Mainland Greece Mingles Ancient and Modern

Romantic, whitewashed islands such as Santorini and Mykonos may lure more “likes” on social media, but to dive deep into Greece’s heady blend of history and myth, explore the mainland. Bonus: Athens buzzes year-round while many isles hibernate from late fall to early spring.

On this itinerary through the storied peninsula and mountainous north, you’ll journey to the sites of Homeric epics, biblical books, and ancient Panhellenic Games. You’ll trace the tracks of oracle pilgrims, mountain-dwelling monks, seafaring soldiers, and famous philosophers. Plus, you’ll find plenty of ocean views and places for dips in the sapphire sea.

Athens

Navigating a city so steeped in antiquities takes savvy and self-compassion. It’s easy to succumb to the siren call of tourist districts and get pulled into the tide of crowded shopping streets and restaurants that put the “meh” in meze. Or to feel pressure to see every Doric column and demigod statue. Instead, pick a neighborhood and embrace the volta—Greek for “leisurely stroll.” All around the Acropolis, Athens’s districts unfold like villages, each offering distinct vibes and opportunities to soak up different aspects of Greek culture.

Rising dramatically above the metropolis, the Acropolis (literally “high city”) stands as a lasting symbol of Greece’s golden age. As you progress through its series of theaters and religious buildings crowned by the Parthenon, you’ll be treading on one of the bedrocks of modern culture. Here, Athenians of the 5th century BC birthed many of the philosophical, political, and artistic ideas that reverberate around the world today. 

It’s best to book your Acropolis tickets in advance for a weekday when it opens at 8 a.m., before cruise ship passengers arrive and the sun intensifies. But no matter when you go, you’ll inevitably jostle with throngs of visitors—up to 20,000 each day. So remember the maxim of Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus: “There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”

At the foot of the Acropolis, the neoclassical neighborhood of Plaka overflows with tourists on the main streets. For a more peaceful volta, head to the area in and around Anafiotika, a rambling quarter of Plaka built by Anafi islanders to resemble their home in the Cyclades. Narrow lanes where cats laze lead to pastel-painted tavernas, intricately decorated churches, and peekaboo views of the Acropolis above. Need a pick-me-up? Caffeinate with a rich, potent Greek coffee at Yiasemi cafe on the vine-draped Plaka stairs. 

To the northwest, Monastiraki presents a mosaic of jam-packed plazas and bustling streets interspersed with serene spots for reflection. Roam through the Roman Agora—the marketplace and civic center for 1st-century BC residents. Then, wander the Ancient Agora, where Athenians convened for about 800 years to shop, negotiate business, and hear wise teachings from philosophers such as Socrates. Every Sunday at the Monastiraki flea market on Avissinias Square, you can haggle for antique coffee pots, backgammon boards, vintage jewelry, and more. At Fisi, take home the aromas of Greece with bay laurel essential oil, pine face oil, and donkey milk soap. Nearby on Ermou Street, look up at the mural of crying Caryatids, which depicts famous female statues from the Acropolis (including one controversially taken to the British Museum in the 19th century) weeping over the political state of Greece.

Further north, vibrant, bohemian Psyri (aka Psirri) brims with bars, street art, and artisan craft shops. During Sunday brunch at vintage-chic Zampano, tuck into scrambled eggs with tomatoes and feta while grooving to live gypsy jazz. On Evripidou Street, taste oak and thyme honey in Melira, and sample award-winning spiced soutzouki sausage at Miran, where charcuterie hangs from the ceiling like holiday ornaments. Evripidou Street’s mom-and-pop food shops act as appetizers to the visual feast at nearby Varvakios Central Market in the city’s historic center. Here, vendors peddle everything from goat meat and sea bass to souvlaki spices and buttery Amfissa olives. Farther into the historic center, dine at Dopios, located on a buzzing square with plane trees and an 11th-century church. Dopios’s award-winning chef, Christoforos Peskias, sources seasonal ingredients from Greek producers to craft stimulating small plates (meze) such as grilled zucchini and green bean salad with tsalafouti cheese. 

On the east side of town, beyond the turtle-filled Athens National Garden, Pangrati has long attracted Athens’ artists and intelligentsia, along with the cafes that serve as their second homes. In this district, you can peruse paintings by Greek masters at the National Gallery and famous international artworks at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation. Meander through the First Cemetery of Athens, which feels like a sculpture garden of ancient and modern memento mori.

The Peloponnese 

History and mythology mingle in this mountainous peninsula, home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, a cradle of modern medicine, a mosaic of architectural styles, and the Dionysian pleasures of wine country. All the locations mentioned below in the northeastern pocket of the Peloponnese are about a 1.5- to 2-hour drive from Athens and would make an ideal day trip. Alternatively, you could link several locations in a multiday loop. 

About an hour west of Athens, you’ll cross a bridge over the Peloponnese precursor to the Panama Canal: the Corinth Canal. This engineering feat allows ships to squeeze through the isthmus between the Ionian and Aegean seas. A reassuring sight for those of us prone to procrastination, the canal was begun in AD 67 under Roman Emperor Nero but wasn’t completed until 1893. 

Continuing west past modern Corinth, you’ll arrive in ancient Corinth, the first Greek city to fall to the Roman Empire in 146 BC. In the excellently curated museum, you can see archaeological finds from the area, including gorgeous mosaics and the twin kouros—nude male statues unearthed by antiquities smugglers but rescued just before they hit the black market. Then, amble among the mostly Roman ruins of the marketplace and temples. You’ll walk in the historic footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who preached the gospel to the Corinthians circa AD 50. You’ll also trod in the mythical sandal steps of Jason of the Argonauts, who betrayed his wife, Medea, by getting engaged to the princess of Corinth—with tragic consequences. 

Next, drive to Acrocorinth, a massive citadel and complex of ruined temples on a limestone monolith looming above ancient Corinth. As you gaze at jaw-dropping vistas of the isthmus, you can appreciate why this location became a strategic and spiritual cornerstone for a series of empires—Greek, Roman, Ottoman, and Venetian. All of them put their architectural fingerprints on these defensive structures. Leave this world of war behind and cruise 15 minutes to the sleepy seaside village of Kato Assos. At family-owned Thealos taverna, savor grilled octopus and crispy calamari at tables nestled into the sandy beach. 

Venture 30 minutes southwest to ancient Nemea to explore the 4th-century BC Temple of Zeus and a 600-foot-long stadium. Here, athletes smeared themselves in olive oil, then wrestled or raced chariots to honor Zeus at the Nemean Games starting in 573 BC. Views from the stadium sweep across the rolling hills and vineyards of Nemea’s acclaimed wine country. At nearby Ktima Bairaktaris or art-decked Estate Constantine Gofas, you can swirl and sip full-bodied, spicy Agiorgitiko red wines.

Around 30 minutes southeast, time-travel to the Bronze Age in Mycenae. This now-ruined city was the headquarters of the Mycenaeans, who dominated the eastern Mediterranean from around 1600 to 1100 BC—a thousand years before the Acropolis of Athens had its heyday. Homer spun tales about this militaristic society, their city stockpiled with gold, and their King Agamemnon, who led troops in the Trojan War. Historians still debate how many of those stories are legends and how many are true. Ponder the mystery as you wander among the rough ruins, where guards once peered across the fertile valley to the distant ocean, watching for invaders.

Next, head 30 minutes south to Nafplion (aka Nafplio). This picturesque city’s pastel Italianate houses and domed mosques reflect its past as a stronghold of the Venetian and Ottoman empires before it became liberated Greece’s first capital from the 1820s to 1830s. For ravishing vistas of terracotta roofs and the cerulean sea, drive or climb about 900 steps (ideally in the morning shade) to the mountaintop Palamidi Fortress. This architectural marvel was constructed by the Venetians in the early 1700s, quickly seized by the Ottomans, taken back a century later by Greek freedom fighters, then occupied by the Nazis in World War II.

In town, relish contemporary Nafplion’s peaceful and pleasure-loving culture. Splash into the sea at pebbly Arvanitia beach. Promenade along the romantic waterfront overlooking the island castle of Bourtzi. At I Folia (The Nest), indulge in fittingly Italian-influenced Greek fare, such as langoustines and mussels nestled on orzo pasta or shrimp swimming in feta-studded tomato sauce. If you have an extra half-day, book a sailing cruise of the turquoise coast, stopping at secluded beaches and snorkeling coves while snacking on spanakopita and sipping ouzo. Hotel Aetoma, a restored 18th-century mansion as colorful as a fruit bowl, makes a lovely base in Nafplion and arranges horse rides in the surrounding countryside. 

About 30 minutes east, you’ll find ancient Greece’s answer to a wellness town: Epidaurus. From around the 4th century BC, people journeyed from afar to the hospitals, bathhouses, and ritual sites at this sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine. Though the ruins are stark, it’s incredible to stroll around one of the most important birthplaces of modern scientific medicine. Epidaurus’s extraordinarily well-preserved Ancient Theatre at the Asklepion—built circa 340 BC to provide healing plays, poetry, and music for the sick—boasts crystal-clear acoustics and a dramatic backdrop of forested mountains. During the Athens Epidaurus Festival, from June to August, sit on the stone steps and enjoy music, dance, and theater performances.

Delphi 

When you drive 2.5 hours from Athens to Delphi, you’ll be making the same pilgrimage as the philosophers, rulers, and regular folks who consulted the Oracle of Delphi for more than a thousand years. The oracles—who were always women—sat in the Temple of Apollo above a chasm that supposedly leaked intoxicating fumes, lulling the women into a prophetic trance that allowed them to utter the words of the gods. These vapors were long considered legendary. But in the early 2000s, scientists found that the temple lies directly above two intersecting fault lines that may have exhaled hallucinogenic petrochemical gases from deep in the Earth.  

This poetic blend of geology, history, and myth is enhanced by Delphi’s spectacular setting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. As you stand amid the evocative ruins overlooking a green valley and majestic massifs, you can see why ancient Greeks considered this the center of the Earth. Try to arrive early or late when it’s quieter and easier to imagine an entranced prophetess proclaiming that Socrates was the wisest man or predicting rich King Croesus’s defeat by the Persians. Take a short hike up to the stadium, where the ancient Pythian Games featured not only sports, but also music, painting, and poetry competitions for both men and women. 

In town, savor glorious views and traditional fare like wild fennel pie with cheese and honey at Taverna Vakhos. To literally follow in the footsteps of oracle pilgrims, hike the ancient path from Delphi to the coastal town of Kirra. The marked downhill trail, which takes about three hours, weaves through a vast olive grove and mountain scenery before ending at a swimmable sea. You can catch a bus or taxi back to Delphi. Though Delphi makes a perfect day trip from Athens, consider staying overnight to more conveniently visit the ruins and interesting archaeological museum during less busy hours, or if you’re continuing north to Meteora.

Meteora 

Derived from a word that means “suspended in air,” Meteora’s heavenly monasteries seem to grow from the tops of sandstone pillars towering about 1,000 feet above a forest. From the 1300s to 1500s, monks seeking solace from political conflict constructed 24 hermitages accessible only by ladders, ropes, and baskets. Today, six remain and are easier to visit thanks to roads and steps. 

Though you can take a guided or self-guided day trip from Athens, it’s much more magical to spend the night. You can savor a fantastical sunset and sunrise, and roam the buildings at a monastic pace. After making the three-hour drive from Delphi or the four-hour drive from Athens, base yourself in the scenic town of Kalambaka. From here, you can reach the monasteries by car, bus, taxi, or hiking boots. For the smoothest experience, check each monastery’s limited opening hours ahead of time, bring cash for the 3 euro entry fees, and observe the dress code (covered shoulders and long skirts for women; pants for men). 

Varlaam—arguably the most gorgeous monastery—makes an excellent first stop, with its helpful history museum, elaborate architecture, intricate frescoes, and glorious gardens. Reasonably fit travelers can hike 1.5 hours from the village of Kastraki through woodland to Varlaam. For a more easily accessible option, St. Stephen’s nunnery has the fewest steps, the most convenient parking, and (therefore) often the most crowds. If your quad muscles are up for a challenge, hike the steep 1.5 hours from Kalambaka to Holy Trinity monastery, a serene and sacred space affording panoramic views of Meteora’s geological wonderland.