Posted on by GL Team

BEST OF GREECE – Top Destinations

Our Best of Greece list includes the top travel destinations to help you plan a memorable visit. With so many candidates, compiling such a list is not easy. We include here both the most photogenic and culturally significant destinations. Read on, and choose a perfect spot for your vacation.

Best Greek Islands and Mainland Holiday Destinations

Our top choices are Santorini island and Nafplio on the mainland.

Popular Island Choice: Santorini (Thera)

View of Santorini caldera
View of the caldera from Fira, Santorini

The combination of breathtaking topography and culture automatically elevate Santorini to a favorite destination. The island’s popularity is probably its only flaw.

Visiting in May or early June is better to avoid the crowds. Staying at a hotel in Ia, or in Fira atop the volcanic caldera is also imperative. The views are unforgettable.

Good beaches (Perissa, and Kamari), a great museum of prehistoric art, a unique excavation site at Akrotiri, and the far-out legend of Atlantis would keep any visitor happy.

If you were to visit only one island in Greece, we would recommend Santorini, mainly because of the unique landscape and experience.

Other islands like Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Kefalonia are excellent choices, especially if you are looking for popular vacation spots.

Classy Town on the Mainland: Nafplio

Bourtzi and fishing boats in Nafplio port
Fishing boats in front of Bourtzi fort

Nafplio is a wonderful little town in the Peloponnese, popular adults, families, and couples.

It’s location in the middle of the most historic areas of Greece make it a great place to stay if you want to combine city life, swimming, and historical/cultural excursions.

If you like visiting archaeological sites, we recommend you spend at least a week in Nafplio.

From there you can visit ancient Mycenae, Epidaurus, Franchthi cave, Asini, and Nemea.

If you time it well, you can also watch an ancient Comedy or Drama in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.

Best Greek Travel Destinations by Category

The Parthenon east facade
Acropolis (Ακρόπολις, akro+polis) literally means edge or point of the city. Throughout the centuries the Acropolis of Athens has embodied a much more significant position not just in relation to Read More
ACROPOLIS – The Bed...
ancient stadium with packed earth pitch and grassy spectator slopes
Ancient Olympia is a major archaeological site in western Peloponnese, at the south slope of Kronos hill. It developed over many centuries into a famous sanctuary which organized the original Read More
Ancient OLYMPIA – B...
Balos beach
We rate Balos as the best beach in Greece because it ticks all the right boxes. The sand is expansive, soft, with white and pink hues. The invigorating sea, the Read More
Balos Beach
Belegrina beach
Belegrina Beach is as far from Europe as you can imagine. It's located in the uninhabited island of Chrysi at the southern end of Crete. Despite the islands isolated nature, Read More
Belegrina Beach (Chrysi I...
Corfu sunset over old town
Corfu island (Kerkyra, Κέρκυρα) is rich in history and culture, it has beautiful old towns, excellent beaches, and a lush interior that has made it one of the top destinations Read More
CORFU Island – A Lu...
Morosini fountain in Lions Square in Heraklion
Crete is the largest island of Greece, and it's packed with bliss for every style of travel. It has some of the best beaches in Greece, the food is out Read More
CRETE – Go for the ...
Ruins of the Tholos with three columns standing
The Oracle of Delphi is one of the most important archaeological sites of Greece.  Its oracles influenced major and minor affairs around the Mediterranean for about 1200 years before it Read More
DELPHI – The Oracle...
Egremni beach
Egremni is one of the best beaches in Greece. It is so hard to access that it is never crowded, although it is so long that it would take thousands Read More
Egremni Beach
Elafonisi beach view
Elafonisi Beach is one of the best in Greece. We have rated it among the top-ten best Greek beaches because of the beautiful landscape, as well as the cleanliness of Read More
Elafonisi Beach
Falasarna beach, Western Crete
Falasarna (or Falassarna) Beach is one of the best in Greece. It is located in the west coast of Chania prefecture, in Crete, which is blessed with three world-class beaches Read More
Falasarna Beach
Fishing boat in Fanos beach
Fanos beach in And Koufonisi does not have spectacular landscape, or great amenities, or the vast expanse of other popular beaches. What it does have is peace and quiet, soft Read More
Fanos Beach
Fresco depicting dolphins
The Heraklion Archaeological Museum houses the second most important collection of antiquities in Greece (second only to the National Museum of Athens), and the chronology of artifacts represent life in Read More
Heraklion Archaeological ...
Knossos
The palace of Knossos is the grandest of the four Minoan palaces that have been unearthed in Crete, and its complex architecture has been identified as the legendary "Labyrinth". Read More
Knossos
Sand and parasols at Magic beach
Magic Beach is, well, a magical beach in an island that already boasts several other beautiful beaches. Kos island is an excellent destination if swimming and suntanning is your idea Read More
Magic Beach
View of Meteora rocks formations with monasteries on top
Meteora is a visual feast for the soul. The spectacular rock formations, crowned with 1000-year old monasteries connect the earth and the sky, allowing the monks' prayers to reach the heavens Read More
METEORA – Where Ear...
View from above of Myrtos beach
Myrtos beach is delightful in every respect. The coarse sand and the crisp are the main reasons we rate it as one of the best in Greece. It is in Read More
Myrtos Beach
Zeus of Artemision at the Archaeological Museum of Athens
The National Archaeological Museum of Athens is home to some of the most beautiful art in the world. You will see amazing 2500 year old statues, and you will get Read More
National Archaeological M...
Navagio beach viewed from above
Navagio beach in Zakynthos island is one of the best beaches in Greece, and one of the most spectacular-looking beach in the world. It will undoubtedly be one of the Read More
Navagio Beach
General view of Papa Nero beach
Papa Nero beach is a surprising delight at the eastern coast of Pelion mountain. It is located in Magnesia, in the mainland, and it is a hidden gem, so we Read More
Papa Nero Beach
Naxos beach view
Plaka beach is a long sandy patch to the south of Naxos chora. Beyond the busy northern end you will find plenty of space to spread out. It's sand dunes Read More
Plaka Beach
Psili Ammos beach in Vai, Crete
Psili Ammos is one of the best beaches in eastern Crete. It's wide, deep, and feels secluded despite being next door to one of the busies beaches of Crete, Vai. Read More
Psili Ammos Beach
View of Santorini caldera
Santorini is the crown jewel of Greek tourism. It has spectacular cubist white villages spilled precariously onto the volcanic caldera's edge, and a rich history to boot. If you only Read More
SANTORINI – Terrace...
Simos and Sarakiniko beaches
Sarakiniko beach in Elafonisos island would enchant you with its soft sand and crystal-clear water. To the southeast, within walking distance you will find Simos beach. Both are excellent choices Read More
Sarakiniko Beach, Elafoni...
Vat beach in eastern Crete
Vai beach lies at the east coast of Crete. Despite the long trip to get there, it is one of the most popular beaches of Greece. Vai is framed by Read More
Vai Beach

Best of Greece: Spectacular Topography and Geology

Meteora panorama
Panoramic view of Meteora.
  1. Meteora
  2. Thera Volcano (Santorini Island)
  3. Olympus mountain
  4. Samaria Gorge (Crete)
  5. Vikos Gorge (Ioannina)
  6. Pindos Mountain Range
  7. Korinth canal
  8. Nisiros volcano
  9. Perama cave (Ioannina)
  10. Diro Cave

Best Quiet Travel Destinations in Greece

  1. Papingo. Papingo is a small village perched high up in Pindos mountain range, in Epirus, in an area called Central Zagorohoria
  2. Little Cyclades (Koufonisia, Donousa, Iraklia)
  3. Xerokampos, Crete
  4. Elafonissos, Lakonia
  5. Petra, Patmos island
  6. Pylos, Peloponnese
  7. Messolonghi, Western Greece

Beautiful Greek Towns and Villages

  1. Papingo (Ioannina)
  2. Ia and Fira (Santorini)
  3. Githio (Lakonia)
  4. Makrinitsa (Pelio)
  5. Olympos (Karpathos)
  6. Pylos (Messinia)
  7. Chania (Crete)

Best Ancient Greek Sites

No matter where you go in Greece, you will be near an archaeological site, and a museum.

Click here for our extensive advise on the best of ancient Greece

The best of ancient Greece include:

The Best Ancient Greek Archaeological Sites

If you only have time for one or two sites, choose the Acropolis and Delphi.

If you have time for two more, choose Mycenae and Epidaurus.

The Best Archaeological Museums in Greece

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens has the most extensive and important collection of ancient Greek art.

The Acropolis museum is the most impressive.