for near-perfect acoustics and summer festival performances.

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Coastline of the greener Ionian Islands

Ionian Islands

The greener, wetter western island group — Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia and Zakynthos — with a strong Venetian legacy.

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Nafplio old town with the Palamidi fortress above

Nafplio

An elegant Peloponnesian port town, Greece's first modern capital, watched over by the Palamidi fortress.

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Ruins of the Temple of Zeus at ancient Olympia

Olympia

The sanctuary in the western Peloponnese where the ancient Olympic Games were held from 776 BC.

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Golden treasures from the royal tombs museum at Vergina

Vergina

A small town near Thessaloniki whose royal Macedonian tombs, including that of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site with treasures displayed in an underground museum.

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The Acropolis and Parthenon viewed from Philopappos Hill, Athens

Acropolis

The ancient citadel of Athens crowned by the Parthenon — Greece’s most famous monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Aegina island harbour in the Saronic Gulf

Aegina

The closest major island to Athens, an easy Saronic Gulf day trip world-famous for its pistachios and crowned by the hilltop Temple of Aphaia.

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The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion at sunset

Cape Sounion

The clifftop Temple of Poseidon at the southern tip of Attica, about 70km from Athens — one of Greece’s finest sunset views.

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Poros island harbour in the Saronic Gulf

Poros

A pine-covered Saronic Gulf island close to Athens, separated from the Peloponnese by a narrow strait, with a fragrant lemon grove a short boat ride across the water.

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Pythagoreio harbour on Samos island

Samos

A lush, mountainous North Aegean island near the Turkish coast, birthplace of Pythagoras and known for its sweet Muscat wine and the ancient tunnel of Eupalinos.

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Skiathos island coastline in the Sporades

Skiathos

The liveliest of the Sporades islands, ringed by pine forest and sandy beaches, with Koukounaries among the most photographed in Greece.

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The caldera cliffs and village of Oia, Santorini

Caldera

The flooded volcanic crater that gives Santorini its dramatic cliffs and sunset views.

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The Parthenon temple on the Acropolis in Athens

Parthenon

The 5th-century-BC temple to Athena atop the Acropolis, the defining monument of classical Greece.

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The row of whitewashed windmills at Kato Mili, Mykonos

Windmills

Whitewashed stone windmills dot the Cyclades, once used to grind grain in the strong Aegean meltemi winds. Mykonos's row of restored windmills above the harbour is the most photographed example.

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The archaeological site of Delos near Mykonos

Delos

A sacred, uninhabited island near Mykonos and one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Cyclades, linked in mythology to the birth of Apollo and Artemis.

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The Lion Gate at Mycenae in the Peloponnese

Mycenae

A UNESCO-listed Bronze Age citadel in the Peloponnese, entered through the monumental Lion Gate, once the seat of the legendary King Agamemnon and a cornerstone of Greek mythology.

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The Byzantine hillside city of Mystras

Mystras

A UNESCO-listed Byzantine city near Sparta in the Peloponnese, its ruined palaces, churches and fortress climbing a hillside and offering one of Greece's most striking archaeological sites.

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The rock and castle town of Monemvasia

Monemvasia

A dramatic castle town on a rocky islet off the south-eastern Peloponnese, its car-free medieval old town of stone lanes and churches connected to the mainland by a causeway.

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Navagio, the Shipwreck Beach on Zakynthos

Navagio (Shipwreck Beach)

A cove on Zakynthos accessible only by boat, famous for its rusting shipwreck resting on white sand beneath towering limestone cliffs, one of Greece's most photographed beaches.

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Balos Lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula, Crete

Balos Lagoon

A turquoise lagoon on the Gramvoussa peninsula in western Crete, backed by pink-tinged sand and reached by boat trip or a rough coastal track.

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The whitewashed mastic village of Mesta on Chios

Chios

An eastern Aegean island famed for its mastic-producing villages, medieval fortified settlements and distinctive black-and-white geometric house decoration found nowhere else in Greece.

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Chora, the clifftop main town of Folegandros

Folegandros

A small, dramatic Cycladic island with a clifftop old town, wild landscapes and a peaceful atmosphere, popular with travellers seeking a quieter alternative to its busier neighbours.

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Kastoria on the shore of Lake Orestiada

Kastoria

A lakeside town in Greek Macedonia built on a promontory into Lake Orestiada, long known internationally as a centre of the fur trade and now also a tourist destination.

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The island of Patmos in the Dodecanese

Patmos

A small, spiritually significant Dodecanese island where Saint John is said to have written the Book of Revelation, home to the fortified Monastery of Saint John.

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Traditional stone villages on the forested slopes of Pilio

Pilio (Pelion)

A green, mountainous peninsula in Thessaly dotted with traditional stone villages perched on forested slopes or along the seashore, popular for walking and cooler summer air.

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Marble quarries on the island of Tinos

Tinos

A Cycladic island known for its marble craftsmanship, dovecotes and the pilgrimage church of Panagia Evangelistria, giving the island a notably calm, devotional atmosphere.

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Eat and Drink

The flavours worth travelling for.

Greek souvlaki taverna

Kostas, Athens

Legendary hole-in-the-wall souvlaki since 1950.

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Greek bougatsa pastry

Bougatsa Bantis, Thessaloniki

A family bakery since 1969, famous for bougatsa.

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Greek seafood platter

Varoulko Seaside, Piraeus

Named Greece's top Greek-cuisine restaurant at the 2025 awards.

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Fine dining in Greece

Etrusco, Corfu

Ettore Botrini's celebrated gourmet Greek restaurant.

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Traditional Cretan food

Peskesi, Crete

Farm-to-table Cretan cooking reviving old island recipes.

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Santorini fine dining restaurant

Selene, Santorini

The island's benchmark Greek fine-dining room.

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Kanoula Thessaloniki modern Greek restaurant

Kanoula, Thessaloniki

Modern Greek cooking in Greece's food-obsessed second city, a good pick alongside the classic street food of bougatsa and souvlaki.

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Taste of Greece

The dishes and drinks you will meet at every taverna and kafeneio across the country — already part of our A–Z Travel Dictionary, now with a closer look at each one.

Classic Greek moussaka, a layered aubergine and béchamel bake

Moussaka

The layered bake of aubergine, spiced mince and béchamel, a lunchtime classic.

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Souvlaki skewers of marinated grilled pork

Souvlaki

Skewered grilled meat with pita and trimmings, Greece's beloved fast food (a bare skewer is a 'kalamaki').

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Bowl of tzatziki, Greek yoghurt and cucumber dip

Tzatziki

The yoghurt, cucumber and garlic dip that partners grilled meats.

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Golden spanakopita triangles, spinach and feta in crisp filo

Spanakopita

Spinach-and-feta pie in crisp filo; the cheese-only version is tiropita.

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Gyros plate with pita, tomato and tzatziki

Gyros

Spit-roasted meat shaved into pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and chips — Greece's everyday street food.

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Dolmades, vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs

Dolmades

Vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, served warm or cold with lemon.

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Loukoumades, honey-drenched fried dough puffs

Loukoumades

Honey-drenched fried dough puffs dusted with cinnamon, one of the oldest Greek sweets.

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Baklava, layered filo pastry with nuts and honey

Baklava

Layers of filo, chopped nuts and syrup or honey — a sweet shared across the eastern Mediterranean.

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Ouzo served in small glasses, clouding with water

Ouzo

The anise spirit that clouds with water, sipped slowly with meze, especially on the island of Lesvos.

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Bottle and glass of retsina, Greece's resin-flavoured wine

Retsina

The resin-flavoured white wine of central Greece, characterful alongside meze.

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Tsipouro, a Greek grape-pomace spirit, served with meze

Tsipouro

A strong pomace spirit from the mainland (raki on Crete), drunk with meze at a tsipouradiko.

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Greek frappe, frothy iced instant coffee

Frappe

The frothy iced instant coffee invented in Thessaloniki in 1957, a Greek summer institution.

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Greek coffee brewed in a traditional briki pot

Greek Coffee

Finely ground coffee slow-brewed in a small pot (briki) and served unfiltered, with the grounds settling at the bottom. Order it sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet).

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Mastiha, the mastic liqueur of Chios

Mastiha

The sweet liqueur (and resin) from the mastic trees of Chios, used in drinks and desserts.

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Where to Stay

Island villas, city boutiques and mountain guesthouses.

Santorini caldera infinity pool

Katikies Santorini

A cliffside caldera icon with infinity pools in Oia. Luxury.

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Overwater bungalow resort

Domes Miramare, Corfu

Overwater bungalows on the Kommeno peninsula. Luxury.

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Luxury resort in Crete

Daios Cove, Crete

A secluded private-cove resort near Agios Nikolaos. Luxury.

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Acropolis view from a hotel in Athens

The Dolli at Acropolis, Athens

A neoclassical flagship with Acropolis views. Luxury.

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Aristi Mountain Resort in Zagori

Aristi Mountain Resort, Zagori

A stone resort overlooking the Vikos Gorge.

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Getting Around

Ferries, flights, buses and road trips.

Ferries from Piraeus

Ferries

The heart of island travel, from Piraeus and Rafina. Book ahead in summer.

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Airplane flying above the clouds

Domestic flights

Fast links from Athens and Thessaloniki to the larger islands.

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Bus and road travel

Buses (KTEL)

The intercity network reaches most of the mainland affordably.

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Car rental for a Greek road trip

Car hire

The best way to explore Crete, the Peloponnese and the mainland.

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Island hopping by ferry

Island hopping

Moving between islands by ferry is part of the fun.

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Practical Info

Everything you need to know before and during your trip to Greece.

Greek ambulance emergency services

Emergency Numbers

Save these before you need them: 112 (EU emergency, English-speaking), 100 (police), 199 (fire brigade), 166 (ambulance/EKAV), 108 (coast guard), 171 (tourist police), 10400 (ELPA roadside assistance).

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Greek flag Athens Parliament

Tourist Police & Safety

The Tourist Police (171) handle scams, disputes and lost documents in English and other languages. For a lost or stolen passport, report to the police first, then contact your embassy, most are based in Athens.

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Yellow taxi cab Greece

Taxi & Ride-Hailing Apps

FreeNow (formerly Beat), Bolt and Uber all work with licensed taxis in Greece at the regulated taximeter rate, a quick, cashless way to book a ride.

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Travel apps on a smartphone

Food Delivery Apps

efood is Greece's biggest delivery app, with the widest range of tavernas and souvlaki shops. Wolt often has the best English interface and a stronger brunch and specialty selection. BOX is handy for chains and frequent discount codes.

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Greek euro coins

Currency & Money

Greece uses the euro (€). Cards are widely accepted in cities and larger towns, but carry some cash for small tavernas, markets and island villages. Tipping isn't obligatory, rounding up or leaving 5-10% is appreciated.

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Hand holding smartphone with travel map

Useful Apps

Google Maps and Google Translate cover the basics. Ferryhopper is the easiest way to compare and book island ferries. For hire cars, check reviews carefully as availability changes fast in summer.

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High-speed ferry seating in Greece

Ferry seat classes

Greek ferry tickets come in several classes — economy or deck, "airplane seat" (aircraft-style reclining seats), and cabins — with prices and comfort levels varying between conventional ferries and high-speed catamarans.

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Proastiakos suburban rail platform, Athens

Proastiakos

Athens' suburban railway network, connecting the international airport with the city centre and outlying Attica towns, offering a faster alternative to buses on some routes.

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Greek name day celebration

Name day

A tradition where Greeks celebrate the feast day of the saint they are named after, often more important socially than a birthday, with open houses and impromptu visits from friends.

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Traditional dancing at a Greek village panigyri

Panigyri

A village festival typically held in honour of a local patron saint's feast day, combining religious tradition with music, dancing and communal food; dates change yearly — check listings.

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Kite flying on Clean Monday in Athens

Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera)

The first day of Lent in the Orthodox calendar, marked across Greece with outdoor picnics, meat-free food and traditional kite-flying; dates change yearly — check listings.

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Vasilopita, the Greek New Year's cake

Vasilopita

A traditional New Year's cake baked with a hidden coin inside, cut at midnight or on New Year's Day, said to bring good luck to whoever finds the coin.

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Meteora monastery, a Greek UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Greece's entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List range from the Acropolis and Delphi to Olympia, Mystras and the monasteries of Meteora. Meteora and Mount Athos are listed for both their cultural and their natural value.

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Trip Planning & Budget Tips

A few things worth knowing before you build the itinerary.

Best time to visit Greece shoulder season

Best Time to Visit

Late May, June and September offer the same sunshine as peak summer with smaller crowds, shorter queues and noticeably lower prices on flights and hotels. July and August bring the heat, the crowds and the highest rates, especially on the islands.

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Eating well without overpaying in Greece

Eating Well Without Overpaying

A menu with photos and five languages parked on the busiest square is a reliable sign of tourist pricing. Walk a block or two off the main strip and look for a short, handwritten, Greek-only menu instead.

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Meteora monastery dress code

Dress Code for Churches & Monasteries

Shoulders and knees covered are the rule at working monasteries like Meteora and at most churches; some, including Meteora's, keep wraps at the entrance for visitors who arrive underdressed, but it's safer to bring your own.

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Budget accommodation strategy Greece

Budget Accommodation Strategy

Mix a couple of simple, family-run rooms with one splurge night rather than paying mid-range rates everywhere. Booking the islands in shoulder season, rather than peak summer, is the single biggest lever on the whole trip's cost.

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Sample Island-Hopping Itineraries

Three ways to string a trip together, adjust the pace to taste.

Classic Aegean island hop ferry

Classic Aegean Hop

About 10 days. Athens for 2 to 3 days, a ferry to Mykonos for 3, then on to Santorini for 3 to 4, flying back to Athens at the end. The best-connected route for first-timers, with frequent high-speed ferries between islands.

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Ionian islands loop Corfu Paxos

Ionian Loop

About 7 days. Corfu as a base for 4 to 5 days, with a day trip to Paxos and Antipaxos, then a short hop to a second Ionian island. Greener, quieter and less crowded than the Cyclades in peak season.

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Mainland and islands combo itinerary Greece

Mainland & Islands Combo

About 12 days. Athens, a side trip to Meteora or the Peloponnese, then a ferry from Athens or a mainland port out to one or two islands for the back half of the trip. The way to see both ancient history and beach time in one go.

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Events and Festivals

The Greek calendar is full of festivals worth planning around. Orthodox dates move each year, so check locally.

Meteora monasteries, a spiritual setting for Orthodox Easter

Greek Orthodox Easter

April, dates vary (2026: 10 to 13 April). The most important holiday of the year, with candlelit processions, midnight fireworks and Sunday lamb on the spit. Corfu's is the most famous.

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Thessaloniki streets during Apokries carnival season

Apokries Carnival

February to March (dates vary). Greece's pre-Lenten carnival, at its wildest in Patras with huge parades and floats.

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Odeon of Herodes Atticus below the Acropolis, home of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival

Athens and Epidaurus Festival

June to August. Ancient theatre and music at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

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Mykonos, near Tinos where the Assumption pilgrimage draws crowds

Assumption of the Virgin

15 August (Dekapentavgoustos). A major religious holiday with island festivals everywhere; the Tinos pilgrimage is the most famous.

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The Peloponnese coast near Spetses, home of the Armata Festival

Armata Festival, Spetses

Early September. A reenacted naval battle and fireworks in the harbour.

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Central Athens, where the main Ohi Day military parade is held

Ohi Day

28 October. A national day marked by military and school parades across the country.

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Greece A–Z Travel Dictionary

A plain-English dictionary of the regions, islands, sights, dishes, drinks and travel words you will meet across Greece. Search it, filter it by category, or tap a letter to jump:

A

Acropolis

Sight

The ancient citadel of Athens crowned by the Parthenon — Greece's most famous monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aegina

Region

The closest major island to Athens, an easy Saronic Gulf day trip known worldwide for its pistachios and the hilltop Temple of Aphaia.

Amorgos

Region

The easternmost Cycladic island, dramatic and little-visited, known as the filming location for the film "The Big Blue" and for the cliffside Hozoviotissa Monastery built into a sheer rock face.

Apokries

Festival

The pre-Lenten carnival across Greece (Patra hosts the biggest parade), ending on Clean Monday. Dates move with Orthodox Easter — check local listings.

Assyrtiko

Drink

A crisp, high-acid white grape variety native to volcanic Santorini, now grown across Greece and prized for producing some of the country's most distinctive dry white wines.

Avgolemono

Food

The egg-and-lemon sauce or soup found on tables all over Greece, silky and tangy.

B

Baklava

Food

Layers of filo, chopped nuts and syrup or honey — a sweet shared across the eastern Mediterranean.

Balos Lagoon

Beach

A turquoise lagoon on the Gramvoussa peninsula in western Crete, backed by pink-tinged sand and reached by boat trip or a rough coastal track.

Bougatsa

Food

A Thessaloniki breakfast pastry of filo filled with semolina custard or cheese, cut and dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Bouzouki

Music

A long-necked stringed instrument brought to Greece by Anatolian refugees in the early twentieth century, becoming the central instrument of rebetiko music and its later branches.

C

Caldera

Nature

The flooded volcanic crater that gives Santorini its dramatic cliffs and sunset views.

Cape Sounion

Sight

The clifftop Temple of Poseidon at the southern tip of Attica, about 70km from Athens, legendary as the spot where King Aegeus was said to have leapt into the sea — one of Greece’s finest sunset views.

Chios

Region

An eastern Aegean island famed for its mastic-producing villages, medieval fortified settlements and distinctive black-and-white geometric house decoration found nowhere else in Greece.

Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera)

Festival

The first day of Lent in the Orthodox calendar, marked across Greece with outdoor picnics, meat-free food and traditional kite-flying; dates change yearly — check listings.

Corfu

Region

The green, Venetian-flavoured jewel of the Ionian islands, off the northwest coast.

Corinth Canal

Sight

A narrow, sheer-sided canal cut through solid rock in 1893, linking the Aegean and Ionian seas and separating the Peloponnese from mainland Greece — a dramatic stop for photos or bungee jumping en route south.

Crete

Region

Greece's largest island, with its own dialect, cuisine and landscapes from the Samaria Gorge to Elafonissi's pink sand.

Cyclades

Region

The whitewashed Aegean island group — Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos and more — the postcard image of Greece.

D

Delos

Sight

A sacred, uninhabited island near Mykonos and one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Cyclades, linked in mythology to the birth of Apollo and Artemis.

Delphi

Sight

The ancient sanctuary of Apollo on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, once revered as the centre ('navel') of the world.

Diros Caves

Nature

A spectacular system of water-filled caves on the Mani peninsula in the Peloponnese, explored by boat along an underground lake beneath striking stalactite formations.

Dodecanese

Region

The southeastern island group including Rhodes and Kos, closest to the Turkish coast.

Dolmades

Food

Vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, served warm or cold with lemon.

E

Elafonissi

Beach

A pink-tinged sandy lagoon on Crete's southwest tip, one of Greece's most striking beaches.

Epidaurus

Sight

The 4th-century-BC theatre in the Peloponnese, famous for near-perfect acoustics and summer festival performances.

F

Fasolada

Food

A hearty bean soup made with white beans, tomatoes, carrots and olive oil, widely regarded as Greece's national dish and a staple of everyday home cooking.

Ferries

Practical

The backbone of island travel — regular services connect Piraeus and other mainland ports to the islands. Book ahead in July and August, and compare routes and operators on a site like Ferryhopper.

Ferry seat classes

Practical

Greek ferry tickets come in several classes — economy or deck, "airplane seat" (aircraft-style reclining seats), and cabins — with prices and comfort levels varying between conventional ferries and high-speed catamarans.

Feta

Food

Greece's protected brined sheep's-and-goat's-milk cheese, crumbled over salads and baked in filo.

Filoxenia

Practical

The deep-rooted Greek ideal of hospitality to strangers — literally 'friend to the foreigner'.

Folegandros

Region

A small, dramatic Cycladic island with a clifftop old town, wild landscapes and a peaceful atmosphere, popular with travellers seeking a quieter alternative to its busier neighbours.

Frappe

Drink

The frothy iced instant coffee invented in Thessaloniki in 1957, a Greek summer institution.

G

Galaktoboureko

Food

A syrup-soaked semolina custard pie baked in filo, a favourite Greek dessert.

Gemista

Food

Tomatoes and peppers stuffed with rice and herbs and baked in olive oil, a summer classic.

Greek Coffee

Drink

Finely ground coffee slow-brewed in a small pot (briki) and served unfiltered, with the grounds settling at the bottom. Order it sketos (no sugar), metrios (medium) or glykos (sweet).

Gyros

Food

Spit-roasted meat shaved into pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and chips — Greece's everyday street food.

H

Horiatiki

Food

The 'village salad' of tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, olives and feta with oregano and olive oil.

Horta

Food

Boiled wild greens dressed with olive oil and lemon, a staple side across the country.

Hydra

Region

A car-free Saronic island close to Athens, its stone harbour town built up the hillside and explored on foot, by water taxi, or by donkey — the only local transport.

I

Ikaria

Region

A rugged Aegean island identified as one of the world's five 'Blue Zones', where residents are noted for unusually long, active lives, credited partly to local diet and an unhurried pace of life.

Ionian Islands

Region

The greener, wetter western island group — Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia and Zakynthos — with a strong Venetian legacy.

K

Kafeneio

Practical

The traditional coffee house at the heart of every Greek village, for coffee, backgammon and conversation.

Kalimera

Practical

'Good morning' or 'good day' — the everyday Greek greeting; 'kalispera' is 'good evening'.

Kastoria

Region

A lakeside town in Greek Macedonia built on a promontory into Lake Orestiada, long known internationally as a centre of the fur trade and now also a tourist destination.

Kefalonia

Region

The largest of the Ionian islands, known for the turquoise waters of Myrtos Beach, the Melissani cave lake, and the Robola vineyards on the slopes of Mount Ainos.

KTEL

Practical

The intercity coach network that links towns across the mainland affordably.

L

Lefkada

Region

An Ionian island connected to the mainland by a causeway and floating bridge, so it's reachable by car, with beaches like Porto Katsiki ranked among Greece's best.

Loukoumades

Food

Honey-drenched fried dough puffs dusted with cinnamon, one of the oldest Greek sweets.

Loukoumi

Food

'Greek delight' — soft, fragrant jellied squares dusted with sugar, a speciality of the island of Syros.

M

Mastiha

Drink

The sweet liqueur (and resin) from the mastic trees of Chios, used in drinks and desserts.

Melomakarona

Food

Soft, spiced Christmas cookies soaked in honey syrup and topped with chopped walnuts, one of the two classic sweets — alongside kourabiedes — that appear across Greece every festive season.

Meltemi

Practical

The strong dry north wind of the Aegean summer that cools the islands but can cancel ferries.

Meteora

Sight

Monasteries perched on towering rock pillars in central Greece — six of an original twenty-four remain active. A UNESCO site.

Meze (mezedes)

Food

Small sharing plates eaten slowly with ouzo, tsipouro or wine — the social heart of a Greek meal.

Milos

Region

A volcanic Cycladic island famed for its lunar-white cliffs and coloured coves at Sarakiniko and Kleftiko, and as the discovery site of the Venus de Milo statue.

Monemvasia

Region

A dramatic castle town on a rocky islet off the south-eastern Peloponnese, its car-free medieval old town of stone lanes and churches connected to the mainland by a causeway.

Moussaka

Food

The layered bake of aubergine, spiced mince and béchamel, a lunchtime classic.

Mycenae

Sight

A UNESCO-listed Bronze Age citadel in the Peloponnese, entered through the monumental Lion Gate, once the seat of the legendary King Agamemnon and a cornerstone of Greek mythology.

Mykonos

Region

The cosmopolitan Cycladic island of beaches, nightlife, Little Venice and hilltop windmills.

Mystras

Sight

A UNESCO-listed Byzantine city near Sparta in the Peloponnese, its ruined palaces, churches and fortress climbing a hillside and offering one of Greece's most striking archaeological sites.

N

Nafplio

Sight

An elegant Peloponnesian port town, Greece's first modern capital, watched over by the Palamidi fortress.

Name day

Practical

A tradition where Greeks celebrate the feast day of the saint they are named after, often more important socially than a birthday, with open houses and impromptu visits from friends.

Navagio (Shipwreck Beach)

Beach

A cove on Zakynthos accessible only by boat, famous for its rusting shipwreck resting on white sand beneath towering limestone cliffs, one of Greece's most photographed beaches.

Naxos

Region

The largest and most fertile of the Cyclades, with a mountainous village-dotted interior, the Portara ancient temple gate at its harbour entrance, and well-regarded local potatoes and cheese.

O

Ohi Day

Festival

28 October, marking Greece's 1940 refusal ("ohi" means "no") of an ultimatum to allow Axis troops passage, drawing Greece into the Second World War. A public holiday with parades in towns across the country.

Olympia

Sight

The sanctuary in the western Peloponnese where the ancient Olympic Games were held from 776 BC.

Ouzo

Drink

The anise spirit that clouds with water, sipped slowly with meze, especially on the island of Lesvos.

P

Panigyri

Festival

A village festival typically held in honour of a local patron saint's feast day, combining religious tradition with music, dancing and communal food; dates change yearly — check listings.

Paros

Region

A central Cycladic island balancing lively resorts with quieter villages like Lefkes, plus windsurfing beaches at Golden Beach and the marble-built Panagia Ekatontapiliani church.

Parthenon

Sight

The 5th-century-BC temple to Athena atop the Acropolis, the defining monument of classical Greece.

Pastitsio

Food

Baked pasta tubes layered with spiced meat and béchamel, a cousin of moussaka.

Patmos

Region

A small, spiritually significant Dodecanese island where Saint John is said to have written the Book of Revelation, home to the fortified Monastery of Saint John.

Peloponnese

Region

The southern mainland peninsula rich in ancient sites — Mycenae, Olympia, Epidaurus — with mountain and coastal scenery.

Philotimo

Practical

An almost untranslatable Greek value — roughly honour, dignity and doing right by others.

Pilio (Pelion)

Region

A green, mountainous peninsula in Thessaly dotted with traditional stone villages perched on forested slopes or along the seashore, popular for walking and cooler summer air.

Plateia

Practical

The village or town square, the social hub where cafes gather and the evening volta unfolds.

Poros

Region

A pine-covered Saronic Gulf island close to Athens, separated from the Peloponnese by a narrow strait, with a fragrant lemon grove a short boat ride across the water.

Prespa Lakes

Nature

Two high-altitude lakes shared by Greece, Albania and North Macedonia, forming a rich wetland habitat for pelicans and other birdlife within a protected national park.

Proastiakos

Practical

Athens' suburban railway network, connecting the international airport with the city centre and outlying Attica towns, offering a faster alternative to buses on some routes.

R

Rebetiko

Music

A soulful, blues-like urban music genre rooted in early-20th-century port cities and refugee communities, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Listen for the bouzouki in tavernas and dedicated rebetika clubs.

Retsina

Drink

The resin-flavoured white wine of central Greece, characterful alongside meze.

Rhodes

Region

The largest Dodecanese island, with a walled medieval Old Town and long beaches.

S

Samaria Gorge

Nature

A dramatic gorge in western Crete, declared a national park in 1962 to protect the endangered kri-kri wild goat, and a celebrated destination for long-distance trekking.

Samos

Region

A lush, mountainous North Aegean island near the Turkish coast, birthplace of Pythagoras and known for its sweet Muscat wine and the ancient tunnel of Eupalinos.

Santorini

Region

The crescent-shaped volcanic island of caldera cliffs, blue domes and world-famous sunsets at Oia.

Sarakiniko Beach

Beach

A striking beach on Milos with smooth, white volcanic rock formations carved by wind and sea into a lunar landscape unlike anywhere else in Greece.

Sirtaki

Music

A folk-style dance choreographed for the 1964 film "Zorba the Greek", blending the slow and fast rhythms of older syrtos dances into one of the country's best-known dances abroad.

Skiathos

Region

The liveliest of the Sporades islands, ringed by pine forest and sandy beaches, with Koukounaries among the most photographed in Greece.

Souvlaki

Food

Skewered grilled meat with pita and trimmings, Greece's beloved fast food (a bare skewer is a 'kalamaki').

Spanakopita

Food

Spinach-and-feta pie in crisp filo; the cheese-only version is tiropita.

Symi

Region

A Dodecanese island close to Rhodes with a pastel neoclassical harbour built on sponge-diving wealth, and the pilgrimage site of Panormitis Monastery.

T

Taverna

Practical

The classic family-run Greek eatery of grilled meats, meze and house wine — the backbone of eating out.

Thessaloniki

Region

Greece's food-obsessed second city, with Byzantine churches, a curving waterfront and lively nightlife.

Tinos

Region

A Cycladic island known for its marble craftsmanship, dovecotes and the pilgrimage church of Panagia Evangelistria, giving the island a notably calm, devotional atmosphere.

Tsikoudia (Raki)

Drink

A strong Cretan spirit distilled from grape pomace left over from winemaking, often called raki on the eastern side of the island and served after meals as a digestif.

Tsipouro

Drink

A strong pomace spirit from the mainland (raki on Crete), drunk with meze at a tsipouradiko.

Tzatziki

Food

The yoghurt, cucumber and garlic dip that partners grilled meats.

U

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Practical

Greece's entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List range from the Acropolis and Delphi to Olympia, Mystras and the monasteries of Meteora. Meteora and Mount Athos are listed for both their cultural and their natural value.

V

Vasilopita

Food

A traditional New Year's cake baked with a hidden coin inside, cut at midnight or on New Year's Day, said to bring good luck to whoever finds the coin.

Vergina

Sight

A small town near Thessaloniki whose royal Macedonian tombs, including that of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site with treasures displayed in an underground museum.

Vikos Gorge

Nature

One of the world's deepest gorges relative to its width, cutting through the Zagorochoria region of Epirus and protected within the Vikos-Aoos National Park, home to rare flora and fauna.

Volta

Practical

The evening stroll along the seafront or square — an unhurried Greek social ritual.

W

Windmills

Sight

Whitewashed stone windmills dot the Cyclades, once used to grind grain in the strong Aegean meltemi winds. Mykonos's row of restored windmills above the harbour is the most photographed example.

X

Xinomavro

Drink

A bold, tannic red wine grape from Naoussa and Amyndeo in Macedonia, often compared to Nebbiolo or Barolo for its acidity and ageing potential.

Y

Yamas

Practical

'Cheers!' — the toast raised over ouzo or wine, literally 'to our health'.

Yiayia

Practical

"Grandmother" — a central figure in Greek family life, often the keeper of the family's recipes, and the reason many tavernas describe their food as "just like yiayia used to make".

Z

Zagori (Zagorochoria)

Region

A cluster of stone mountain villages in Epirus above the dramatic Vikos Gorge, linked by old arched bridges.

Zakynthos

Region

An Ionian island known for Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach and its loggerhead turtle nesting bays.

Quick Index

Every place in this guide to Greece, alphabetically.

Acropolis (Explore)Aegina (Explore)Amorgos (Explore)Apokries Carnival (Events)Aristi Mountain Resort, Zagori (Where to Stay)Armata Festival, Spetses (Events)Assumption of the Virgin (Events)Athens (Explore)Athens and Epidaurus Festival (Events)Baklava (Taste of Greece)Balos Lagoon (Explore)Best Time to Visit (Trip Tips)Bougatsa Bantis, Thessaloniki (Eat and Drink)Budget Accommodation Strategy (Trip Tips)Buses (KTEL) (Getting Around)Caldera (Explore)Cape Sounion (Explore)Car hire (Getting Around)Chios (Explore)Classic Aegean Hop (Itineraries)Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera) (Practical Info)Corfu (Explore)Corinth Canal (Explore)Crete (Explore)Currency & Money (Practical Info)Cyclades (Explore)Daios Cove, Crete (Where to Stay)Delos (Explore)Delphi (Explore)Dodecanese (Explore)Dolmades (Taste of Greece)Domes Miramare, Corfu (Where to Stay)Domestic flights (Getting Around)Dress Code for Churches & Monasteries (Trip Tips)Eating Well Without Overpaying (Trip Tips)Elafonissi (Explore)Emergency Numbers (Practical Info)Epidaurus (Explore)Etrusco, Corfu (Eat and Drink)Ferries (Getting Around)Ferry seat classes (Practical Info)Folegandros (Explore)Food Delivery Apps (Practical Info)Frappe (Taste of Greece)Greek Coffee (Taste of Greece)Greek Orthodox Easter (Events)Gyros (Taste of Greece)Hydra (Explore)Ikaria (Explore)Ionian Islands (Explore)Ionian Loop (Itineraries)Island hopping (Getting Around)Kanoula, Thessaloniki (Eat and Drink)Kastoria (Explore)Katikies Santorini (Where to Stay)Kefalonia (Explore)Kostas, Athens (Eat and Drink)Lefkada (Explore)Loukoumades (Taste of Greece)Mainland & Islands Combo (Itineraries)Mastiha (Taste of Greece)Meteora (Explore)Milos (Explore)Monemvasia (Explore)Moussaka (Taste of Greece)Mycenae (Explore)Mykonos (Explore)Mystras (Explore)Nafplio (Explore)Name day (Practical Info)Navagio (Shipwreck Beach) (Explore)Naxos (Explore)Ohi Day (Events)Olympia (Explore)Ouzo (Taste of Greece)Panigyri (Practical Info)Paros (Explore)Parthenon (Explore)Patmos (Explore)Peskesi, Crete (Eat and Drink)Pilio (Pelion) (Explore)Poros (Explore)Proastiakos (Practical Info)Retsina (Taste of Greece)Rhodes (Explore)Samos (Explore)Santorini (Explore)Selene, Santorini (Eat and Drink)Skiathos (Explore)Souvlaki (Taste of Greece)Spanakopita (Taste of Greece)Symi (Explore)Taxi & Ride-Hailing Apps (Practical Info)The Dolli at Acropolis, Athens (Where to Stay)The Peloponnese (Explore)Thessaloniki (Explore)Tinos (Explore)Tourist Police & Safety (Practical Info)Tsipouro (Taste of Greece)Tzatziki (Taste of Greece)UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Practical Info)Useful Apps (Practical Info)Varoulko Seaside, Piraeus (Eat and Drink)Vasilopita (Practical Info)Vergina (Explore)Windmills (Explore)Zagori (Zagorochoria) (Explore)Zakynthos (Explore)

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