Greece is famous for its many important archaeological sites and ancient monuments. It is a small country with a total population of about 10 million people.

The most popular tourist site in Athens is The Parthenon.  The Parthenon is a temple to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare, built in 438 B.C.  It is located on a hill called the Acropolis in the center of the city of Athens.  Athens is the capital and largest city in Greece of about 4.5 million people. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities dating back about 3,400 years. The city is about 159 square miles (412 km²).

Meterora is famous for the six monasteries that sit atop tall spires of rock.  Monks lived away from people so they could have more time devoted to prayer and meditation.

Delphi is a famous archaeological site in Greece.  Ancient Greeks worshiped Apollo here.  Delphi is home to the Oracle of Delphi.  There is a museum that houses many statues of long ago.

Corinth at one time was a very wealthy town.  It was destroyed 2,000 years ago by the Romans.  It is mostly a Roman archaeological site.

Monemvasia is a walled city on the sea in the south-eastern Peloponnese.  Stone walkways, small houses and lots of restaurants and shops add to the city’s charm.  You can see the city walls and the old church.

Cyclades Islands

• Crete, the largest of the Greek Islands has archaeological digs related to the Minoan civilization.  There is King Minos’ Palace that was built four thousand years ago!

• Naxos is thought to be the most beautiful of Greek islands.  It has beaches and the sea to explore.

• Santorini has many villages on steep cliffs overlooking the water.  These cliffs are the remains of a large volcano that erupted, collapses and then flooded the area a long time ago.  Fira, the island’s capital has houses painted white and blue-domed churches, winding lanes.

• Mykonos is known as the Gateway to Delors, a small island known as the birthplace of Apollo and his twin Artemis.  There are many archaeological ruins to explore.

Dodecanese Islands

• Rhodes is a walled town created by the Knights of Saint John.  You can visit Lindos and see the hilltop ruins of the Temple of Athena and view the Aegean Sea.  Rhodes was once home of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Ionian Islands

• Kerkyra (Corfu) is the closest Greek Island to Europe.  It has lots of luxurious vegetation.  Corfu Town is known for its nightlife.

Sporades Islands

• Skopelos is located in the central Aegean Sea.  It is close to the mainland.  This island is known as the “greenest” of the Greek Islands.  Many of the scenes from the film Mama Mia were shot here as well as on the neighboring island of Skiathos. The small chapel at Skopelos featured in the movie allows Greek Orthodox weddings.

Online Greek lessons for kids: dinolingo.com