Fisher - Fodors Greece: with Great Cruises & the Best Islands

Lovers of art, antiquity, and mythology journey to Greece to make a pilgrimage to its great archaeological sites. Here, at Delphi, Olympia, and Epidauros, the gods of Olympus were revered, Euripidess plays were first presented, and some of the greatest temples ever built still evoke the genial atmosphere of Greeces golden age (in spite of 2,500 years of wear and tear). Take this tour and youll learn that its not necessary to be a scholar of history to feel the proximity of ancient Greece.

Begin at the beginningthe Acropolis plateauwhere you can explore the greatest temple of Periclean Greece, the Parthenon, while drinking in heart-stopping views over the modern metropolis. After touring the ancient Agora, the Monument of Lysikrates, and the Odeon of Herod Atticus, finish up at the National Archaeological Museum (check opening hours).

Logistics: Your Acropolis ticket also gets you into the other archaeological sites in Athens. Use the efficient Metro to avoid constant traffic slowdowns.

Sun, sand, art, and antiquity all lie southeast of Athens in Sounion. Here, the spectacular Temple of Poseidon sits atop a cliff 195 feet over the Saronic Gulf. Pay your own respects to the god of the sea at the beach directly below or enjoy the coves of the Apollo Coast as you head back west to the seaside resort of Vouliagmeni for an overnight.

Logistics: If you dont want to go on your own, most travel agencies offer tours to Sounion, and then you can spend another night in Athens.

Heading west of Athens, make a stop at Eleusis, home of the Sanctuary of Demeter and the haunted grotto of Hades, god of the Underworld. Past the Isthmus of Corinthgateway to the PeloponneseAncient Corinth and its sublime Temple of Apollo beckon. Head south to the coast and Nafplion; en route, stop at a roadside stand for some tasty Nemean wine.

Logistics: Stopping briefly at Eleusis is easier if you have a car. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of bus schedules.

Nafplion is a stage set of Venetian fortresses, Greek churches, and neoclassical mansions, and you can explore the mysteries of forgotten civilizations in nearby Tiryns, Mycenae, and Epidauros. North is Tiryns, where Bronze Age ramparts bear witness to Homers well-girt city. Farther north is Agamemnons blood-soaked realm, the royal citadel of Mycenae, destroyed in 468 BC. Then take a day trip east to the famous ancient Theater at Epidauros, where a summer drama festival still presents the great tragedies of Euripides.

Logistics: Set up base in Nafplion and visit the nearby sights at your leisure. Its obviously easier to do this if you have a car.

After your third overnight in Nafplion, head west to Olympiaholiest site of the ancient Greek religion, home to the Sanctuary of Zeus, and birthplace of the Olympics. Walk through the olive groves of the sacred precinct; then get acquainted with Praxiteles Hermes in the museum. Overnight here and then make a trip south to the remote Temple of Apollo at Bassae.

Logistics: From Nafplion, you can get to Olympia via Argos by train or Tripoli by car (on the E65).

Set aside a day to discover Delphi, whose noble dust and ancient ruins are theatrically set amid cliffs. Despite the tour buses, it is still possible to imagine the power of the most famous oracle of antiquity. From here, head back to Athens.

Logistics: From Olympia, head north through verdant forests of the Elis region to Patras or nearby Rion for the ferry or bridge across the Corinthian Gulf; travel east along the coast and overnight in chic Galaxidi, with its elegant stone seafarers mansions.

Marvels of Central Greece

With a rich wilderness of mountains, rocky gorges, and white-water rivers crossed by stone-arch bridges, Epirus is the antithesis of what most people think about Greece. Take a tour of the region that sweeps down from the borders of Albania, and drive south into Central Greece almost to the Gulf of Corinth to discover a stunning landscape that shows off Greeces mountainous character at its best.

1 Day: Ioannina

Ioannina, which was a crossroads of trading, is the handsome capital of Epirus and reflects its Balkan, Ottoman, and Byzantine roots that are preserved in its Old Town. You can soak in the panoramic view of the city from its castle walls that date back to AD 528 and visit the citys Byzantine Museum within the citys citadel. Take a boat ride and glide to the citys landmark, Lake Pamvotis, for a stop at Nissi Island. Visit the little village on Nissi, which is free of most vehicular traffic, then head to the museum that unveils the historical details of enigmatic Ottoman ruler, Ali Pasha, during his dramatic reign of the region from 1788 until he was deposed by the Turks in 1821. Its housed in the 16th-century era Pandelimonos Monastery, where Ali Pasha lived until he was killed.