Greece

Moonrise over mountains; the rasp of cicadas in an island olive-grove; a plate of mezédes and a glass of cool retsina. The gentle puttering of a motorboat, passing along an island creek towards harbour and the buzz of small waterfront cafés. An aromatic breeze wafting from hillsides of wild herbs or resinous pines and cypresses. The sensual delights of Greece are well known. Writers have been celebrating them since the days of Homer.

Greece’s charm is unique: part contemporary, part timeless. For all these reasons, it exerts a potent hold on the traveller’s imagination.

For some, perfection lies in taking a small boat out to a deserted bay and letting cares evaporate in the sun, or walking in the shade of an olive grove, exploring ancient ruins and stopping for lunch at a little taverna. The wonderful light may inspire artists, while shopping among Venetian architecture and elegant colonnades or just at a village bakery can be quietly life-enhancing.