parthenon

Greece is a country in Southern Europe, situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, ranking in the top 20 countries globally. As the Greek Ministry of Tourism revealed, the country received more than 20 million visitors in the year 2013; the country itself is small with a population of 11 million.

The tourists are attracted to the beaches, the sunny summer weather and the incredible nightlife along with historical archeological sites and natural beauty.


Greece is often referred to as the birthplace of Western civilization and Athens is the capital; the place retains ancient relics and landmarks including the Acropolis and Parthenon temple. Greece is famous for its black sand of Santorini and the fun Mykonos resorts.

Most of the tourism is focused in the Western Greek Islands, Crete, Cyclades and the Dodecanese. We have prepared a list of 20 exotic places to visit in Greece, have a look!

1. Acropolis

ACROPOLIS
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel situated on a high rocky outcrop above the city of Athens housing several ancient buildings of great architectural significance.

2. Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens

Temple-of-Olympian-Zeus,-Athens
Temple of Olympian Zeus is a colossal temple in the heart of the Greek capital Athens. It is dedicated to Zeus, king of the Olympian Gods.

3. Theatre of Dionysus

theatre-of-dionysus
Theatre of Dionysus is an open-air theatre which is the earliest spot preserved in Athens. Considered the first theatre to be built globally, it was used for festivals in honor of the god Dionysus

4. Pnyx

pnyx
The Pnyx is a hill in central Athens. Since 507 BC, the Athenians accumulated on the Pnyx to host their popular assemblies; this makes the hill an earliest and most significant sites in Greek history.

5. Parthenon

parthenon
Parthenon is an old temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Athena; the people of Athens considered her their patron.

6. Panathenaic Stadium

panathenaic-stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium for athletics and several events in Athens. The place hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

7. Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes

palace-of-the-grand-master-of-the-knights-of-rhodes-greece
The Palace, also known as the Kastello, is a castle on the island of Rhodes in Greece. It is one of the few Gothic architectural buildings in Greece.

8. Odeon of Herodes Atticus

odeon-of-herodes-atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a theatre structure of stone, located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. The place was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000 people.

9. National Archaeological Museum in Athens

national-archaeological-museum-athens
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens has some of the significant artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations all around Greece.

10. Lychnostatis Open Air Museum

lychnostatis
Lychnostatis Open Air Museum is in Hersonissos, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The Museum was established in July 1992.

11. Knossos

knossos
Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete which is Europe’s most ancient city. The name Knossos is surviving since ancient Greek references to the city of Crete.

12. Imerovigli in Santorini

imerovigli-santorini
Imerovigli is a village located on the island of Santorini, Greece. It is a popular tourist location owed to its beautiful sunset, and is also known as the “balcony to the Aegean”

13. Erechtheion

erechtheion
The Erechtheion is an ancient Greek temple on the northern side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece; the temple was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.

14. Corinth Canal

corinth-canal
The Corinth Canal is a canal that joins the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. The Canal is a popular tourist destination owed to its scenic beauty.

15. Statue of Taweret

colossus-of-rhodes
Before being destroyed, the statue depicted Taweret who was the Egyptian goddess of protection, birth and fertility. Standing 75m tall, Taweret was depicted as having four toes on each foot. The statue was almost destroyed entirely in 1867 after a collision with the Black Rock.

16. Benaki Museum

Benaki-Museum
Built and endowed in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, the museum is located in the Benakis family mansion in Athens, Greece.

17. Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki

aristotelous-square-thessaloniki
Aristotelous Square is the major city square of Thessaloniki, Greece and is situated on Nikis avenue, in the city center. The square was designed by French architect Ernest Hébrard in 1918, however majority of the square was built in the 1950s.

18. Arch of Galerius

arch-of-galerius
The Arch of Galerius is an early 4th-century monument in the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece. It also neighbours with another monument called Rotunda.

19. Acropolis Museum

acropolis-museum
It is an archaeological museum focusing on the findings of the archaeological location of Acropolis of Athens.

20. White Tower in Thessaloniki

white-tower-thessaloniki
The White Tower of Thessaloniki is a museum on the waterfront of the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece.

A Holiday in Monaco: Travel Planner Guide

Greece Visa Requirements

  • Submit visa applications in person, at least four weeks prior to intended date of travel.
  • Passports should be valid at least six months at the time of visa application. Please bring previous passports, if any, and attach with application copies, on A4 size paper, of used pages, copies of Schengen, US, UK, Canada, Australia visas.
  • Photocopy of your national ID card.
  • Police report if previous passports lost.
  • Visa Application Form, Security questionnaire and 2 recent photos (35mmX45cm / white background)
  • Original signed letter of the applicant’s company/employer stating name, position, salary, duration of employment, address and contact numbers of the employer, purpose, and duration of the visit to the Schengen state(s).
  • Supporting documents of personal income:
    – Original bank statements of the last six months stamped by the bank, bank maintenance letter
    – National Tax Number Certificate (NTM) for the previous two years

– Proof of income tax payment (FBR)
– Last three salary slips for salaried individuals

  • Copy of flight booking
  • If you have been refused a visa by an Embassy or High Commission, written explanation about the reason for trip and refusal letter.
  • Original and photocopy of Family Registration Certificate issued by NADRA (in English or with a certified translation if in Urdu)
  • Original and copy of a travel medical insurance policy of not less than 30,000 Euros. The policy must cover medical and hospitalization expenses for the entire period of valid stay on Schengen territory as well as repatriation costs. Consult a valid list of authorized insurance companies in Pakistan as agreed by Schengen partners in Islamabad.
  • The applicants are requested to submit certificates proving that concerned person has received Oral Polio Vaccine.
  • Accommodation / hotel reservation for your period of stay.
  • Covering letter requesting the Visa officer for issuance of visa.

When to Visit and purchase air ticket

  • Try visiting in the off season. Up to 30% off during off season
  • Air tickets are the biggest expense. Plan ahead and Book early.
  • Look for periodic off-season discounts run by many airlines to get a good deal on airlines
  • September-October (Off season, weather is neither cold nor hot)

Budget (7 days/nights vacation to Athens)

  • Air tickets:                            Rs 66,000 per person
  • Visa                                        Rs   8,000 per person
  • Travel insurance                 Rs   2500 per person
  • Accommodation (3star)    Rs 16,000 per person (twin sharing)(15 min walk from City Center)
  • Transportation                    Rs   6,000 per person (using bus, and Metro)
  • Food/ Entertainment        Rs 41,500 per person ( Fast food, local street food, tours)
  • Expenses                              Rs 10,000 per person
  • Total                                     Rs 150,000 per person

The calculation has been done based on the following:

  • Cheapest air ticket from Karachi- Athens (Ticket price comparison website prices)
  • Accommodation prices from world’s top hotel booking engine
  • Transport (Metro from Airport to City Centre, use metro where necessary)
  • Food and Accommodation @ Euro 50 per person per day. (Euro 7 per meal= Euro 21+Euro 30 for tours/museum entry per day)
  • Expenses to be spent for buying souvenirs at the end of trip $100
  • 1 Euro =PKR 118-120
  • Carry Euro from Pakistan
  • Calculations are per person based on twin sharing accommodation
  • Accommodation Prices may vary by 40% if you go for budget accommodation or luxury accommodation.

Source: Travel Package Compare

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