15 Best Sights in Greece

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.

One of the few museums in Europe focusing exclusively on Byzantine art displays an outstanding collection of icons, mosaics, tapestries, and sculptural fragments (the latter provides an excellent introduction to the architecture of the period). The permanent collection is divided into two main parts: the first is devoted to Byzantium (4th through 15th century AD) and contains 1,200 artifacts, while the second is entitled "From Byzantium to the Modern Era" and presents 1,500 artworks dating from the 15th to the 21st century.

Exhibits reconstruct traditional farming life with remains of an olive and winepress. There are panoramic views of the island and the surrounding seas. The adjacent church of Agios Panteliemon celebrates the feast day of St. Panteliemon on July 27, and seemingly the whole island visits.

A 15th-century palace of the Genoese, who ruled Chios until the Turks drove them out in 1566, is one of the most venerable landmarks on the island, with a loggia and external staircase. Situated between the main square and the central gate of the fortress, it is believed to have belonged to the chief magistrate. Inside are some glorious Byzantine murals of the prophets from the 13th century, as well as icons and sculptures.

Among the displays in this museum dedicated to the history of the local Jewish community are tombstones from the city's ancient necropolis, which was on the grounds now inhabited by Aristotle University. Also on exhibit are objects rescued from the 32 synagogues that existed around the city, some of which were destroyed by the Nazis. The neoclassical building is one of the few Jewish structures that were spared in the great fire of 1917.

In a finely restored Ottoman house, this small museum has a collection of richly embroidered local costumes, rare woven textiles made by the nomadic tent-dwelling Sarakatsanis, ceramics, and cooking and farm implements.

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.

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.

On the seafront 500 meters east of the harbor, this museum details how Milos's character, history, and wealth derive from it being born from a volcano 2 million years ago. A collection of mining equipment, mineral samples, and artifacts help to explain the island geology, while short films give insight into the human aspect as old miners recollect their working lives. They also have a range of Geo Walks—walking guides to the island that act as detailed introductions to the eerie landscape.

The collections in the well-preserved Aslan Mosque, now the Municipal Museum, recall the three communities (Greek, Turkish, and Jewish) that lived together inside the fortress from 1400 to 1611. The vestibule has recesses for shoes, and inscribed over the doorway is the name of Aslan Pasha and "there is only one God, Allah, and Muhammed is his prophet." The mosque retains its original decoration and mihrab, a niche that faces Mecca. Exhibited around the room are a walnut-and-mother-of-pearl table from Ali Pasha's period, ornate inlaid hamman (Turkish bath) shoes on tall wooden platforms, treasure chests, traditional clothing, a water pipe, and a collection of 18th- and 19th-century guns.

A museum dedicated to the life of the island's literary greats, the poets Dhionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos. The former, in particular, is considered the father of modern Greek literature, championing the use of demotic Greek, a more colloquial form that had become the language of the people by the early 19th century, as opposed to the more conservative katharevousa form. Both are cherished sons of Zakynthos, whose bones are kept within the museum in a ground-floor mausoleum. Many of their letters and writings are on display, along with photographs and paintings, but little is explained or translated into English, so along with the rest of the local scholars and benefactors celebrated here, viewers without the benefit of a guided tour will gain little.

Find out more about the formation of the Meteron monoliths by visiting this small museum (estimate a one-hour visit). You will not only learn about the impressive local geology but the regional geography, too. Accompanying the informative exhibition is a 10-minute video explaining these geological phenomena.

An entertaining crash course in the development of Greek music, from regional dimotika (folk) to rembetika (blues), this museum has three floors of instruments. Headphones are available so you can appreciate the sounds made by such unusual delights as goatskin bagpipes and discern the differences in tone between the Pontian lyra and Cretan lyra, string instruments often featured on world-music compilations.

Want to see a tableau of Ali Pasha's legendary murder? Head to this museum to be shocked and amused, by turns, by its collection of historical Epirote waxwork figures from the past 2,500 years, all leading players in more than 30 historical "settings," including streets, mountains, caves, churches, and more. All the figures were sculpted in wax by artist Pavlos Vrellis, a local legend who embarked on this endeavor at the ripe age of 60. His studio is on the premises, a modern building that has stayed true to Epirotic architectural style.

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 Argostolion's main square, though some escaped by being hidden by sympathetic islanders. A further 5,155 Italians died in the massacre, and 3,000 later perished when the German ship taking the island's Italian POWs to a concentration camp sank. Yet few outside Italy and Greece had heard of this atrocity until the publishing of Louis de Bernieres's 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.