697 Best Sights in Greece

Fiskardo derives its name from a Norman duke and adventurer, Robert Guiscard, who attempted to occupy Kefalonia in 1084. He failed (and died of fever in 1085), yet the town rather passively took his name anyway. Today, invaders still arrive in Fiskardo by ship, only these days they're called yachts. Summer sees their ilk far outnumber the traditional fishing boats in the harbor, lending an air of boho chic to the little village and its bustling waterfront of eateries and café-bars. Still, it deserves the attention. Fiskardo remains one of the prettiest stays on the island, with its narrow streets winding past colorful Venetian houses. There's little in the way of museums here, but history surrounds the village. As recently as 2006, a Roman cemetery of 27 tombs was discovered on the edge of the harbor, with its open-air site now easily visited and well signed. Hiking trails into the hills and forests reveal even more historic relics worth exploring. The town is also a useful port, with ferries to the island of Lefkada leaving daily during the summer months.

Appearing in Homeric poems, Gortyna was second only to Knossos in importance and flourished in the early centuries of Roman rule. The Gortyn Law Code, an inscription from the 5th century BC, and the earliest known written Greek law, confirms the prosperity of the city, and at its peak as many as 100,000 people may have lived nearby. It was the earliest Christian Cretan city and became the seat of Apostle Titus, the first bishop of Crete. It was later sacked by the Arabs in AD 824.

The first major monument visible is the Byzantine Basilica of Agios Titus, probably built on the remains of an older church. A soaring apse and two side chapels have been restored. Adjacent is the Odeion, leveled by an earthquake and rebuilt by Emperor Trajan. Within the walls of the theater are the 600 lines of the Law Code, engraved upon a wall tablet.

Crossing the road that bisects the site, the main attractions are the Praetorium, the palace of the Roman governor of Crete that dates back to the 2nd century AD, and the Nymphaeum, a public bath originally supplied by an aqueduct and adorned with statues.

Climb to the hilltop Acropolis for a view of the site; below you will see the evergreen plane tree that served as Zeus and Europa's mating bed according to mythology. From this union, the three kings of Crete were produced: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.

There was no grand reason for the abandonment of the hill village of Haihoutes; its 450 villagers just ebbed away over time, drawn to the more profitable, fertile plains below until, by the 1970s, no one remained. What was left behind crumbled due to neglect and earthquakes, then hikers discovered it and Haihoutes grew a reputation as a scenic ghost town. By 2013, a local couple had moved in and opened up an excellent taverna among the ruins, reviving the old village kafeneio (café). They cleaned up the church and created a small museum, too, in a renovated house that documents what the village was like only a few generations ago.

Standing in a class of its own, this museum guards practically all of the Minoan treasures uncovered in the legendary excavations of the Palace of Knossos as well as other monuments of Minoan civilization. These amazing artifacts, many 3,000 years old, were brought to light in 20th-century excavations by famed British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans and are shown off in handsome modern galleries. It's best to visit the museum first thing in the morning, before the tour buses arrive, or in late afternoon, once they pull away. Top treasures include the famous seal stones, many inscribed with Linear B script, discovered and deciphered by Evans around the turn of the 20th century. The most stunning and mysterious seal stone is the so-called Phaistos Disk, found at Phaistos Palace in the south, its purpose unknown. (Linear B script is now recognized as an early form of Greek, but the earlier Linear A script that appears on clay tablets and that of the Phaistos Disk have yet to be deciphered.)

Perhaps the most arresting exhibits, though, are the sophisticated frescoes, restored fragments of which were found in Knossos. They depict broad-shouldered, slim-waisted youths, their large eyes fixed with an enigmatic expression on the Prince of the Lilies; ritual processions and scenes from the bullring, with young men and women somersaulting over the back of a charging bull; and groups of court ladies, whose flounced skirts led a French archaeologist to exclaim in surprise, "Des Parisiennes!," a name still applied to this striking fresco.

Even before great palaces with frescoes were being built, around 1900 BC, the prehistoric Cretans excelled at metalworking and carving stone vases, and they were also skilled at producing pottery, such as the eggshell-thin Kamares ware decorated in delicate abstract designs. Other specialties were miniature work such as the superbly crafted jewelry and the colored seal stones that are carved with lively scenes of people and animals. Though naturalism and an air of informality distinguish much Minoan art from that of contemporary Bronze Age cultures elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean, you can also see a number of heavy rococo set pieces, such as the fruit stand with a toothed rim and the punch bowl with appliquéd flowers.

The Minoans' talents at modeling in stone, ivory, and a kind of glass paste known as faience peaked in the later palace period (1700–1450 BC). A famous rhyton, a vessel for pouring libations, carved from dark serpentine in the shape of a bull's head, has eyes made of red jasper and clear rock crystal with horns of gilded wood. An ivory acrobat—perhaps a bull-leaper—and two bare-breasted faience goddesses in flounced skirts holding wriggling snakes were among a group of treasures hidden beneath the floor of a storeroom at Knossos. Bull-leaping, whether a religious rite or a favorite sport, inspired some of the most memorable images in Minoan art. Note, also, the three vases, probably originally covered in gold leaf, from Agia Triada that are carved with scenes of Minoan life thought to be rendered by artists from Knossos: boxing contests, a harvest-home ceremony, and a Minoan official taking delivery of a consignment of hides. The most stunning rhyton of all, from Zakros, is made of rock crystal.

An imposing mansion houses a varied collection of early Christian and Byzantine sculptures, Venetian and Ottoman stonework, artifacts of war, and rustic folklife items. The museum provides a wonderful introduction to Cretan culture and is the only place in Crete to display the work of famed native son El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos), who left the island—then part of the Venetian Republic—for Italy and then Spain around 1567. His Baptism of Christ and View of Mount Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine hang amid frescoes, icons, and other Byzantine pieces. Upon entering, look out for the Lion of St. Mark sculpture, with an inscription that says in Latin "I protect the kingdom of Crete." Left of the entrance is a room stuffed with memorabilia from Crete's bloody revolutionary past: weapons, portraits of mustachioed warrior chieftains, and the flag of the short-lived independent Cretan state set up in 1898. The 19th-century banner in front of the staircase sums up the spirit of Cretan rebellion against the Turks: Eleftheria o Thanatos ("Freedom or Death"). A small section is dedicated to World War II and the German invasion of 1941. Upstairs, look in on a room arranged as the study of Crete's most famous writer, Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957), the author of Zorba the Greek and an epic poem, The Odyssey, a Modern Sequel; he was born in Heraklion and is buried here, just inside the section of the walls known as the Martinengo. The top floor contains a stunning collection of Cretan textiles, including the brilliant scarlet weavings typical of the island's traditional handwork, and another room is arranged as a domestic interior of the early 1900s.

In AD 95, during the Emperor Domitian's persecution of Christians, St. John the Theologian was banished to Patmos, where he lived until his reprieve two years later. He writes that it was on Patmos that he "heard … a great voice, as of a trumpet," commanding him to write a book and "send it unto the seven churches." According to tradition, St. John wrote the Book of Revelation in the little cave here, the Sacred Grotto, now built into the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse. The voice of God spoke through a threefold crack in the rock, and the saint dictated to his follower Prochorus. A slope in the wall is pointed to as the desk where Prochorus wrote, and a silver halo is set on the stone that was the apostle's pillow. The grotto is decorated with wall paintings from the 12th century and icons from the 16th.

The monastery, which is accessible via several flights of outdoor stairs, was constructed in the 17th century from architectural fragments of earlier buildings, and further embellished in later years; the complex also contains chapels to St. Artemios and St. Nicholas. Today, the site is inscribed to UNESCO's World Heritage list.

Housed in an impressive mansion, this collection of historical artifacts and paintings has exhibits that date back to the 18th century. Heirlooms from the Balkan wars as well as from World War I and II are exhibited in the lobby. A small upstairs room contains figureheads from ships that fought in the 1821 War of Independence. There are old pistols and navigation aids, as well as portraits of the island's heroes and a section devoted to traditional local costume, including the dark karamani pantaloons worn by Hydriot men. Temporary art exhibits are also showcased from time to time.

Housing the creations of internationally renowned artist-jeweler Ilias Lalaounis, this private foundation also operates as an international center for the study of decorative arts. The collection includes 4,000 pieces inspired by subjects as diverse as the Treasure of Priam of Troy to the wildflowers of Greece. Many of the works are eye-catching, especially the massive necklaces evoking the Minoan and Byzantine periods. Besides the well-made videos that explain jewelry making, craftspeople in the workshop demonstrate ancient and modern techniques, such as chain weaving and hammering. The company also operates several jewelry stores in Athens.

The founder of the last royal dynasty to rule Eygpt, Mohamed Ali, was born in this two-story, 18th-century konak-style house in the Old Town. Considered one of the best examples of Ottoman architecture in Greece, the home now functions as a museum and institute dedicated to intercultural dialogue and exchange between the Middle Eastern and Western worlds. Guided tours take place daily, while educational lectures, conferences, symposia, and exhibitions examine subjects like Islamic gardens, ceramic decoration, regional archaeology, and the origin of the number zero.

In medieval times and later, wealthy Genoese and Greek merchants built ornate, earth-toned, three-story mansions on this fertile plain of tangerine, lemon, and orange groves south of Chios Town. On narrow lanes behind stone walls adorned with coats of arms, each estate is a world of its own, with multicolor sandstone patterns, arched doorways, and pebble-mosaic courtyards. Some houses have crumbled, but many still stand, surrounded by fragrant citrus orchards and reminders of the wealth, power, and eventual downfall of an earlier time. These suburbs of Chios Town are exceptional, but the unmarked lanes can be confusing, so leave time to get lost and to peek behind the walls into another world.

This is one of the three ancient cities of Rhodes, along with Lindos and Ialysos. Kameiros was for a time the most powerful of them all, and the first to cut its own currency, until earthquakes in the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC sapped the city's might. After that, its citizens just ebbed away. It was excavated by the Italians in 1929 and lies on three levels on a slope above the sea. Most of the city—apparently never fortified—that is visible today dates to the classical period and later; it includes an acropolis, a large reservoir, a grid-like pattern of streets lined with houses and shops, and several temples. The hill hides many more ruins, yet to be unearthed.

The pine-covered headland between the bays of Mytilini town supports an ancient castle and fortress, with many intact walls that seem to protect the town even today. It was built by the Byzantines on the site of an ancient acropolis possibly dating to 600 BC; the remains of a temple to Apollo and sanctuary dedicated to Demeter have been unearthed. Destroyed during battles with the Romans, it was then repaired using available materials by Francesco Gattilusio of the powerful Genoese family—note the ancient carved marble crammed here and there between stones. Finally, it fell into the hands of the Ottomans, who expanded the castle and created new buildings including a madrasa (religious school) and Turkish hammams. Most intriguing, perhaps, is the temple at the center believed to be the original acropolis: it was first a sanctuary dedicated to Demeter, then repurposed as a church, then later as a mosque. Look above the gates for the two-headed eagle of the Palaiologos emperors, the horseshoe arms of the Gattilusio family, and Arabic inscriptions made by Ottoman Turks.

A 13th-century Byzantine-Genoese fortified castle is a magnetic presence when seen from below, and a drive or walk to the hilltop landmark affords a hypnotic view down the tiers of tiled roofs to the glittering sea. At dawn the sky begins to light up from behind the mountains of Asia Minor, casting silver streaks through the placid water as weary night fishermen come in. Wisteria vines shelter the lanes that descend from the castle and pass numerous Turkish fountains, some still in use.

One of Ioannina's main attractions is the Kastro, with massive, fairly intact stone fortress walls that once dropped into the lake on three sides; Ali Pasha completely rebuilt them in 1815. The city's once-large Romaniote Jewish population, said to date from the time of Alexander the Great, lived within the walls, alongside Turks and Christians. The Jews were deported by the Nazis during World War II, to meet their deaths at extermination camps; the population of 4,000-plus around the turn of the 20th century is now fewer than 100. The area inside the walls is now a quaint residential area with a few hotels, cafés, restaurants, and stores. Outside the citadel walls, near the lake, a monument at Karamanli and Soutsou streets commemorates the slaughter of the Jewish community.

The stategic and geographical advantages that drew the first settlers to the Kavala peninusla in the 7th century BC made it the obvious choice for this largely granite Byzantine citadel. Modifed by successive Lombard, Frankish, Venetian, and Ottoman conquerers, the castle remains the heart and soul of the modern city. Today, the sloping north end has been transformed into an outdoor performance space, hosting musical, theatrical, and dance events. From the tower are fabulous 360-degree views of the city and surrounding hilly landscape.

At the western edge of the modern Gazi district lies the wide, ancient green expanse of Kerameikos, the main cemetery in ancient Athens until Sulla destroyed the city in 86 BC. The name is associated with the modern word "ceramic": in the 12th century BC the district was populated by potters who used the abundant clay from the languid Iridanos River to make funerary urns and grave decorations. From the 7th century BC onward, Kerameikos was the fashionable cemetery of ancient Athens. During succeeding ages cemeteries were superimposed on the ancient one until the latter was discovered in 1861. From the main entrance, you can still see remains of the Makra Teixi (Long Walls) of Themistocles, which ran to Piraeus, and the largest gate in the ancient world, the Dipylon Gate, where visitors entered Athens. The walls rise to 10 feet, a fraction of their original height (up to 45 feet). Here was also the Sacred Gate, used by pilgrims headed to the mysterious rites in Eleusis and by those who participated in the Panathenaic procession, which followed the Sacred Way. Between the two gates are the foundations of the Pompeion, the starting point of the Panathenaic procession. It is said the courtyard was large enough to fit the ship used in the procession. On the Street of Tombs, which branches off the Sacred Way, plots were reserved for affluent Athenians. A number of the distinctive stelae (funerary monuments) remain, including a replica of the marble relief of Dexilios, a knight who died in the war against Corinth (394 BC); he is shown on horseback preparing to spear a fallen foe. To the left of the site's entrance is the Oberlaender Museum, also known as the Kerameikos Museum, whose displays include sculpture, terra-cotta figures, and some striking red-and-black-figured pottery. The extensive grounds of Kerameikos are marshy in some spots; in spring, frogs exuberantly croak their mating songs near magnificent stands of lilies.

This towering church just off the main square was built in 1694 and is embellished with a lavishly decorated portico and an impressive bell tower. Every August 15 the Virgin Mary is celebrated in one of the biggest festivals on the island.

This ruined-yet-still impressive fortress, built by the Knights of St. John in the late 15th century, rises high above the sea on the coast just north of Mt. Avrios, with good views in every direction. Above its entrance you can still make out the engraved coats of arms of two Grand Masters.

The islet (also known as Pelagos) has two natural harbors, Agios Petris and Planitis, the latter of which was once regularly set upon by pirates marauding the Aegean in the medieval period. Archaeological findings on the island prove that there was once a Neolithic civilization here, who inhabited it some 8,000 years ago—though more recent traces of human habitation can be found, too. The 16th-century Byzantine monastery from which the island gets its name is the main draw. Recently restored, it's dedicated to the birth of the Virgin Mary.

Celebrated travel writer Patrick "Paddy" Leigh Fermor settled in the Mani in 1964, building a beautiful house from scratch just down the road from Kardamyli, in what has become the tiny suburb of Kalamitsi. Locals knew him by the name "Michalis," a nom de guerre Fermor adopted when, during the Second World War, he disguised himself as a shepherd in the mountains of Crete to help capture a German general. As a travel writer, his writings were no less courageous, and his book on the Mani is still well-thumbed by travelers to the area. His old home was donated to the Benaki Museum upon his death in 2012, and has been sensitively restored—they used old photos to place furniture and antiques in their original spots. Tours are by appointment only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Visits are limited during summer, when rooms are available to rent for 90 days a year (June through August), to help with the upkeep and restoration of the property. There is a three-night minimum stay.

Many of the early ship captains built distinguished houses directly on the seafront here, with elaborate buttressed wooden balconies hanging over the water, which is how this neighborhood earned its name. Architecturally unique, it is one of the most attractive areas in all of the islands, and many of these fine old houses now host elegant bars. A sunset drink here to the sound of the waves is a Mykonos must-do.

Myth claims that Athens's highest hill came into existence when Athena removed a piece of Mt. Penteli, intending to boost the height of her temple on the Acropolis. While she was en route, a crone brought her bad tidings, and the flustered goddess dropped the rock in the middle of the city. Dog walkers, lovers, and joggers make it their daily stomping grounds, while kids and tired visitors love the zap up the steeply inclined teleferique (funicular) to the summit (one ride every 30 minutes). Once you reach the top, visit the whitewashed Agios Georgios chapel with a bell tower donated by Queen Olga and enjoy 360-degree views of the capital. The thickly forested hill strewn with wild herbs and flowers offers wonderful respite from the city's car-packed action and sounds, and, depending where you are, you can see Piraeus port and as far as the island of Aegina, or the Parthenon in all its glory. Built into a cave on the side of the hill is a small shrine to Agios Isidoros, known for housing a miraculous icon. Cars park up at the top at sunset for swoon-inducing magic-hour views of the city as lights twinkle on and the moon rises over "violet-crowned" Mt. Hymettus. Diners should also note that Lycabettus is home to Orizontes Lykavittou, an excellent fish restaurant, which by day houses Café Lycabettus.

Located in a nature reserve, it's just a 3-km (2-mile) walk from busy Koukounaries. Make the journey on foot to walk through a heady, fragrant pine forest to reach this "secret" beach that's a haven for those seeking peace and quiet. There are no water sports businesses in operation and the sea is a little rough, so it's frequented by swimmers and surfers rather than families and noisy youths. Sometimes called Xerxes's harbor, the bay is where the notorious Persian king stopped on his way to ultimate defeat at the battles of Artemisium and Salamis. The reefs opposite are the site of a monument Xerxes allegedly erected as a warning to ships, the first such marker known in history. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Step into a restored Neoclassical mansion in Syntagma and discover the world of opera’s greatest diva. This immersive museum traces her journey from childhood to international stardom, featuring rare costumes from legendary performances, handwritten letters, intimate diaries, and personal mementos. Highlights include soundproof rooms for experiencing her most famous arias and exclusive recordings. Interactive exhibits and evocative displays offer a vivid glimpse into her artistry, legacy, and the passions that defined a cultural icon.

Famous throughout Greece, this glittering volcanic black-pebbled beach is just next to the attractive seaside village of Emborios, where the waterfront is lined with tavernas serving seafood. The cove comprises three beaches, which are backed by jutting volcanic cliffs and fronted by calm dark-blue water colored by the deeply tinted seabed. Here, perhaps, was an inspiration for the "wine-dark sea" that Homer wrote about. Bring an umbrella and water shoes as there is no shade and the black pebbles get very hot. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

This mountainside monastery, altitude 3,117 feet, was founded in the 4th century and is said to be the oldest in Greece, though it has been burned down many times, most recently in 1934. The community once had 450 monks and owned vast tracts of land in the Peloponnese, Constantinople (now Istanbul), and the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, making it one of the richest in Greece. Mega Spileo sits at the base of a huge (360-foot-high) curving cliff face and incorporates a large cavern (the monastery's name means "large cave"). You can tour the monastery to see a charred black-wax-and-mastic icon of the Virgin, supposedly painted by St. Luke, found in the cave after a vision of the shepherdess Euphrosyne led some monks there in AD 362. Also on display are ornate vellum manuscripts of early gospels and the preserved heads of the founding monks.

Modest dress is required; wraps are available at the entrance.

If you're taking the Kalavrita Express, 45 minutes into its trip you can alight at the stream-laced mountain village of Zakhlorou. This stop is signed "Mega Spileo," though the monastery is in fact a one-hour (one-way) hike from here, up a steep path through evergreen oak, cypress, and fir. This trek along a rough donkey track gives you superb views of the Vouraikos valley and distant villages on the opposite side. The occasional sound of bells, from flocks of goats grazing on the steep slopes above, is carried on the wind. It's also possible to take a cab from the village, though they are not always available; if you're driving, the monastery is just off the road between Diakofto and Kalavrita and is well marked.

Superlatives can be trotted out to describe Megalo Meteoro—the loftiest, richest, biggest, and most popular of the monasteries. Founded by St. Athanasios, the monk from Athos, it was built of massive stones 1,361 feet above the valley floor and is reached by a stiff climb of more than 400 steps. As you walk toward the entrance, you see the chapel containing the cell where St. Athanasios once lived. This monastery, known as the Grand Meteoron, gained imperial prestige because it counted among Athanasios's disciples the Hermit-King Ioasaph of Serbia and John Cantacuzene, expelled by his joint emperor from the Byzantine throne. Dating from 1387–1388, the sanctuary of the present church was the chapel first built by St. Athanasios, later augmented by St. Ioasaph. The rest of the church was erected in 1552 with an unusual transept built on a cross-in-square plan with lateral apses topped by lofty domes, as in the Mt. Athos monasteries. To the right of the narthex are the tombs of Ioasaph and Athanasios; a fresco shows the austere saints holding a monastery in their hands. Also of interest are the gilded iconostasis, with plant and animal motifs of exceptional workmanship; the bishop's throne (1617), inlaid with mother-of-pearl and ivory; and the beautiful 15th-century icons in the sanctuary. In the narthex are frescoes of the Martyrdom of the Saints, gruesome scenes of persecution under the Romans. Note the kitchen, blackened by centuries of cooking, and the wine cellar, filled with massive wine barrels. The gift shop is noted for its icons and incense. From November to March the monastery may close early.

At these side-by-side options, separated by a forested headland, the expansive and laid-back beaches at Aselinos are a favorite for those seeking peace and quiet, away from the hordes of Koukounaries. Many visit Megalos Aselinos by boat; while Mikros Aselinos can be reached by bus, car, or bicycle. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunset; swimming.

The 19th-century church that commands the main square of Mesta (and one of two churches of the same name in the town) is one of the wealthiest in Greece; its vernacular is Baroque combined with the late-folk-art style of Chios. There is a double staircase leading to the bell tower and to a pebbled courtyard. The church was built on the ruins of the central refuge tower and dedicated to the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.