ATTICA
is the southern region of Greece that includes within its territory the country’s capital. Athens is the tourist star of the region: world-famous for its splendid Acropolis topped by the Parthenon, the symbol of classicism, it is a fascinating metropolis pulsing with energy.
From Piraeus, Greece’s main port, ferries depart to both famous and lesser-known islands with no airport.
The rest of the region always remains off the international tourist trail while attracting strong local tourism.
CENTRAL GREECE
Central Greece is a favorite among history buffs. It is the geographical heart of modern Greece, but it is also the symbolic heart of ancient Greece: this region is home to Delphi, the city of the famous oracle, which for the ancients represented the center of the world and the place where humans could enter into direct communication with the gods. Other places associated with myth are Mount Parnassus, now a popular destination for skiers, and Ancient Thebes. The region’s seaside towns, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth or the Aegean Sea, are local tourism destinations to consider if you don’t like very touristy seaside resorts: mark the names Galaxidi, Nafpaktos, Messolongi. The equivalent for those who love nature and trekking is the Iti National Park.
THEXAGLIA
Thessaly only needed one attraction to become one of the most visited areas of mainland Greece. It is in this small east-central region that you will find The Meteors, six fascinating ancient monasteries perched atop sandstone rock pinnacles. You can visit them on a day trip from Athens, but it is a long journey and does not allow you to fully savor the magic of this place: better to stop and sleep a night or more in Kalambaka or Kastraki, the two towns that rise at the foot of the rocky mountains on which the monasteries stand. If you want to take a seaside vacation in Thessaly, the destination for you is the Pelion Peninsula, a lush stretch of coastline along which there are beaches and coves that are no match for better-known seaside resorts. Volos is the city from which to explore the peninsula. If you prefer the mountains, however, you can climb to the top of Greece’s iconic peak, the mythical Mount Olympus.
PELOPONNESUS
The Peloponnese is the most famous region of mainland Greece, thanks to the glorious cities of the past whose ruins we can admire today. We speak of Olympia, cradle of the Olympic Games, Mycenae, kingdom of Agamemnon, and Sparta, eternal city-state rival of Athens: three names indelible in the collective memory, linked to stories and legends that are the foundation of European and Mediterranean culture. Although formally still considered a peninsula, the Peloponnese became an island with the cutting of the Corinth Canal in the late 19th century. It is easily reached by ferry from Italy thanks to the presence of the port of Patras, and there is no need to travel elsewhere to have a memorable vacation: the region offers an incredible amount and variety of things to see and do.
This region concentrates all the best of a Greek vacation. In addition to the places of myth (and here obligatorily must be added Epidaurus with its magnificent theater), in the Peloponnese one can visit remote and traditional areas such as the Mani Peninsula, spectacular gorges, Byzantine ruins, and mountainous landscapes. One can also experience the bucolic idyll of the Arcadia region. Needless to say, for those who want to have a beach vacation there is a wide choice of resorts. Kalamata is perfect for those who want to combine beautiful sea and urban atmosphere, Nafplio is more romantic; the most beautiful beach in the Peloponnese, however, is Voidokilia, 7 km from Pylos.
MACEDONIA
This is a very large region, occupying a large part of northern Greece and including within it completely different realities. Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city, on par with the capital offers enough museums, stores and clubs to fill two or three days with satisfaction.
For a seaside vacation, study well the map of the Chalkidiki Peninsula: it is a peninsula formed in turn by three peninsulas (Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos), three fingers that slip into the northern Aegean. Along the 500 km of coastline here are a succession of enchanting beaches and bays, all to be discovered: there is something for everyone, from crowded party beaches to lonely coves where no one will come to disturb you. If you want to combine sea, mountains and myth in one vacation, make your base in Litohoro, a small resort located along the northeast coast of mainland Greece, close to the eastern slopes of Olympus.