What to see in Greece: 10 must-sees
Discover what to see in Greece: 10 must-see destinations, from Athens (Acropolis) to Santorini. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and beach; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(6)
Walk the sacred rock of Attica and tour the ensemble UNESCO inscribed in 1987: the Parthenon, built between 447 and 432 BC, the Erechtheion with its Caryatids, and the Propylaea, the ancient entrance gate. From the top you'll see Athens spread at your feet as you tread the same marble that defined Western architecture 2,500 years ago. Arrive early to avoid the heat, then head down to the nearby museum to round off your visit.
Walk through the sanctuary of Delphi on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, where pilgrims of antiquity climbed to consult the oracle of Apollo. Follow the Sacred Way past the treasuries of the Greek cities to the temple of the god, then climb on to the theater with views over the valley of olive groves. The Greeks believed this was the navel of the world, marked by the omphalos stone. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1987, a testament to a vanished civilization whose religious influence reached across the Mediterranean.
Visit the Orthodox monasteries of Meteora, perched atop 300-meter rock pillars in Central Greece, where monks still live in solitude and prayer. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, this complex stands as an exceptional testament to a living cultural tradition. Follow the trails between the stone towers, climb the carved stairways up to the cloisters, and admire the Byzantine frescoes that cover the walls of the churches.
Explore the medieval city of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, on foot, where the walls, the Palace of the Grand Master, and the Street of the Knights preserve the layout of the Hospitaller order. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, this walled citadel testifies to a vanished civilization: you can still count the coats of arms on the facades, cross the moat through the Amboise Gate, and walk to Mandraki Harbor in fifteen minutes.
Admire the Venetian facades of Corfu's old town, where arcades, twin fortresses, and narrow alleys recall four centuries of rule by the Serene Republic. Stroll along the Liston facing Spianada Square, one of the largest squares in the Balkans, and rest beneath the flowering kumquat trees in its gardens. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, this capital of the Ionian Islands preserves Orthodox churches, palaces such as Mon Repos, and two seaside bastions that guarded the Adriatic for centuries.
Stroll through the sacred island where, according to myth, Apollo was born, and explore its temples, theater, and the ruins that form an open-air museum of 3,000 years of history. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, Delos preserves exceptional testimony to a vanished civilization in the heart of the Cyclades. Walk among mosaics, columns, and marble lions as the Aegean wind accompanies every step through this site that was once a religious and commercial center of the Greek world.
Beach(2)
Explore the volcanic island of the Cyclades, where the white houses of Oia and Fira cling above the flooded caldera and blue domes stand out against the Aegean Sea. Walk the black-sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari, swim at the red bay of Akrotiri and snorkel among volcanic rocks. As evening falls, climb to Oia's castle to watch the sun tint the whitewashed facades while boats cross toward the islet of Nea Kameni, where the crater still smolders.
Take in Mykonos, the most glamorous island in the Aegean, in the Cyclades, where whitewashed houses and windmills frame narrow streets beside the sea. Swim at its white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, ideal for bathing, snorkeling, or walking along the shore. As evening falls, choose between harborside restaurants and the clubs that anchor the island's nightlife, blending laid-back days with parties until dawn.
Archaeological Site(2)
Visit the Palace of Knossos, seat of the Minoan civilization, Europe's oldest, with 3,500 years of history. Tour the rooms reconstructed by Evans, admire the bull-leaping fresco and the alabaster throne, and descend the grand staircase to the courtyards where the myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur was born. Note the reddish columns that widen toward the top, a hallmark of Cretan architecture. Arrive early from Heraklion, 5 kilometers away, to avoid the midday heat and explore the ruins at a relaxed pace.
Walk through the sanctuary where the Olympic Games were born in 776 BC and where Greek athletes competed for 1,000 years. Theater, temples, and the Olympic flame. Explore the archaeological site where ruins, artifacts, and history tell of civilizations that flourished millennia ago. Walk among the stones, admire the remains, and discover the past.
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