697 Best Sights in Greece

A gathering place for the island's Venetian nobility, this open-air arcade, with a meeting hall above, was built in the early 17th century by Francesco Basilicata, an Italian architect. Restored to its original Palladian elegance, it adjoins the old Venetian Armory, now the City Hall.

Small, quiet, and secluded, this sand-and-pebble beach is flanked by shady tamarisk trees. There are no amenities here, but it's within walking distance of the well-organized and popular Kini Beach and Kini Village where everything can be found. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude.

Now under the auspices of The Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki—MOMus, The Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art has a large and expanding permanent collection of Greek and foreign works, as well as an eclectic selection of temporary shows, are on exhibit. You can unwind at the museum shop and the quirky art café.

On the main square stands the town's 13th-century Church of Elkomenos Christos, reputedly the largest medieval church in southern Greece. Carved peacocks on its portal are symbolic of the Byzantine era; the detached bell tower—like those of Italian cathedrals—is a sign of Venetian rebuilding in the 17th century. Sculptures from the church, together with other interesting finds from excavations around the island, are held across the square in the town's Archaeological Collection (€3; closed Tuesday), a small, interesting museum housed within an 16th-century former mosque. Outside, a cannon dominates the square, typically forming a backdrop to the many selfie-taking couples.

The golden-sand beaches surrounding Lassi can be notoriously busy. Access is easy and buses even run here from nearby Argostoli. It's the reason most of the island's resorts are clustered along this stretch of coast, meaning there will always be crowds. Makris Gialos is undeniably beautiful: a rocky collar of tall pine trees encloses the shore, which fades into pale, shallow azure waters ideal for families. Near its southern end, only a few rocks separate the near-identical adjacent beach of Platis Gialos, so you also get two for one. The facilities here are among the best on the island, and phalanxes of sun beds cover most areas not taken up by a volleyball court or bar. It can be quite noisy, though, and when the sun goes down a party atmosphere takes over. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

One of the better options for those allergic to crowds. Large-pebbled Makris Gialos, on the northeast coast, lacks the facilities of many of the larger beaches, so rarely fills up. Limited parking means it isn't the most accessible, though most just park by the road. A few more sun beds and umbrellas have cropped up in recent years, but it's easy to find your own spot. There's a bar and shop a short hop from the shore. Aside from that, all you have is sunshine and deep waters perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Boats also go from here to the Blue Caves. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

One of Hydra’s only sandy stretches, Mandraki sits about 1½ km (¾ mile) east of Hydra Town—an easy 20-minute coastal walk—or you can zip over in a three-minute water taxi from the main port. The Mandraki Beach Resort rents sun beds and umbrellas (€30–€40 per set, depending on row). Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

What was once the main harbor, in use since the 5th century BC, adjoins the commercial harbor on the east side of Old Town and is home to the city's municipal buildings and a picturesque former open-air market, built by the Italians, that now houses multiple cafés, souvlaki restaurants, and souvenir stores. It makes for a pleasantly twinkly walk at twilight hours, where you can people-watch those hopping between the various merchants dotted up and down the harbor and market. Day-trip cruisers, scuba dive boats, and charter yachts are the only vessels that sail from here now, but it was once one of the busiest ports of the Hellenic world. Two bronze deer statues mark the spot where legend says (wrongly) that the city's famous Colossus, a huge bronze statue of the sun god, Helios, once straddled the Mandraki Harbor entrance. Completed by the sculptor Chares of Lindos in the late 3rd century BC, the 110-foot-high figure only stood for around 50 years. In 227 BC, an earthquake razed the city and toppled the Colossus. After the calamity, the Delphic oracle advised the Rhodians to let the great Colossus remain where it had fallen. So there it lay for some eight centuries, until AD 654 when it was sold as scrap metal and carted off to Syria, allegedly by a caravan of 900 camels. Archaeologists now reckon its true location was next to the Palace of the Grand Masters.

Pride of place in the center of the square goes to a bust atop a pedestal of Manto Mavrogenous, the island heroine. In the War of Independence, the Mykonians, known for their seafaring skills, volunteered an armada of 24 ships, and in 1822, when the Ottomans landed a force on the island, Manto and her soldiers forced them back to their vessels. After independence, a scandalous love affair caused the heroine's exile to Paros, where she died. An aristocratic beauty who became a great revolutionary war leader and then died for love may seem straight out of Hollywood, but it is all true.

Five rooms contain well-preserved objects from excavations in the area, ranging from neolithic pottery from the cave of Pan to Hellenistic and Roman inscriptions and statues (labeled in English and Greek). Eight larger-than-life sculptures came from the gates of a nearby sanctuary of Egyptian gods and goddesses. In the center of one of the rooms stands part of the Marathon victory trophy—an ionic column that the Athenians erected in the valley of Marathon after defeating the Persians. Next to the museum, the Middle Hellenic cemetery is well sheltered from the forces of nature and very visitor-friendly.

Medals, photos, and other memorabilia are an homage to the Athens Marathon, run since 1896, as well as other marathons around the world. The experience of a visit seems all the more poignant since the museum is near the site where the courier Pheidipiddes is said to have set off on his impressive feat of running 26 miles to Athens to bring home the news of victory over the Persians in 490 BC.

This 30-foot-high tumulus is built over graves containing the cremated remains of the 192 Athenians who died in the 490 BC battle against Persian forces. At the base, the original gravestone depicts the Soldier of Marathon, a hoplite, which has been reproduced here (the original is in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens). The battle is plotted on illustrated panels.

Sandy Marathonas A beach offers excellent swimming on the island's west side. Beyond the village, Marathonas B provides another beautiful stretch. Both beaches feature rental sun beds and umbrellas but get crowded in summer—arrive early for prime spots. The western location delivers spectacular sunset views, making staying till evening particularly magical. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: sunset; swimming.

"Turtle Island," as it's known, is one of the most important breeding areas for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in Zakynthos. It lies off the shores of Keri, west of Laganas, and is made up of two small islets, with a pine-speckled hump and a thin sandy outcrop that even makes it look like a turtle. It falls within the boundaries of the National Marine Park. Trips may only be made during daylight, though the chances of spotting a turtle are high. These endangered creatures are highly sensitive to disturbance, so if you do visit, it's vitally important to choose a body authorized by the National Marine Park such as Nefis Travel ( see under Activities), which works in tandem with conservation organization Archelon. Boats can be boarded at Agios Sostis, 2 km (1 mile) east of Laganas.

Marcelo's famously cool waters attract Parians on the hottest summer days. You can spend the entire day eating, drinking, swimming, or watching the calm water lap against this long, sandy stretch of coastline, as the beach is well equipped with beach bars and cafés, tavernas, and umbrella rentals. Next to Krios Beach, it's accessible by car, boat, or a 40-minute hike from Paroikía. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

Housed in an 1868 neoclassical building, this small collection includes paintings with nautical themes (though some are rather undercooked sketches) and many local artifacts from Greek ships and old sea captains' houses. There's nothing jaw-dropping, but you'll come away with a good background of the history of the village. There is also a small archaeological collection excavated from a series of ancient cemeteries and isolated tombs around Galaxidi on view.

Six bastions shaped like arrowheads jut out from the well-preserved Venetian walls. Martinengo is the largest, designed by Micheli Sanmicheli in the 16th century to keep out Barbary pirates and Turkish invaders. When the Turks overran Crete in 1648, the garrison at Heraklion held out for another 21 years in one of the longest sieges in European history. General Francesco Morosini finally surrendered the city to the Turkish Grand Vizier in September 1669. He was allowed to sail home to Venice with the city's archives and such precious relics as the skull of Agios Titos—which was not returned until 1966. Literary pilgrims come to the Martinengo to visit the burial place of writer Nikos Kazantzakis. The grave is a plain stone slab marked by a weathered wooden cross. The inscription, from his writings, reads: "I fear nothing, I hope for nothing, I am free." 

In this north-coast resort 32 km (20 miles) west of Kos Town, the wide sand beaches backed by shade-providing pines are much discovered, backed by tavernas, rooms for rent, and all-inclusive resorts. The beach is lined with chairs and umbrellas and the launching pad for pedal boats and Jet Skis. Mastichari also has a fishing pier, from where boats set sail on day trips to the uncrowded islet of Pserimos. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

The main shopping street, Matogianni, is lined with jewelry stores, clothing boutiques, chic cafés, and candy shops. Owing to the many cruise ships that disgorge thousands of shoppers daily in season—some unload 3,000 jostling tourists—the rents here rival 5th Avenue's, and the more-interesting shops have skedaddled to less-prominent side streets.

This waterfront square is lined with large, noisy cafés that fill with locals and travelers waiting for the next boat to the nearby isle of Nissi. In the evening the seawall is the place to hang out—the youth of Ioannina while away the hours here sipping turbo-charged frappé iced coffees or aperitif drinks. The volta (ritual promenade) is still a favorite way of passing the time and keeping up to date with all the action and gossip, particularly at night when the town shifts into high gear.

The largest and longest beach in the Mani lies just to the south of Gythion. A thermal wind in the summer months has made it popular with kitesurfers, and a number of hotels and cafés have staked their claim on the sands, with large chunks given over to their parasols. The more than 5 km (3 miles) of Blue Flag shoreline accommodates rough sand and pebbles and can get busy in summer, but there's plenty of room for everyone—even the loggerhead turtles who come to nest toward the back of the sands (watch out for cordoned-off areas). Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming, windsurfing.

Within walking distance of Skiathos Town, the sandy stretch of Megali Ammos is an easy option. Bars and eating options line the beach, along with sun loungers that reach down to the water's edge. There is a water sports school on the busier, right side of the beach where you can enjoy white-knuckle rides on giant inflatable bananas and doughnuts pulled at high speeds by little motorboats. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguard; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming.

One of the largest beaches on Syros, Megas Gialos is also one of the most frequented and organized. Located on the island's southeast corner, the beach is known for its transparent waters and fine sand. The village is populated with room rentals and small hotels as well as restaurants and beach cafés. Some large shady trees dot the beach, but in peak season chairs and umbrellas are for rent. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming.

Named in honor of the famous Never on Sunday Greek actress who became a political figure in the 1980s, this center is installed in the former Poulopoulos hat factory built in 1886. Throughout the year the center has a calendar of temporary exhibitions, usually featuring contemporary Greek art. But the permanent collection is interesting, too. Several rooms give a rare glimpse of Athens during the 19th century. You can walk through a reconstructed Athens street with facades of Neoclassical homes that evoke the civilized elegance of the past, along with a pharmacy, printing press, tailor's, kafeneio (coffeehouse), a mayor's home, and hairdressers, all painstakingly fitted out with authentic objects collected by the Greek Literary and Historical Archives. The other permanent exhibition showcases the shadow theater puppets of the traditional Greek shadow theater (Karagiozis), thanks to a vast collection amassed by the Haridimos performing family.

In 1941, at the height of World War II, Greece was occupied by the Axis Powers. During this period Kefalonia was given over to the Italian Acqui Division to run. Two years later, when Italy surrendered to the Allies, German troops moved in to seize control and one of the great atrocities of this era played out. Italian general Antonio Gandin offered his troops a vote on whether to join or fight the Germans; they chose the latter, aided by local resistance, but quickly ran out of ammunition. A recorded 1,315 Italians fell in battle, but the worst was to come. The Italian troops had previously been placed under German command, so all soldiers that had resisted were considered deserters and ordered to be shot on sight. Those that had surrendered were ruthlessly executed, killed eight at a time in Argostoli's main square, though some were hidden by sympathetic islanders. A further 5,155 Italians died in the massacre, and 3,000 more POWs later perished when the concentration camp–bound German ship sank. Few outside Italy and Greece had heard of this atrocity until the publishing of Louis de Bernieres' novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin, whose tale touches upon the events—though it is widely disliked on Kefalonia for its portrayal of the Greek partisans. A memorial dedicated to the Italian soldiers that fell lies north of the city, near to the lighthouse. A tiny but moving exhibition-museum run by the Italo-Greco Association can also be found next to the St. Nikolaos Church (free; open 9 am–10:30 pm) in the center.

If you've read the 1966 novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos or seen the 1969 Costas-Gavras film about the murder (clubbed to death) of Lambrakis, a left wing pacifist member of Parliament, by far right hitmen in 1963, this monument is especially moving. The murder precipitated the events leading to the 1967–74 dictatorship of the colonels. A dramatic bronze head and arm, above which flutters a sculpted dove, marks the spot.

Built in the square in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral is a small museum that showcases the history of Naxos beginning with the Mycenaean era. Found during excavations in the cathedral, displays include pottery, artifacts, and even a tomb from ancient times used to cover the graves of prosperous Naxians.

Like the Municipal Palace behind it, this expansive palm-ringed marble square was designed by famed Bavarian architect Ernst Ziller and includes a grand statue of revolutionary war hero Admiral Andreas Miaoúlis. Families and couples fill the length of marbled pavement on summer evenings for their evening volta or walk as skateboarding children skid around them. The island's other architectural landmark, the Apollo Theater, is a short walk away.

The pure white sand here is beautifully offset by a rocky hill, turquoise waters, and large, gentle sand dunes. The beach itself is edged by cedar trees. Here, the fierce island winds are welcome to kitesurfers and windsurfers; Flisvos Kite Centre offers equipment rentals and lessons. It's not as developed as other beaches, but a scattering of tavernas and cafés that mostly service sports aficionados can be found nearby. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Kamini’s small gray-pebble beach, known as Mikro Kamini, lies about 300 meters (1,000 feet) west of the sleepy fishing port, right in front of Castello Bar & Restaurant, which rents sun beds and umbrellas. Kodylenia’s and other tavernas cluster nearby, perfect for watching boats and yachts slide in. The water is calm and shallow, so the beach suits families with young children. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); rentals. Best for: swimming; walking.