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.

Syros lies just across from Mykonos, but feels a world away from its hedonism. Far from sleepy, its capital Ermoupoli-once the Aegean's mercantile heart-is an elegant neo-classical city buzzing with Greek life. Explore marble boulevards to Vaporia, with preserved merchant palaces, waterfront cafes, and the Apollo Theatre. Also visit Ano Syros, a Venetian hilltop village crowned by San Giorgio, plus fishing villages, sandy shores, and quiet coves.

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.

Sail into Santorini when others leave. Romantic and exuberant, explore one of the world's most enchanting islands: whitewashed cliffside houses, paved paths, sugar-white and black beaches, terracotta cliffs, blue-domed churches, an active volcano, and the caldera between Oia and Fira. Cruise sapphire seas, taste local wine and fresh seafood, shop boutiques, then end with a moonlit hilltop dinner and the world-famous sunset.

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.

Kotor Bay, a less-travelled amphitheatre on Montenegro's Adriatic coast, shimmers with jade waters and emerald slopes. In the fjord-like shelter, Kotor Old Town feels fairy-tale: fortified walls, Romanesque churches and medieval bastions recall masked carnivals and earthquakes. Italian and Mediterranean influences shape the cuisine, with gelato, brodetto and fresh Adriatic seafood. Above town, the Church of Our Lady of Remedy offers sweeping views of Kotor's red-tiled UNESCO rooftops.

Gallipoli has it all: prosecco and Salentine wine, bohemian lido beach clubs, Purity Beach, snorkelling in craggy caves and grottoes, and trattorias serving zuppa di pesce and fresh fish. History lovers can cross the bridge to the tiny fortified island within 14th-century walls, while gourmands explore Salento's underground olive mills and picturesque villages.

Welcome to carefree Hvar: a historic island of Venetian stone houses and monuments above a palm- and superyacht-lined harbour. Visit the Grand Piazza with its baroque cathedral and Venetian castle, plus the oceanback monastery and its legendary 'Last Supper' painting. Head to the pine-covered Pakleni islets for seclusion, enjoy Carpe Diem by the sea, and explore lavender-scented Humac and Stari Grad.

This pearlescent Croatian Riviera town sits on a narrow strand between the Julian Alps and the Adriatic. Baroque beauty, youthful energy, and a lively February carnival define it. Stroll the Korzo for Habsburg waterfront grandeur, then discover Italianate villas, Roman ruins, and cafe-lined old squares. Pebbled beaches and clear waters invite swims, while the stone steps to Trsat Castle reveal views over hillside trees, monastery gardens, rooftops, and Kvarner Bay.

Explore Venice's ancient palaces, galleries, and modern exhibits; walk among masterpieces, catch an opera, admire medieval buildings, and blow Murano glass. Drift the Grand Canal by gondola past churches, convents, and campi, cross hump-backed bridges, and reach Piazza San Marco, the Basilica, and the Doge's Palace. From palazzos to perfumeries and the Bridge of Sighs, beauty is always moments away in this liquid-gold city.