Having recently asked for a reservation at a hotel for our romantic getaway and contemplating the idea of either buying a Balkan FlexiPass or looking for a cheap flight to Athens (or Thessaloniki), I couldn’t help but wonder why our vacation plans lead to Greece.

It was that hard to write my top 5 reasons to visit Greece this summer:

1. Experience a romantic vacation, in an incredible setting. Greece is synonymous with a destination wedding and honeymoon and although right now I regret not doing either in Greece, no one stops us from heading to the lovely country for some well deserved romance.

2. Re-learn (remember) the history lessons and visit the famous archaeological sites. No matter where you are heading to, there’s always something ancient to visit close-by. Athens is the place to be if you plan to explore the Greek culture, but places such as Thessaloniki , Delphi, Crete or Santorini have plenty of interesting places to check out as well.

3. Relax on the beautiful Greek beaches. And since I cannot risk running into any neighbor, I might actually try nude bathing for a change. There are plenty of beautiful beaches to check out and if your budget is not big enough to accommodate a vacation in Mykonos or Santorini, the Halkidiki peninsula is not a bad choice either.

4. Enjoy the real Greek food . I love to cook Greek dishes but without the original ingredients they never taste like in Greece. The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world and for someone who’s addicted to sea food and Feta the Greek dishes are …heaven!

5. Visit a movie location . While I’m not the kind to hunt down actors, I do like to visit the place where movies where shot. It usually brings back lovely memories and that “aha!” moment when you say to yourself “this is where ….took place”.

Other reasons include practicing a sport. I love to walk or jog and jogging on the beach is one of the best cardio activities everyone needs to try! Then there are the Greek friends who are waiting for the visit and who promised to show us some interesting things.

Most people visit Greece for its cultural heritage, which inevitably includes learning about the Greek cuisine and Greek dances . Students can really benefit from an “on location” history lesson. And if you happen to go to Greek during summer, checking out at least a beach is a must.

Others like to tick off yet another country/city from their “to-do” list. It’s fun once you realize how much ground you’ve covered so far.

Photo credit:
Fourka: notiX on Flickr