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.
Contents: Greece destination guide
Our latest Greece travel posts
The 10 Most Beautiful Boutique Hotels in Rhodes, Greece
Where to stay in Rhodes? You’ll love these 10 beautiful boutique hotels in Rhodes – from seaside inns and quaint Lindos hotels to historic hotels in Rhodes Old Town.
23 Best Beach Hotels in Mykonos + Mykonos Travel Guide
Things to do in Mykonos? Chill on sybaritic beaches! Naturally you want a beachfront hotel. These Mykonos beach hotels are the best places to stay on the glam Greek island.
Why Visit Athens? 19 Great Reasons to Go
Is it worth visiting Athens? You bet! Trendy rooftop bars have sprouted. New hotels have been built. And the modern Acropolis Museum is splendid!
15 Hidden Gems and Unique Places to Visit in Greece
You’ll love these unique and special places in Greece! Hidden gems like Kefalonia, romantic islands like Skiathos, and Meteora, with its monasteries atop soaring rock pillars.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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: World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers, with coverage for more than 150 activities, as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Vaccines and meds: We follow CDC travel guidelines to see what medications and vaccines are needed for trips. You can get vaccines at your pharmacy, travel medical clinic or doctor’s office.
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.
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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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