Travel book: Greek Pilgrimage

Greek Pilgrimage book cover. Photo / Supplied

Greek Pilgrimage by John Carroll
Scribe, $37

If you're fascinated by the extraordinary creativity of the ancient Greeks, who 2500 years ago laid the foundations of Western civilisation, then this is the perfect book to take on a pilgrimage to modern Greece.

It provides an excellent guide to the major sites - like the Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae and Delos - but more importantly also explores how they fitted into the broader context of Greek culture.

With this book in your backpack you'll not only be able to explore the magnificent ruins of, say, the Parthenon and the lesser-known Erechtheum, but also to sit afterwards sipping ouzo at a cafe amid the chaos of modern Athens and meditate on what they have to say about the purpose of life today.

It's not always an easy read but well worth the effort.