Ancient history, mythology, philosophy, birth of the Olympic Games, the sun and beaches, the islands, and mamma mia (pun intended), the list goes on and on! From nature to history to Greek gods, Greece is associated with a huge number of topics and one of them may well interest you! Just look at all the ancient ruins scattered all over the country, as well as the Greek islands dotted all over the Mediterranean!
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Greece
Overview of Greece
Greece is geographically located in Southeastern Europe, bordered in the north with Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria while surrounded all round in the south by the Mediterranean Sea.
But arguably the highlights of the country lie in the numerous Greek islands dotted all over the sea. And evidently, many of these Greek islands are popular holiday destinations for visitors from all around the world, particularly in summer.
Key facts
- Language: Greek, English
- Currency: Euro (EUR) – €100 approx. £87/US$115
- Timezone: GMT+2 (Winter), GMT+3 (Summer)
- Capital: Athens
- National carrier: Aegean Airlines
- Driving: Right side of road
- Power outlet: Type C/F, 230V, 50Hz
Costs and budget
- One of the fairly affordable European countries, although it can get very expensive in the peak of July and August on popular islands such as Santorini
- Book early if travelling in summer
- Many attractions in Athens (and some islands) are at half-price during winter
- Some museums are free entry on the first Sunday of the month during winter
- Accommodations are significantly cheaper in winter
Top 10 highlights
1
Santorini - Oia and sunset
2
Cruise to Saronic Islands (Hydra, Poros, Aegina)
3
Santorini Cataraman Cruise
4
Acropolis
5
Meteora
6
Fira to Oia hike
7
Cape Sounion
8
Plaka
9
Symi
10
Peloponnese Peninsula (Mycenae, Napflion, Epidaurus)
Greece is broadly divided into 3 main regions, the mainland, the Peloponnese peninsula and lastly, the Greek islands – all 6,000 of them.
Mainland
This forms the largest part of the country and is where its capital, Athens, as well as the second largest city Thessaloniki are located.
Athens
Not surprisingly, its capital Athens is the most visited city among visitors and is also very commonly used as a hub to visit the Peloponnese peninsula and the hugely popular Greek islands.
Athens is a rather compact city with no short of historical ruins and excavations. And they are evidently very proud of it. For instance, several ancient ruins excavated during the construction of the metro stations have been preserved and displayed for public viewing.
In particular, the most visited and widely-known Acropolis of Athens is an impressive temple ruin atop a hill and dominates the skyline of the city. Together with the other historical sites such as the Ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library and the Panathenaic Stadium, and the trendy neighbourhoods of Plaka, Monastiraki and Psiri, Athens is a city with an alluring blend of ancient ruins and modern vibrance.
Thessaloniki
Similar to Athens, this second largest city in Greece is also a blend of ancient history and modern vibrance. Particularly, some of the worthy mentions include the 15th century fortress White Tower, the Galerian Palace ruins, the Arch of Galerius and the 4th century Rotunda.
Other notable mentions
The monasteries and the impressive landscapes of Meteora, as well as Mount Olympus, are trips worth taking either from Athens or Thessaloniki. Mount Olympus in particular, was regarded as the abode of the Greek gods and the site of the throne of Zeus in Greek mythology.
The Peloponnese Peninsula
The Peloponnese Peninsula is the southwestern part of Greece that was separated from the mainland due to the construction of the Corinth Canal. The canal is a narrow man-made channel cut through land and connecting the seas at both ends, thus effectively cutting the peninsula off from the mainland.
In summary, the main popular attractions include
- Ancient Olympia – the birthplace of the Olympics
- Epidaurus – with an impressive ancient Greek theatre
- Nafplio – a coastal city with Venetian-influenced architecture
- Archaeological Site of Mycenae – a historical city with an ancient citadel/acropolis.
Due to the lack of reliable public transport to the area, it is definitely much more convenient exploring the peninsula either by driving, or joining the day tours from Athens.
The Islands
Lastly, this is arguably what appeals to most visitors – the Greek islands. They are absolutely famous for its amazing sunsets, white-washed facades and blue domes, impressive coastlines, pretty beaches and clear waters, to list just a few.
And not to mention that there are over 6,000 islands in Greece, albeit just about 200 inhabited ones. These islands are generally grouped and named by regions.
Cyclades
Probably the most famous and popular ones are the Cyclades, which significantly includes the widely visited Santorini. Other notable islands in the Cyclades include Mykonos, Milos, Naxos and Paros.
Dodecanese islands
Secondly, there is the Dodecanese islands on the eastern side closer to Turkey and include Rhodes, Symi and Tilos.
Specifically, Rhodes has an impressive old town with its city walls still intact and within which the Palace of the Grand Master resides. Another key attraction on the island is the town of Lindos and its impressive Acropolis.
In addition, the island of Symi is within a 50-minute boat ride from Rhodes. In particular, the Parnomitis Monastery located on the southern side of the island is a popular tourist attraction.
Saronic islands
Then there is the Saronic Islands closer to the capital of Athens and include Hydra, Poros, Aegina and Agistri. Conveniently due to this proximity, it is possible to do a one day cruise and island-hop trip to these islands from Athens.
The other islands
Another cluster is the Sporades Islands further up north. And in particular, Skiathos and Skopelos are the two islands used for the filming of the 2008 film Mamma Mia.
The Ionian Islands such as Corfu and Zakinthos are located on the eastern side of Greece.
And lastly, the largest and southernmost island of them all is Crete.
All of them have their own appeal and charm, and, unsurprisingly due to demand, many of them are well-connected by sea ports and airports. Even though I have only given a ‘thumbs up’ to Santorini in my map above, I have done so only because that’s where I’ve been to.
Getting to Greece
The two largest cities in Greece are its capital Athens, followed by Thessaloniki. Both of which are your most likely point of entry if flying internationally into Greece.
By air
Aegean Airlines is the national airline of Greece and offers direct flights all year round from most major cities in Europe and the Middle East. There are also numerous options from low-cost carriers in the region such as easyJet, RyanAir and WizzAir.
If travelling from outside of the region such as the Americas or Asia, many international carriers do offer direct and connecting flights into the country.
Both Athens and Thessaloniki handle most of the international flights into Greece.
During the peak periods of summer, you may also be able to find flights into a number of the Greek islands without having to transit at Athens.
By rail
All international trains have been suspended indefinitely so a train into Greece is not an option at this time.
By road
It is still possible to reach Greece by bus though. Albeit with very limited options. Due to the geography of the country, international buses mostly arrive at Thessaloniki. However, other than travelling from Sofia in Bulgaria, all other bus trips may need to involve multiple transfers. You can check the availability and schedules with Flixbus.
By ferry
While it is difficult to reach Greece by land, there are more options for reaching by ferry.
From Albania
Ionian Seaways operates all-year ferries between Saranda in Albania and the island of Corfu with a rather short duration of 30-90 minutes.
From Italy
Ferries operate from a number of ports on the eastern coast of Italy to the western side of Greece but can take between 8 to 33 hours. You can read more about the ferries and check the schedules with Ferryhopper.
From Turkey
Likewise, there are a number of ferries operating from Turkey and you can read more about them with Ferryhopper. These operate mostly between the western coast of Turkey and the eastern side of Greece, i.e., the Dodecanese islands.
Do note that ferry schedules may be significantly reduced during the winter season.
Getting around Greece
On mainland and the Peloponnese peninsula
Greece is unfortunately not as well-connected by trains compared to countries in Western and Central Europe. For this reason, it is typically only an option between doing a self-drive or taking day tours when exploring the country. Especially so if you wish to visit sights outside of Athens such as Mount Olympus or the Peloponnese peninsula.
There are some trains connecting Athens to areas in the north. However, some of these have been affected by floods in 2023 and a number of trains are still being replaced by buses. For example, to get to Meteora, it takes about 4 or 5 hours via a bus or a combination of a train and bus.
The islands
As I have noted above, many of the popular islands are served by an airport. So it is most likely that flights are the quickest way to reach them. You can then use the network of ferry services to hop between islands. However, do note that ferry services are significantly reduced or even suspended during the winter season and you may find yourself having to transit in Athens when flying between islands.
In order to get around on the islands, it may be more convenient to rent a car, especially on the larger ones such as Crete, Rhodes or even Santorini. There may be bus services on the larger islands that are operated by KTEL though. You can refer to KTEL or Santorini Bus to view the timetable and prices in detail.
In Athens
Athens is served by a simple network of metro and buses and a ticket valid for 90 minutes costs only €1.20. This is with the exception of travel to and from the airport for €9 one-way and €16 return. You will find it quite easy to get around Athens by foot, given that it is such a compact city. To illustrate this, I got around entirely by the metro and by foot during my stay in Athens.
When to visit?
Summer
Especially so for the Greek islands, summer often sees fully booked hotels and huge crowds. That is to say, the high demand usually means long queues and higher costs. And in this case, your photos will probably be full of people and you will have to fight your way through packed museums and attractions. On the positive side, hotels, restaurants, shops, flights and ferries will be operating at full capacity. This then means the convenience of having all shops and restaurants open, and ease of island-hopping via ferries.
Winter
In contrast, winters are much quieter and hotels are often much cheaper. You are also more likely to capture that perfect photo with less visitors in your way. Many attractions such as those in Athens reduce their entrance fee by half during this time. Furthermore, some museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month during the winter.
However, on the negative side, ferries and flights operate at much lower frequencies, making it more inconvenient for travel. Particularly so for the Greek islands, you may find that over 90% of the restaurants, hotels and shops remain shut during this period. To illustrate this, I hiked from Fira to Oia in Santorini in winter, hoping to grab lunch along the way. But with all food places shut along the way, I ended up having to go hungry until I finally arrived at Oia. My plans to dine at Ammoudi Bay in Santorini had to be shelved too as all the restaurants there were closed during winter.
Furthermore, you may have to contend with colder temperatures, shorter days and the possibilities of bad weather.
Spring and autumn
These are the shoulder-periods which will give you a better balance between summer and winter. Hence you can enjoy some of the pros of both seasons.
If like me, you are generally not bothered by reduced frequencies for transport, quieter streets and reduced options for food and hotels, winter is an amazing time to be in Greece. I particularly enjoyed the reduced costs, reduced crowds and better photos taken. I especially love the fact that I could walk up to the Acropolis ticketing booth at 2pm in Athens, purchase a ticket without a queue and for half the price, and be able to leisurely enjoy the ruins. As opposed to having to start queuing at 7am in the morning in summer to beat the crowd and having to pay the full price.
How many days do I need?
Greece is so amazing that you can easily spend two weeks here and still not be enough. I generally think for a first-time visitor, 10-14 days is the most optimal that will allow you to cover the key highlights of Athens, the Peloponnese peninsula and one or two islands.
However, if you live in Europe and are looking just to have a short getaway either to Athens or to one of the islands (Santorini for example), an extended weekend of 3 to 4 days can work.
And if you wish to also include the northern part of Greece and Thessaloniki, then you should extend it by another 2-3 days. As a first-time visitor however, I do recommend and suggest to prioritise visiting the south and the islands.
Generally, I think the number of days below for each place is just about right:
- Athens – 3 days, with additionally 1 day each if including day trips to (1) the Peloponnese peninsula, (2) the Saronic Islands and (3) Meteora (view suggested itinerary)
- Crete – 7 days
- Mykonos – 3 days
- Rhodes – 4 days
- Santorini – 3 days (view suggested itinerary)
- Thessaloniki – 3 days
It is possible to cover them in less days if you are more selective with the attractions, or if you are generally a fast-paced traveller.
What’s the weather like?
Due to Greece being in the vicinity of the Mediterranean and in the south of Europe, the country enjoys very mild winters and warm summers. This is the case especially for the south and the islands.
The mainland areas can be very mountainous and are associated with alpine conditions with snowfalls in winter as well as cool summers.
Generally in summer, the commonly visited tourist places get to around 30 degrees Celsius in the daytime and 20 degrees Celsius at night. On the other hand, winter typically sees temperatures in the mid teens in the day and below 10 degrees in the night. Athens however, do get a few degrees warmer than these numbers.
Hence, Greece in winter makes for a good hideout away from the colder winters elsewhere, whereas summer is likely to get you lots of sunshine. In general, Athens does get up to around 300 days of sunshine in a year.
The winter months of November, December, January and probably February are typically the wettest months.
Is it safe?
Greece is generally and mostly safe for travellers. While violent crimes are rare, petty crimes such as theft and pickpocketing are still ongoing problems. Particularly so in busy and crowded places like central Athens and Thessaloniki. Thus, it is important to remain vigilant and alert on the streets and on public transport.
Also, Greece was ranked the fourth highest in road traffic fatalities in the European Union in 2022. Thus it is important to practise safe driving if doing so in the mountainous areas of the mainland. As a pedestrian, always keep a lookout for vehicles, stay cautious and alert.
If and when hiking, exercise common sense by staying on pathways, avoiding being too close to cliff edges and completing the hikes in advance of the sunset. Bring food and water as well, especially during the hot summers. In June 2024 itself, six hikers have been reported dead, coinciding with extreme hot temperatures during the month.
Lastly, take care that water may not be drinkable from the tap on the Greek islands. Always ask your host to be sure. Also, not all islands are equipped with medical facilities or hospitals. Hence, make sure to protect yourself and/or ensure you have your medications with you if this is of concern to you.
What should I eat?
When it comes to Greek food, the first dishes that come to mind may be souvlaki or gyros, but there is certainly more to that.
Traditional Greek Food
Below is a list of typical Greek food that you will find in Greece but is definitely not exhaustive.
- Souvlaki – this is a staple and fast food which usually comprises a meat skewer (usually chicken or pork) served together with a pita bread, greek salad and tzatziki sauce (a yoghurt based sauce)
- Gyros – this is sliced meat (typically chicken, pork, beef or lamb) wrapped in a pita bread with a mix of vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, etc, together with tzatziki sauce and sometimes potatoes
- Moussaka – this is a baked casserole comprising minced meat, eggplant and potatoes along with a tomato as well as a creamy béchamel sauce, done almost like a lasagne
- Kleftiko – this is actually my personal favourite which is a lamb wrapped together with potatoes and vegetables and slow-cooked and roasted over a period of time
- Spanakopita – this is a savoury spinach pie done with a crisp pastry crust with feta cheese
- Arni Kotsi – I ended up having this dish a number of times during my stay. This is essentially a braised lamb shank and can be done in many varying ways as can be seen in the pictures below
Suggested restaurants for traditional Greek food
My winter trip to Greece was fairly short, but below were some of the restaurants that I’ve tried and did enjoy (highlighted in bold are better in my opinion). Furthermore, most restaurants in Santorini were closed in winter so my choices were also limited.
Athens:
- Arcadia Restaurant (Makrigianni 23-27, Athina 117 42, Greece)
- Atitamos Restaurant (Kapodistriou 2, Athina 106 83, Greece)
- Egg of the Rooster (Leonidou 46, Athina 104 36, Greece)
- Lithos Tavern (Esopou 17, Athina 105 54, Greece)
- Maiandros Restaurant (Adrianou 47, Athina 105 55, Greece)
- The Traditional (Kolokotroni 59, Athina 105 60, Greece)
Rhodes:
- Hatzikelis Fish Tavern (Solomou Alchadef 9, Rodos 851 00, Greece)
Santorini:
- Cava Alta (Epar.Od. Pirgou Kallistis – Profiti Ilia, Pirgos Kallistis 847 00, Greece)
- Kokalo Restaurant (25is Martiou 25, Thira 847 00, Greece)
- Lotza (Oía 847 02, Greece)
As you might have noticed by now, I am quite a fan of lamb. But it’s also because those four restaurants recommended the lamb dish to me and so I couldn’t resist it. As I have said above, the lamb kleftiko (at Atitamos Restaurant) was my favourite. The slow-cooked lamb made it soft and tender, along with the potatoes that have soaked up the flavour of the juices.
The other meal I enjoyed was at Lotza Oia. I had the pork in cooking pot with beer and honey over rice and I found the pork particularly flavourful.
Other worthy mentions
If you are planning a trip to Oia, Santorini outside of the winter season, do check out Ammoudi Bay. I had read a lot about the amazing fish and seafood in the restaurants at this bay, but they were unfortunately all shut when I was there during the winter season.
If you want to get the best view of Athens and the Acropolis, head up to the restaurant A for Athens. From up here, you can get a perfect view of not just the Acropolis but also the beautiful Monastiraki Square. Just make sure you order a drink or a meal when you are there. This restaurant is located at the top floor of a hotel of the same name, so just let the reception know and they will happily direct you to the restaurant.
Greece closing note
From ancient history and ruins to the sunsets and beaches of the Greek islands, there is lots to love about this country. And it is no wonder why huge numbers of visitors flock to the country all year round. Furthermore, the country has played a huge role in ancient history and cultural beliefs, be it in mythology and the Greek gods or the birth of the Olympic Games or in philosophy. What’s more, it is one of the more affordable countries in Europe (if you are not visiting in the peak of summer that is).
Additionally, have a look at my 3-Day Santorini Itinerary: The stunning volcanic island and 5-Day Athens Itinerary: Gems of the historic Greek capital.
Lastly, leave your comments below in case you wish to know anything else about Greece, or anything you wish to see featured in the posts.
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October 23, 2024
