As one of the most historically important regions in the world, Greece unsurprisingly has much to tempt visitors from its many archaeological ruins to its bustling metropolises and its breath-taking Mediterranean and Aegean islands. From the ages-old beauty of Athens to the relaxed attitude of Crete, Greece truly does have something for everybody. Popular spots for visitors include the Acropolis (and the Pantheon), the Oracle at Delphi, the monasteries at Meteora, the Olympic site of Olympia, the semi-independent site of Mount Athos, the party island of Mykonos and the breath-taking resort location of Santorini. Athens is home to the Ancient Agora, Lycabettus Hill, Syntagma Square and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Thessaloniki in the north is famed for its museum and art gallery district, as well as its many Byzantine churches. The Greek Islands, which include the Saronic Gulf, North and East Aegean, Cyclades, Dodecanese, Sporades and Western Greek Islands as well as Rhodes, are regarded as some of the best holiday destinations in the world with picturesque villages and secluded beaches their main selling point.
Greece has many transportation connections throughout the eastern European region. Ferry and cruise ship routes to Turkey, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Crete are regular, especially in the summer peak months. Rail connections from Thessaloniki to Eastern European cities such as Bucharest, Istanbul, Sofia and Budapest are also frequent. The country's major airports, Eleftherios Venizelos International (Athens), Nikos Kazantzakis International (Heraklion) and Makedonia International (Thessaloniki) see millions of passengers each year on airlines such as Olympic, Aegean, British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair and Thomas Cook. Car hire for exploring Greece is highly recommended, especially for seeing the more remote archaeological sites: National Alamo, Hertz, Budget, Avis, Thrifty, Europcar and Sixt are amongst those that operate within the country. |
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