Best Places to Eat

¨ To Maridaki (p543)

¨ To Steki tou Yianni (p551)

¨ Paparouna (p529)

¨ Funky Gourmet (p521)

¨ M-Eating (p533)

Best Places to Stay

¨ Aroma Suites (p538)

¨ Casa Leone (p543)

¨ Marco Polo Mansion (p546)

¨ Amfitriti Pension (p524)

¨ Siorra Vittoria (p554)

When to Go

May & Jun Greece opens the shut-ters in time for Orthodox Easter; the best months to visit.

Jul & Aug Be prepared to battle summer crowds, high prices and soaring tempera-tures.

Sep & Oct The tourist season winds down; an excellent, relaxing time to head to Greece.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Athens°C/°F Temp

0/32

10/50

20/68

30/86

40/104

Rainfall inches/mm

0

2/50

4/100

6/150

8/200

GreeceWhy Go?The alluring combination of history and ravishing beauty that has made Greece (Ελλάδα) one of the most popular destinations on the planet always seems to beckon. With-in easy reach of magnificent archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, Delphi, Delos and Knossos are breathtak-ing beaches and relaxed tavernas serving everything from ouzo to octopus. Hiking trails criss-cross Mt Olympus, the Zagorohoria and islands like Crete and Corfu.

Wanderers can island-hop to their heart’s content (each island has its own character), while party types can enjoy pulsating nightlife in Greece’s vibrant modern cities and on islands such as Mykonos and Santorini. Add welcoming locals with an enticing culture to the mix and it’s easy to see why most visitors head home vowing to come back. Travellers to Greece inevitably end up with a favourite site they long to return to – get out there and find yours.

Includes ¨Athens ........................514Mycenae .................... 525Olympia ..................... 525Delphi ........................ 526Thessaloniki .............. 527Mykonos ....................530Santorini (Thira) ....... 536Crete .......................... 539Knossos ......................541Corfu ......................... 553

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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ATHENS ΑΘΗΝΑPOP 3.8 MILLION

Ancient and modern, with equal measures of grunge and grace, bustling Athens is a heady mix of history and edginess. Iconic monu-ments mingle with first-rate museums, lively

cafes and alfresco dining, and it’s downright fun. With Greece’s financial difficulties Athens has revealed its more restive aspect, but take the time to look beneath the surface and you’ll discover a complex metropolis full of vibrant subcultures.

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IONIANISLANDS

ALBANIA

BULGARIAMACEDONIA

TURKEY

Andros

Karpathos

Kos

Kythira

Ikaria

Skyros

Crete

Evia

Tinos

Paros

Samothraki

MilosAmorgos

Kalymnos

Ios

Kythnos

Ithaki

Skopelos

Astypalea

MykonosSyros

Alonnisos

Kasos

Halki

Leros

Lesvos(Mytilini)

Gökçeada

Spetses

Kefallonia

Corfu

Samos

Naxos

Zakynthos

Thasos

Psara

Anafi

Patmos

Gavdos

Chios

Poros

Antikythira

Kea

Tilos

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Sea ofMarmara

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Mt Olympus(2917m)

Olympia

Mystras

RethymnoSitia

Gythio

Piraeus

Epidavros

GerakiMonemvasia

Gefyra

Kalambaka

Karditsa

Lamia

Naoussa Veria

Amaliada

Edessa Kavala

Sparta

Alexandroupolis

Igoumenitsa Volos

Kilkis

Ioannina

Patras

Florina

Corfu Town(Kerkyra)

Messolongi

Arta

Argostoli

Larissa

Sidirokastro

Gianitsa

Trikala

Preveza

Pyrgos

SamariaGorge

Iraklio

KateriniKozaniKastoria Thessaloniki

DramaSeres

Agrinio

Corinth

Ptolemaida

İstanbul

İzmir

Tripoli

Kristallopigi

ZakynthosTown

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LefkadaTown

TIRANA

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1 In Athens trace the ancient to the modern from the Acropolis to booming nightclubs.

2 Island-hop through the Cyclades (p530) under the Aegean sun.

3 Sip ouzo while munching on grilled octopus in lovely Lesvos/Mytilini (p550).

4 Stare dumbfounded

at the dramatic volcanic caldera of incomparable Santorini (p536).

5 Stroll the lovely Venetian harbour in Hania (p542), Crete, then sup on some of Greece’s best food.

6 Climb russet rock pinnacles to the exquisite monasteries of Meteora (p526).

7 Use quaint Nafplio (p524) as a base for exploring the back roads and ruins of the Peloponnese.

8 Lose yourself within the medieval walls of the Old Town in Rhodes Town (p545).

9 Search for the oracle amid the dazzling ruins of Delphi (p526).

Greece Highlights