Athens, Greece
Best time to visit: September-June
You need: 3-4 days

I wander through narrow, winding cobblestone lanes, flanked by pastel-coloured houses, their red roofs and balconies festooned with pink bougainvilleas. There are small tavernas hosting dance shows, souvenir shops selling Greek jewellery in traditional designs and worry beads called kombouli, olive oil soaps, evil eye amulets and marble busts of gods and goddesses. Old men dressed in white coats sell hot, flaky, sesame- encrusted bagels, while small groups gather around a backgammon board and tourists sip cold frappes on outdoor tables. At a traditional dance show, where a Greek dinner of salads, feta in phyllo pastry and baked moussaka is served, women dancers in traditional long skirts with aprons and sashes worn with ruffled blouses, twirl and prance, while the men in embroidered boleros and baggy pants sway gracefully to the sounds of ‘Opa’.