Greece Travel Guide

This travel guide is full of tips on how plan you perfect holidays in Greece. The country is famous for being the cradle of Western civilization, birthplace of democracy and theatre, hosting the first Olympic Games and its unique marble architecture. Greeks can truly be proud of having the most ancient attractions, delicious cuisine and beautiful islands with picturesque beaches.

What to Visit in Greece

Geographically, Greece is a country located in Southern Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. It covers an area of 131,957 square km with the population reaching up to 10,7 million people and the capital in Athens.

Other Things to See in Greece

When planning a trip to Greece, Athens is where you rediscover the past and see the most ancient attractions. Places like the Acropolis with the Ancient and Roman Agoras, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Olympic Stadium, plus the neighbourhoods of Monastiraki and Plaka must simply be visited. The excursion to Sparta is a good reminder of the fierce warriors from the area while exploring the Delphi ruins with the Temple of Apollo is such a spiritual experience.

Holidays in Greece is all about being on the beach and there’s plenty of islands to choose from. If you’re after the luxury with the party vibes you should visit Mykonos or Ios, for the family adventure Naxos is the right place to be, while Paros is where the charming traditional villages are to be found.

If you look for islands with the lush green scenery, then choose Thasos or Corfu. The most romantic sea views are guaranteed on Santorini, the volcanic island where white – washed houses are built on the steep slopes. On the mainland, the amazing sunsets are best when watched at Cape Sounion near Athens.

If you love cruising, you should take a boat trip to Kefalonia and explore the Melissani Cave. The hikers must go on the Samaria Gorge trail in Crete and climb the Mount Olympus located in the north – eastern Greece for the most mystical experience. Some of the most impressive places are also the Meteora in Thessaly with monasteries built on the hilltops and the Corinth Canal connecting two seas, the Aegean with Ionian.

Don’t leave Greece without seeing:

• Acropolis in Athens
• Sparta – fierce warriors
• Delphi – Oracle fortune teller
• Mykonos, Ios – party islands
• Naxos – idyllic beaches
• Paros – traditional villages
• Thasos, Corfu – lush green islands
• Santorini – romantic sea views
• Melissani Cave – Kefalonia
• Samaria Gorge trail – Crete
• Mount Olympus – home of Zeus
• Meteora – hilltop monasteries
• Corinth Canal – connecting the seas

Hiking in Greece

The highest mountain in Greece is the Mount Olympus (2,917 m) located between two Greek regions of Macedonia and Thessaly. It has 52 peaks of which Matikas is the tallest. There are many mountains in Greece and major ones include:

Hiking Trails in Greece

Best hiking trails in Greece include the Mount Olympus, Meteora in central Greece; Menalon, Arcadia, Zagorohoria and Vigos Gorge Trails in Peloponnese, Mount Athos (the Holy Mountain) in the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos, Samaria Gorge Trail in Crete, Pelion in Thessaly, Vikos in the Vikos Aoos National Park in Zagori, Corfu Trail, Zas in Naxos, Caldera Trail on Santorini, Sifnos Island Trail, Apollo Trail from Neda Village in Messina to Abeliona and Skliros Village, Parnitha Mountain in Athens and Byzantine Trail on Paros.

Beaches in Greece

Greece is surrounded by waters of the Aegean, Ionian, Cretan and the Mediterranean Sea. The country has a coastline of over 13,780 km and features many islands of which 227 are inhabited. The most famous Greek islands are the Cyclades, including Paros, Mykonos, Naxos and Santorini. Other Greek islands worth visiting are the ones in Saronic Gulf (Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses), Dodecanese (Kos, Rhodes), EAI (Lesbos), Ionian Islands (Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakinthos – Zante) and Crete.

Where to Stay in Greece

If you want to spend your holidays in Greece, there are seven regions to choose from: the Northern Greece, Epirus, Thessaly, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Greek islands and Crete which is the biggest of all.

Most recommended hotels in Greece:

• Central Syntagma Square Studios in Athens – Shell
• Safety Athens
• Dimelal Mykonos Town Apartments

What to Eat in Greece

You’re absolutely right to think that Greece is a food destination for many. When people plan to go there, they want to try the local cuisine. It’s all about vegetables, grilled meat and seafood which makes it one of the healthiest and most nutritious in the world. The most popular Greek dishes are:

• Olive Oil and Olives – used in many Greek dishes
• Thyme – most traditional Greek herb
• Kolokythoanthoi – fried zucchini flower staffed with rice and cheese
• Tzatziki – meze dip made of yoghurt, cucumber and herbs
• Greek Salad – fresh veggies with plenty of feta cheese and olives
• Spanakopita – savoury pastry pie filled with spinach
• Saganaki – Greek fried cheese
• Dolmades – wine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs
• Fasolada – white beans soup with veggies in a tomatoes sauce
• Keftedes – fried meatballs served as meze or with rice
• Souvlaki and Gyros – grilled meat with veggies and mixed with chips, served in a pita bread
• Moussaka – eggplant and potatoes pie with minced lamb, topped with béchamel sauce
• Pastitsio – pasta with minced meat topped with béchamel sauce
• Octopus – grilled or with pasta but best served with Ouzo
• Ouzo – sweet alcohol made from grapes and flavoured with anise
• Alpha and Mythos Beer – best beer in Greece

Read more: Traditional Greek Food and Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in Athens (with) (Acropolis View)

How to Get Around Greece

In Greece, there are many domestic flights, trains, buses and ferries to get you anywhere within the country. The public transport in Greece is well organised and doesn’t cost the Earth.

Greece Travel Guide – Cost and Budget

Greece is an affordable travel destination. If you’re backpacking Greece, your daily budget should roughly be £60. That’s assuming you are staying in a hostel or domatio (Greek B&B), eating suvlaki or a similar street food, taking local transport and exploring the main attractions.

If you travel to Greece on the mid-range budget, you shouldn’t spend more than £100 daily. That allows you to stay in a standard hotel room, eat a delicious meal at the local taverns, travel with taxi and take the group tours .

The luxury holidays in Greece cost between £160 to £250 per day. This top end budget covers staying in the nice hotel but also fine dining in Michelin Star restaurants and doing anything you possibly think of.

Greece Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit

Generally, the best time to go to Greece is summer between May and September. Those months are dry and sunny, although the temperatures might be high.

Best time to go to Greece for the cheap sightseeing is spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Those months bring the temperatures between 15°C and 20°C perfect for doing some heavy exploring. There might be light showers but they don’t last long.

TIP: The Greeks celebrate the Independence Day on the 25th of March.

If you want a beach holidays in Greece, you should travel in summer from June to August. These months bring the daily temperatures between 28°C and 33°C, which is ideal to visit the Greek islands (Paros, Santorini, Mykonos). Generally, the summer in Greece is the peak season so high prices are to be expected.

Greece Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures

Greece is the hottest during summer from June to August. Those months bring the dry hot weather with the average temperatures from 28°C up to 33°C with July being the hottest. Greece is the coldest in winter from December to February but it never gets freezing. Those months bring showers and mild temperatures of 13°C with January being the coldest.

Greece Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation

Greece tends to be the wettest in winter which runs from December to February. Those months bring a lot of rainfall and even the snow can be seen in some parts of the country. The fact is that December is the month when it rains the most in Greece with up to 106 mm and 13 days of rainfall a month. The prices are at the lowest and hotels on the Greek islands shut down for winter. On the contrary, Greece is the driest in summer from June to August with roughly 10 mm to 15 mm of rainfall and two days of showers a month.

Greece Travel Guide – Practical Information

This part of my travel guide is full of tips on what to expect during your holidays in Greece. For more information on language and local time, religion, electricity plug, internet, currency, visa, safety and health matters in Greece, just follow my comments below.

Population and Language – Around 10.7 million people live in Greece. The official language is Greek with the capital in Athens. Most Greeks speak English.

Religion – 90% Greek Orthodox Church, 3% Other Christians (exc. Catholics), 4% Unaffiliated, 2% Muslim, 1% Others (inc. Catholics).

Local Time – There is 1 time zone in Greece, UTC+2 hours.

Electricity – Greece runs on 230V voltage. There is 50Hz and the plug type C and F. Getting an adapter is recommended.

Internet – The internet in Greece is available in most places (free Wi-Fi in hotels, pubs, restaurants). The cybercafes literally disappeared. It’s recommended to buy a cheap sim card and mobile internet on arrival. Best prepaid sim cards in Greece are: Cosmote, Vodafone, and Wind.

Money and Currency in Greece

Money – In Greece the ATMs are widely available. Withdrawing your money from the bank AMTs in the cities will charge you a standard fee. If you want to withdraw cash in the Greek countryside, you will need to use Euronet (blue and yellow AMT). The charge for it is more expensive. Visa and MasterCard Debit and Credit Cards are accepted and you can use them to pay for almost anything. Having some cash is always advisable in more rural regions.

Currency – The official currency in Greece is Euro (€) (EUR).

Visa Requirements for Greece

Visa – EU citizens don’t need visas to travel to Greece due to the Schengen Zone Area that allows you free travel with no passport or border control. The UK left the EU on 31st of January 2020 meaning the UK citizens can spend up to 90 days within the Schengen Area (during any 180 day period). Valid ID document is required. Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders and Americans don’t need visas to Greece for trips of less than 90 days. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months before your travels.

Safety in Greece

Safety Travelling in Greece is pretty safe if you take the precautions. There’s a political stability and very little crime. One thing to watch out for is the drink spiking in the most touristic places. There is a Tourist Police (Touristikí̱ Astynomía) operating in Greece and you can call them on 171 with any problem that bothers you.

Emergency Numbers – In Greece there is a free number to dial in case of emergency and that is 112. This one connects you to all the available emergency services. The numbers for the particular emergency services in Greece are: Police – 100, Ambulance – 166, Fire – 199, Forest Fire – 1591, Coast Guard – 108, Counter-Narcotics – 109, Tourist Police – 171, Social Aid – 197.

Health and Travel Vaccinations in Greece

Health – Traveling to Greece requires no vaccinations. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone is covered for the diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B regardless of their destination.