Sun, culture and adventure in Greece

Blossoming citrus trees, fragrant thyme, chirping cicadas in the olive grove - in between thousand-year-old ruins, the foundations of Western culture. The sea stretches deep blue to the horizon, dotted with thousands of islands and lined with beautiful beaches. Picturesque villages nestle against the hills. None of them lack the cozy tavernas and traditional kafeneia where men sit at simple wooden tables - debating, haggling or playing cards.

Greece is more than just a country - it's a way of life.

Crete

The Cretans are proud and freedom-loving, just like the rugged mountains that stretch along the length of the largest Greek island. They are rightly proud: after all, Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization, which produced magnificent palaces.

Rugged gorges, colorful wildflowers, even chameleons: Crete's nature also has a lot to offer. And of course, the southernmost Greek island is known for its miles of beautiful beaches. Picturesque towns such as Chania or Rethymnon with picturesque alleyways and cozy tavernas, as well as a lively nightlife, for example in Chersonissos or Malia, round off the Cretan diversity.

Mykonos

A cosmopolitan atmosphere, a dazzling bar scene, exuberant beach parties - Mykonos is where the international jet set meets in summer and turns night into day.

In the pretty old town of Mykonos Town, countless restaurants, bars, street cafés and stores invite you to stroll and party. On the famous Paradise and Super Paradise beaches, party-goers dance until the sun rises and the harbors are lined with luxury yachts. But the island also has another, lesser-known face: discover thatched windmills in picturesque landscapes, taste typical island specialties such as Kopanisti pepper cheese, air-dried sausages with herbs or delicious almond biscuits in picturesque villages.

Rhodes

Rhodes is characterized by sun, sand and sea. With over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, miles of sandy beaches and turquoise bays, it is rightly one of the most attractive seaside destinations in Europe.

But Rhodes has much more to offer: a medieval fortress town, for example, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city walls of Rhodes Town enclose architectural masterpieces and a mysterious atmosphere. In the south-east of the island, the Acropolis of Lindos towers high above the sea, one of the most important cultural sites of antiquity, with a view that will take your breath away. For night owls, the beach of Faliraki with its nightlife district is recommended.

Corfu

Corfu has many faces: traditional mountain villages, idyllic lagoons and undeveloped coastal strips can be found alongside tourist beaches with a wide range of entertainment.

The influences of various conquerors have left their mark on the island: in Corfu Town, for example, the Italians left behind magnificent Venetian buildings, the British a palace made of Maltese limestone and the French elegant arcades. Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi, loved this island. In her castle southwest of Corfu Town, she used to relax from her strenuous life at court.

Santorini

Santorini, an island for aesthetes and wine lovers: black beaches, blue roofs, whitewashed houses - and volcanic soil, the best basis for a top-quality wine that is second to none.

On the east coast, gently sloping, fertile plains stretch down to the island's black beaches. In the west, high up on the edge of the crater wall, picturesque villages, such as Imerovigli or Oia, cling to the rock like white ribbons. The houses are carved into the rock in the typical island style, whitewashed and connected by stairs. Santorini's landmark, the church of Agíos Minás, towers majestically over the sea with its white walls and bright blue domes.

Zakynthos

The Venetians called Zakynthos the "Flower of the East". They occupied the island for over 400 years and were reluctant to give it back. No wonder: hardly any other Greek island is as green as Zakynthos.

Its picturesque mountain villages, fertile plains and, above all, the golden sandy beaches lend the island a paradisiacal charm. The right environment to enjoy life. Night owls are drawn to the beautiful sandy beach in the bay of Laganas. But the beach is not only popular with people: it is also one of the most important Mediterranean breeding grounds for loggerhead turtles, which live in the impressive marine national park off the coast of Zakynthos.