Greece

The marble columns of the Parthenon have stood above Athens since the fifth century BC, a temple to Athena and a symbol of classical Greece. The rock also holds the Erechtheion, with its maiden-shaped columns, and the elegant temple of Athena Nike at the gateway.

Our tip Enter at opening time or in the last two hours before closing; the midday sun on the marble is fierce in summer.

This light-filled modern museum stands at the foot of the hill, with glass floors revealing an excavated Athenian neighbourhood below. The top gallery displays the Parthenon frieze at its original orientation, with the temple itself visible through the windows, so you can compare carving and building side by side.

Our tip Visit the museum after the Acropolis, and stay for a drink on its terrace, which faces the Parthenon directly.

Beneath the north slope of the Acropolis, Plaka's lanes are lined with neoclassical houses, tavernas and small Byzantine churches. Climbing higher, the whitewashed cottages of Anafiotika were built by islanders from Anafi, giving the heart of Athens an unexpectedly Cycladic look.

Our tip Walk here in the early evening, when the heat fades, and dine on a rooftop facing the illuminated Acropolis.

Santorini's whitewashed villages line the rim of a submerged volcanic caldera, with cliffs plunging hundreds of metres into the sea. Oia is famous for its sunsets, Fira for its clifftop paths, and the Bronze Age city of Akrotiri preserves streets buried by an eruption more than three thousand years ago.

Our tip Watch the sunset from Imerovigli or a private catamaran rather than in Oia, where the crowds gather shoulder to shoulder.

Mykonos Town is a maze of whitewashed lanes, blue doors and chapels, opening onto the windmills on the hill above. Little Venice sees balconies hang directly over the sea, while the beaches of the south coast range from calm family coves to lively beach clubs.

Our tip Take a boat to the island of Delos, one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece, on a calm morning.

Byzantine monasteries perch on top of sandstone pillars rising from the plain of Thessaly, built by monks seeking solitude from the fourteenth century onwards. Six remain active, and their frescoed chapels are reached by stone steps that were once climbed only by rope ladder.

Our tip Check opening days, as each monastery closes on a different day of the week, and come at sunset for the light on the rocks.