What to See in Greece: Cities to Explore on Foot

Greece is a country of ancient cities, Byzantine heritage, mountain landscapes and thousands of islands. From Athens and Thessaloniki to Zakynthos, Paros and Crete, the best things to do in Greece include exploring places shaped by a long history and a deep connection with the sea. Neywo offers free audio guides for 24 cities in Greece, with 784 narrated places in total.

What to see and do in Greece

Explore the history of ancient Greece

Greece is often described as the cradle of Western civilisation. In the ancient world, independent city-states known as poleis spread their influence around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Later, Philip the Second of Macedon united most of what is now Greece, while his son Alexander the Great conquered territories stretching from the Near East to northwestern India.

The Hellenistic age that followed became a high point of Greek cultural influence. Greece was later incorporated into the Roman Empire, and its eastern continuation became the Byzantine Empire, where Greek language and culture were dominant.

Visit Athens and Attica

Athens is Greece’s largest city and is closely associated with ancient Greek literature, philosophy and democracy. The city also hosted the inaugural modern Summer Olympics in 1896. Neywo’s guide to Athens includes 81 narrated places, including the Panathenaic Stadium, Άγιος Γεώργιος, Eleusinion and the Athens Polytechnic uprising.

Nearby Piraeus, a city with 40 narrated places on Neywo, adds another perspective on the region. Its places include the Church of St Paul in Piraeus, the statue of Γεώργιος Καραϊσκάκης, the Railway Museum of Athens and Tinan Garden. For an island setting in the same region, Poros has five narrated places, including the Archaeological Museum of Poros, Zoodochos Pigi monastery and the Sanctuary of Poseidon at Kalaureia.

Discover northern Greece

Northern Greece brings together the regions of Macedonia and Thrace, as well as places linked to the history of Epirus and the Byzantine world. Thessaloniki has 137 narrated places, making it one of the richest cities to explore with Neywo. Among its featured sites are Hamza Bey Mosque, Navarinou Square, Eleftherias Square and Saint Euthymius Chapel.

In the northwest, Ioannina has 27 narrated places. Its highlights include Aslan Pasha Mosque, Fethiye Mosque, the Clock tower of Ioannina and Papastathis Bridge. Kalabaka has 26 narrated places and is a starting point for exploring Meteora, including the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Moni Rousanou, Agios Stefanos monastery and Agios Nikolaos Anapafsa monastery of Meteora.

Follow Greece’s religious and cultural traditions

The Greek Orthodox Church has played an important role in shaping modern Greek identity and carrying Greek traditions into the wider Orthodox world. Greek culture also preserves memories from Mycenaean and Classical Greece through Roman and Byzantine times.

Theatre in its Western form was born in Greece, while ancient Greek philosophy placed value on reason and the critical examination of inherited traditions. Education was also highly valued through the idea of paideia. Greek vocal music and mixed-gender choruses formed part of entertainment, celebrations and spiritual occasions.

Explore the Ionian Islands

The Ionian Sea lies to the west of mainland Greece, and the Ionian Islands offer a different setting from the Aegean islands. Corfu has 66 narrated places, including the Serbian Museum of Corfu. Lefkada has 10 narrated places, with the Ieros Naos Pantokratoros and the Archaeological museum of Lefkada among them.

On Zakynthos, Neywo covers 16 narrated places. These include Saint Dionysios metropolitan cathedral, the Ionian Islands, Anafonitria Monastery and Moni Strophadon. Inland and along the coast, Parga has five narrated places, including Άγιος Γεώργιος, the Acheron, Άγιος Ιωάννης and Anthousa Castle.

Travel through Crete

Crete is one of Greece’s major geographic regions and has a particularly strong connection with the country’s ancient past. Heraklion has 12 narrated places, including Knossos, Lions Square, Saint Peter of the Dominicans, Heraklion, and Agia Aikaterini.

Chania has 55 narrated places. Its featured sites include Kydonia, Firka Fortress, Etz Hayyim Synagogue and Souda Fortress. Further east, Rethymno has 32 narrated places, including Church Megali Panagia, Arkadi Monastery, Fortezza of Rethymno and Veli Pasha Mosque.

Discover the Aegean islands

Greece has thousands of islands, of which 227 are inhabited. Together with the long mainland coast, they give the country the longest coastline in the Mediterranean. The Aegean islands are therefore central to understanding Greece as a country shaped by sea as much as by land.

The South Aegean includes a wide range of destinations covered by Neywo. Mykonos has 19 narrated places, including Paraportiani, the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, the Aegean Maritime Museum and Delos. Naxos has 59 narrated places, among them the Archaeological Museum of Naxos, Church of Agios Ioannis, Gyroulas, the Archaeological Collection of Apeiranthos and Panagia Drosiani.

On Paros, the guide includes 22 narrated places, while Parikia has 15. Panagia Ekatontapiliani church and Agios Konstantinos Church feature in both city guides. Milos has 10 narrated places, including the Ecclesiastical Museum of Milos, Milos mining museum, Catacombs of Milos and Phylakopi.

Santorini has 46 narrated places, including the Cathedral of Candlemas of the Lord, Akrotiri, Argyros Mansion and Castle of Akrotiri. Rhodes has 31 narrated places, with sites such as Suleymaniye Mosque, Fort of Saint Nicholas and Murat Reis Mosque.

See how sport became part of Greek identity

Sport has a deep place in Greece’s cultural memory. The ancient Olympic Games were first recorded at Olympia in 776 BC. Greece later hosted the first modern Summer Olympics in Athens in 1896, connecting the modern country with one of its most enduring ancient traditions.

Greece today

Modern Greece is a parliamentary republic and joined what is now the European Union in 1981. The country is largely Greek-speaking, and its constitution recognises Eastern Orthodoxy as the prevailing faith while guaranteeing freedom of religious belief.

Shipping and tourism remain central to the economy, while agriculture continues to be important. Greece produces crops including cotton, pistachios, olives, figs and watermelons. Its modern identity brings together urban life, sea trade, farming, travel and ties to Europe.

Download Neywo and explore Greece at your own pace

Neywo has 42 walking tours across Greece, covering 24 cities and 784 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.

Download Neywo to explore Greece independently and hear the history of its cities, monuments and islands as you walk.