• Ancient ruins have been drawing tourists to cities across Greece for centuriestemple grec (ath?¡§nes, gr?¡§ce) image by Ludovic LAN from Fotolia.com
  
  A south-eastern European country bordered by three seas, Greece offers visitors the chance to climb legendary mountains, relax on brilliant beaches, taste fresh, Mediterranean cuisine and tour the ruins of an ancient civilization. The volcanic island of Santorini provides the rare opportunity to frolic on red sand beaches, while Mount Olympus invites visitors to hike the terrain where the Greek god Zeus was rumored to reside. The classic Greek destinations offer a bit of all the country has to offer, providing a true, Grecian experience.
  
  

Athens

• The Acropolis of Athens, and, most notably within it, the Parthenon, top the list of historically significant ruins to visit on a Grecian vacation. The Temple of Olympian Zeus and a day trip to the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, Attica also make the list of must-see spots on a trip to Athens. Aside from tours of ancient sites, the capital of Greece also has a number of museums dedicated to their history, like the War Museum, the Byzantine Museum, and the National Archeological Museum of Athens. Intersperse educational sojourns to historical sites with a relaxing day at one of the twenty beaches located near enough the city for a day trip.
  
  

Crete

• Considering it's the mythological birthplace of the Zeus, it's no surprise that the island of Crete is indeed a paradise worthy of a Greek god. With over 600 miles of coastline, Crete often tops the list for vacationers looking for a relaxing holiday. However, Crete has no shortage of ancient sites and museums to enrich a trip. Trek up the Mount Dicte range as ancient worshipers once did in east Crete to explore Dikteon Cave or journey up Mount Ida in central Crete to the Ideon Cave, as both claim to be the cave where Zeus was purportedly born. Experience the former grandeur of the Minoans, one of the first European civilizations, by exploring one of the four Minoan palaces unearthed on the island, such as the palaces of Knossos and Phaistos.
  
  

Delphi

• The inland city of Delphi has the distinction of being one of the most important archeological sites in Greece as it was considered by ancient civilizations to be the center of the world where at the world-renowned oracle of Delphi, the Pythia once delivered reportedly accurate predictions of the future. Ancient ruins that attract visitors to the city include the Temple of Apollo, the Ancient Theatre of Delphi, the Treasury of the Athenians, the nearby Osios Loukas Monastery and Delphi's most photographed ruin, the Tholos Temple. For a deeper look into the history of the city, spend some time at The Archeological Museum of Delphi, reputed to be one of the most important museums in Greece. Generally considered a day trip city for most tourists, Delphi serves as a destination city in the winter months due to its closeness to the Mount Parnassos Ski Center.