Greece

Greece invented the idea that a sea view could be a philosophy, and three thousand years later nobody does it better: the Parthenon catching its evening gold above Athens' rooftop bars, ferries threading an Aegean scattered with white villages, octopus drying outside tavernas where the bill still surprises pleasantly. It is Europe's warmest welcome and — off the two celebrity islands — its best-value blue water.

The shape of the trip

The classic (7 nights): Athens (2) — Acropolis at opening or golden hour, Plaka's lanes, the museum; then two islands, not four: Santorini's caldera drama (2–3) paired with laid-back Naxos or Paros (2–3) for the beaches, villages and half-price tavernas the postcards skip. Ferries make the hop trivial.

The money

Athens and the mellow islands run gentler than reputation: doubles ₹5,500–9,000, a taverna feast with house wine ₹900–1,400, ferry hops ₹2,500–5,000. Santorini is the exception — caldera-view rooms command ₹15,000–40,000 — which is precisely why the two-island structure balances the budget and the trip.

Worth knowing

Start the Schengen file 6–8 weeks out with hotels and ferries mirrored exactly in the itinerary. Book Santorini stays and sunset-side tables well ahead in season. And rent wheels for one island day — Greece's best beaches hide past where the buses stop.