Luxury Vacations in Greece

The crescent of a submerged caldera, wind-carved volcanic rock seemingly cleaved from the moon itself, islands strewn as if scattered by inebriated Greek gods in a game of kottabos: Greece is often misunderstood as a singular landscape of bougainvillea-framed beaches, but beyond the knock-out coast, its scenery is as epic as Homer’s Iliad. In Athens alone, medieval citadels, Roman aqueducts, ancient ruins, temples and tragedies to fell the most Herculean heroes and Spartan warriors.

Ancient history seldom feels so imminent and tangible. Beyond the capital – whose heavyweight cultural cachet has been joined by next-level nightlife and a restaurant scene growing faster than an Olympian athlete – there are sleeping statues, supersized and incongruous, harvest-heavy orange trees and olive groves, Cycladic windmills, domed churches and dinky lighthouses. And, of course, sandy beaches scored with baby turtle tracks, sea clearer than Tsipouro. In high season, expect the sort of delicious Hellenic heat that leaves paperbacks no choice but to disbound.