For something just a little bit different, though every bit as authentic as a Greek island holiday, book a luxury trip to the Peloponnese, an enchanting peninsula that should be on everybody’s European bucket list. Here you can marvel at bewildering archaeological sites including the ancient city of Olympia, home to the first ever Olympic Games and a perfectly in-tact amphitheatre which dates back nearly 2,800 years. There’s the UNESCO World Heritage listed Temple of Apollo, strategically significant Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus, with its open-air theatre that’s so acoustically perfect that even a mere whisper could be heard by every member of the 15,000 strong audience, some 2,500 years ago.
As impressive as these – and many more like them – are, it’s not all about history in the Peloponnese, as there is no shortage of showstopping beaches and inviting ocean waters to indulge in while here. Don’t miss the coves of Messenia and of course, Costa Navarino, a place of olive groves, forested hills leading to golden beaches and yet more ancient sites, though also world-class golf courses and five-star resorts too. Throughout it all, you’ll be charmed by local villages and fishing communities, family-owned restaurants, boutique hotels and an authentic side of Greek life that is simply spellbinding.