At the ancient site of Delphi, where the Greeks once consulted the Oracle about the future, there's a small round sculpture. It's known as the omphalos—the cosmic belly button. The Greeks believed that Delphi was the very center of the world—the place where everything came into being. Indeed, many aspects of Western culture came into being in Greece—drama, art, philosophy and science.

It's a heady feeling to walk on stones that may have been trod upon by Plato, Homer or Agamemnon. But at many places in Greece, where ancient ruins are surrounded by the noise and smells of traffic, or where pristine island beaches are packed by topless sunbathers, it's apparent that the influence works the other way as well: Greece, it sometimes seems, has been overtaken by the modern world it spawned.

The trick for travelers in Greece is to find the golden mean—in this case, the balance between environment and history, between crowds and quiet, between ancient and modern. With a bit of planning (and maybe a query to the Oracle), you can find beautiful settings that can soothe your soul, and centuries of art and history to invigorate your mind. It's very likely you'll be as charmed by the Greek people as you are by their landscape.

With its numerous archaeological sites and treasures, historical museums and cultural venues, Greece has a lot to offer visitors.
Some popular historical places to see include the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens; the infamous site of the Delphi Oracle at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi; Olympia, home of the first Olympic Games; Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki; and Mount Olympus, Greece's tallest mountain and legendary home of the Greek gods.

For a taste of the Greek cultural scene, check out one of the many festivals held throughout the country such as the Athens Festival in summer. Or, visit the Greek National Opera, or attend a concert at Athens Concert Hall or Thessaloniki Concert Hall.
A comprehensive tour of Greece would take months. The absolute minimum stay to do the country justice is one week, although we strongly recommend at least two.

For those with tight schedules, cruises are the best way to see the islands, but if a long stay is possible, visit several islands and spend about three nights on each to get a real feel for them. Part of the reason for visiting them is to slow down, relax and meet the people.

On subsequent visits, spend time exploring new islands and going up-country, toward the borders with Albania, Macedonia (the former Yugoslav state), Bulgaria and Turkey. For the first-timer with only one week, we suggest the following itinerary:

Day 1—Arrive Athens.
Day 2—Athens.
Day 3—Athens (possible day trip to Cape Sounion).
Day 4—Day trip to Delphi. Return to Athens.
Day 5—Board boat for three-day cruise of islands.
Days 6 and 7—Cruise.
Day 8—Return to, and depart from, Athens.

A preferred itinerary would be at least two weeks long, including the following:

Day 1—Arrive Athens.
Day 2—Athens.
Day 3—Drive via the towns of Thebes, Livadia and Arakhova to Delphi. Overnight in Delphi.
Day 4—Depart for Olympia and cross the "Little Dardanelles" between Rion and Antirion. Overnight in Olympia.
Day 5—Depart for Nauplia via the towns of Megalopolis and Tripoli, through the region called Arcadia (home of the nymphs and Pan).
Day 6—Depart for Athens via Mycenae and Corinth.
Day 7—Board a seven-night cruise of the islands.
Days 8-13—Cruise.
Day 14—Return to Athens and depart Greece.
If you want to spend a lot of time on one island, you might consider Crete, which has the largest variety of sights and activities. Here's a sample six-night, seven-day itinerary for Crete:

Day 1—Arrive in Iraklion by air or sea. Tour the city and get your bearings.
Day 2—Tour the nearby palace at Knossos in the morning, before the sun gets too intense. Visit Iraklion's Archaeological Museum in the afternoon.
Day 3—Drive west along the northern coast to Khania, stopping in Rethymnon along the way.
Day 4—If you are in good shape, hike the challenging 11-mi/18-km Samaria Gorge. For something less strenuous, spend the day in Khania exploring its cultural sights.
Day 5—Drive to Matala on the southern coast. From there see Festos, Agia Triada, or just hang out on the beach.
Day 6—Explore the Lassithi Plateau. Spend the night in Agios Nikolaos or a smaller coastal town.
Day 7—Depart Iraklion.

Should you have additional days and want to see the Macedonian region of Greece, allow several nights to see the Thessaloniki and Pella areas.