Quirky accommodation rental Greece

Greece: Where the Gods Took Their Holidays (and You Should Too)

There is a country shaped like an outstretched hand reaching into three seas, scattered with thousands of islands, crowned by mythical mountains, and perfumed by wild thyme and oregano growing on sunburnt slopes. That country is Greece. And it may just be the most thrilling place in Europe to book a unique place to stay for your next holiday.

Forget everything you think you know about Greece. Yes, the whitewashed villages and turquoise waters are real. But beyond them lies a world of volcanic craters you can swim inside, cliff-hanging monasteries that look like they were placed by giants, and villages where people routinely live past 90 thanks to their way of life. Greece is far stranger, wilder, and more surprising than any postcard suggests.

A Land Built from the Stones Left in God's Sieve

According to a Greek legend, God distributed soil through a sieve and used the stones that remained to build Greece. It is a fitting origin story for one of the most dramatically rugged countries in Europe.

The Numbers Behind the Landscape

• Greece sits at the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, bordered by Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey to the north and east. Three seas embrace it: the Aegean to the east, the Ionian to the west, and the Mediterranean (including the Cretan and Libyan seas) to the south.
• The country covers approximately 131,957 km² (about 50,949 sq mi), making it roughly the size of the U.S. state of Alabama or England.
• Around 80% of the terrain is mountainous, with Mount Olympus standing as the highest peak at 2,917 metres (9,570 ft) above sea level. The ancient Greeks believed it was the home of the twelve Olympian gods.
• Greece has the longest coastline in the Mediterranean Basin, stretching a staggering 13,676 km (8,498 miles).
• Estimates of the number of Greek islands range from around 1,200 to as many as 6,000, depending on the source. Roughly 170 to 227 are inhabited.
• The population stands at approximately 10.3 to 10.4 million people, with about one-third living in the greater Athens area.
• The climate is predominantly Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. However, the country has a remarkable 11 different climate classifications (the most in Europe relative to its size), ranging from semi-arid zones near Athens to alpine conditions in the northern mountains.

Seas, Mountains, and Everything in Between

The Greek landscape is defined by three dominant elements: the sea, the mountains, and the lowland plains nestled between them. The Pindus mountain range runs like a spine through the centre of the mainland, and the Vikos Gorge within it drops over 1,100 metres, making it one of the deepest canyons in the world relative to its width. In the north, the Rhodope Mountains form a forested border with Bulgaria, while the plains of Thessaly and Macedonia provide some of the country's rare flat farmland.

Crete, the largest Greek island, stretches 260 km from east to west and even has snow-capped peaks. Meanwhile, some of the smallest Aegean islands are barely a stone's throw from the Turkish coast. This extraordinary variety of terrain means that a single trip to Greece can feel like visiting several different countries.

Why Book a Unique Place to Stay in Greece?

Some destinations offer beaches. Others offer history. A few deliver incredible food. Greece somehow manages to pack all of these into a single, sun-drenched package, and it does so with a warmth and generosity that is hard to find elsewhere.

A Holiday Destination That Has Something for Everyone

• Unmatched variety in a compact space: Within a few hours, you can move from a buzzing capital city to a silent mountaintop monastery, from a volcanic beach to an olive grove that has been producing fruit for over 6,000 years. Greece is the rare destination where couples, families, solo travellers, and groups of friends can all find exactly what they are looking for.
• The shoulder seasons are spectacular: April to June and September to October are widely considered the best times to visit. During these months, you can enjoy warm weather, fewer crowds, lower prices, and a more authentic experience. September in particular offers warm seas, softer light, and a relaxed atmosphere that peak summer cannot match.
• Accessibility from major international hubs: Whether you are flying from the USA, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, or Australia, Greece is well-connected. Athens International Airport serves as the main gateway, and many islands have their own airports or are connected by a well-developed ferry network.
• Exceptional value: Compared to many Western European destinations, Greece offers outstanding value. The food is superb, the wine is underrated, and the experiences are world-class, often at a fraction of the cost you might expect.
• Genuine hospitality: Greek culture places enormous value on welcoming guests. The concept of "philoxenia" (love of strangers) is deeply embedded in the national character. Expect to be treated like family, whether you are in a mountain village or a seaside town.

Beyond the Postcards: Greece's Less Obvious Highlights

Everyone knows about the Acropolis and Santorini sunsets. But Greece has a depth and richness that most visitors only scratch the surface of. Here are some highlights that may surprise you.

Meteora: Monasteries in the Sky

In central Greece, enormous rock pillars rise from the plains of Thessaly like natural skyscrapers. Perched on top of these sandstone columns are Byzantine monasteries dating back centuries, some accessible only by vertigo-inducing staircases carved into the rock. Meteora is one of those places that looks impossible until you are standing in it. Visit in the off-season (late October or March) to avoid the summer crowds and experience its haunting beauty in relative solitude.

The Mani Peninsula: Greece's Wild South

The southernmost tip of mainland Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, the Mani, feels like the end of the world in the best possible way. Steep foothills, unspoiled coves, tower villages that once served as family fortresses, and the Diros Caves with their underground lakes and mythological connections to the underworld make this region utterly unique. Cape Tenaro, at the peninsula's tip, features a temple to Poseidon and is first mentioned in Homer's Iliad.

Ikaria: The Island Where People Forget to Die

Off the Turkish coast lies Ikaria, one of the world's five Blue Zones, places where people live significantly longer and healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet. An astounding one in three Ikarians lives past the age of 90. The locals credit their diet of fresh fish, wild greens, local olive oil, and a relaxed approach to timekeeping. Visiting Ikaria is not just a holiday; it is a lesson in how to live well.

Epirus: The Green and Wild North

While most visitors head to the islands, northern Greece's Epirus region offers lush forests, reflective mountain lakes, and Venetian remnants alongside wildlife including wolves, brown bears, and birds of prey. The region is home to the Vikos Gorge and the ancient oracle of Dodona, one of the oldest in Greece. The city of Ioannina, with its crumbling Ottoman architecture and lake island monastery, sees surprisingly few tourists.

Greece's Wine Renaissance

Greece has a long-standing wine tradition that is often overshadowed by its olive oil. The country produces some of the highest-quality wines in Europe, with indigenous grape varieties like Assyrtiko (from Santorini's volcanic soil), Xinomavro (from northern Macedonia), and Agiorgitiko (from the Peloponnese) gaining international recognition. Wine tasting tours are available across the country, from Santorini's caldera vineyards to the rolling hills of Nemea.

6,000 Wildflower Species

Greece is home to approximately 6,000 species of wildflowers, of which around 600 are endemic, meaning they grow nowhere else on Earth. Spring (March to May) transforms the Greek landscape into a riot of colour, with irises, crocuses, tulips, and wild orchids carpeting mountain clearings and meadows.

Top 5 Things to Do That Most Visitors Miss

Skip the obvious tourist tick-list and try these instead. They will give you stories that nobody else at the dinner table will have.

1. Attend a Performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus

   This ancient Roman theatre, nestled beneath the Acropolis in Athens, still hosts live performances during the Athens and Epidaurus Festival (typically June to September). Watching a concert or theatrical performance in a 2,000-year-old amphitheatre, with the Temple of Nike illuminated above and the moon rising through the arches, is an unforgettable experience. Tickets can be surprisingly affordable.

2. Hike Through Zagori's Stone Villages

   In the Pindus Mountains of Epirus, the 46 Zagori villages (Zagorochoria) are connected by ancient stone paths and arched bridges. The hiking here is some of the best in Europe, winding through gorges, past waterfalls, and into settlements where stone houses have barely changed in centuries. The area also offers exceptional local cuisine rooted in mountain traditions.

3. Explore Monemvasia at Dusk

   On a dramatic rock island off the eastern coast of the Peloponnese, the medieval fortress town of Monemvasia feels like stepping through a portal in time. Byzantine, Ottoman, and Venetian influences line its cobbled lanes, and the town's Malvasia wines were famously mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. Arrive in the late afternoon and watch the Aegean turn gold from the upper fortress walls.

4. Swim in the Volcanic Hot Springs of Santorini

   Most visitors to Santorini admire the caldera from above, but few know you can swim in underwater hot springs that bubble up beside the uninhabited volcanic islet of Nea Kameni. The sulphuric water is said to be beneficial for the skin, and the experience of floating in warm, mineral-rich water with the caldera walls towering around you is unlike anything else.

5. Island-Hop to the Quiet Ones

   Instead of Mykonos or Santorini, catch a ferry to islands like Folegandros, where the Chora (main town) perches on dramatic cliffs hundreds of metres above the sea and the sunsets are consistently breathtaking. Or try Tinos, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Greeks, with its marble village of Pyrgos, empty beaches, and hundreds of churches dotted across the landscape. These quieter islands offer the authentic Greek experience that the famous ones have largely traded for tourism.

Practical Tips for Your Greek Escape

When to Go

The best windows for visiting Greece are April to June and September to October. Summer (July and August) brings peak heat, peak crowds, and peak prices. If you love swimming, the sea temperature is most comfortable from June through September. Winter is quiet and atmospheric, perfect for cultural travel and city exploration, though many island services shut down.

Getting Around

Greece has an extensive domestic flight network and one of Europe's most comprehensive ferry systems connecting the islands. Renting a car on the mainland or on larger islands gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace. On smaller islands, scooters and ATVs are popular options. Some islands, like Hydra and parts of Spetses, are car-free.

What to Eat (and Drink)

Greek cuisine goes far beyond moussaka and souvlaki. Look for regional specialties: Cretan dakos (rusks topped with tomato, cheese, and olive oil), Corfu's pastitsada (a Venetian-influenced spiced meat stew), the seafood of the Cyclades, and the pies of Epirus (savoury pastries filled with local greens, cheese, or meat). Pair everything with local wine or tsipouro (a grape-based spirit similar to Italian grappa). Do not leave without trying loukoumades: crispy doughnut balls drizzled with honey and cinnamon.

Respect the Pace

Greeks have elevated the afternoon rest (mesimeri) to an art form. Many shops and businesses close between roughly 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, especially outside Athens and major tourist areas. Dinner rarely starts before 9:00 PM. Embrace this rhythm rather than fighting it. Slow down, linger over meals, take naps, and let the Greek approach to time wash over you. It may be the most restorative thing you do on your entire holiday.

Currency and Language

Greece uses the euro, making it convenient for visitors from other eurozone countries. For travellers from the USA, UK, and Australia, currency exchange is widely available. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, though learning a few Greek words ("efcharisto" for thank you, "yia sou" for hello) will earn you warm smiles and possibly a free glass of raki.

Book a Unique Place to Stay and Let Greece Surprise You

Greece is a country that rewards the curious. It rewards those who wander off the main road, who accept an invitation to sit down for coffee with a stranger, who climb one more hill to see what is on the other side. Whether you are drawn to ancient ruins or hidden beaches, volcanic landscapes or mountain monasteries, wine-soaked evenings or dawn swims in crystalline coves, Greece has a way of exceeding every expectation.

Book a unique place to stay in Greece and give yourself the gift of a holiday that is as unexpected as it is unforgettable. With thousands of islands, a coastline longer than any other Mediterranean country, and a culture that has been welcoming travellers for millennia, Greece is not just a destination. It is an experience that stays with you long after you have returned home.