Greece is a country in southern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan peninsula. It is bordered by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the north and by Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece while the Ionian Sea lies to the west. Both, parts of the eastern Mediterranean basin, feature a vast number of islands. Regarded as the cradle of western civilization and being the birthplace of democracy, sport (most notably as the birthplace of the Olympic Games), and arts such as the theater, Greece has a very long and remarkably rich history during which its culture has proven especially influential in Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East.
Today, Greece is a developed nation, member of the European Union since 1981 and also a member of the Eurozone since 2001.
Greece has traditionally been one of the most popular tourist destinations on a global basis and each year, particularly in the summer months, the nation's numerous cosmopolitan islands get crammed by millions of international visitors.
Transportation in Greece
By Car: Greece has a good road network on the whole, totalling approximately 73,000 miles, mostly paved. Traffic drives on the right. Examples of some distances from Athens: to Thessaloniki, 319 miles; to Corinth, 50 miles; to Igoumenitsa, 350 miles; and to Delphi, 103 miles.
By Bus: Buses link Athens and all main towns in Attica, northern Greece and the Peloponnese. Service on the islands depends on demand, and timetables should be checked carefully.
By Rail: The two main railway stations in Athens are Larissa (with trains to northern Greece, Evia and Europe) and Peloponnissos (with trains to the Peloponnese). Train information and tickets are available from the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) in Athens or in Thessaloniki.
By Ferry: There are ferry services on many routes, with sailings most frequent during the summer. It is both cheap and easy to travel around the islands.
By Air: The national airline is Olympic Airlines. British Airways makes scheduled flights to Greece. Delta Airlines operates flights four times a week from New York to Athens.
In Athens, the capital and the country’s largest city, it is impossible to miss the flat-topped hill of the Acropolis, site of the 2400-year-old Parthenon, one of the most famous classical monuments in the world. The ruins of the civic, political and commercial centre of the Ancient Agora can be visited, as can the reconstructed Hellenistic Stoa of Attalos, which houses the Agora Museum.
Crete is the largest and most southerly Greek island. Despite a busy tourist industry concentrated along the north coast, Crete has preserved its unspoilt nature, local traditions and ancient monuments. In the capital and main port, Heraklion, the old town lies within the 16th-century Venetian city walls, while the harbour is protected by Koules, an imposing Venetian Fortress.
Olympia, the original site of the Olympic Games in the Peloponnese, which begun in 776 BC, and the site where the Olympic Flame is still lit today. The site is a mass of marble inscriptions, restored temples and civic buildings, including the Temple of Zeus, which once housed the colossal gold and ivory statue of Zeus, one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’ (later taken to Constantinople and destroyed in a fire).
Main Attractions
The Acropolis
The Acropolis is one of the most famous sites of the ancient world and a symbol of Greek civilization. It is the site of three different temples dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of Athens, the most famous of which is the internationally-renowned Parthenon.
Olympia
Dedicated to the father of the gods, Olympian Zeus, Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The most important museum in Athens, the National Archaeological Museum houses one of the richest collections of Ancient Greek art in the world.
