Greece

Tourists are drawn to the country’s beaches and its reliable warm sunny summer weather, its nightlife, ancient historical sites, and its natural beauty. Greece welcomed more than 17 million visitors during 2007, which is a large number considering the small size of the country (11 million).

The majority of visitors to Greece are from other European countries, but in recent years there has been an increasing number of tourists from other regions of the world. The vast majority of visitors come from April to October. The high season is from July to August, and the majority of tourists and the travel industry have been concentrated on Crete,  the Cyclades and the western Greek islands, and to a lesser extent on the Peloponnese and the Chalkidiki islands in Macedonia. There are still many rewarding areas in the country that are free from mass tourism.

Many visitors coming to Greece for the first time have certain ideas in mind and are surprised to find a country with such a regional and architectural diversity. Famous painted whitewashed houses as well as charming churches decorated with blue domes are only characteristic of one particular region of the country (the Cyclades Islands). Their architecture varied considerably between regions, reflecting the local history. For instance, you can find Neo-Classical architectural styles in the towns of Ermoupolis and Nafplion, white-washed Cycladic buildings on the island of Paros , Ottoman-style architecture in Grevená and Kozáni, and pastel-colored Baroque houses as well as churches on Corfu. The country’s landscape is as diverse as its architectural heritage: idyllic beaches, towering mountain ranges, vine-rich valleys, vast olive groves in the south and lush forests in the north. Historic Greece’s attractions are equally diverse, as the country is scattered with medieval churches and castles as well and classical ruins and temples.