There is a lot more to Greece than its wonderfully hectic capital city. Try these excursions within easy reach of Athens:

Corfu

Corfu is one of the Ionian Islands off the West Coast of mainland Greece. It is best known as a beach destination, but it is also rich in history and culture.

It has museums, churches, archaeological sites and no less than seven music schools. The annual Corfu Festival in August and September features ballet and orchestral music from all over the world.

Corfu is a long day’s overland and sea travel from Athens - your best option is to fly. Olympic Airlines runs daily flights to the island at reasonable prices. Tel: +30 210-926-9111.

 Crete

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and almost a country in its own right. It has a selection of large towns to visit - including the capital, Heraklion, which is good for shopping.

It is extremely hot throughout summer. The beaches are perfect for sunbathing and watersports but the real attractions are the ruins of the ancient Minoan civilisation. The most impressive are the remains at Knossos - home to the legendary Minotaur.

Almost 300km south of Athens, the island is an overnight ferry journey away from Piraeus (10hrs). Flights are also available with Olympic (Tel: +30 210-926-9111) and Aegean (Tel: +30 210-626-1000) flying from Athens to Crete frequently. Information on all ferry services from Piraeus can be obtained through the harbour police, Tel: +30 210-422-6000 Delphi

Delphi was believed to be the centre of the world by the Ancient Greeks.

The Oracle at the temple of Apollo was thought to tell the future and pilgrims came from all over the Greek Empire to consult the fates. Visitors today can go to the ruins of the temple - and ask the Oracle for advice if they so desire.

It has been suggested that the visions experienced by the acolytes here were induced by sulphur fumes, so don’t hold your breath for an answer from the Gods.

Still, if you forget the science, Delphi is an incredibly serene place, and you can well imagine the ancients who used to travel hundreds of miles on foot to honour the oracle. Nowadays there are daily buses from Athens, 150 kilometres away.

 Saronic Islands

The Saronic Islands are the closest islands to the Greek capital, barely an hour away from Athens. They are typical oceanic idylls surrounded by the azure Mediterranean Sea.

Aegina is the most popular and lies the closest to the city, just over half an hour from Piraeus. The Temple of Aphaia is an undoubted highlight.

Neighbouring Hydra has long been a favourite with the artistic set and is a peaceful place with a stunningly picturesque harbour.

Poros is a livelier place with a burgeoning nightlife and a fabulous position for exploring the rest of the island group as well as the adjacent Peloponnese.

 Cape Sounion

This exposed cape right at the tip of the peninsula extending south from Athens is a refreshing change from the crowded city streets of the city, although in season the cape crawls with tourists as much as the Acropolis does.

The reason for this rural congestion is the Temple of Poseidon that presides over this headland. A magnificent structure of ancient times the temple looks out over the azure waters of the Aegean, supposedly to look out for homeward bound ships.

The views are undeniably spectacular and the sea breezes a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of the city in summer.

Mycenae

Once at the heart of an empire, Mycenae occupies the slopes of Mt Euboea to the South of Athens.

This ancient enclave was first settled 6000 years ago and was already deserted by the time the Romans marched into Greece. At the height of its influence in about 1500 BC Mycenae was an impressive mountain citadel with formidable walls defending its exposed flanks.

Excavations have been going on at the site for hundreds of years with highlights being the Lion Gate and the circles of ancient tombs.

 Epidaurus

The ruined ancient city-state of Epidaurus lies in the Northeast Peloponnese, close to Athens.

The site is most renowned for its 4th-century BC theatre, one of the best preserved in the whole of Greece. The acoustics are still perfect and, in season, it is possible to see open-air Greek theatre here.

Epidaurus was central to the worship of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine, and what little survives of the large temple to the deity contains several well-preserved sculptures. The rest of the site is also worth exploring, with a fascinating mixture of ruins dating from the Ancient Greek to the Roman era.

The nearby museum charts the progression of the ongoing excavations and exploration of the site including some of the rudimentary surgical tools employed in the art of healing at the temple.

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