Greece offers a myriad of experiences, landscapes and activities. It is the pulsing nightclubs of Mykonos and the ancient beauty of Delos; the grandeur of Delphi and the earthiness of Ioannina; the rugged hillsides of Crete and the lush wildflowers of spring. It is the blinding light of the Mykonos sun, the melancholy throb of Thessaloniki's rembetika (blues songs), the tang of home-made tzatziki, the gossip in the kafeneia (coffee shops). It is the Parthenon - solitary and pristine - lording it over the hazy sprawl of Athens. Holidays in Greece truly are a breath taking experience.

Until the 1960s only wealthy people, flower-power hippies and adventurous backpackers had the pleasure of exploring the countless delights during holidays in Greece and travelling around the Greek  mainland and islands. These days more than 12 million foreign visitors pour into the country each year, aided by an ever-increasing number of tour operators, car hire firms and charter flight companies all falling over themselves in a bid to exploit the potential of one of the world's most tempting holiday destinations.

For a more conventional beach holiday to Greece you may prefer one of the better known islands. Known as the Ionian 'Emerald Isle' Corfu is a mix of lush pine-clad mountains and soft sandy beaches. Thassos is the island of choice if you're after the more traditional Greek experience in un-spoilt surroundings. If you're after a bit more action on your summer holiday to Greece then maybe Crete or Rhodes with their well known party capitals would suit you better. Not forgetting Santorini, Samos and Kos all of which simply ooze charm and tranquility with their sugar cube villages and picturesque countryside.

Greece has the longest coastline of any European country, its islands number more than 2,000 (though only about 100 are inhabited) and its awesome array of ancient sites are unrivalled anywhere in the world. The wondrous legacies of Ancient Greece are too numerous to take in during a two-week holiday, even if you spend the entire time dashing from one archaeological site to another.  There's the Parthenon in Athens, the most famous ancient monument in the world, the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the stadium at Olympia where the first Olympic games were held in 776 BC, the almost perfectly preserved 4th century BC amphitheatre of Epidaurus. In fact the list is endless; wherever you turn throughout your holidays in Greece there's another ancient spectacle waiting to take your breath away. Everywhere there are reminders of that golden age when Greece gave birth to western civilisation and spawned the greatest philosophers, artists, poets, scientists, healers and warriors of the ancient world. Although it can’t be promised that holidays in Greece will provide travelers with such talents but it’s worth soaking in the culture of such a beautiful country.

The Greek Islands offer all things to all people. There are the unashamedly hedonistic party playgrounds such as Mykonos, Kos and Ios. There are tranquil, unspoilt islands where rural life continues much as it has done for centuries. And there are islands that offer something for everyone - such as Rhodes and Corfu where you can party around-the-clock or roam the hillsides far from the madding crowds.

There’s a huge portion of Greece that is mountainous and the country has far more than its fair share of stunningly beautiful locations, many of which have been the target of Hollywood movie moguls. The lovely island of Amorgos, with its golden beaches and crystal clear waters was one of the locations in the French cult movie The Big Blue. The extraordinary mountain monasteries of Meteora, clinging impossibly to cylindrical pinnacles of rock, featured in the James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only. And the breathtaking volcanic cauldron of Santorini in the Cyclades was the setting for Angelina Jolie's underwater antics in the 2002 Tomb Raider sequel.