Practical details
Greece occupies the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, bordering Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east; the Ionian Sea lies to its west and the Aegean Sea to its east, and with thousands of islands the country has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean. The mainland is largely mountainous, with the Pindus range forming its spine and Mount Olympus, at 2,918 meters, as its highest point. Alongside large islands such as Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and Lesbos, the Cyclades and Dodecanese island groups shape the country's geography. Its history spans the ancient Greek city-states and the birth of democracy, the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman rule, and the founding of the modern state after the 1821 War of Independence. The capital, Athens, is home to the Acropolis and the Parthenon; the ancient oracle site of Delphi, the cliff-perched monasteries of Meteora, and the volcanic-caldera island of Santorini rank among the country's most visited destinations, alongside the UNESCO-listed medieval city of Rhodes. Culinary highlights include olive oil, feta cheese, moussaka, and souvlaki. The best time to visit is generally May-June and September-October, when weather is warm and sunny but less crowded; summer months can be very hot and packed, especially on the islands. The official language is Greek, the currency is the euro, and the country is a European Union member. Current opening hours, prices, visa rules, and transport details are not written without sourced verification; where details are missing, this guide honestly says it does not know. (Source: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage)
