Greece

Greece sits at the meeting point of three continents—Europe, Asia and Africa—on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. Falling under the Adriatic-Ionian (EUSAIR) macro-region, Greece borders Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia in the north; Albania in the northwest; and Turkey in the northeast. Around 6,000 islands are scattered throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas, some of the most famous being Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and the Cyclades, the cluster that circles around the sacred island of Delos. Nearly half of the 16,000 kilometres of coastline is claimed by Greece’s islands, while 80 percent of the country boasts hills and mountains—making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. Towns in the north like Loutra Pozard and seaport Krinides (whose claim to fame is being the home of the first Christian church in Europe) feature thermal waters and mud baths that have earned Greece a place along the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns, one of five EU Cultural Routes that cross through the country.

How to get there?

Athens International Airport acts as a port of entry into Greece and links to the underground metro, bus routes, and ports of Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrion. All of the Greek islands are linked to the mainland by ferry. The Aegean and Argosarosikos islands and Crete are mainly linked with the ports of Piraeus and Rafinas, while the Ionian islands can be reached from the ports of Patras, Killinis, Igoumenitsas and Astakos. International trains also connect Greece’s second-largest city of Thessaloniki with Sofia, Skopje and Belgrade.