Greece conjures up images of islands and azure seas, olives groves and white-washed houses. The source of ancient tales of gods and men, Greece merges myth with the very real remains of classical civilization. Geographically positioned between east and west, this complex country is ultimately Mediterranean in nature.

Athens is a busy sprawling modern metropolis surrounded by ancient mountains and dominated by The Acropolis, the flat-topped rock with temple remains dating back to the 6th century BC. South of the capital is the Peloponnesos peninsula, famed for its stunning scenery and equally historic towns.

Many of the boutique hotels are found on the Greek Islands. Greece has over a thousand islands, less than two hundred of which are inhabited. Popular destinations include Crete, the largest and southernmost island; the volcanic Santorini and fun-packed Mykonos, both in the Cyclades chain.

Along the west coast, the Ionian Islands, of which Corfu is the largest, house several small luxury ho-tels, as do the Dodecanese Islands that neighbour Turkey in the east. Northern Greece is the least visited area but in many ways the most interesting to explore. In particular, the ancient city of Thessaloniki has numerous World Heritage sites.