5Crete

Unlike the white-washed buildings of Santorini or Paros, Crete’s buildings are gatherings of pastel colors along a turquoise blue ocean. The Island has a ‘travel’ instead of ‘tourist’ vibe. It’s a lot less crowded and it’s easy to meet young people from Athens who are working there over the summer.

If you’re looking for a Minoan settlement that makes ancient Athens look like a newborn baby, spend an afternoon at Knossos. Some historians consider it to be Europe’s oldest city. We’re talking 9,000 years old.