697 Best Sights in Greece

This art gallery has a distinctive icon collection from the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods, engravings that highlight the development of the craft of icon making in Greece, and a representative collection of modern Greek art. One section shows the work of three generations of Thessalonian artists, documenting modern art in the city from the turn of the 20th century to 1967. The museum collection, once housed in the nearby Villa Mordoh, is now in Casa Bianca, a large three-story art nouveaux villa.

One of the most popular beaches on Paros's southeastern coast, Piso Livadi has trees offering natural shade, but lounge chairs and umbrellas are also available to rent. The small resort town of Piso Livadi, once an ancient port for the marble quarries, surrounds the sandy stretch of well-developed beach and is filled with tavernas, restaurants, and cafés. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming.

South of town, Plaka Beach is a natural extension of Agia Anna Beach. It's a gorgeous 4-km (2½-mile) stretch of sand filled with dunes and bamboo groves. Most of the beach is undeveloped, but you can still find sun beds to rent in organized areas. Come early to grab one in the peak season. There is a range of tavernas, restaurants, and café-bars within walking distance. At the southern end is Orkos, haven to wind- and kitesurfers. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

The city's biggest square is paved in marble and dotted with fountains. The Archaeological Museum is off the north end of the square; at the west side is the beginning of Daidalou, the main thoroughfare, which follows the line of an early fortification wall and is now a pedestrian walkway lined with tavernas, bars, boutiques, jewelers, and souvenir shops.

This square is graced with a Venetian fountain and an elegant Turkish stone kiosk. Odos 1866, which runs north from the square, houses Heraklion's lively open-air market, where fruit and vegetable stands and souvenir vendors alternate with butchers' displays of whole lambs and pigs' feet.

Walkable from Plaka along an old donkey path, Plathiena is quiet and charming. The beach is sandy and faces west, offering shelter from the prevailing north winds, and the water shelves gently. Tamarisk trees offer some shade if you don't want to take advantage of the sun beds and umbrellas. The sublime sunsets are best taken from the pretty little beach bar with a drink in hand. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Spacious, sandy, and pleasant, Platis Gialos is a popular southern beach that's protected from the island’s strong summer winds. Kids enjoy playing in the shallow waters, while adults head to deeper waters to try out the numerous water-sports rental options. The array of taverns, restaurants, and cafés is perfect for any food break. The beach is lined with rental umbrellas and chairs, and getting to it is easy by water taxi and bus service. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: swimming.

A lovely bay is ringed by soft and quiet sands, where it's easy to find a relatively secluded spot. The clear, calm waters are ideal for swimming, though winds tend to pick up in the afternoon—a boon for windsurfers. A few tavernas prepare delightfully simple seafood meals along the shore. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: solitude; swimming; windsurfing.

This long stretch of inviting sand, about 10 km (6 miles) east of Kefalos, is also known as Magic Beach, and is just far enough from town to remain wonderfully undeveloped. Backed by scrub-covered dunes, the sands offer little except some sun bed concessions and are washed by calm, crystal clear waters. The privacy afforded by this location means that it has also become something of an enclave for naturists, who gather at its eastern end. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: nudists; solitude; swimming; walking.

Although the capital town is primarily beloved for its Venetian elegance and picturesque blind alleys, Naxos's most famous landmark is ancient: the Portara, a massive doorway that leads to nowhere. The Portara stands on the islet of Palatia, which was once a hill (since antiquity the Mediterranean has risen quite a bit) and in the 3rd millennium BC was the acropolis for a nearby Cycladic settlement. The Portara, an entrance to an unfinished Temple of Apollo that faces exactly toward Delos, Apollo's birthplace, was begun about 530 BC by the tyrant Lygdamis, who said he would make Naxos's buildings the highest and most glorious in Greece. He was overthrown in 506 BC, and the temple was never completed; by the 5th and 6th centuries AD it had been converted into a church; and under Venetian and Turkish rule it was slowly dismembered, so the marble could be used to build the castle. The gate, built with four blocks of marble, each 16 feet long and weighing 20 tons, was so large it couldn't be demolished, so it remains today, along with the temple floor. Palatia itself has come to be associated with the tragic myth of Ariadne, princess of Crete.

Ariadne, daughter of Crete's King Minos, helped Theseus thread the labyrinth of Knossos and slay the monstrous Minotaur. In exchange, he promised to marry her. Sailing for Athens, the couple stopped in Naxos, where Theseus abandoned her. Jilted Ariadne's curse made Theseus forget to change the ship's sails from black to white, and so his grieving father Aegeus, believing his son dead, plunged into the Aegean. Seeing Ariadne's tears, smitten Dionysus descended in a leopard-drawn chariot to marry her, and set her bridal wreath, the Corona Borealis, in the sky, an eternal token of his love.

The myth inspired one of Titian's best-known paintings, as well as Strauss's opera Ariadne auf Naxos.

North of Palatia, underwater remains of Cycladic buildings are strewn along an area called Grotta. Here are a series of large worked stones, the remains of the waterfront quayside mole, and a few steps that locals say go to a tunnel leading to the islet of Palatia; these remains are Cycladic (before 2000 BC).

A small gate in the southern walls of the castle leads to a rocky outcrop that was once an unloading dock for goods traded in and out of the city. Today it is a small bathing area where paddlers can bob in the shadow of the great walls, protected from the strong northerly winds.

Porto Vromi is another gem found on the far northwestern coast. Its narrow shore isn't very large and doesn't attract that many on-shore visitors, although it does get busy with visiting boats. A pebbly shore drops off quickly to reveal deep waters, so it's not much good for families with small children. Most use it as a departure point for boats to Shipwreck Beach and the Blue Caves, but it's worth a visit in its own right. The cove is dotted with small caves and surrounded by quiet mountain villages. It's a great escape from the masses. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: solitude.

A well-organized beach with many eating options located in the southwest part of Syros, it features smooth, yellow sand with scatterings of small pebbles. It may be known by two names, but it is also famed as one of the best beaches on the island. It shares the same views of the islets and the lighthouse at Cape Viglostasi as neighboring Agathopes beach. Small boats and yachts often park here, adding to the quaint views. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming.

Also known as Paros Kite beach, the winds here are good and consistent and make it a haven for windsurfers, kitesurfers, and other sports enthusiasts. Wide and sandy, the beach is a treat but sun worshippers can get sandblasted. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; windsurfing.

A short walk south of Magazia, Pouria offers good snorkeling, and nearby on the cape is a small treasure: a sea cave that has been transformed into a chapel. There's a little hotel nearby where one can get refreshments. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming; walking.

A trip—and a bite—at the covered municipal fish market is a must in Aegina Town. Just behind the stalls, the mid-20th-century fish taverns I Agora and To Steki serve grilled octopus or sea-urchin salad that pairs perfectly with an ouzo—provided you don’t mind the smell of raw catch wafting over. Fishermen gather mid-afternoon and early evening on the pedestrian-only street, worrying their beads while seated beside glistening octopus hung up to dry—as close to a scene from the movie Zorba the Greek as you are likely to see in modern Greece.

Within walking distance of Antiparos Town, this beach has two parts, referred to by locals as Psaraliki One and Psaraliki Two. Yellow, soft sand fills both and each is dotted with natural shade trees; lounge chairs and umbrellas are available during the summer months. The shallow waters make it a favorite for families, and its southeasterly placement on the island keeps it sheltered from gusty Cycladic winds. A couple of beach bars are close by. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

The fishermen's quarter is a small district of narrow lanes above Staikopoulos Street, running between cramped little houses that huddle beneath the walls of Acronafplia. The old houses, painted in brownish yellow, green, and salmon red, are embellished with additions and overhangs in eclectic styles. The walk is enjoyable, though many of the houses have been turned into small pensions. Keep a low profile to respect the privacy of the locals.

With shiny yachts moored in its clear, pretty waters, sandy Psarou attracts international VIPs, Greek TV stars and singers, and the rich and famous. There are a couple of very expensive restaurants that host afternoon and evening parties that are fun but not crazy. If you drive from Mykonos Town, a steep scenic road leads to the beach, but once you get there you'll notice parking options are slim—many opt for valet parking run by private companies. You can also reach Psarou by taking a short walk from nearby Platis Gialos. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming.

One of the island's more popular beaches is pristine and sandy, protected from the wind by cliffs. There are a handful of tavernas and a beach bar. Organized with umbrellas and sun beds, it can get extremely busy during high season. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming.

The resort town of Tolo, 12 km (7½ miles) south of Nafplion, is a short inexpensive bus ride from Nafplion's main station or a more expensive taxi ride; beware, though, that in the warm months the beach of fine sand is packed solid with sunburned northern Europeans and abuzz with every water sport and beach activity ever invented, from taking in the sun in the endless rows of loungers to volleyball. A long parade of bars and tavernas backs the beach, and some tables are set right on the sands. Two uninhabited islands in the bay, Romvi and Koronissi, can be reached by excursion boat. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.

It's well worth the effort required to reach the most beautiful (and remote) beach on the island, a lovely scallop of sand backed by pines and rough, goat-filled hills. Getting there requires a 45-minute caïque ride (around €15–€20) from Skala or a 20-minute walk on a footpath from Diakofti (the narrowest point on the island), where visitors can park their cars. While nudism is not officially allowed on Patmos, this is one beach where nude bathing seems to be tolerated, at the far edges. An extremely basic taverna sometimes serves light fare, but you'll want to bring water and snacks for an outing to this pristine spot. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: nudists; snorkeling; solitude; swimming.

Not to be confused with its namesake on the west coast, Pounta is the party beach of Paros where beach bars throb with teens and twentysomethings doing their best to get noticed. Sandy and attractive, the beach itself has gotten lost under a sea of sun beds and umbrellas. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

One of the island's quietest beaches is a stunning, wide cove of fine sand bordered by green cedar trees. Its name comes from a nearby hill that was used to scout for pirates back in the day. Today, its beauty remains mostly free from development. Only a few tavernas and restaurants surround this corner of beach, which rarely gets crowded. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming.

This beautiful crescent of sand, Kokkini Ammos in Greek, is accessible by a 30-minute walk across a rocky promontory on a path from town. The trek includes a scramble up and over a headland and some steep climbs and descents, though it is manageable with moderate exertion. Your reward is a lovely, unspoiled crescent of golden sand washed by clear waters that is especially popular with nudists. Surf in the small bay can be rough, with riptides. Shade is scarce, though a small bar called Mojito rents umbrellas and offers simple snacks. At the northern edge of the beach are many carved rocks with Minoan and Egyptian figures; they are not ancient but the creation of a modern Belgian sculptor. Amenities: food and drink (sometimes); parking (no fee). Best for: nudists; solitude; swimming; walking.

A backdrop of red-and-black volcanic cliffs adds no small amount of drama to this strand of multicolored pebbles and red-hued sand, and the timelessness of the place is enhanced by the presence of nearby ancient Akrotiri. Crowds pile in during July and August, and a few too many loungers and umbrellas detract from the stunning scenery, but for the most part this is one of the quieter beaches on the south side of the island. There's a rough path from the parking area to the beach. Be warned, though, the beach is officially closed due to the danger of rocks falling, and entering is at your own risk. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

This overgrown, isolated spot on a small promontory overlooks the sea between continental Greece and the island of Euboia. It is a bit off the beaten track but if you want to escape the crowds of Athens and make it a day trip together with a swim at nearby Schinias Beach, this is definitely worth the drive (especially if you have your own vehicle). From at least the Archaic period, Rhamnous was known for the worship of Nemesis, the great leveler, who brought down the proud and punished the arrogant. The scenic site, excavated during many years, preserves traces of temples from the 5th and 6th centuries BC. The smaller temple from the 6th century BC was dedicated to Themis, goddess of Justice. The later temple housed the cult statue of Nemesis, envisioned as a woman. Many fragments have turned up, including the head, in the British Museum. The acropolis stood on the headland, where ruins of a fortress (4th and 5th centuries BC) are visible. As you wander over the usually serene, and always evocative, site you discover at its edge little coves where you can enjoy a swim. You really need your own transport to visit, though a taxi from Marathon is pricey but worth it.

The coves at Rhamnous, approached via a rough road about 2,000 feet before the entrance to the archaeological site, are cozy and remote. These are favorite swimming spots of nudists and free campers, although the latter is technically forbidden. Beware of spiny sea urchins when swimming off the rocks from this pebbly beach. Amenities: free parking. Best for: nudists; solitude; walking.

Rizes means roots, and this 5-acre farmstead is the starting point for a journey to the traditional heart of Mykonos. The Zouganeli family have worked this land for generations and love sharing their experiences of a daily life far removed from the excesses of Mykonos town. Enjoy collecting eggs from the farm chickens, harvesting fruit and vegetables, then joining in to make bread fired in a stone oven. Cooking classes are offered using authentic Mykonian products and the on-site restaurant is rightly renowned for its vivid flavors. There are even five historic houses, decorated with family heirlooms, where guests can stay over and immerse themselves in island culture.

Located in the next cove southeast of Panormos Beach, Rohari remains popular in the summer as a favorite northern beach destination. Fully organized, the beachfront cantinas are the perfect spot for a cool drink; there are beach umbrellas and chairs for rent. It's within close proximity to the village of Panormos, which has a wide selection of tavernas and cafés for a beach-day break. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: swimming.