With thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. Influential in ancient times, it’s often called the cradle of Western civilization.  Visit Athens, the capital, which retains landmarks including the 5th-century B.C. Acropolis citadel with the Parthenon temple. Known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos. Thus summer, discover Greece.