Air 19-28°C, water 16-23°C. Islands in bloom, few crowds, wind building towards June. Great for those seeking peace.

Air up to 32°C, water 26°C. High season, guaranteed sun. In the Cyclades and Dodecanese the Meltemi brings strong wind and a well-formed sea: spectacular sailing but less comfortable, better suited to those after an active holiday. The Ionian and Saronic stay gentler and more relaxing.

Air 23-27°C, water still 21-25°C. Warm sea, easing wind, clear days. For many, the best time.

Air 14-19°C, water 15-18°C. Outside the sailing season, sun alternating with rain.

Small plates to share: tzatziki (yoghurt, cucumber and garlic), taramosalata (fish roe), melitzanosalata (aubergine), dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), grilled octopus. Best with a chilled ouzo or tsipouro.

Moussaka (aubergine, meat and béchamel), souvlaki and gyros in pita bread, Greek salad (choriatiki) with feta and olive oil, keftedes (spiced meatballs).

In harbour tavernas it's served grilled and sold by weight: try squid, octopus and the little fried fish (marides), often caught that day.

Baklava and loukoumades (honey doughnuts), Greek yoghurt with honey and walnuts. Dessert and a raki on the house often round off the meal.

Each island has its own: Santorini's fava, Naxos cheeses, Sifnos honey, Aegina pistachios. A good reason to stop at a different taverna every evening.

An island out of time in the Saronic archipelago, on which donkeys are the only means of transportation.

Still in the Saronic Gulf, but a different environment: elegant mansions delicately painted white or in pastel colors, bougainvillea gardens, and cobblestone streets.

Cyclades yes, but peaceful: a picture-postcard landscape, far from mass tourism.

In the small Cyclades, a single village, a magnificent turquoise lagoon and the peace that comes with simplicity.

We are in the Dodecanese: a spectacular volcano, golden hills, charming little villages and a magnificent monastery overlooking the sea.

A forgotten little paradise a few miles from the island of Rhodes

Just a stone's throw from the Turkish coast, a magical island where you can explore caves while immersing yourself in gentian blue water.

A distillation of the Cyclades: blue and white taverns, monasteries clinging to the rock and transparent sea: a timeless atmosphere hard to leave!

It is the bright colors of houses and fishing boats that give this Dodecanese island a relaxed cheerfulness.

It hosts perhaps the most beautiful beach in all of Greece!

In the heart of the capital, the Acropolis and its Parthenon crown the city atop the sacred rock. It's the cultural stop par excellence before or after boarding: Athens' marinas (Alimos, Piraeus) and the Saronic Gulf are just a few kilometres away. Give it half a day, ideally at dawn to beat the crowds and the heat.

At the southern tip of Attica, about 30 miles from Piraeus, the temple's white columns stand on a clifftop above the sea. It's a perfect first or last stop on the way to the Cyclades: anchoring below the headland at sunset is a Greek-sailing classic.

On the mainland, on the slopes of Mount Parnassus overlooking the Gulf of Corinth, this was the "navel of the world" to the ancients. Reachable on a day trip by land from a base in the Gulf of Corinth or the Saronic: the sanctuary of Apollo, the theatre and the stadium in a spectacular setting.

In the western Peloponnese, near the Ionian coast, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, with temples, gymnasiums and the original stadium. An easy shore excursion for those sailing along the Peloponnese or starting from the southern Ionian.

In the north-eastern Peloponnese, a short way from the Saronic Gulf, visited together: Agamemnon's Mycenae with its Lion Gate, and the great theatre of Epidaurus with its flawless acoustics. In summer the Epidaurus Festival brings the theatre back to life with drama, dance and music.

An undisputed gold medalist and international benchmark for nightlife in the Mediterranean, Mykonos often hosts international DJs for crazy dances by the sea.

Wild and with a hippie past, the evening in Ios begins on the beach in the beach clubs, then continues in the Chora of Ios Town to the rhythm of drinks and music for every taste and new acquaintances, in an atmosphere of unbridled freedom.

Nightlife is concentrated in Parikia and Naoussa: the former is more informal, one spends the night going from bar to bar, while Naoussa is perhaps a bit more chic, with pleasant clubs and discos, but a less lively atmosphere.

In the south of the island, Argassi, Tsilivi, Laganas, Alykes, and Kalamaki combine a beautiful coastline with a wide range of clubs, pubs, restaurants, bars, and discos to suit everyone's pockets and open until dawn.

Rhodes' nightlife is very lively and diverse. There are "historic" discos and disco bars such as the Blue Lagoon, famous for its pool with an attached galleon, but also plenty of clubs and cocktail bars, and even a casino.

The Ipsos waterfront is home to taverns, fast food outlets, pubs, and disco bars frequented mainly by young Italians, while Kavos is an exclusive destination for British youngsters.

In Kos's Bar street in the evening there is an international atmosphere in the various clubs open until late at night, but Kardamena with its cocktail bars is also a good alternative.