The perfect holiday destinations in Greece for every type of traveller

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Greece merely appears constructed for holidays. With its treasure trove of seashores, casual, family-embracing tradition and dazzling summer time sunshine, it hardly ever disappoints.

A big, sprawling nation, it includes 110,496 sq. kilometres of (largely underrated and under-visited) mainland, plus 227 inhabited islands – to not point out 1000’s extra uninhabited islets. You may return dozens of instances and barely scratch the floor – particularly if, like most Grecophiles, you discover one place that fits you completely and find yourself going again.

When vacationers suppose of the mainland, they often image Athens – one of Europe’s nice tradition capitals, with millennia-old ruins peppered round good or hip neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, “Greek islands” conjures a travel-brochure picture of sugar-cube homes and dramatic, charcoal-grey cliffs, a glance that’s particular to the Cycladic islands. Other island teams have a unique really feel, many richer in dense pine forests or golden-sand seashores, although you’ll discover basic Greek delicacies and heat hospitality throughout. Here’s the place to begin.

Best for historical past buffs: Athens

Greece’s good-looking capital is a must-do metropolis break that works at any time of yr – however in case you go from May to October, you’ll additionally discover ferries from its Piraeus port, making it straightforward to tack on a seashore or nature break.

Read extra: How to spend a day in Piraeus, Athens’ rejuvenated seaside neighbourhood

Most of the traditional Greek websites are primarily based on and across the Acropolis Hill, so for very quick breaks it is best to base your self in central Monastiraki and Plaka so you may sightsee straight out of your doorstep. If you will have a bit extra time to play with, you would possibly need to keep in cooler Psyrri or Pangrati, the place hole-in-the-wall eating places and craft beer bars nudge up in opposition to idea shops and pavement cafes. Or Kolonaki, the upmarket “Knightsbridge of Athens”, the place you’ll discover the ritziest accommodations.

Best time for climate

Outside of July and August to keep away from hovering temperatures – breezy March and still-toasty October are loveliest.

Cheapest time to go

Winter, when flights are nonetheless operating and few vacationers are in city. In October, return flights begin at round £80 return; in January that just about halves to round £45.

Dodge the crowds

November, January and February have the bottom lodge room charges and thinnest crowds.

Best for glamour: Santorini

This Cycladic icon isn’t any secret – ever for the reason that jet-set (and Instagram) discovered it, this has change into the island that launched a thousand selfies. But while you go, you see why: the part-sunken edge of a long-dormant volcano rim, the island’s western (caldera) facet plunges down into the ocean in a photogenic trend. Uniformly fairly Cycladic-style accommodations and homes are speckled alongside its tops, many with illuminated plunge swimming pools and ribbons of hot-pink bougainvillea. Stay round Oia and Imerovigli, taking a sundown yacht cruise across the coast, and also you’ll really feel such as you’re starring in a film.

Elsewhere on the island, inexpensive lodging exists close to flatter, black volcanic seashores and fairly hilltop cities; however in case you’re right here for Santorini’s distinctive seems, you need the caldera coast. It’s not household pleasant, as a result of plunging cliffs and thousands and thousands of steps connecting buildings. And every part right here – from lodge rooms to dinners and drinks – is pricier than elsewhere in Greece. Cheapest selection? No means. Worth the money? Absolutely.

Best time for climate

September – suppose highs of 25C by day, and a sea warmed up by months of summer time warmth.

Cheapest time to go

This is a holiday island, so most locations shut up store outdoors of spring, summer time and autumn. Within that interval, you’ll get some of the most effective charges in April and October.

Dodge the crowds

In April, compromise on chillier evenings and the odd bit of drizzle for an opportunity alone with the most effective caldera views. May can be pleasantly quiet.

Best for households: Corfu

The buzzword right here is “ease”: not solely does Corfu have the shortest flight time from the UK, however younger households can even love the logical vacationer scene. Fly into its east-coast airport, related to accommodations by a well-paved coast highway, served by plentiful taxis. Most resorts are inside half-an-hour’s drive, with extra secluded villas and lesser-known accommodations barely additional away on the north and northeast coast.

Many of the best-known accommodations nail being each each stylish and household pleasant (attempt the Marbella, Ikos or Grecotel teams), with many extra which are merely inexpensive and welcoming. A sprinkling of adults-only finds are successful with {couples}. Though the vacationer scene is accessible, tried and examined, this large, forested island can be perfect for hiring a automobile and exploring. Visit the gorgeous outdated port, Corfu Town, the sand-fringed north and west coast, and hop on a ship to Paxos island.

Best time for climate

June to August has that blazing scorching, bucket-and-spade climate you’re dreaming of.

Cheapest time to go

May continues to be heat and breezy, with highs in the low 20s – weeks at self-catering condominium holidays come in at £500pp per week, rising to extra like £800pp by mid July.

Dodge the crowds

Go for a extra energetic holiday in Feb-March or late October-November; in the latter, you’ll discover few vacationers, however locals nonetheless swimming in the summer-warmed sea.

Best for foodies: Crete

This island is a huge – it might take round 5 hours to drive nonstop from one finish to the opposite – so even in case you’ve seen one seashore city or area, there’s way more to discover. But one factor you’ll discover throughout is outstanding meals: Crete has an extended farming custom and an enormous respect for produce, seasonality and provenance. It additionally has its personal kinds of salad, native cheeses and is a significant producer of olive oil. Elsewhere in Greece, essentially the most modern eating places are sometimes impressed by Cretan delicacies.

You fly into one of two north-coast airports: Chania in direction of the west and Heraklion in direction of the east. They’re greater than two hours aside, so ensure you guide the most effective for your lodging. The pleasure of an enormous isle like that is selection and variety: there are inexpensive, family-friendly seashore cities, fashionable port cities, historic archaeological websites and secret-feeling coves solely reached by boat. The trade-off? A good bit of analysis and planning.

Best time for climate

June to August for peak summer time solar, however Crete additionally stays balmy into September – nice information for adults-only events looking for peace and quiet.

Cheapest time to go

April is a candy spot – you may bag per week in a five-star seashore lodge from £730pp, rising to £1,100pp in June. Daytime temperatures can be round 17-21C most.

Dodge the crowds

It empties out from cooler November to March, when there are nonetheless a lot of energetic pursuits, foodie experiences and historic websites to entertain you.

Best for solos: Kefalonia

While Crete is equally backpacker and solo-travel pleasant (with a rare-for-Greece bus community), Kefalonia has some of essentially the most various landscapes, with historic cities, showstopping seashores and an enormous vary of locations to remain. This sprawling Ionian island additionally has a bus route or two, permitting you, for only a few euros, to strike out from the good port of Argostoli (close to the airport) for fairly little coastal cities comparable to Assos, Fiskardo and Poros – many of which have boats onward to smaller islands. Ferries to close by islands comparable to Lefkada and Ithaca can price as little as £10 or £15 every means.

This community of inexpensive residences, distinctive stops and transport choices actually lends itself to spontaneity and hopping round. It’s additionally one of Greece’s most photogenic islands: suppose pastel-coloured homes, plunging cliffs with mountain goats, shimmering sea caves and unspoiled seashores. Take a replica of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (which is ready right here) to get a really feel for the historical past.

Best time for climate

Unsurprisingly, most-popular June to August will get the most effective climate; those that can journey outdoors faculty holidays will bag the most effective offers.

Cheapest time to go

Direct flights from the UK are inclined to run between May and September. Of these months, you’ll discover the most effective offers in early June and late September.

Dodge the crowds

Like Crete, you may fly by way of Athens to succeed in Kefalonia low season: go in October to seek out lingering highs of 24C, plus heat, swimmable waters with few vacationers.

Best for off-the-beaten-track: The Peloponnese

Though there’s been a trickle of tourism to this underrated slice of the mainland for a long time, it’s solely just lately registered on the mainstream holiday scene. This hand-shaped peninsula simply southwest of Athens has pine-scented mountains, historic, crumbling monasteries, distant villages and wonderful sandy seashores, particularly alongside the central Mani Peninsula and Cape Malea.

You’ll want a automobile to discover this rugged area, which has wonders comparable to Mystras, a Thirteenth-century Byzantine metropolis near the historic warrior state of Sparta; the archaeological web site of Mycenae; the Unesco-listed amphitheatre at Epidaurus; and the honeycomb-hued citadel of Monemvasia. There are distant spa retreats and cute coastal cities to sit back at en route.

Best time for climate

May and September, outdoors of peak summer time bookings, every get a lot of sunshine and highs in the mid-to-high 20s. Avoid December, the wettest month right here.

Cheapest time to go

Direct flights to gateway airport Kalamata run May-Oct (although you may drive from Athens). Go in October for the most effective bargains on each flights and room charges.

Dodge the crowds

In April, simply earlier than direct flights kick in, you’ll discover pleasant sunshine and as much as 21C in the daytime – perfect for mountain climbing round and exploring the sights.