Korina Miller - Lonely Planet Greece, 9th Edition (Country Travel Guide)

What is it that calls so many of us to Greece? Perhaps its the endless miles of aquamarine coastline with some of Europes cleanest beaches. Or the ancient sights that youve read about all your life and want to see with your own eyes. Maybe its the slow-paced island life where days melt from one to the next, or the adrenalin-rushing possibilities of the mountainous terrain. Its easy to understand how so many myths of gods and giants originated in this vast and varied landscape, with wide open skies and a sea speckled with islands. Greece is also the birthplace of drama and democracy, of western science and medicine. Its been said that, in many ways, we are all the sons and daughters of Ancient Greece. Perhaps were simply being called home.

Once you arrive, its not too difficult to find the Greece you were hoping for, whether its the pulsing nightclubs of Mykonos or the solemnity of Meteora; the grandeur of Delphi or the earthiness of Metsovo; the rugged Cretan hillsides and the lush wildflowers of spring. Youll quickly become acquainted with the melancholy throb of rembetika (blues songs), the tang of homemade tzatziki, and the ability of the ancient sights to unleash an imagination you might not have realised you had.

Nevertheless, while ancient sights might take the limelight in many tourist itineraries, the Greeks certainly arent stuck in the past. Sure, its easy to find remote, traditional villages with brilliant white buildings and roaming donkeys and goats, but the shepherd will likely be talking on their mobile phone and making a date for the local, trendy cafe. Athens has a firm grip on style and sophistication to rival any European capital. The Greek modern art scene is fresh and vibrant, and the political scene is passionate. Its a nation that welcomes and even insists upon change from the unstoppable urban renewal taking place in Athens to the internet cafes found on the smallest islands and modern, impressive museums popping up around the nation. There are few cultures that embrace the past so fondly while simultaneously welcoming the future with open arms.

Like everywhere, its not always smooth sailing in Greece. When problems do arise, theyre debated and handled with a strong will, as is evident in the heated conversations outside the local kafeneio (coffee house). The past three decades of increased wealth and improved living standards have gone hand in hand with rising unemployment, growing public debt and a credit crunch thats left many Greeks disillusioned and angry. The governments proposals of reforms in pensions and labour, plans for privatisation, and alleged corruption, incited many Greeks to take to the street in massive strikes and protests.

Since the early 70s, battles between youth and the police have been a mainstay of Greek society. Increases in youth unemployment and downward mobility have added fuel to the youth movement and protests in December 2008 resulted in the death of a 15-year-old, shot by the Athenian police in the student neighbourhood of Exarhia. News of the shooting quickly spread (largely via texting, Facebook and Twitter) and hundreds of youth took to the streets in a social uprising that lasted for days and threatened to topple the government.

The colossal fires of 2007 also sparked distrust in the government for the way in which they were (or werent) dealt with. Today youll find student groups, environmental charities and locals teamed up with expats working to reforest the country. Greeks are, in general, becoming increasingly aware of environmental degradation, with calls for bans on sprawling development and more opportunities to recycle. Climate change, diminished water supplies and the rising of sea levels are very real concerns for Greeks. But the debate is often tangled in the mixed interests of locals versus developers or backdoor deals with local government.

On the global front, Greece has become a truly multicultural nation in recent years and the pros and cons of this are another hot topic of conversation. Once an emigrant country, with thousands of Greeks moving to North America and Australia, and later a popular refuge for expats, Greece now sees a huge influx of illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa who cross the border from Turkey. As islands such as Samos struggle to house boatloads of migrants, there is mounting criticism from the international community on the poor conditions and treatment of refugees and immigrants in Greece. With the lowest acceptance rate in Europe for asylum requests (only 379 out of 20,000 were accepted in 2008), many illegal immigrants and refugees simply disappear into Greeces informal economy or attempt to cross into other European countries. Others linger in shanty towns and deportation centres.

All of this would have once been discussed in a haze of smoke at the local kafeneio but in July 2009, Greece brought in antismoking laws similar to those across Europe, meaning all public places should be smoke free. Greeks are some of the heaviest smokers in Europe and it will be interesting to see how well this law is enforced, particularly in the small villages, remote islands and party hubs. It seems likely that the majority will continue to rule.

Despite these passionate debates and controversy, Greece is essentially a laid-back place. Lounge at the cafe over an endless coffee, stroll along the seafront, park yourself on the beach and take your time over meals and youll fit right in. Greeks know how to enjoy life and are renowned as some of the most hospitable people on the globe. Their generosity and warmth is as genuine as the soft sand between your toes and the warmth of the Aegean sun.