Choose an odyssey fit for the gods
With its name derived from the ancient Greek “meteoros”, meaning “in the air”, Meteora does what it says on the tin: this group of 24 monasteries (six still functioning) are perched atop towering stone pillars, some 1,312ft above the Peneas Valley. A must-visit for history and geology enthusiasts, the Unesco site also offers excellent hiking. Set in the Thessaly region of central Greece, it’s easy to visit on a day-trip from Athens or Thessaloniki, while the nearby town of Kalambaka is a prime overnight spot for anyone wanting to stay on.
A one-day tour of Meteora with Meteora Thrones (00 30 24 3207 8455; meteora. com) from Athens costs £75, with a two-day tour including accommodation in Kalambaka and a Meteora sunset experience (£127). Departures are also available from Thessaloniki
LIVE YOUR OWN MAMMA MIA
To channel your inner Meryl Streep, head to the verdant Sporades islands and mountainous Pelion peninsula. The scenery should look familiar – these idyllic landscapes provided the backdrop for the hit 2008 film adaptation of Mamma Mia! Top spots to look out for include the church of Agios Ioannis Kastri and Kastani Beach on Skopelos, the Old Port of Skiathos and Pelion’s Damouchari beach.
Sunvil (020 8758 4758; sunvil.co.uk) offers a 14-night multi-centre tour of the Sporades from £1,198 (bed and breakfast, excluding flights), taking in five nights in Skiathos, five in Skopelos and four nights on tranquil Alonissos
CATCH A PLAY IN AN ANCIENT ATHENS AMPHITHEATRE
When it comes to scenic surroundings for a night at the theatre or an open-air concert, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the southern slopes of the Acropolis is hard to beat. Completed in AD 161 and renovated in 1950, the Roman amphitheatre seats around 4,500 and has played host to the likes of Maria Callas and Frank Sinatra. Today, audiences can soak up the venue’s history while taking in an ancient Greek tragedy, ballet or orchestra performance.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a key venue for the annual Athens and Epidaurus Festival (00 30 21 0928 2900; aefestival.gr), with tickets starting from £30 and events running from May to October. The nearby Herodion Hotel (00 30 21 4402 5700; herodian.gr) offers double rooms from £120 per night
GET A TASTE FOR THESSALONIKI’S UNIQUE CUISINE
Unesco designated Thessaloniki Greece’s first city of gastronomy last November, further solidifying its reputation as Greece’s de facto foodie city. Thessaloniki’s culinary offering reflects its history as an important trading port within numerous empires, as well as the diverse communities that have called the city home: think spiced soutzoukakia meatballs, sesame-topped koulouria bread rings and syrupy trigona pastries. A two-night break in Thessaloniki with easyJet Holidays (easyjet.com) starts at £174pp, including flights from London Gatwick
SWIM IN SOME OF EUROPE’S CLEAREST WATERS
With more than 8,000 miles of coastline, Greece is certainly not lacking when it comes to beaches. Big-hitters include the silky pink sands of Crete’s Elafonisi Beach, the dramatic landscape of Navagio Beach (also known as Shipwreck Beach) in Zakynthos, and Kefalonia’s Myrtos Beach, while families will love the shallow, gentle waters of golden Koukounaries in Skiathos (perfect for paddling). If you’re looking for high-octane beach action, Mikri Vigla on Naxos is paradise for windsurfers. Stay a stone’s throw (eight minutes on foot, to be exact) from Elafonisi Beach at the charming Elafonisi Resort (00 30 69 8351 6137; elafonisi-resort.com), run by the Kalomirakis family. Studios with a sea view start at £570 per night per couple, on a room-only basis
BIKE AROUND KOS, GREECE’S ‘CYCLING ISLAND’
Prefer to explore on two wheels? Head to Kos, which is making a name for itself as Greece’s “cycling island”. The abundance of relatively flat terrain on this Dodecanese island makes it an appealing option for anyone embarking on their first cycling holiday, while more challenging routes on dirt and mountain roads will help confident cyclists feel they’ve earned their feta. In addition to the popular beaches of Tigaki and Marmari, even Kos Town can be conquered by bike – an eightmile cycle lane stretches along the waterfront.
An 11-day tour of the Dodecanese Islands with Cycle Tours (00 31 20 5218490; cycletours.com) starts at £630, including breakfasts and luggage transport
VISIT THE ENCHANTING LAKE CITY OF IOANNINA
The capital of the northern Epirus region, Ioannina (also known as Yannena) sits on the shore of Lake Pamvotis, surrounded by mountains. After sipping a Greek coffee at one of the lakeside cafés, explore the fortified Byzantine kastro, still inhabited today and featuring the Ottoman Fethiye Mosque, before taking a boat trip out to
Ioannina island and stopping by the Ali Pasha and Revolutionary Period Museum. For a double dose of lakeside living, make an additional stop in the city of Kastoria.
Stays at the stylish Naiades Hotel (00 30 26510 83811; naiadeshotel.gr) inside the Ioannina kastro start at £65 for a double room, including breakfast. Buses run every day from Athens and Thessaloniki to Ioannina and Kastoria, with routes between the two running twice weekly (00 30 2651025014; ktelioannina.gr). Tickets start at £17
WATCH THE SUNSET OVER THE ACROPOLIS
Touristy? Perhaps, but no Athens sojourn would be complete without seeing the Parthenon bathed in morning light or evening pink hues. Combine panoramic vistas with a mini hike by climbing Lycabettus, Philopappos or Strefi Hill – all have decent paths and are popular spots from which to admire the jewel in the city’s crown (preferably with a freddo espresso in hand). If you prefer your views to be accompanied by something slightly stronger, head to the terraces at Skyfall Restaurant and Bar or Couleur Locale.
Rooms at the King George Hotel (00 30 21 0322 2210; marriott.com) with spectacular views of the Acropolis from its pool and some rooms, start at £350 per night for a double room
HIKE CRETE’S SAMARIA GORGE
Beyond archeological wonders and beaches, Crete is hiker heaven. Don your walking boots and hit the trail leading through the Samaria Gorge, which cuts through the rugged White Mountains of Crete and is one of the longest gorges in Europe. Get those all-important snaps at the viewing platform, looking out for kri kri goats and griffon vultures, before descending into the 10-mile-long gorge.
An eight-day Crete walking tour with KE Adventure Travel (01768 773966; keadventure.com), featuring the Samaria Gorge, starts from £995 excluding flights
COMBINE A BEACH AND CITY BREAK
Can’t decide whether to hit the beach or explore Athens or Thessaloniki? You don’t have to – combining Greece’s capital or second city with a relaxing seaside sojourn is a cinch. After ticking archeological sites, museums and
galleries off your city-break bucket list, hop on a ferry or hydrofoil from Piraeus to the islands of Aegina, Hydra or Agistri, or head to the pine forests and beaches of Halkidiki from Thessaloniki. Week-long twin-centre breaks in Thessaloniki and Halkidiki with Sunvil Holidays (020 8758 4758; sunvil.co.uk) start from £786, including bed and breakfast and flights from the UK, or from £912 for five nights in Athens and Aegina
DIVE AN ANCIENT SHIPWRECK AND MEET MONK SEALS
Just off the island of Alonissos lies Greece’s first underwater museum – a shipwreck believed to date from the fifth century BC. For a long time only open to archaeologists and those with special permission, the site now welcomes recreational divers to discover the ill-fated transport ship and its cargo, which included 3-4,000 wine amphorae. The underwater museum is set within the National Marine Park of Alonissos
and Northern Sporades, home to the Mediterranean monk seal.
The Triton Alonissos Dive Centre (00 30 24 2406 5807; bestdivingingreece. com) offers Dive & Stay packages for experienced and new divers from £650, excluding flights
TAKE IN VENETIAN ARCHITECTURE
From the 12th to 18th centuries, the Venetians controlled parts of Greece and their architectural legacy remains. Highlights include the Palamidi, the largest Venetian fortress on the Greek mainland (in Nafplio, on the Peloponnese); Methoni Castle, also on the Peloponnese; the mansions of Corfu Town; the port in Chania and fortress of Rethymno, both on Crete; and extensive ruins in Zakynthos and Kefalonia. A four-night stay in the Messinia region, home to Methoni Castle, starts from £412 with TUI (020 3636 1931; tui.co.uk), including flights from London Gatwick
DISCOVER THE CHOCOLATE-BOX VILLAGES OF ZAGOROHORIA
Greece isn’t just a summer destination – for a spring or autumn dose of nature, or a wintertime wander through snowdusted villages, head to northern Greece’s Zagorohoria region. Set in the dramatic Pindos mountains, Zagorohoria is known for its 46 picturesque villages, much-photographed stone bridges, the breathtaking Vikos gorge (the world’s second deepest) and the Papingo rock pools.
During the summer months, Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways fly to the nearest airport of Preveza, with return flights from London as low as £17, excluding luggage. Real Holidays (020 7359 3938; realholidays. co.uk) offers bespoke holidays to Zagorohoria, also taking in Ioannina and Thessaloniki (prices vary)
SIP THE FINEST GREEK WINES
Greece hasn’t always been a hot spot for wine connoisseurs, with the very notion of retsina (white wine infused with pine resin) enough to keep many away. In recent years, however, Greece has begun to make a name for itself as a wine destination, with much vaunted grape varieties such as the white malagousia and assyrtiko, and red xinomavro, mavroudi and agiorgitiko proving a draw for oenophiles. Top vineyards to visit include Domaine Sigalas and Venetsanos in Santorini, Moiratis in Paros, Lyrarakis in Crete, and Mykonos Vioma Organic Farm and Vineyard.
An eight-day private food and wine tour in the Cycladic Islands (taking in Santorini and Mykonos) with Unforgettable Greece (0208 004 2345; unforgettablegreece.com) starts at £2,356 per person, excluding international flights
MAKE A PILGRIMAGE TO MOUNT ATHOS (IF YOU’RE A MAN, THAT IS)
Set on the easternmost “finger” of the Halkidiki peninsula, Mount Athos – known as Agion Oros, or the “Holy Mountain” in Greek – is one of the most important centres of the Orthodox Christian world. Visitors include both Christian pilgrims and many simply drawn by the Holy Mountain’s 20 monasteries. As a self-governing autonomous polity, Mount Athos only permits men to enter its territory, though anyone can admire the dense forests and striking architecture of the monasteries from the water.
Accommodation and food is free on Mount Athos (though donations are accepted), but must be arranged in advance (mountathosinfos.gr). Athos Cruises (00 30 23 770 71071; athoscruises.gr) offers one-day or half-day cruises around Mount Athos, with prices starting from £17
LOSE YOURSELF IN THE ATHENS ART SCENE
With a captivating mix of independent art spaces and established galleries, the Athens art world is as diverse as it is dynamic. Big names include the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation, housed in a 1920s neoclassical mansion; the National Gallery, devoted to Greek and European art from the 14th to the 20th centuries; and the Museum of Cycladic Art. Fans of the modern should make a beeline for the National Museum of Contemporary Art and Onassis Stegi (which also hosts theatre, dance and music), in addition to the Zoumboulakis Gallery and Tavros. Some of the city’s best street art can be found in Gazi, Exarchia, Metaxourgeio and Psirri.
A three-hour street art tour with Alternative Athens (00 30 21 1012 6544; alternativeathens.com) starts at £41 per person, running daily at 10am