STEP BACK TO THE OTTOMAN ERA

Temple of Poseidon at Sounion or the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus (among many others). In Thessaloniki, you can’t miss the Roman Arch of Galerius, Rotunda and Agora, while Ancient Philippi is an ideal day trip. The Minoan Palace at Knossos in Crete will add some welcome historical flavour to any Cretan beach holiday, with the same said for Olympia in the western Peloponnese.

An eight-night classical tour of Greece with Jules Verne (020 3553 9341; vjv. com) costs from £1,925, including flights from London Heathrow and visits to Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae and Corinth

Though Ottoman-era houses can be found in Athens’s Plaka neighbourhood, traces of Ottoman rule are more pronounced in Thessaloniki, once known as “the Sultan’s Rose”. Here you’ll find the Hamza Bey, Alaca Imaret and Yeni mosques, while the Aigli Geni and Bey hamams have been converted from bathhouses to one of the city’s most happening party venues and a chic café, respectively. To delve deeper into the Ottoman legacy in northern Greece, head to Veria.

A day-tour of Thessaloniki’s Ottoman architecture with Greek Transfer Services (00 30 69 4763 9900; greektransferservices.com) starts at £17 per person