Athens doesn't live in the past. Glamorous and forward-looking, it blends galleries, gelaterias, bijoux boutiques, and museums with the wonders of the Acropolis and Parthenon. Wander lively streets and markets, dance at bouzoukia, sing in tavernas, then head to the harbour for dimly lit bars and cold beer. With salty air and fishing boats setting out at dawn, Athens feels both ancient and progressive.

Start early to have Mykonos to yourself. Wander narrow streets of Cycladic whitewashed cubes, boutiques, churches and windmills. Mix with glitterati at beach events, saltwater pools, vineyards and bars. In the afternoon, visit sacred Delos for ruins, temples, squares and shrines. Dine in Chora on local dishes, filo, Greek salad, halloumi and sea urchin with freddo, then watch sunset over the ocean and end the night at legendary bars and clubs.

Snow-white buildings contrast with the cerulean Aegean in Katapola, where fishermen sip raki in waterside tavernas and citrus scents drift through cobbled streets. Hike between sleepy Cycladic villages and Mycenaean ruins, past wild goats and pretty chapels with local myths. Below, rainbow marine life, sea caves, and rusting wrecks fill crystalline waters. End with sunset in charming Chora, Amorgos' capital.

Set along the sheltered curve of Navarino Bay, Pylos blends quiet elegance with deep history. Steeped in myth and linked to Nestor of Homeric legend, this sunlit corner of the Peloponnese has been shaped by centuries of seafaring. Wander its shaded square, visit the hilltop fortress above sapphire waters, or explore nearby beaches, dunes, and lagoons. In Pylos, time slows and Greece shows its most peaceful beauty.

Lefki Petra ("white rock") is a classical Ionian islet some scholars link to Homer's Ithaca, reached by a narrow causeway. On Lefki's east coast, Nydri has a broad natural harbor, marine reserve, tavernas, beaches, sea views, and a hike to Nydri waterfalls and cool pools.

Explore Bari Vecchia, a maze of medieval lanes, Romanesque churches, Baroque palaces and Greek, Roman and Norman history. See nonnas making orecchiette, the basilica with Saint Nicholas's relics, the 1170 cathedral, Norman fortress and harbour theatre. South are some of Italy's best beaches, especially Polignano a Mare. Bari also suits trips to Alberobello's trulli and cinematic Matera, with cave dwellings and chic restaurants.

Athens doesn't live in the past. Glamorous and forward-looking, it blends galleries, gelaterias, bijoux boutiques, and museums with the wonders of the Acropolis and Parthenon. Wander lively streets and markets, dance at bouzoukia, sing in tavernas, then head to the harbour for dimly lit bars and cold beer. With salty air and fishing boats setting out at dawn, Athens feels both ancient and progressive.