Greece’s wealth of ancient history and temperate weather add to its delicious Mediterranean cuisine and sun-dappled shores. This captivating country boasts a vast array of incredible sights to see and a rich culture in which to immerse yourself.

Whether you spend your time in Greece visiting the hallowed grounds where famed Greek philosophers, such as Socrates and Aristotle, once held court, traveling to the Meteora monasteries, or basking in the sun on the Greek Islands, your seven days in Greece will be imbued with relaxation, delicious food, amazing sights, and a plethora of outdoor activities.

Greece’s main regions include:

Sterea, Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, and Thrace. There are also more than 2,000 islands in Greece, which include Crete, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Ionian, the Sporades, the Saronic, and the Eastern Aegean islands. Of the 2,000 Greek Islands, only 168 are inhabited.

Greece is home to a relatively mild climate that is classified as Mediterranean. The summers in Greece are hot and dry, and July and August are typically the hottest. During these months, the temperature ranges from 86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Some days can get as hot as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Winters tend to be somewhat cold and rainy.

The further north you travel in Greece, the cooler the temperatures become. In the northernmost regions, winters can get relatively cold, and some even experience snow. Greece’s southern areas and the Greek Islands enjoy a more temperate winter.

There are approximately 10.5 million people that live in Greece. Roughly 75% of these people reside in or near the big cities, such as Athens and Thessaloniki. Athens is Greece’s capital and largest city with a population of about three million.

The majority of the Greeks identify as Christian Orthodox, and the remainder of the residents identify as a mixture of Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish faiths.

The official language of Greece is Greek, but there are also some non-official dialects that are spoken throughout the country. As you travel throughout most major cities and the major islands, it is common to hear languages like English, German, French, and Italian.

Greece’s official currency is the Euro. Most hotels, restaurants, and shops in Greece accept major credit cards, although you might still encounter some that only accept cash. Therefore, it is always advisable that you carry at least some cash with you as you travel throughout Greece.

Most of the mainland and the more frequented Greek Islands have banks and ATMs that are easy to find. If your vacation leads you to some of the more remote islands in Greece, ATMs may become more difficult to find.