I have been planning a trip to Greece for so many years and I am glad that I finally got to go this summer. And the years of planning definitely made my trip so much more easier.
In this post, I write about everything you need to know to make you first time in Greece more comfortable.
Planning A Trip To Greece
In this post, we will talk about everything you need to know to plan a trip to Greece.
What are the things to keep in mind while planning a Greek vacation? How many days do you need, how to book your accommodation in Greece, Vegetarian food in Greece and so much more?
And I did a lot of bookings on the go too. And for that, I definitely needed a good VPN that would ensure that I get better deals. I ended up using ExpressVpn this time and find out what ExpressVPN offers on their site for more clarification.
When is the best time to visit Greece?
One of the reasons this was my first time in Greece was because Greece is a very seasonal destination.
Many of the islands are almost completely shut from the months of November – March.
Yes, the islands with local Greek population like Crete, Rhodes etc will still be open. But if you are someone who loves to swim like me, then you would prefer going in the summer.
Ideally, I would have loved to go in May or September without crowds but June was still a good decision for a first timer to Greece like me.
Crowds were definitely manageable since I ended up visiting a mix of both popular and lesser known destinations.
Also, a lot of the popular destinations are practically empty once the day cruisers leave.
What was the weather like in Greece?
I thought it was going to be really hot. But except for the mainland, islands were actually pretty doable and even needed a light sweater in the evenings on some days.
Why? This is because of Meltemi (also historically called the Etesian wind), a strong, dry northerly wind that sweeps across the Aegean Sea.
Which means that it can get quite windy. Especially in the Cyclades group.
And those turquoise blue waters in all those photos you see on the internet, you see them only during the summer months.
Yes, you need a sunscreen and hat. But you are saved from the humidity.
Do you require a visa to visit Greece / Greece visa for Indians?
If you are an Indian like me, then you will need a Schengen Visa to visit Greece since Greece is part of the Schengen Zone.
For US citizens, you do not require a visa to travel to Greece but do remember to fill out the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) form and pay fees (7 euros) before your trip. This is applicable for short stays below 90 days.
One thing to keep in mind is that because of the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES), many airports around Europe are overwhelmed.
I also needed to submit my biometrics and photo during my immigration checkpoint in Athens. I also visited Romania which was my exit point.
It took more than an hour at both points of immigration because of this since they do not stamp your passport anymore and your biometric details are stored for the next 3 years.
Some airports have seen queues for more than 3 hours and this is something you need to keep in mind. Especially if you are in transit or you are leaving the Schengen zone. Keep enough spare time while entering and exiting the Schengen zone.
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Where to go if you are planning a vacation to Greece?
I know this is the most confusing part to decide when you are choosing where to go in Greece. I spent 15 days this time and I barely scratched the surface.
That said, one of my Greece travel tips for first-time visitors is to stick to the semi popular islands and not go completely offbeat during the first visit.
Before I list out the places I visited, a few important things to keep in mind when choosing which islands to visit.
Greek islands are broadly classified into 7 groups and the most popular of them all are the Cyclades. Followed by the Ionian islands. Crete is a single large island and is considered as one group.
If this is your first time visiting Greece, then I would definitely suggest sticking to the mainland and the Cyclades. Ionian islands are also a good option to consider for your first visit.
The Saronic islands are located close to Athens and are popular day trip options from Athens.
I will write a detailed piece on my Greece itinerary but these are the places I visited this time. I mapped this as a Greece trip planner based on minimum distance between two places.
- Athens: If you are flying from outside Europe, then your point of entry will most probably be Athens. Athens is filled with so much history and is definitely a must visit during your first visit to Greece.
- Meteora: Because of lack of time, I did a day trip to Meteora. It is a long day but definitely worth it.
- Saronic Islands: I did another day tour to Hydra, Poros and Aegina from Athens.
- Mykonos: I was very conflicted about visiting Mykonos because everyone said that it is overrated and full of beach clubs. But since it was my first Cyclades island, I really liked it and if you love to party, then definitely add Mykonos to your list.
- Naxos: This island had so many pretty beaches and you can just spend days hopping around the many beaches here.
- Paros: My favorite island of the Cyclades and I loved spending time here.
- Santorini: I know most people will ask you to skip Santorini because it is so crowded. But I really liked spending time in Oia during crowd free hours. You will definitely not like it if you visit during peak hours and I would definitely recommend staying in places like Oia, Imergovil or Fira.
- Crete: I only ended up spending 2 days here and one of the top Greece travel tips I would give would be to spend at least 5-7 days here. It is a big island and I ended up only sticking to Heraklion when I was in Crete.
- Zakynthos: This is the only Ionian island I visited this time and it was because this place has been high on my bucketlist for years. And I was so floored by this destination.
I decided to skip other islands like Milos, Rhodes, Corfu, Kefalonia etc due to lack of time or logistics.
Choosing your flights to Greece
If you are flying from India, then you do have direct flights from Mumbai. But that is Indigo and if you ask me, they are one of the worst options to use to fly long haul.
I did check out some of the European carriers but they were ridiculously expensive and I did end up booking last minute tickets to Greece.
In the end, I ended up booking through Qatar airways. The only downside is that the Doha to India sector is usually run by Indigo. Thankfully, that flight only flies for 4 hours which is my limit in flying Indigo.
Since I was flying back during school holidays in the Middle East, Emirates was not giving me a good deal. But they are a good option too.
Some of the other carriers only had 3-3 seating which would have been very uncomfortable.
Things to consider while booking accommodation in Greece
This is going to be the major chunk of your Greece travel costs and hence it is recommended that you book them at least 3 months before you travel to Greece during summer.
I do have a lot of points on various accommodation sites and hence was still able to get good deals at the last minute.
I ended up choosing mostly boutique hotels / 4 star hotels close to the center of the town since that is always a main criteria when I am travelling solo in Europe.
One of the best things about hotels in Greece is that you have such a wide array of options to choose from, depending on your budget.
I stayed in rooms with insane cliff views or a cute little one right next to the port. Without spending more than 120$ per night.
I am an affordable luxury kind of person and I was still able to get good hotels in the range of under 120$ per night.
Apartment hotels are also quite popular in Greece.
Since I went in summer, I made sure that all my hotels had AC and a fridge. One thing to keep in mind is the room size since most were under 20 square meters.
I also only chose hotels that had breakfast included and this is something that I do on every Eurotrip.
Safety is also crucial for me as a solo female traveller and I only chose neighbourhoods that were safe for me.
I do like my quiet times and ensured that I did not stay in places that had clubs around. If you are travelling with young kids, this needs to be kept in mind since some places like Mykonos can get quite noisy in the night.
Also, if you have accessibility issues, please ensure that your room / hotel is accessible. Please remember that many hotels in Oia for e.g involves a lot of stairs.
I also chose ones that were accessible because I did not want to carry my heavy luggage up a flight of stairs. This is one of the most important travel tips for Greece.
Greeks were definitely one of the most hospitable people in Europe and they definitely pampered me with little acts of service.
For e.g, I was staying in an Aparthotel in Crete and it had a living room, a bathroom and the kitchen downstairs while the bedroom and another bathroom was upstairs.
The bedroom AC was not cooling enough and I ended up sleeping on the sofa bed (which was actually comfortable) on one night. They ensured that it was working by the next day and even offered complimentary dinner.
Greece trip costs
This is a question I am sure that a lot of you would love an answer to. Greece is definitely not as budget friendly as other Balkan destinations.
Another thing to keep in mind is that I went during peak season and hence it was more expensive than compared to May or September.
I am also not a budget traveller and I do love to spend on luxury experiences once in a while.
Food is more expensive in the popular islands like Mykonos or Santorini while Naxos and Paros on the other hand was quite affordable.
For context, I had an appetiser, main course, a soft drink and dessert for around 90 euros in Santorini. The same cost almost half the price in Naxos.
As mentioned before, stays were around 120$ per night and obviously this cost will go down if you are sharing with other people.
Transportation like buses, cabs, ferries also vary depending on the island.
I also did a lot of activities including some luxury ones like a sunset cruise / yacht experience / private photographer
I ended up spending approximately 200-300$ per day for food, accommodation, transportation, activities and other miscellaneous experiences. This is excluding flights and shopping expenses.
Vegetarian Food in Greece
It was quite easy to find vegetarian food in Greece and I did try a lot of varieties while I was there. Will definitely write a detailed post on this.
In addition to Greek cuisine, there were lots of dishes from both Italy and Turkey which also had a lot of vegetarian options.
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Safety in Greece
I felt quite safe in Greece at all times and did not feel unsafe at any time. I did end up walking at all times of the day and night.
Only thing to keep in mind is that petty theft is quite common just like other touristic parts of Europe.
So make sure that you keep your valuables like phone and wallet close to you.
We were warned many times in crowded places like Acropolis to keep our valuables safe.
Currency in Greece
Greece is part of the European union and use currency like most of the other EU countries.
I had carried around 500 euros in cash and I also had a Forex card which I used all over Greece.
I found that cards were widely accepted almost all over Greece.
How many days do you need in Greece?
I would recommend at least 10-15 days while planning your first trip to Greece. Some islands require 2-3 days while some like Crete require at least 5-7 days.
What to pack for Greece?
This is a summer Greece travel checklist for women but this is what I ended up packing for Greece:
- Dresses: I wore mostly dresses during my trip in Greece. Must have taken at least 15-20 of them including some party dresses.
- Tops and pants: I did keep 5-6 tops, couple of Coord sets and 2-3 pants.
- Swim wear
- Shorts and tshirts for hiking
- Couple of lights sweaters for those windy evenings
- Undergarments
- Hat and sunglasses. I ended up buying a sunglass from Athens because I broke mine on my second day in Athens.
- Lots of sunscreen
- Good pair of walking shoes and a couple of evening sandals.
- Beach accessories like towels, swim cap, goggles, scarves
- Accessories and makeup
- Electronics including cameras, phones, chargers and travel adapters.
I did end up doing laundry too when I was in Greece. But remember in summer, you will end up wearing couple of outfits every day.
Shopping in Greece
Since I was going to Romania too, I was a little out of space and there were so many things that I wanted to buy in Greece. But for reference, these are some things you need to buy in Greece:
- Olive oil
- Greek wines and alcohol
- Leather sandals
- Kitchenware
- Handcrafted Jewellery
- Honey
- Magnets and souvenirs
- Olive wood items
- Pottery
- Handmade soaps and mists
Activities in Greece
I will write in detail about all the activities that I did when I was in Greece.
Modes of transportation in Greece
This Greece travel planning guide would be incomplete if we did not discuss the various modes of transportation in Greece.
So we will discuss each of them in detail.
Metro
Unfortunately, metro is very limited to the mainland to cities like Athens and Thessaloniki.
I did end up using it couple of times within Athens cities. It was quite efficient.
But cabs were not that overpriced and I ended up using them more instead of the metro.
Buses
Public transportation in Greek islands mostly run on buses and I ended up taking the bus in many islands like Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros etc.
They are quite affordable and usually costs between 1.5-3 euros depending on the distance.
One of the biggest disadvantages is that most buses stop after 10 PM in most islands. Like I went to Fira for a movie and I was staying in Oia.
I took a bus there but on the way back, the movie got over post 11:30 PM and I had to take a cab back to my accommodation in Oia.
Still, it was the perfect option for solo travellers like me.
Cabs
I mostly ended up taking a cab when I had my luggage with me. Depending on the popularity of the island, either Bolt or Uber used to work.
But some islands like Zakynthos did not have app based cabs and I had to rely on booking through the hotel who would call the cabs on our behalf.
Pro tip: Make sure to let your accommodation book your transfers from the port terminals to your accommodation. Learnt this the hard way in Mykonos. It was 40 euros from the port to my accommodation via Uber while the ride back which was booked by the accommodation was only 20 euros. There is a surcharge for Ubers at the ports.
Driving in Greece
I did not drive in Greece this time because I had not renewed my IDP which is almost mandatory everywhere in Greece.
I would love to drive in some of the islands like Crete and Rhodes when I head back to Greece.
It comes approximately between 40-60 euros per day depending on the island.
Flights
I ended up flying in and out of Zakynthos. If you are considering islands like Milos, it is usually easier to fly there.
The prices were quite nominal there.
Ferries
Everyone who has used ferries in Greece know that it is organised chaos. But it works and it is the best way to get around the islands.
Make sure you have the Ferryhopper app installed and you can look for ferries between the islands using the app and book through them.
I would definitely recommend the fast ferries over the slow ferries. The price difference is not much anyway. Most of them cost between 20-70 euros per trip.
I took around 6 ferries and I planned my islands in such a way that none of the ferry rides were longer than 2.5 hours.
Food and drinks are available inside the ferry.
You can find more details in this reel of mine.
Conclusion: Greece trip planning guide
Planning a trip to Greece is the first step towards an unforgettable Mediterranean adventure filled with ancient history, picturesque islands, crystal-clear waters, and incredible cuisine.
Whether you dream of exploring the iconic Acropolis in Athens, watching the sunset in Santorini, relaxing on the beaches of Mykonos or discovering hidden gems like Naxos and Meteora, Greece has something for every traveler.
By planning your itinerary, budget, transportation and accommodation in advance, you can make the most of your visit and enjoy a seamless travel experience.
No matter how long you stay, Greece’s stunning landscapes, rich culture and warm hospitality will leave you with memories that last a lifetime.
