Greece greets you with clear coastlines, rugged terrain and traces of the ancient world woven into daily life. Its land goes from olive groves and rocky hills to bright blue bays and winding mountain roads. Islands rest in clear water. Clifftop villages glow white under the sun. Ancient stones appear as if the past is never far away.
Athens combines powerful ruins with lively streets and rooftop views of the Acropolis. Thessaloniki brings together Roman arches, Ottoman towers and a strong food culture. Crete offers rugged mountains, deep gorges and towns where time moves slowly. The Peloponnese is filled with temples, fortresses and beaches wrapped around long coastal drives.
Local food adds new stops along the way. You find fresh seafood at small harbors, sweet pastries in cafés and simple meals built around olive oil, herbs and local cheese. Evenings often end outdoors with music, warm light and a calm breeze from the sea.
Greece feels rich in detail and full of character. So where will you go first?
Greece in a nutshell
- Population 10.4 million people (2025)
- Capital Athens
- Citizens are Greek
- Native language is Modern Greek
- Local currency Euro
- Size 131.957 km²
The Big Four
Fun Facts
- Greece has a different name While known globally as Greece, the country’s official name is actually the Hellenic Republic or Hellas in Greek. The term Greece comes from the Latin Graecia, as used by everyone outside Greece.
- Birthplace of the Olympics The first Olympic Games were held in Olympia in 776 BCE. You can still visit the ancient stadium. The place athletes ran, wrestled and competed under the gaze of towering statues of gods.
- Routes of the Olive Tree There are over 120 million olive trees across Greece. Some olive trees on Crete are believed to be over 3,000 years old. Driving through regions like Kalamata or Crete feels like passing through a living museum of these ancient groves.
- Floating monastery paradise The monasteries of Meteora, built on towering rock pillars between the 14th and 16th centuries, seem to float above the valleys. Monks originally used ladders and ropes to reach them.
Explore the regions
Greece's history
Greece’s history can be traced in its landscapes. On Crete, the Minoans built the palace of Knossos around 1900 BCE with grand staircases, frescoes and early plumbing that reveal an advanced civilization.
In mainland Greece, the Mycenaeans rose around 1600 BCE, carving massive stone fortresses like Mycenae. Their walls and tombs inspired the legends of Troy, immortalized by Homer in the 8th century.
Classical Greece flourished from 500 BCE to 323 BCE. Athens shaped democracy, philosophy and theater. Sparta produced legendary warriors. Alexander the Great, born in 356 BCE, carried Greek culture from Egypt to India leaving a lasting legacy.
Greece later became part of the Byzantine Empire from 330 CE, preserving Orthodox faith and scholarship. Ottoman rule began in the 15th century. Greek villages, islands and monasteries kept traditions alive during that time. The War of Independence began in 1821 and by 1830 Greece was restored as a nation.
Today, you can walk among the Parthenon and the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, explore the Venetian fortresses of Crete and hike the monasteries perched on Meteora’s towering cliffs. Byzantine churches and ancient ruins just steps from the sea. Mountain roads pass through villages where centuries-old traditions still thrive. Greece’s landscapes are a living map of its history.