Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/604875
Greece | 51 Greece All-Time classic PELOPONNESE Crete THESSALY STEREA ELLADA EPIRUS T U R K E Y B U L G A R I A F Y R M A C E D O N I A A L B A N I A Aegean Sea Sea of Crete Ionian Sea Mediterranean Sea Saronic Gulf Patmos Thira (Santorini) Rhodes Piraeus Mykonos Athens Gulf of Corinth C y c l a d e s 0 100 miles 0 100 km The myths, legends, culture, and art of this 6,000-island-and- islet country raise the expectations of travelers to Greece to heights as seemingly infinite as the sapphire Aegean and Ionian Seas are deep. And yet, this destination manages to surpass the wildest and most vivid of dreams. Under the same hot Mediterranean sun that nourished one of the world's oldest and greatest civilizations—one whose influence still reverberates around the world—are new developments and modern European conveniences that make Greece a destination that stands the test of time. Every one of the 227 inhabited islands has its own story to tell. In the main archipelago, Athens thrives, adapting fluidly to the times while paying homage to its history, carefully preserving its heritage. The whitewashed buildings stacked sky-high, blue roofs that match the cobalt seas, and straw-thatched windmills are iconic of the country—images that the islands of Mykonos and Santorini claim, but each with a different of energy. On Crete, the touch of the Minoan civilization is a heavy one. Its location as the southernmost outpost of Greece lends itself to the mythology that remains an ongoing source of study. Off the coast of Turkey, sunny Rhodes features a more Ottoman and Italian flavor in its Old Town, while the shores are designed for pure holiday pleasure.