Athens, cradle of Western democracy, offers a living link to antiquity. Climb the Acropolis to see the Parthenon, Temple of Nike, and Erechtheion caryatids, then visit the Acropolis Museum for original statues and artifacts. The National Archaeological Museum is also outstanding. In the Agora, follow the footsteps of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Hippocrates, and Pericles. Finish in Plaka with its winding lanes and lively tavernas.

Mykonos is a charming, fashionable Greek island known for golden beaches, blue-domed churches, and windmills. Its capital, Chora, is a whitewashed maze of alleyways built to deter pirates, with boutiques, galleries, and top restaurants. Explore hidden corners by 4x4 or take a short boat trip to nearby Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient ruins and the mythic birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

Corfu is steeped in history and long coveted by maritime powers since antiquity. The greenest of the Greek islands, it has orange and olive groves, beautiful beaches, and a cerulean sea. Its UNESCO-listed Old Town features the Esplanade, palaces, castles, and archaeological sites. Highlights include Achillion Palace, Mon Repos, and Paleokastritsa, where Odysseus was said to wash ashore.

Dubrovnik, dubbed by Lord Byron the pearl of the Adriatic and by George Bernard Shaw a place to seek paradise on earth, is a UNESCO World Heritage city of red-tiled roofs, green hills, and the blue Adriatic. Its thick medieval walls encircle Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains. It also featured prominently in Game of Thrones. Its ancient ramparts, surviving centuries of sieges, remain deeply inspiring.

Dubrovnik, dubbed by Lord Byron the pearl of the Adriatic and by George Bernard Shaw a place to seek paradise on earth, is a UNESCO World Heritage city of red-tiled roofs, green hills, and the blue Adriatic. Its thick medieval walls encircle Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains. It also featured prominently in Game of Thrones. Its ancient ramparts, surviving centuries of sieges, remain deeply inspiring.

Trogir, a tiny island town on Croatia's Dalmatian Coast linked by bridges to the mainland and Čiovo, is easy to explore on foot. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is famed for its Romanesque churches and Venetian Renaissance-Baroque buildings. Highlights include the 13th-century Cathedral of St. Lawrence, its Chapel of St. John, bell tower views, and remarkably intact medieval walls, palaces, churches, and towers.

Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage city, rises from a lagoon on more than 100 small islands linked by canals. A gondola ride passes under the Rialto Bridge and along the Grand Canal. At Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace reflect Venetian power. Art highlights include the Gallerie dell'Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Nearby Murano is known for glassblowers, and Burano for colorful shops and lace makers.