Greece is the Acropolis and the Parthenon, two of the most easily recognized images of its colorful and glorious culture. But that’s not all. Greece is also cloudless blue skies reflected in the jade, acquamarine and turquoise of Aegean waters.

Greece is gorgeous beaches and classical ruins. But Greece is also a mainland and a splatterings of islands whose shores are composed of black volcanic sands.

Greece is the home of the Gods–Apollo and Artemis, Dionynus and Aurora but Greece is also the playground of mythological heroes such as Theseus, Adriane, Jason and, of course, Ulysses who sailed around the furthest reaches to encounter the oddest beings and vanquish them.

Greece is the home of ouzo and retsina and it is also the birthplace of gyros and souvlakis, mousakka and taramasalata, saganaki and feta cheese, ‘waterless’ tomatoes and juicy cukes that taste as if they’ve been freshly plucked from the vines. The favors of lemon and oregano coalesce perfectly with those of olive oil and capers to produce the famous Mediterranean diet that has been proven to be the world’s healthiest.

Greece is the glory of the Olympics Games, the noble seat of Democracy, the learned birthpace of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and the center of the world’s shipping industry created by more modern-day magnates such as Aristotle Onassis.

Llew and I relished every moment of the ten days we spent exploring all that Greece could offer–the mystique of the Oracle at Delphi, ancient excavated ruins at Delos, the island paradise of Mykonnos and the spectacular sunsets of Santorini. In between, while island-hopping, we took in Syros and Tinos (albeit by mistake) and, of course, we succumbed to the seductive charms of Athens, if only in the many tavernas where we feasted on some of the most memorable meals we have ever eaten.

Join us now on our travels in Greece and accompany us as we start in the capital city of Athens.

Bon Voyage!