Once serving as the capital of the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, Istanbul today offers impressive architecture, historic sites, dining, shopping, nightlife and exotic atmosphere. Spend time in the Old City to explore renowned places, like the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace.

The Dardanelles, one of the world's most historically significant waterways, have seen countless civilizations. Visit Troy, where Homer's Iliad comes alive among ancient ruins, see the imposing Çanakkale Fortress overlooking the strait, and enjoy authentic Turkish cuisine-savory kebabs and sweet baklava.

Izmir, curled around a cerulean bay, blends 4,000 years of history with a lively cosmopolitan vibe. Enjoy the Mediterranean waterfront, sampling boyoz, kumru, kokoreç and lokma with strong Turkish coffee. See the Roman agora, the patterned clock tower in Konak Square, and the 500-year-old Kemeralti Bazaar. Visit the archaeological museum and take a cable car for panoramic views of the "Pearl of the Aegean."

Located in the southwestern corner of Anatolia, Bodrum is a seacoast town in which sleek yachts are anchored in twin bays beneath the walls of a medieval Crusaders' castle. The town owes its fame to a man long dead (Mausolus) and his famous "Mausoleum," one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Bodrum's other claim to fame comes from Herodotus, the "Father of History," and the first person to write a comprehensive world history of the West.

Marmaris is a popular resort town with azure sea, golden beaches, yacht-filled marinas, and pine-covered hills. Visit Marmaris Castle (1522) for views and its museum of artifacts from nearby archaeological sites and bay shipwrecks. Then explore Old Town and the waterfront for Greek and Turkish food, perhaps with ouzo.

Renowned as the site of the former Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Rhodes was home to the Knights of St. John from the 12th to 16th centuries. Their famous Palace of the Grand Masters remains a "must-see," as are many of the inns occupied by the Crusaders and the replica of the old church. For a more in-depth look at the city, visitors can take in the Archeological where the Acropolis of Rhodes and the ancient stadium offer perfect photo opportunities.

Heraklion, Crete's capital, offers two must-sees: the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, with Minoan treasures and artifacts spanning 5,500+ years, and the Palace of Knossos, a Minoan center dating to c.2000 BC and linked to the Minotaur's Labyrinth. Enjoy harbor views from the 13th-century fortress and waterfront, then try fish taverns serving Cretan dishes like kaltsounia with raki.

Milos boasts over 70 beaches in red, pink, and orange against turquoise seas, plus Sarakiniko's lunar white limestone and Kleftiko's arches and sea caves. In whitewashed Plaka, see a museum with a replica of the Venus de Milo, found on Milos in 1820. In Pollonia, sample wines and cheeses aged in cool volcanic caverns.

Piraeus is the gateway to Athens, the "Cradle of Western Civilization," famed for its lasting cultural and political influence. Driven by tourism and the 2004 Olympics, Greece has redeveloped many sites. Athens remains a historian's delight, with the Acropolis, Parthenon, Plaka's winding streets, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Archaeological Museum's renowned ancient artifacts.