Brightly colored homes line the caldera in Santorini, a contrast to much of the blue-and-white motif.
K.J. DiLuigi, 2012
With its ancient ruins and beautiful coastline, Greece is a country on many travelers’ bucket lists. Its mix of history and peaceful harmony draw many vacationers. Millions of people visit the Parthenon each year, and that’s only one of the country’s major attractions. Whether your preference is seaside towns, Olympic stadiums, stoic statues or artistic arches, Greece has plenty to fill your cellphone’s camera roll and offer you an unforgettable experience. Take a look.
Some 2,500 years later, the Parthenon continues to draw an audience.
Harry Rohne, 2016
Santorini is home to various white arches, including many atop churches. This hilltop arch frames beautiful clouds and blue skies for as far as the eye can see.
Katherine Nguyen, 2015
A waiter sets a beautiful table at a restaurant in Mykonos, in preparation for tourists who will arrive soon for a seaside meal.
Jae Meyer, 2014
A ferry is seen on the waters near a church in Oia, whose buildings are well known for their stark blue-and-white designs.
Yew On Choo, 2019
A woman hurries down the steps of the acropolis of Lindos. Photo sessions at iconic Greek locations are a trend among tourists.
Ioannis Stergiopoulos, 2014
This bearded figure sits atop a square column and features a different face on the opposite side. Such herm sculptures as this one located at Greece’s Panathenaic Stadium were often used as boundary markers.
Daniel Kucin Jr., 2024
A swimmer dives head-first into the blue waters of Sidari.
Lorenzo Linthout, 2024
Historians believe the roof of the Parthenon was made of wood and destroyed in an explosion during the Morean War in 1687.
Daniel Kucin Jr., 2024
A woman who lives in a hill town on the island of Amorgos rides her donkey from home to work every day.
Anne Kohler, 2015
Beachgoers rest along the shore in Corfu.
Lorenzo Linthout, 2024
Straw umbrellas dot Perissa Beach in Santorini.
Angie McMonigal, 2012
Who needs sand? Sunbathers catch a few rays on a stone platform at Asteria in Ermoupoli, on the island of Syros.
Olivia Finch, 2023
The use of earthen materials gives the walls of the Agia Triada Monastery in Crete their orange-tan hue.
Kyle Guynn, 2017
The village of Oia on the island of Santorini is aglow during sunset.
Alexander Sviridov, 2022
Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.
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