From Thessaloniki to Crete, we choose 12 of the most beautiful places in Greece for romantic getaways.
Atmospheric old towns and castle-towns that carry youback in time, lakes wrapped in mist, picturesque churches with views of the sunset and the blue. Inspired by Valentine’s Day, we gathered some of the most beautiful places in Greece for romantic getaways in every season of the year.
Nafpaktos
Built between Antirrio and the mouth of the Mornos River, at the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth, the town ofNafpaktosis one of the most picturesque and romantic destinations in Greece. The Venetian harbor, with the two towers that guard its entrance, is the city’s hallmark. Colorful boats and sailing yachts add their own hues to the scene. The well-preserved Venetian castle atop the hill enchants with its impressive views. At night, with the illuminated Rio-Antirrio Bridge as a backdrop, the spectacle becomes even more striking.
Galaxidi
The town ofGalaxiditransports you to another atmosphere, filling you with images of old Greece. The designated traditional settlement, with its stone-paved alleys, neoclassical mansions and captains’ houses that bear witness to the area’s glorious maritime past, is gorgeous. Colorful facades, flower-filled pebbled courtyards and balconies adorned with ship figureheads create a picturesque island-like scene on the mainland. In Hirolakas, the second harbor, mansions plunge into the water. The view from Pera Panta, the pine forest opposite, is the best postcard you’ll take with you.
Nafplio
An aristocratic place with a rich history and incredible beauty, the city ofNafplioknows how to win you over from the first minute and make you return. Its romantic Old Town is one of the loveliest in Greece. Neoclassical mansions, Venetian architecture, cobbled lanes and flower-decked balconies create a setting that enchants with its beauty and historic character. Nafplio’s hallmark is Bourtzi, the small islet-fortress at the entrance to the bay. To admire the city from above, you’ll need to climb the famed 999 steps (in reality, a little fewer) up to Palamidi, which rises atop a massive grey rock. The most romantic will be thrilled by the walk along the Acronafplia path overlooking the waters of the Argolic Gulf.
Road of Love, Mountainous Arcadia
Thick plane trees and fragrant maples compose a unique setting along this path called «road of love»- like those you see on Instagram and think are a painting rather than a real place. In mountainous Arcadia, in the picturesque village of Vytina, you can walk the route once taken by the youths of bygone times, where they exchanged glances and messages of love. To this day, the «road of love» remains one of the most romantic places in Greece for a stroll.
Monemvasia Castle
A romantic setting carved from rock and history. At the southern tip of the eastern coast of the Peloponnese, the medieval castle-town of Monemvasialooks as if it has stepped out of a fairytale. Even from afar, it’s impossible not to feel awe at the sight of the enormous rock. Passing through the main gate, your ramble begins through an immaculately preserved medieval settlement with stone-paved alleys, old mansions and Byzantine churches that coexist harmoniously with traditional guesthouses and shops. In the Upper Town, on the edge of a cliff, 300 meters above the Myrtoan Sea, stands the Church of Hagia Sophia, built in the 12th century. From here, the view of Monemvasia and the sea that spreads at its «feet» is spellbinding.
Liston, Old Town of Corfu
Beyond its lush nature, picturesque villages and wonderful beaches, Corfualso boasts an atmospheric Old Town, included among UNESCO’s World Heritage Monuments. Its most central and most photographed spot is the Liston, the street that strongly recalls Paris’s Rue de Rivoli. In previous centuries, only nobles whose names were entered in the Libro d’ Oro, the golden book of the aristocracy, had the right to take their promenade here. Today, visitors are impressed by the complex of old yet well-preserved, multi-storey residences arranged in a linear row with arcaded ground floors.
Lake Ioannina
Every time we find ourselves in Ioannina, we confirm it is one of the loveliest Greek cities. Lake Pamvotida and the castle-town make the city feel plucked from another era, offering the ideal setting for romance. Here you’ll stand before Pamvotida, the jewel of Ioannina, the lake of legends and traditions. This lake has a special magic, which you’ll sense as you stroll, on foot or by bicycle, along the atmospheric and serene lakeside promenade adorned with towering trees. When fog falls, the landscape turns dreamlike.
Lake Kastoria
A city mirrored in the waters of its lake, charming visitors with its nobility and serene aura. The first thing you’ll want to do inKastoriais see Lake Orestiada up close, which will draw you like a magnet. Do it at your own pace, as leisurely as you need to enjoy the scenery. The small circuit of the lake is about 8 km long and is ideal on foot or by bicycle (there’s also the longer one, which continues toward the lakeside villages). As you walk, you’ll gaze at pelicans and ducks, and at the sight of fishermen standing to row their «boats».
Thessaloniki Waterfront
You can’t go toThessaloniki, be in a romantic mood and not take a seafront stroll along Leoforos Nikis to the White Tower and from there along the New Waterfront to the Concert Hall. After the redevelopment of the waterfront with themed parks, fountains and sculptures, such as Zongolopoulos’s famous «Umbrellas», the favorite promenade of Thessalonians became even more enjoyable. The New Waterfront is perfect for cycling and romantic walks, ideally in the afternoon to watch the sun dip into the Thermaic Gulf.
Venetian Harbor, Chania
The second-largest city of Crete and - for many - one of the most beautiful in Greece, it is at the same time a place full of history and culture. The city ofChaniahas something unique in the way it welcomes you from the very first moment you set foot there. One stroll along the Venetian harbor with the Egyptian Lighthouse is enough to fall in love with the city. The harbor’s promenade is the busiest spot in Chania’s Old Town, brimming with cafés, restaurants, shops, as well as monuments preserved from different periods. Arabs, Venetians, Turks and Egyptians all passed through this place, leaving their marks like an indelible seal.
Hydra
«If you have a house onHydra, cities seem less frightening», said Leonard Cohen, who in 1960 bought a house on the island that gifted him moments of calm and inspiration. There he met his lover and muse, Marianne Ihlen. Eminent figures of letters and the arts, as well as illustrious names of the international jet set, fell in love with this island and put their signature on its myth. Full of colors and fragrances, Hydra invites you to discover its cosmopolitan aura, to walk its cobbled alleys, to admire the captains’ houses and the well-preserved mansions with their austere, clean lines, and to roam its trails.
Oia, Santorini
No such feature could omitSantoriniand the traditional settlement of Oia, which is without a doubt the most romantic spot on the island and one of the most photographed places in Greece. As touristy as it may sound, the sunset in Oia with the Caldera as a backdrop is a unique spectacle you should see at least once in your life. It’s no coincidence it always features among top travel destinations and the whole world raves about it.
