Mainland
Attica
Athens, the Riviera and Cape Sounion.
Best time: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
AthensPiraeusGlyfadaVouliagmeniRafinaLavrioMarathonSounion
Stay in Koukaki or Pangrati for walkable, local-feeling Athens.
Regional guides
All of Greece, region by region
13 regions, from Thrace to Crete — with the major towns and cities in each.
Mainland
Peloponnese
Ancient sites, Mani tower villages, empty beaches.
Best time: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
NafplioPatrasKalamataSpartaTripoliCorinthOlympiaMonemvasiaPylosGythio
A 5-day loop from Athens by car beats most island trips on value.
Mainland
Central Greece
Delphi's oracle, Parnassos ski slopes, Evia's wild coast.
Best time: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
DelphiArachovaLamiaLivadeiaGalaxidiChalkidaKarpenisiNafpaktos
Delphi is an easy day by KTEL from Liosion terminal, but stay the night for an empty early-morning site.
Mainland
Thessaly
Meteora's monasteries and Pelion's mountain-meets-sea villages.
Best time: May–Oct; Pelion year-round
VolosLarissaTrikalaKalambakaMakrinitsaTsagaradaKarditsa
Volos is the ferry gateway to the Sporades — and famous for tsipouro bars.
Mainland
Epirus
Stone villages, deep gorges, wild rivers.
Best time: May–Oct
IoanninaMetsovoPapingoMonodendriPargaPrevezaIgoumenitsaArta
Combine Zagori and Meteora in 4 days via Ioannina.
Mainland
Macedonia
Thessaloniki's food, Mount Olympus, Halkidiki beaches.
Best time: Year-round
ThessalonikiKavalaVeriaEdessaKastoriaLitochoroFlorinaSerresKassandraSithonia
Thessaloniki is 4.5h from Athens by train — cheaper than flying.
Mainland
Thrace
Off-radar borderland of Byzantine towns, Evros delta birdlife, Muslim and Pomak villages.
Best time: Apr–Oct
AlexandroupoliXanthiKomotiniSoufliDidymoteicho
Alexandroupoli is the ferry port for Samothraki.
Island cluster
Cyclades
Whitewash, meltemi winds, ferry-hopping heaven.
Best time: May–Jun, Sep–Oct
MykonosSantoriniNaxosParosMilosSyros (Ermoupoli)TinosIosSifnosFolegandrosAmorgosAndros
Pick 3 islands on one ferry line and leave a buffer day for Meltemi cancellations.
Island cluster
Ionian
Green hills, Venetian towns, turquoise water — barely touched by the Meltemi.
Best time: Jun–Sep
Corfu TownArgostoliLefkada TownZakynthos TownPaxos (Gaios)Ithaca (Vathy)Kythira
Rent a car — Ionian islands are big and buses are sparse.
Island cluster
Dodecanese
Knights' castles, Turkish coast views, long season.
Best time: May–Oct
Rhodes TownLindosKosSymiPatmosKalymnosLerosKarpathosKastellorizo
The Dodekanisos Seaways catamaran links the islands daily in summer.
Island cluster
Sporades
Pine forests down to the sea; calmer than the Cyclades.
Best time: Jun–Sep
SkiathosSkopelosAlonissosSkyros
Reach them from Volos or Agios Konstantinos, or fly direct to Skiathos.
Island cluster
North Aegean
Big, authentic islands: ouzo, mastic, hot springs, petrified forest.
Best time: May–Oct
Mytilene (Lesvos)ChiosSamos (Vathy)IkariaLemnosThassosSamothraki
Ikaria is a Blue Zone — go for the all-night village panigyria in August.
Island
Crete
A country of its own: gorges, Minoan palaces, raki.
Best time: Apr–Nov
HeraklionChaniaRethymnoAgios NikolaosSitiaIerapetraPaleochoraSfakia
Give Crete at least 5 days; west and east are very different.