Greece Holiday

Greece, or the Hellenic Republic, basks in the sunshine of southern Europe. Situated on the tip of the Balkan peninsula, the country is packed with incredible ruins and countryside, as well as its famous islands and beaches.

From the stunning island sunsets to its ancient sites, rocky mountains and olive groves, Greece offers most travellers a memorable experience. Tracing its civilised roots back over millennia to the ancient Minoans and the Mycenaeans, the Greek Empire developed out of city states and colonies, heralding the birth of democracy.

Ruled by the Romans from 168BC, the Byzantine Empire from the 4th century to the 15th century, Greece fell into the hands of the Ottoman Empire until the early 19th century.

The nation gradually accumulated neighbouring islands and territories, and was invaded in World War II by Italy, occupied by Germany for a brief period, then embroiled in a lengthy civil war between the king and communist rebels. Greece was an oppressive military dictatorship until 1974, when it held democratic elections and a referendum abolishing the monarchy. Now a member of the European Union, the country has seen its economy grow steadily in recent years and has adopted the euro.

The Greek capital Athens has a myriad of tourist sights, from the towering Parthenon on the Acropolis hill, to its Byzantine churches and vast Greek Orthodox cathedral. The city is lively, busy and home to around five million of Greece's 11 million people. Athens also has world-class sporting facilities as a result of the 2004 summer Olympic Games and some great nightclubs, shops and bars.

Greece has witnessed the birth and development of philosophy, astronomy, science, and the arts and there are sites across the country linked to famous Greeks, such as Aristotle, Socrates and Plato. The ancient religion spawned numerous sites of worship to the gods, including the dramatic ruins at Mycenae, the site of the Oracle at Delphi and the still intact Theatre at Epidaurus. The second city of Thessaloniki, the Minoan palaces on Crete and the island city of Rhodes are also well worth a visit for their art, museums and architecture.

Greece is bordered by the Aegean Sea to the east, the Ionian Sea to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It consists of thousands of islands off the mainland and has more than 15,000 kilometres of coastline, with some truly spectacular beaches. The seas are home to a wealth of marine life, including larger species, including seals, turtles and dolphins.

There are resorts on the major islands catering to most tastes and budgets. Accommodation on the whole tends to be clean and sparse, with whitewashed buildings set against the azure sky. Many of the islands have picturesque scenery, ancient sites and museums, in addition to the beaches, bars and restaurants of the tourist resorts.

Eighty per cent of Greece consists of mountains and hills, the most famous of which is Mount Olympus, believed by the Ancient Greeks to be home to the gods. The islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains and Greece offers walkers a picturesque and varied hiking holiday, with its immense Vikos gorge the second largest canyon in the world. Around 50 per cent of the country is covered in forest, with a host flora and fauna, from Alpine species to lush Mediterranean plants.

It is impossible to see Greece in a single holiday, with each of the major islands offer its own sights and experiences, in addition to the cities and countryside. Greek food is excellent, with restaurants across the country and its islands serving fresh seafood, pastries, salads and appetisers. Many of the budget airlines offer flights and there are thousands of package and late deals available each year.