Things to do in Greece

Athens, the capital, is crowned by the Acropolis and the Parthenon, with the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora and old neighbourhoods such as Plaka spread below. From its port of Piraeus, ferries fan out to dozens of Aegean islands.

In the Cyclades, the villages of Santorini cling to the rim of a flooded volcanic caldera famed for its sunsets, while Mykonos is known for its windmills, maze-like old town, beaches and lively nights, with the sacred island of Delos a short boat ride away. On the mainland, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae and the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora are among the great sites, and Crete, Rhodes and Corfu offer still more islands to explore.

Tavernas serve grilled fish and meats, souvlaki, moussaka, salads with feta and olive oil, and honey-soaked pastries. Easter, the biggest festival of the Greek year, is marked with candlelit processions and lamb roasted on the spit, late spring and early autumn are perfect for the islands, and in high summer the meltemi wind cools the Cyclades.