Greek Islands; best accommodation on different islands.

Greece, officially known as The Hellenic Republic, is the southernmost country on the European mainland. With an area of 131.940 square kilometers, Greece is about the same size as England or New York State. Greece's longest border is with the sea. Over 2,000 Greek islands are scattered about the eastern Mediterranean, roughly 200 of them inhabited. The Greek mainland shares land borders with Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bulgaria and Turkey. Geographically, it belongs to Europe, since it forms the most southerly extremity of the Balkan Peninsula, but it has another special link to Europe through the cluster of Ionian islands which form a chain off Greece's western shores, in the Ionian sea. In contrast there are numerous islands in the Aegean sea, some isolated like Crete in the South, and some in groups like the islands of the Northeast Aegean, the Sporades, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese. The Cyclades consists of 39 islands of which only 24 are inhabited. The Sporades lies off the eastern shores of mainland Greece and Euboea (Evia) and retains their genuine island characteristics and unchanged local traditions. The Dodecanese group consists of twelve major islands and a number of smaller ones, each with its own distinctive features and peculiarities. Finally, the Saronic Gulf, which is the stretch of sea linking the shores of Attica to those of the Peloponnese, contains another group of small islands, which adds its own colour to the general surroundings. At the heart of Greece lies the oracle of Antiquity, Delphi. The port city of Thessaloniki, and the mountains and river plains of the north, have played a critical role in the history of South Eastern Europe. The plain of Attica (Attiki) was the site of Europe's first cities. Today, Attica supports nearly half the Greek population. The best known of eastern Greece's many mountains is Mt. Olympus (Olympos), fabled home of the ancient gods. The Peloponnese (Peloponissos) gave rise to many great cities of the ancient world, including Mycenae, Sparta, and Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. The 2000 islands of the archipelago share much common history and culture, but each has its own individual character. You can find from luxury to 2 stars hotels on each of the islands, just have to choose the beach. The climate is mostly dry and temperate, though it snows in the mountains and in the north. The mild weather and sheltered valleys of the region, along with the early development of seafaring, contributed to the rise of Ancient Greek Civilization Greece has a long and eventful history. It was part of each of the great empires - the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman - that ruled the region. Greece has strong historical ties with southeastern and western Europe, Asia and Africa. At the crossroads of so many civilizations, Greece is gifted with a rich and fascinating cultural heritage. The country's turbulent history has had remarkably little effect on the Greek language. Modern Greek is easily recognizable as the language of Plato.