Visit Ioannina

The first capital of modern Greece: Venetian fortresses, a Bourtzi island castle and neoclassical lanes.

Visit Rhodes, the largest of Greece's Dodecanese islands. Explore the medieval Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage site with the Palace of the Grand Master), see the ancient Acropolis of Lindos (cliff-top ruins with views over St Paul's Bay), relax at Anthony Quinn Bay (a scenic cove named after the actor), and visit the Valley of the Butterflies (a natural reserve with thousands of Jersey tiger moths in summer).

Visit Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. Explore the White Tower (15th-century Ottoman fortress and symbol of the city), see the Rotunda (4th-century Roman monument later converted into a church), stroll through the Aristotelous Square (grand waterfront plaza with neoclassical buildings), and sample local dishes like bougatsa (custard-filled pastry) at Modiano Market (historic covered market).

Visit Heraklion, the capital of Crete. Explore the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos (Europe's oldest city, with labyrinthine ruins and vibrant frescoes), see the Venetian fortress of Koules guarding the old harbour, and browse the Archaeological Museum (home to the Phaistos Disc and Minoan artifacts). Sample local dishes like dakos (rusk salad) and bougatsa (custard pie) at the central market.

A Venetian fortress, a minaret-studded old town and a long beach on the north coast of Crete.

Crete's Venetian harbour with an Egyptian lighthouse, a covered market and the Samaria Gorge nearby.

Venetian, French and British layers in one UNESCO old town, with cricket on the Spianada.

Greece's biggest carnival, the Rio-Antirrio bridge and the ferry port for Italy.