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The Stylish Greece Travel Guide

Greece is one of the best places in the world for a holiday! (See all our Greece posts.)

Along with epic ancient ruins, it’s home to beautiful islands blessed with sandy beaches, white-washed villages, romantic hotels and countless Insta-perfect blue-domed churches.

We’ve visited Greece several times – and can’t wait for our next visit.

Here, we share useful and must-read Greece travel tips to help you plan a stylish vacation to Greece.

Greece Travel Guide

Our latest Greece travel posts

Practical information: Greece travel

Population

The population in Greece is about 10.72 million.

Language

The official language is Greek, though English is widely spoken in tourist places.

Currency

Euros are used in Greece. 1 Euro is about $1.20 USD.

Plugs

The plugs in Greece are type C and F. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. We recommend taking a universal adapter

Tipping

Greece doesn’t have a strong culture of tipping, but it’s expected in the hospitality industry – 10% is the rule of thumb.

Visa

Citizens of the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and European countries that are part of the Schengen Area don’t need a visa to holiday in Greece (for stays of less than 90 days).

Best time to visit Greece

Autumn

If we had to pick the absolute best time to travel to Greece, we’d say mid-September to early October (autumn) is prime.

The blazing heat of summer has eased. It’s pleasant enough for touring ancient ruins, and it’s still warm enough for soaking up some sunshine.

Indeed, you can comfortably swim in the sea right through to mid-October.

Spring

Another good time to go is April and May.

But while you may get some days hot enough for relaxing by the pool or beach, the sea water may be a bit chilly for swimming.

Summer

In summer (July and August), the temps regularly push up into the 90s F (30s C) and higher. You won’t feel like doing much apart from lying on the beach and forgetting about the world.

Summer is also high season, so be sure to book your accommodation in advance.

Winter

In winter (December to March), Athens is great to visit. You can tour the Acropolis and museums like the National Archaeological Museum without crowds.

But the Greek islands are another story.

Ferries stop running to most islands, and hotels and restaurants close down. You won’t find much to do on the islands in winter.

Greek food

The food in Greece is delicious and healthy!

We love the Mediterranean food in Greece!

And it’s all so healthy too, brimming with fresh juicy tomatoes, thick yogurt, fish straight from the sea, chick peas (for hummus) and, of course, olive oil.

(Here’s just one of the 108+ cool Greek facts we’ve learned – Greece is the world’s largest producer of virgin olive oil.)

Try these 5 delicious local Greek dishes:

Moussaka | Made from ground lamb, eggplant and bechamel sauce

Dolmades | Grape leaves stuffed with herbs and lemon rice (sometimes meat too)

Spanakopita | Flaky phyllo pastry filled with feta cheese and spinach, flavored with dill

Fasolatha | White bean soup with crush tomatoes

Loukoumades | Small doughnut-like balls drenched in honey syrup and topped with crushed walnuts

6 Interesting places to visit in Greece

1) Athens

The Acropolis in Athens

You know Athens is the birthplace of democracy. And you know it’s famous for the Acropolis. But you really are itching to head out to the Greek islands.

So, is Athens worth visiting? Should you stop over in Athens and spend two or three nights there?

Yes! It’s home to amazing museums, cool rooftop bars and great shopping.

At one time, it was just a jumping-off point for the islands. But no more.

Where to stay in Athens

The King George | Perfectly located in the heart of Athens (in Syntagma Square), the luxurious King George is one of the best 5-star hotels in Athens.

2) Mykonos

Mykonos is the glam Greek island.

Check out the happening beaches. Walk the winding streets of the town of Mykonos. Watch the sunset from the quaint “Little Venice” waterfront. And just enjoy the posh Greek island vibe.

Where to stay in Mykonos

Chic beach hotels | See our reviews of the best Mykonos beach hotels

3) Santorini

Santorini is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Greece.

Shaped like a crescent moon, Santorini has a dramatic moon-like landscape.

It’s known for its pretty white cubist villages clinging to the sides of the island’s volcanic caldera, gorgeous sunsets and OMG views.

Pssst! You get some of the best views when hiking along the spine of the island from Oia to Fira (or vice versa).

You’ll also see lots of donkeys in Santorini (some visitors ride them for a lift up from the old port to the capital of Fira).

Where to stay in Santorini

We’ve stayed at the following three luxury hotels – and highly recommend them!

Ikies Traditional Houses | Modeled after traditional Santorini cave houses, this honeymoon cave hotel in Oia has smashing views of the Aegean Sea.

Vedema Resort | A favorite with celebrities, this gorgeous resort – built in and around the village of Megalochori – wows with discreet luxury. Bonus: It has its own private black sand beach club.

Grace Santorini | You’ll swoon over the infinity pool offering endless views of the sea. And you’ll love the cool suites too at this boutique adults-only hotel in Imerovigli.

4) Crete

The largest Greek island, Crete is a mix of seaside medieval towns, beaches, rugged gorges and famous ruins.

7 Best things to do in Crete

1) Take photos of the tiny fishing village of Loutro on the south coast – you have to take a boat to get there, as it’s not accessibly by land. Its white-washed houses are picture perfect!

2) Hike Samaria Gorge.

3) Wander around the old town of Rethymnon, packed with lots of cute shops and restaurants. You’ll love the Venetian architecture.

4) Visit the Sacred Monastery of Arkadi.

5) Explore the ancient ruins of Knossos.

6) Swim at Balos Beach. True, it’s touristy, but it’s also stunningly beautiful.

7) Go wine tasting.

Where to stay in Crete

St. Nicolas Bay Resort | Near the cosmopolitan fishing village of Aghios Nikolaos, this is the resort to stay at in Crete for luxury bungalows and suites with private pools plus a secluded beachfront.

5) Rhodes

Rhodes, Greece

With a rich historical past, the Greek island of Rhodes is known as the “Knights’ island.”

The walled Old Town of Rhodes – the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe – was where the Knights of St. John lived centuries ago.

Today it’s a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to stay in one of the gorgeous boutique hotels there to really soak up the atmosphere!

Also head to Lindos, one of the most charming villages in Rhodes. It boasts some sweet beach coves too.

Where to stay in Rhodes

Boutique hotels | See our reviews of 8 beautiful boutique Rhodes hotels

6) Gems and unique places

Have you heard of Kefalonia, possibly the most beautiful Greek island? No?

How about Meteora? It’s where monasteries perch high atop towering rock pinnacles.

Meteora Monastery in Greece

You’ll definitely want to know about these places!

Check out our round-up of 15 hidden gems and unique places to visit in Greece!

Fabulous Greek ruins

Philippi

Named after King Philip of Macedonia (Alexander the Great’s father), the ancient city of Philippi is famous for a couple of reasons.

It’s the place where Julius Caesar’s assassins (Brutus and Cassius) fought Mark Anthony and Octavian in 42 BC – marking the end of the Roman republic.

And it’s also where the Apostle Paul sowed the seeds of Christianity in Europe.

Knossos

Knossos is one of the best Greek ruins to visit

Once the center of one of the most powerful civilizations in the ancient world, Knossos was the capital of ancient Minoan Crete.

The beautiful royal palace is said to have been home to the labyrinth of the fabled bull-headed Minotaur.

See intricate restored frescoes, the royal throne room, grain storage facilities, porticoes and water drainage channels.

More information on Greece

See all our Greece posts.

Greece guide books

Also check out these Greece travel guides on Amazon. (As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Our top travel tips and resources

Here are our favorite travel resources:

Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one. (We especially like their flexible cancellation policy!)

Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out GetYourGuide and Viator.

Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.

Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more.

Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.

Pssst! If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!


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Greece Travel Guide

About the authors

Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.

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