"A ship will come...", declared the singer Melina Mercouri to the port of Piraeus. Later, as Greek Minister for Culture, she made Athens the first European Capital of Culture in 1985. The city is considered the birthplace of Europe, of philosophy, and of democracy, and is the embodiment of the Olympic ideal. World-famous and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, its landmark is the magnificent Parthenon temple, lying high up on the Acropolis in all its glory. At the foot of the Acropolis hill is the Plaka, the oldest quarter of Athens, and the world's most modern archaeological museum, the new Acropolis Museum, has been here since 2009.
 

Exclusive, noble, traditional: Far away from mass tourism, a small, relaxed island with beautiful patrician houses basks in the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea. Wealthy Athenians like to spend their vacation days on Spetses, and this is evident on the well-kept Saraonic Island. Lush flower gardens adorn the historic shipping villas, chic cafes line the old harbor, and horse-drawn carriages roll by with aristrocratic elegance on the car-free streets. On Spetses, its worth taking a look down: Here, colorful pebble mosaics adorn the streets, and many visitors get a kick out of finding the prettiest one.

 

The old town of Nafplion has a picturesque peninsula setting, and three Venetian fortresses guard the pretty town. In ancient times, the excavation site of Mycenae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was one of the most important towns in Greece. Its legendary king, Agamemnon, has a large role in Homer's Iliad. The palace grounds were surrounded by a cyclopean stone wall. Now you can only gain entrance through the famous Lion Gate. In Epidaurus, also protected by UNESCO, the impressive 14,000-seat theater is one of the most important buildings in this archaeological site.

 

Although the capital of the Cyclades is situated on the tranquil and traditional island of Syros, outside of the town, this seems to be the most remote island of them all. Ermoupoli, one of the most beautiful island towns in Greece, was built majestically on two hills. Its architecture is exceptional, and the numerous monumental neo-classical buildings give the impression of a large, elegant town. Passing over the hill, the spaciousness and vastness transform into a maze of lanes and give a medieval impression.

 

Not far from Aegean's sizeable marina is the famous ancient port of Ephesus. One of the Seven Wonders of the World stood here, St. Paul preached a new doctrine, and Heraclitus reordered his thoughts and understanding of the world—everything flows, panta rhei. Once, it was one of the oldest and most important Greek cities in Asia Minor and a center for trade between Mesopotamia and the Middle East. Today is one of the best preserved ruins of the ancient world. Only the memory remains of the legendary Temple of Artemis; the magnificent Library of Celsus has become world-famous; and the theater at the end of the marble road is still extremely lively to this day.

The idyllic little island of Patmos houses one of the most important monasteries of the Greek Orthodox Church. The monastery of St. John is a World Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO. It was built in honor of the Apostle John, who is said to have lived in a cave on the island. It is also said that he wrote down his Revelation of the Apocalypse there. The whole island is considered holy ground and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Greek Orthodox world.
 

Spend the day sunbathing, enjoying the fresh wind breeze, and relaxing into the day!
 

Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, is situated on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Sea of Marmara, the shimmering Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hagia Sophia mosque forms the pinnacle of this Byzantine display of splendor. The ostentatious Topkapi Palace was the seat of government for the Ottoman sultans in the 15th century. The Sultan Ahmet mosque with its six minarets, also called the Blue Mosque because of its 20,000 wonderful blue faience tiles, dates from the 17th century. Istanbul, a lively city divided between east and west by the sea, is the most easterly city in Europe and the most westerly city in Asia.