My grandmother lives in Athens, so I’ve been visiting Greece off and on my whole life. When pressed for recommendations, I’ve generally steered people toward the islands, particularly the less-touristy ones, and recommended Athens itself only for those who are very into ancient Greek history. Those are usually the only two categories folks are interested in, but, just like there’s so much more to see in France than just Paris, there’s a deep bench of exquisitely beautiful travel destinations spread out over the mainland above Athens.

We’ve got gorgeous mountain towns with cliff-top monasteries and breezy fishing villages with their little bobbing boats. We’ve got sun-soaked olive groves that go on for miles and miles, and the kinds of museums that will enthrall rather than bore you. We’ve got ski resorts and Venetian castles and Turkish mosques and ancient amphitheatres still in use. So what are you waiting for? Put these seriously stunning spots should be on your summer to-do list, ASAP.