The Ultimate Greece Travel Guide In 2023

Greece is perhaps my favorite country in Europe. It’s home to everything you could think of: Wonderful beaches, Ancient history and ruins, incredibly vibrant cities, delicious food, and dramatic landscapes. My first trip to Greece was to visit Crete, followed by another trip where I spent two months traveling through the Cyclades Islands.

While Mykonos and Santorini are the most popular islands, there are far more beautiful and less touristic places in the Cyclades like Amorgos, Sifnos, and Folegandros. The cities are also incredible: Athens is full of energy and is definitely a place I could live. Make sure to visit the world famous Acropolis and Parthenon when you are here.

Greece also has my favorite food in all of Europe. Yes I said it. I think Greek food is by far the tastiest food in all of Europe (move over Italy) due to its incredibly fresh ingredients, delicious grilled meats, amazing salads, cheap wine, and feta cheese.

Athens, Greece’s hectic capital is home to the timeless Acropolis and Pantheon. While it may not be love at first sight, Athens has an incredible energy that you must experience.

From delicious restaurants to world famous cocktail bars, Athens is the perfect place to play and enjoy the city life before a ferry ride to the nearby Cycladic islands. While most people choose to spend a day in Athens to check off the main sights, I could easily spend weeks here enjoying all that Greece has to offer.

Read my Athens City Guide to learn about all the sights in Athens and then my perfect Athens one to three day itinerary to plan your trip.

Additionally, Athens is a great place to live and an amazing place for digital nomads. I spent many months living in Athens.

When you conjure up images of Greece in your mind, inevitably it moves to the Cyclades Islands. This is the place that dreams are made of.

An archipelago of dozens of islands in Greece’s South Aegean sea is home to the most quaint villages you can imagine. White washed houses, blue washed window frames, and granite stone streets are what you’ll see everywhere you go. Along with beautiful beaches, dramatic mountain scenery, and a scooter to boot, this is the must see part of Greece!

For starters, read this list I compiled for what I think are the best Cyclades islands in Greece. Then you can go into the details to plan your own trip!

Finally, if you are debating between the Ionian islands (the best beaches in Greece) or the Cyclades islands, make sure to read my Ionian vs Cyclades island

If you’re looking for the best beaches in Greece, look no further than the Ionian islands. The blue shades of the water surrounded by the rocky mountain landscape will take your breath away. I always thought you would find the best beaches in the Cyclades but I was surely mistaken.

From the world famous shipwreck beach in Zakynthos to the incredible beaches of Lefkada, there is something here for everyone.

• Zakynthos Travel Guide
• Kefalonia Travel Guide
• Lefkada Travel Guide
• Corfu Travel Guide
• Paxos Travel Guide

If you’re overwhelmed with all the different islands, make sure to read which Ionian islands are the best, and finally how to plan an itinerary to visit the Ionian islands of Greece.

While the vast majority of people choose to visit the various islands of Greece, do not sleep on the mainland. The north of Greece is home to incredible landscapes and sights. One of the most famous places is Meteora, home to the monasteries floating on top of mountains.

Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city is considered the culinary capital of Greece. Halkidiki, one hour from Thessaloniki is home to incredible beaches that the locals can’t stop raving about.

• Visiting Thessaloniki: Greece’s Culinary Capital
• The sky monasteries of Meteora
• Northern Greece Travel Itinerary: Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Meteora, Zagora Valley, and Lefkada

Crete is the largest island in Greece. Located in the very south of the country, Crete is the only island in Greece that is completely self sustaining. This means that everything required to sustain life is manufactured and developed on the island without having to import from the mainland. Of course electronics, cars, and the like are probably imported, but the you’ll never catch any Cretans yearning for food from other parts of the country.

The food and culture on Crete is slightly different but divine in every way. I think some of the best food in the country is here and most Greeks will echo my sentiment. The island itself is littered with incredible beaches and mountain landscapes where you can spend a month seeing. The island is huge so you’ll likely have to divvy up your trip and choose an area to explore.

• The Ultimate Diving And Travel Guide For Crete

Cyprus is its own country and not a part of Greece. However, the culture and language are more or less Greek. In fact, the country wanted to reunite with Greece after it achieved independence from the British in the 1960s. Because of their large Turkish minority, the countries ended up being split into two. Nowadays, Cyprus is perhaps better known as the ultimate tax haven country in Europe and a refuge for the world’s rich who want to buy an EU passport (2 million Euros please)

Cyprus is a beautiful island with many diverse and beautiful sights. While I don’t think it is as beautiful as Crete, its Middle Eastern influence is very unique and the food is fantastic.

• Cyprus Travel Itinerary