June 2, 2004 -- With so many ferries, hydrofoils and charter flights plying the Greek waters, one can expect every Greek island to be jammed to the gills. And with Athens about to host the Olympic Games, things there are only expected to get worse.

And yet, a careful look beyond the package tourist deals and high-rise hotels reveals that a timeless Greece still awaits.

In hidden villages dotted around the Aegean and Ionian seas, old men play backgammon in the squares and bouzoukis in the bars, and the creak of wooden fishing boats is more common than the high-speed hum of hydrofoils. You just have to know where to look.

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