Greece is a paradise for different tourists. It is far out for the beach bum, it is great for the lover of the classics and it is a must see for anyone interested in knowing where western civilization as we know it stems from.

Located in southeastern Europe, Greece is bordered by Bulgaria, Albania, Turkey, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Balkan Peninsula, which constitutes Greece, is surrounded by over a thousand of tiny islands, of which less than 200 are inhabited. It is primarily a mountainous country with a major chunk of its landmass perched at over 1,500 m above sea level.

Perhaps no nation in Europe can boast of a more ancient history than Greece. Greece's antiquity dates back to 3000 BC when the powerful Cycladic, Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations flourished here. The glorious history of Greece is reflected in the ruins and monuments that lie scattered all over the country. The temple of Poseidon, also called Sounion, is an nice place to check out.

The southern peninsula, the Peloponnesos, is known both for its picturesque scenery and rich history, and is made up of numerious distinct regions (such as Lakonia and Mani) that each have their own distict histories and appearances. While in the Peloponnesos, be sure to check the cities of Corinth and Micenae, there are some nice historical places to walk around.

The islands of Greece such as Crete , Rhodes, and the Cyclades are also noted for thier picturesque scenery and rich histories. Santorini is quite impressive, its capital Thira is a the edge of this large cliff, as half of the island sunk in some volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. The sunsets are breathtaking. It also has nice black sand beaches, such as Perissa beach. Mykonos is also quite nice, it is well known for its windmills. And there is the sacred island of Delos, which is a short boat ride from Mykonos...and it is sort of like the birthplace of Greek Mythology.

In mainland Greece, you have the magnificent Meteora monasteries. The mountainous terrain of Greece is ideal for trekking, while Mt. Parnassus near Delphi offers opportunities for skiing.

In the east, Greece's second biggest city of Thessaloniki is absolutely worth a visit. The city has many monuments most of them dating back to Byzantine times.

When you plan travel to Greece try to visit at least the capital Athens, a bit of the Peloponessos and one or two islands. You will then get a general idea of what this fascinating country has to offer. Athens is a great city with many interesting street fairs.