| Greece is a country in south eastern Europe, situated | | | | The Parthenon in Athens, the most famous ancient |
| on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula. It is | | | | monument in the world, the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, |
| bordered by Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of | | | | the stadium at Olympia where the first Olympic games |
| Macedonia, and Bulgaria to the north and by Turkey to | | | | were held in 776 BC. In fact the list is endless |
| the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east and south | | | | wherever you turn in Greece theres another ancient |
| of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the | | | | wonder waiting to take your breath away. |
| west. Both parts of the eastern Mediterranean basin | | | | Everywhere there are reminders of that golden age |
| feature a vast number of islands. | | | | when Greece gave birth to western civilisation and |
| Until the 1960s only wealthy yachters, flower power | | | | spawned the greatest philosophers, artists, poets, |
| hippies and adventurous backpackers had the | | | | scientists, healers and warriors of the ancient world. |
| pleasure of exploring the countless delights of the | | | | The Greek Islands offer all things to all people. There |
| Greek mainland and islands. These days more than 12 | | | | are the unashamedly hedonistic party playgrounds |
| million foreign visitors pour into the country each year, | | | | such as Mykonos, Kos and Ios. |
| aided by an ever increasing number of tour operators, | | | | There are tranquil, unspoilt islands where rural life |
| car hire firms and charter flight companies all falling | | | | continues much as it has done for centuries. There are |
| over themselves in a bid to exploit the potential of one | | | | islands that offer something for everyone such as |
| of the worlds most alluring holiday destinations. | | | | Rhodes and Corfu where you can party around the |
| Greece has the longest coastline of any European | | | | clock or roam the hillsides far from the madding |
| country, its islands number more than 2,000. However | | | | crowds. |
| only about 100 are inhabited and its awesome array of | | | | Much of Greece is mountainous and the country has |
| ancient sites are unrivalled anywhere in the world. | | | | far more than its fair share of stunningly beautiful |
| The wondrous legacies of Ancient Greece are too | | | | locations, many of which have been the target of |
| numerous to take in during a two week holiday, even if | | | | Hollywood movie moguls. |
| you spend the entire time dashing from one | | | | The downtown area and the southern suburbs enjoy |
| archaeological site to another. | | | | a typical Mediterranean type. |