World Guide

Greece

Country · Europe, Southern Europe

Greece
Photo: George E. Koronaios, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Greece is a country in Southern Europe with a population of about 10.4 million and an area of 131,957 square kilometers. Its capital is Athens. The country offers travelers a mix of historic cities and ancient sights.

Highlights

The site covers 80 sights, including major historical locations. In Athens, you can visit the Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora of Athens, Panathenaic Stadium, Hellenic Parliament, Platonic Academy, and Olympic Stadium. Other notable sights across the country include Mycenae, Knossos, Meteora, Corinth Canal, Olympia, Pella, Thermopylae, Akrotiri, Philippi, and the Temple of Apollo. Key cities to explore are Athens, Thessaloniki, Kalabaka, Samos, Corfu, Corinth, Nafplio, and Rhodes.

Food and drink

Local dishes and drinks include moussaka, feta, tzatziki, Greek salad, ouzo, gyros, souvlaki, taramasalata, avgolemono, lokma, savory spinach pie, and stuffed leaves.

When to go

This climate information covers the capital, Athens. January sees daily highs of 12 °C and lows of 6 °C with 53 mm of rain on about 11 days. February has highs of 13 °C and lows of 5 °C with 41 mm of rain on about 8 days. March brings highs of 16 °C and lows of 7 °C with 47 mm of rain on about 8 days. April features highs of 20 °C and lows of 11 °C with 32 mm of rain on about 4 days. May warms to highs of 26 °C and lows of 15 °C with 18 mm of rain on about 5 days. June has highs of 31 °C and lows of 20 °C with 8 mm of rain on about 5 days. July reaches highs of 33 °C and lows of 22 °C with 9 mm of rain on about 3 days. August has highs of 33 °C and lows of 22 °C with 6 mm of rain on about 2 days. September has highs of 29 °C and lows of 19 °C with 16 mm of rain on about 5 days. October sees highs of 23 °C and lows of 15 °C with 36 mm of rain on about 5 days. November brings highs of 17 °C and lows of 11 °C with 63 mm of rain on about 9 days. December has highs of 13 °C and lows of 7 °C with 69 mm of rain on about 8 days.

Practical notes

The currency is the euro. The official language is Greek. Plugs are of type C and F, with a voltage of 230 V. Driving is on the right side of the road. The time zone is UTC+02:00.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Greece

  • Moussaka
  • Feta
  • Tzatziki
  • Greek salad
  • Ouzo
  • Gyros
  • Souvlaki
  • Taramasalata
  • Avgolemono
  • Lokma
  • Savory spinach pie
  • Stuffed leaves

Top sights in Greece

  1. ParthenonUNESCOParthenonAthens
  2. Acropolis of AthensUNESCOAcropolis of AthensAthens
  3. MycenaeUNESCOMycenae
  4. KnossosUNESCOKnossosHeraklion
  5. MeteoraUNESCOMeteoraKalabaka
  6. Corinth CanalCorinth CanalCorinth
  7. OlympiaUNESCOOlympiaOlympia
  8. Hellenic ParliamentHellenic ParliamentAthens
  9. PellaPellaPella
  10. Panathenaic StadiumPanathenaic StadiumAthens
  11. ThermopylaeThermopylaeDelphi
  12. Platonic AcademyPlatonic AcademyAthens
  1. Olympic Stadium · Athens
  2. Akrotiri · Akrotiri
  3. Philippi · DramaUNESCO
  4. Erechtheion · AthensUNESCO
  5. Ancient Agora of Athens · Athens
  6. Temple of Apollo · Delphi
  7. Temple of Athena Nike · AthensUNESCO
  8. Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens · Athens
  9. Achilleion · Corfu
  10. Mon Repos, Corfu · Corfu
  11. Mystras · SpartaUNESCO
  12. Temple of Poseidon, Sounion
  13. Temple of Hephaestus · Athens
  14. Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus
  15. Olive tree of Vouves
  16. Treasury of Atreus · Mycenae
  17. Tiryns · NafplioUNESCO
  18. Odeon of Herodes Atticus · Athens
  19. Theatre of Dionysus · Athens
  20. Lion Gate · Mycenae
  21. Dodona · Ioannina
  22. White Tower of Thessaloniki · Thessaloniki
  23. Navagio Beach
  24. Lyceum · Athens
  25. Mount Ida · Rethymno
  26. Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes · Rhodes
  27. Mount Lycabettus · Athens
  28. Nicopolis · Preveza
  29. Acropolis Museum · Athens
  30. National Archaeological Museum, Athens · Athens
  31. AegaeUNESCO
  32. Arch of Galerius and Rotunda · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  33. PhaistosUNESCO
  34. Acrocorinth · Corinth
  35. Tunnel of Eupalinos · Samos
  36. Stagira · Olympiada
  37. Arkadiko Bridge · Nafplio
  38. Pnyx · Athens
  39. Palace of Nestor · Pylos
  40. Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora · Kalabaka
  41. Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  42. Arch of Hadrian · Athens
  43. Rio–Antirrio Bridge · Patras
  44. Hagios Demetrios · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  45. Temple of Aphaia · Aegina
  46. Monastery of Rousanou · Kalabaka
  47. Syntagma Square · Athens
  48. Propylaea · AthensUNESCO
  49. Kasta Tomb · Amphipolis
  50. Samaria Gorge · Agia Roumeli
  51. Sounion
  52. Stoa of Attalos · Athens
  53. Necromanteion of Acheron
  54. KydoniaUNESCO
  55. Acropolis of Rhodes · Rhodes
  56. Monastery of Saint John the TheologianUNESCO
  57. Kerameikos · Athens
  58. Theopetra Cave · Kalabaka
  59. Aulis · Chalcis
  60. Daphni Monastery · AthensUNESCO
  61. Sanctuary of Asclepius, EpidaurusUNESCO
  62. Heraion of Samos · SamosUNESCO
  63. Koules Fortress · Heraklion
  64. Heraklion Archaeological Museum · Heraklion
  65. MaliaUNESCO
  66. ZakrosUNESCO
  67. Walls of Thessaloniki · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  68. Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  69. Church of the Acheiropoietos · ThessalonikiUNESCO
  70. Pythagoreion · SamosUNESCO
  71. Lion of Amphipolis · Amphipolis
  72. Suleymaniye Mosque · Rhodes
  73. Eion · Amphipolis
  74. Spianada · Corfu

UNESCO sites in Greece →

Weather by month

The warmest month is July, with an average high of 33 °C. The wettest is December, with about 69 mm of rain.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C121316202631333329231713
Average low, °C65711152022221915117
Rainfall, mm534147321889616366369
Rainy days1188555325599

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Athens (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

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