A holiday in Greece can be almost anything you want it to be. The country has incredible rugged coastlines, superb beaches, glorious mountain regions, unrivaled historic sites and thriving modern resort facilities. Add in the combination of a wonderful mainland and dozens of romantic islands to explore, it’s a recipe for Greece group holidays.
The GroupHolidays.com team wants to do our bit to help make your holiday in Greece a huge success. You can go straight ahead now and search for your rooms, browse accommodation in your preferred location using the A to Z of Cities in Greece, or read on for our mini-guide. We’ll start with the mainland and then move on to the islands.
The mainland of Greece offers a great variety of holiday locations. Starting in the north, Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city and capital of the region of Macedonia. As well as being a bustling port and gateway to southeastern Europe, it’s also known for its many festivals and ancient sites. Nearby is Halkidiki, a region that includes several beach resorts, including some out-of-the way places largely unspoiled by tourism.
Also in the north, Kavala is the capital of a region that bears the same name. The city is incredibly beautiful, with the bright red roofs of traditional houses covering the slopes of Mount Symvolo. Nearby is Alexandroupolis, which maintains much of the charm of its fishing village origins – you can even go out to sea with the local fishermen. Head south-west and you reach Kassandra, a region with plenty of resorts and beaches popular with British holidaymakers.
In the south, the Peloponnese is another region with a lot to offer. A good place to find holiday rooms in the region is Kalamata, which has plenty to do including museums and access to several beaches. Using Kalamata as your base, you can spend your days exploring mountains and archaeological wonders – including Ancient Olympia – and lovely towns such as Nafplio, famous for its colourful old buildings. While in the region, why not go diving in the Bay of Navarino, or head to the Nemea wine region?
Over on the west coast, the port of Patras is Greece’s third largest city and is famous for being a city of culture, including hosting one of Europe’s biggest carnivals. Just eleven miles away is Nafpaktos, which is an especially picturesque town with a Medieval character and especially nice beaches.
Another option for experiencing mainland Greece is of course Athens, the country’s capital and home to some of the greatest wonders of the ancient world. They are easy to navigate on foot, thanks to the Archaeological Promenade: a 2.5-mile pedestrian walkway that takes in the Acropolis and many more of the city’s main archaeological sites. Athens isn’t just about history however, with great nightlife, excellent bars and restaurants, and an expanding contemporary art scene. It’s also a great location to base yourself for some island hopping, thanks to the huge passenger port of Piraeus.
Greece is very easy to get to, with several airlines operating direct flights. Examples include British Airways, who fly from Heathrow and Gatwick, and EasyJet’s flights from Gatwick, Edinburgh and a number of regional airports. Take a look also at Jet2 and Ryanair’s schedule of flights to Greece.
Greece is very easy to get to, with several airlines operating direct flights. Examples include British Airways, who fly from Heathrow and Gatwick, and EasyJet’s flights from Gatwick, Edinburgh and a number of regional airports. Take a look also at Jet2 and Ryanair’s schedule of flights to Greece.
With 227 inhabited islands to choose from, where do we start? Well, how about the short ferry ride from Athens to the Argo-Saronic Islands? In fact, the likes of Aegina, Póros, and Hyrdra are all great destinations for day trips from Athens. Alternatively, you can base yourself in the islands and steep yourself in their natural beauty and rich history.
Head to the south east across the Aegean Sea and still within easy reach of Athens are the Cyclades. The most well-known islands in the group are Santorini and Mykonos. Santorini combines a dramatic, volcanic landscape with some of the most luxurious resorts in Greece, while Mykonos also has its share of five-star hotels. But the Cyclades also offers many smaller, less commercial islands: try Milos for its turquoise waters and remote beaches, or Antiparos for a laid-back break away from it all.
Moving even further east, the Dodecanese Islands off the coast of Turkey are dominated by Rhodes. On a holiday or short stay on Rhodes you can enjoy the lovely Old Town and picturesque villages, with Lindos and its pretty streets and famous ‘sugar cube’ houses being a must-see. Rhodes also boasts outstanding beaches and great nightlife.
The other well-known island in the Dodecanese is Kos, with Kos Town and Kardamena being its busiest resorts. Kos also has the smaller resorts of Mastihari and Kamari for a different feel. The lesser-known islands of Karpathos, Kasos and Symi are perhaps even better choices for anyone wanting something a little quieter.
Also familiar to British tourists are the Ionian islands, with Corfu being the biggest and most popular. Corfu is another brilliant combination of lush, green scenery, tiny fishing villages and family-friendly beaches. There’s great nightlife too, especially in Kavos or the slightly less frantic Sidari.
Another option are the northeastern Aegean islands, which include Mytilini (aka Lesvos), Chios and Crete, the biggest Greek Island. Crete is actually a good choice if this is your first trip to the Greek Islands, with resort towns including Makrigialos, Neapoli and Aghios Nikolaos (“Ag Nik”) in the east, Elounda in the north and the centrally located Anoyia and Heraklion.
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