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Greece is officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country located in Southeast Europe. Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018; Athens is its largest and capital city, followed by Thessaloniki. Situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring many islands, of which 227 are inhabited. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres (9,573 ft). The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands (including the Dodecanese and Cyclades), Thrace, Crete, and the Ionian Islands.

Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre and the Olympic Games. From the eighth century BC, the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states, known as poleis (singular polis), which spanned the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Philip II of Macedon united most of present-day Greece in the fourth century BC, with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world, from the eastern Mediterranean to India. The subsequent Hellenistic period saw the height of Greek culture and influence in antiquity. Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century BC, becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its continuation, the Byzantine Empire, which was culturally and linguistically predominantly Greek. The Greek Orthodox Church, which emerged in the first century AD, helped shape modern Greek identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox world. After falling under Ottoman dominion in the mid-15th century, Greece emerged as a modern nation state in 1830 following a war of independence. The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Greece is a unitary parliamentary republic, and a developed country, with an advanced high-income economy, and a high quality of life, ranking simultaneously very high in the Human Development Index. Its economy is the largest in the Balkans, where it is an important regional investor. A founding member of the United Nations, Greece was the tenth member to join the European Communities (precursor to the European Union) and has been part of the Eurozone since 2001. It is also a member of numerous other international institutions, including the Council of Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). Greece's unique cultural heritage, large tourism industry, prominent shipping sector and geostrategic importance classify it as a middle power.

Foods in Greece :

(1) Amygdalota : 

Amygdalota is gluten-free almond cookie that is wildly popular in Greece  and are the perfect match to a warm cup of Greek coffee. Whether it is a family or friends gathering, Amygdalota reflects the images of good times warm relationships. This food may vary a bit in different parts of Greece, but almonds being the dominant ingredient throughout the regions.

(2) Baklava : 

Baklava is the quintessential Greek food experience. This cuisine mostly contains nuts and butter along with sugar. After baking, sweet syrup is poured over it so that the syrup can be absorbed by the crispy layers of phyllo. It is probably the most popular food item among all Greek desserts. It brings a festive mood in the dining room through its exquisite flavor and flaky crust.

(3) Bougatsa : 

Bougatsa is a kind of sweet pie (less sweet if you consider Greek standard) made of phyllo pastry & semolina custard. This is a kind of food that tastes good in daytime, delicious at late night and best enjoyed with pleasant memories. If you want to eat this pie from roadside food court you will also get a sprinkle of powder sugar and cinnamon on top.

(4) Courgette Balls (kolokithokeftedes) : 

You are going to want to add this veggie starter to the list of your favorite dishes. This is a very popular Cretan meze, found in most (if not all) Greek restaurants. Your taste buds will be mesmerized by its flavored texture, salty & tasty feta cheese with a bit of fresh mint. The original kolokythokeftedes must be crispy on the outside with a creamy texture on the inside.

(5) Dolmadakia (Stuffed Grape Leaves) : 

This is another sign of the versatile nature of Greek food. Dolmadakia are tiny dolmades that are made of stuffed grape leaves. Inside the leaf you will get meat of ground lamb or beef (sometimes both) and rice stuffing. Traditionally, this dish is served as appetizer with lemon wedges.

(5) Tomatokeftedes (Santorini Tomato Fritters) : 

Tomaotokeftedes or tomato fritters are traditional meze and main course vegetarian food item in Santorini and Syros. Proper draining of tomato is essential for preparing this delicious food item. These fritters have rough edges with bits of mint, tomato and onion chunks. PS: before heading to Santorini, definitely read our Santorini Bucket List: 30 Best Things to Do on the Greek Island!

Weather & geography in  Greece :

Greece has a warm Mediterranean climate. In summer (June to August), dry hot days are often relieved by stiff evening breezes, especially in the north, on the islands and in coastal areas. Athens can be stiflingly hot, with temperatures occasionally exceeding 40°C (104°F) in July. The peninsula of ancient Greece had a Mediterranean geography in ancient greececlimate. Its summers were hot and dry. Temperatures averaged about 75° F (24° C) in summer. The Mediterranean waters and a northwesterly breeze, known as the Etesian, kept temperatures at a comfortable level. In the winter, temperatures again were influenced by the surrounding water. Typically temperatures did not go below 40° F (4.4° C) with the exceptions in the high mountains. In the mountains, snow was typical during the wet winter months. The average yearly rainfall ranged from twenty to fifty inches, with the majority coming during the winter months. Greece typically experienced a large amount of sunny days during the year.The geography of ancient Greece was divided into three regions: the coast, the lowlands, and the mountains. The rocky and uneven soil on the peninsula of Greece allowed for less than 20 percent of the land to be farmed, so the Greeks relied heavily on imports of grains and other foods from other regions around the Mediterranean. With no rivers that could be used for boats (because rivers would dry up in the hot summer and be overflowing during the winter), transportation on the sea was very important to the Greeks. The mountainous terrain made land travel difficult and contributed to the formation of independent city-states throughout the region.

Per day Cost in Greece :
How much money will you need for your trip to Greece? You should plan to spend around €123 ($146) per day on your vacation in Greece, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, €32 ($38) on meals for one day and €24 ($28) on local transportation.

History of Greece :

The history of Greece encompasses the history of the territory of the modern nation-state of Greece as well as that of the Greek people and the areas they inhabited and ruled historically. The scope of Greek habitation and rule has varied throughout the ages and as a result, the history of Greece is similarly elastic in what it includes. Generally, the history of Greece is divided into the following periods:Paleolithic Greece starting c. 3.3 million years ago and ending in 13.000 BC. Significant geomorphological and climatic changes were noted in the modern Greek area which were definitive for the fauna and flora as well as the survival of the Homo sapiens in the region.Mesolithic Greece starting in 13.000 BC and ending in 7.000 BC, it was a period of long and slow development of the primitive human "proto-communities".Neolithic Greece; covering a period beginning with the establishment of agricultural societies in 7000 BC and ending in c. 3200 – c. 3100 BC. It was a vital part of the early history of Greece because it was the base for the early bronze age civilizations. The first organized communities were developed and basic art became more advanced.Ancient Greece usually encompasses Greek antiquity, while part of the region's late prehistory (Late Bronze Age) is also considered part of it:Bronze Age (Cycladic culture, Minoan and Helladic); chronology covering a period beginning with the transition to a metal-based economy in 3200/3100 BC during the Eutresis culture and Korakou culture, Cycladic culture with its special figurines, Europe's first real civilization (Minoan civilization), Tiryns culture, to the rise and fall of the Mycenaean Greek palaces in the Late Bronze Age collapse. Spans roughly five centuries (1600–1100 BC).Greek Dark Ages (or Iron Age, Homeric Age), 1100-800 BCArchaic period, 800-490 BCClassical period 490-323 BCHellenistic period, 323-146 BC.Roman Greece; covering a period from the Roman conquest of Greece in 146 BC to AD 324.Byzantine Greece; covering a period from the establishment of the capital city of Byzantium, Constantinople, in AD 324 until the fall of Constantinople in AD 1453.Frankish/Latin Greece; (including the Venetian possessions) covering a period from the Fourth Crusade (1204) to 1797, year of disestablishment of the Venetian Republic.Ottoman Greece; covering a period from 1453 up until the Greek Revolution of 1821,Modern Greece; covering a period from 1821 to present.At its cultural and geographical peak, Greek civilization spread from Egypt all the way to the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. Since then, Greek minorities have remained in former Greek territories (e.g. Turkey, Albania, Italy, Libya, Levant, Armenia, Georgia) and Greek emigrants have assimilated into differing societies across the globe (e.g. North America, Australia, Northern Europe, South Africa). At present, most Greeks live in the modern states of Greece (independent since 1821) and Cyprus.