Europe
Greece
Island hopping by ferry, gyros for a few euros and ancient ruins around every corner.
Most backpackers start in Athens, climb to the Acropolis, then catch a ferry from Piraeus into the Cyclades. Naxos, Paros and Ios are the social islands, with cheap rooms and long beaches, and you can hop between them in a couple of hours.
On the mainland, the monasteries of Meteora sit on top of sandstone pillars and Delphi looks out over olive groves. Visit in May, June or September for warm seas without the August crowds and prices.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT+2, GMT+3 in summer
- Plugs
- Types C and F, 230V
- Emergency numbers
- 112 for all emergencies, 1571 tourist police
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Traffic drives on the
- Right
- Tipping
- Not expected, but rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service is normal.
- SIM cards
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova prepaid SIMs with 20GB or more cost about €10–15, and EU SIMs roam at no extra cost.
When to go to Greece
Best months to go: May to June and September to October. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
SeptemberBest time to go
The sea is at its warmest and the crowds thin out. A top month.
- Daytime high
- 29°C
- Rainfall
- 15 mm
- Crowds
- Busy
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13°C | 55 mm | Quiet | No |
| February | 14°C | 45 mm | Quiet | No |
| March | 16°C | 45 mm | Quiet | No |
| April | 20°C | 25 mm | Busy | No |
| May | 25°C | 20 mm | Busy | Yes |
| June | 30°C | 10 mm | Busy | Yes |
| July | 33°C | 5 mm | Peak season | No |
| August | 33°C | 5 mm | Peak season | No |
| September | 29°C | 15 mm | Busy | Yes |
| October | 24°C | 50 mm | Quiet | Yes |
| November | 19°C | 60 mm | Quiet | No |
| December | 15°C | 70 mm | Quiet | No |
What Greece costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$952for 14 days, about $68 a day (€828 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $28 | $392 | |
| Food and drink | $18 | $252 | |
| Getting around | $12 | $168 | |
| Things to do | $6 | $84 | |
| Everything else | $4 | $56 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Gyros pita€4, about $4.60
- Freddo espresso€3, about $3.45
- Bottle of Mythos in a taverna€5, about $5.75
- Greek salad€9, about $10
- Hostel dorm bed in Athens€25, about $29
- Ferry, Piraeus to Naxos, deck class€45, about $52
- Acropolis entry ticket€30, about $34
Routes through Greece
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 5 stops
Athens and a hop through the Cyclades on slow, cheap ferries, ending on Santorini.
Athens
3 nights
The Acropolis at opening time and souvlaki in Monastiraki.
Paros
3 nights
Whitewashed Naoussa, windsurfing and sunset at the harbour.
Naxos
3 nights
Long sandy beaches, mountain villages and the best food in the Cyclades.
Ios
3 nights
The party island: beach bars by day and the Chora by night.
Santorini
2 nights
Hike the caldera rim from Fira to Oia for sunset.
Getting around
Ferry
$25–60 for slow boats, $60–110 for fast ones
Slow Blue Star ferries are cheapest and rarely cancelled. Compare timetables on Ferryhopper and book ahead in summer.
Bus
$10–35 for a long trip
KTEL buses connect mainland towns and run round every island to the main beaches.
Motorbike
$20–30 a day for a scooter
The easiest way to explore an island. Wear a helmet and take the dirt roads slowly.
Train
$15–40 a trip
Trains run from Athens to Thessaloniki and to Kalambaka for Meteora. Otherwise the network is small.
Flight
$40–100 one way
Aegean and Sky Express fly to the bigger islands, and are handy for getting back to Athens.
What to eat and drink
Gyros
Pork or chicken from the spit in a pitta with tzatziki, tomato and chips.
€4, about $4.60
Souvlaki
Grilled skewers of meat, sold by the stick or wrapped in pitta.
€3, about $3.45
Horiatiki
Greek salad of tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta. No lettuce.
€9, about $10
Spanakopita
Spinach and feta pie in flaky filo, sold at every bakery for breakfast.
€3, about $3.45
Dakos
Cretan barley rusk topped with tomato, feta and olive oil.
€7, about $8.05
Freddo espresso
Espresso shaken over ice. What everyone drinks all summer.
€3, about $3.45
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Hello
Γεια σας
Say it like: yah sas
Good morning
Καλημέρα
Say it like: ka-lee-meh-ra
Thank you
Ευχαριστώ
Say it like: ef-ha-ree-sto
How much is it?
Πόσο κάνει;
Say it like: po-so ka-nee
Yes / No
Ναι / Όχι
Say it like: neh / oh-hee
The bill, please
Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ
Say it like: ton lo-ghar-yaz-mo, pa-ra-ka-lo
Very tasty
Πολύ νόστιμο
Say it like: po-lee nos-tee-mo
Cheers!
Στην υγειά μας!
Say it like: steen ee-yah mas
Questions travellers ask
Which islands suit backpackers?
Ios for parties, Naxos and Paros for beaches and cheap rooms, and Crete for hiking and a week of variety. Santorini and Mykonos are beautiful but expensive, so treat them as a short stop.
Do I need to book ferries ahead?
In July and August, yes, especially at weekends. The rest of the year you can usually buy a ticket a day or two before, but check that the route runs at all out of season.
Can I travel in winter?
Athens, Thessaloniki, Crete and the mainland are fine and cheap. Most of the smaller islands shut down from November to April and ferries run far less often.
Is the tap water drinkable?
Yes, on the mainland and the big islands. On some small islands the water is desalinated and salty, so locals buy bottles.
Why does “ne” mean yes?
It just does, and “ochi” means no. A quick upward tilt of the head, often with a click of the tongue, also means no, which takes a few days to get used to.