Exploring Greece - From the mainland to the Islands

Young travellers will find Greece impossibly beautiful, fabulously diverse and warmly welcoming. Once you have visited this country, you will be a fan of it for life.

The people are some of the friendliest you could hope to meet. From the bars to the beaches, the guides to the cleaners, Greek people are warm and welcoming. The country of Greece is packed full of history and culture, with many remnants left behind from the ancient Greek civilisation. It is also famous for its mythology. Stories of Gods and Goddesses such as Zeus, Nike and Athena have been passed down through families for years and years, and the subject is one of interest to many outside the country,

Athens, the capital city, is named after the Goddess of Wisdom Athena, who it is said won the city in a duel with Poseidon. The Acropolis of Athens is not the only Acropolis in Greece. But it is without doubt the most famous in the country, and also in the world. Thousands of people make the journey to see the fantastic monuments at this great site. Greece is also the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and they returned to the Athens in 2004.

Although statistically small, Greece is huge in diversity. From the remnants of the ancient world to the throbbing night-life that many of the Greek Islands are famous for, you could be staring at the rumoured site of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world one minute, and enjoying a beer in the sunshine the next. It is this diversity that makes Greece one of the most popular places to visit in Europe.

The coast of Greece stretches a massive 16,000km, with about half of this found on Greece islands. There are all types of beaches in Greece, from the soft and sandy to the rocky. Idyllic coves and quiet bays contrast with dark volcanic soils and sands and rocky outcrops you find all types of coastline in Greece. One thing is for sure, the beaches in Greece are clean and tidy. There are hundreds that have the European Blue Flag, which denotes cleanliness. They rank highly among other European countries for their cleanliness.

Mainland Greece has some of the most extraordinary sights, and Meteora and its monasteries will not disappoint. The monasteries are built atop huge rock mounds, and provided the monks with peaceful sanctuaries. Meteora, an area of Thessaly, is also popular with walkers and hikers. The Greek Islands, and many coastal areas in Greece are fantastic for water sports. With all the culture, the sunny weather, lovely beaches and fascinating cities and resorts, it's no wonder that Greece is a favourite with young travellers.