Greece offers sunshine, whitewashed houses with bright-blue shutters, delicious food, and a relaxed lifestyle. And, as the cradle of Western civilization, it has some of the world’s greatest ancient monuments. While it’s a late bloomer in the modern age and retains echoes of a simpler, time-passed world, contemporary Greece has one of Europe’s fastest-changing cultural landscapes. With its classical past, hang-loose present, and edgy future, Greece offers something for every traveler.

It’s loaded with great beaches(Naxos, Mykonos, and Paros have the best sand and swimming), fantastic historical sites (Athens, Crete, and Delphi top the list), and stunning natural beauty (Santorini, Milos, and the Meteora are my favs). The magical Greek islands are perfectly scattered for island hopping and adventure, while mainland Greece is packed with ancient cities and less-visited regions that will surprise and reward the unhurried traveler.