Cool places to visit in Greece

The Caryatid Porch is part of the ruins at the Acropolis. (Photo: Images )

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The Hellenic Republic, which back 5, 000 years and is commonly known as Greece, is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. A mountainous region with coastal plains and more than 1, 400 islands, Greece is a popular summer tourist destination. July and August are the busiest vacation months, while the islands on the Aegean Sea attract visitors from June through September. As Greece is a member of the European Union, merchants in the country only accept euros.

Historical Places

Greek archaeological sites hold the key to thousands of years of history. The Acropolis of Athens (acropolisofathens.gr) is a complex set of ruins that includes several temples to the god Athena including the Parthenon, the Theater of Dionysos, the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Library. The Acropolis Museum (theacropolismuseum.gr), built over exposed dig sites, at time of publication, is open Tuesday through Sunday, with extended hours on Fridays and is closed on major holidays. A few Doric columns are all that remain standing in the Temple of Apollo at the Delphi Archaeological Site (no website; 33054 Delfi, Delphi; no phone). Other ruins include Tholos, a circular sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, a theatre and a stadium. The Museum of Delphi (no website; Delphi 33054, Fokida; 30-2) displays ancient Greek art and statuary including the famed bronze of the Charioteer of Delphi.

Religious Sites

"The Route that Apostle Paul followed in Greece" is a popular tour with Christian visitors. Paul preached in Philippi, Thessalonica, Veria, Athens and Corinth. From the United States, inclusive guided tours of the route are offered by All-Star Cruises and Travel (danthetravelman.com) and Great Escapes (religioustravel.net). The Cathedral of Saint Minas (no website; Meramvellou, Heraklion; no phone), an imposing church on Saint Catherine Square in Heraklion, Crete is one of the largest in Greece. Completed in 1895 and built in the shape of a cross with two bell towers and a dome, it stands behind the little Church of Saint Minas, built in 1735.

Beaches

Along its almost thousand miles of shore, Greece has numerous beaches with crystal clear waters. The Foundation for Environmental Education (fee-international.org) annually awards "blue flag" designations to environmentally safe beaches in Europe; in 2011, the most recent reporting year, 387 Greek beaches were honored. Greece's "organized beaches, " which are designated with a blue flag, offer services including umbrellas, chairs, food vendors or full-service restaurants and lifeguarded swim areas. On Thessaloniki, blue flag beaches include Agia Triada, Perea and Nei Epivates. Beach resorts at Chalkidiki, on the southeastern tip of the mainland, offer wind-surfing and scuba diving. Mykonos allows nude sunbathing on some island beaches. Thirty-three beaches on the Corfu are blue-flagged; with subtropical weather, the island's rainy season runs from September to March.

Family Fun Nature Places

Attica Zoological Park (atticapark.com) in Athens is open Tuesday through Sunday at time of publication. More than 2, 000 animals from all five continents are on display, including African penguins, Australian parrots and American bald eagles. At the Cretaquarium (cretaquarium.gr) in Crete, some 2, 500 Mediterranean and tropical marine animals are on display. Open daily with extended summer hours, exhibits range from large sharks to microscopic sea organisms. Two underwater national parks protect Greek seas. The National Marine Park of Alonnisos Northern Sporades (alonissos-park.gr) protects the habitat of monk seals; the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (nmp-zak.org) protects loggerhead sea turtle nesting areas.