Traveling to Greece? Here are 15 Greece Travel Tips to Know

It should be no secret the Greek spirit and hospitality is world renowned. Greece has one of the most iconic cultures, histories, and geographies. Greece for us strikes a tender note, it is where Tasha and I fell in love. It launched years of future travel and this very blog.

However, like every destination, there are a few things to know before you travel to Greece. Yes – that’s right before you engorge yourself on feta cheese, olives, wine, and dolmades you should take heed. We’ve compiled this list of our best Greece travel tips to help you out before you go to Greece!

15 Greece Travel Tips

Maybe Tomorrow?

If you’re traveling to Greece you need to make sure and relax here as things move at a glacial pace. This one goes without saying for pretty much everywhere in the Mediterranean region, but it rings especially true on the Greek Isles.

“Oh, it looks like your ferry failed to show up today, maybe it will show up tomorrow, maybe not – who knows!” I’ll never forget our first trip to Greece when we heard this, and how nonchalant the ticket agent was.

Raki or Ouzo

Depending on what island you’re on you’ll either be drinking tsikoudia or ouzo. All of which is better than the Turkish Raki, or the Balkans Rakija – at least that’s what the Greeks will proudly announce. No proper Greek meal out with friends and family is complete without bottles upon bottles of Raki, whatever the local spirit is.

You can shoot it, sip it, or our favorite and possibly most popular way, mix it with water giving it a cloudy white appearance. Yamas! Which means “to our health” in Greek and is the way to cheers. Oh, for those Americans out there, the rest of the world makes eye contact when they toast. It may be awkward at first, but can be achieved in a few cloudy nights.

Wear your stretchy pants

While we’re talking about meals out in Greece a proper meal out at a traditional taverna consists of meze. What is meze? It’s small plates similar to the Spanish tapas. Here you’ll receive plate, after plate, after plate, of delicious food. You’ll get tzatziki, saganaki, feta, salads, lamb, chips, all sorts of grilled veggies, watermelon, calamari, and whatever else is in the kitchen. Did I forget to say lamb? **Side note pack a pair of pants that stretch and try not to gain too much weight. Read more about what to pack for a vacation in Greece.

#Freethenipple

The Greek beaches are pretty famous for those looking to let loose. Although Greeks are Orthodox and tradition requires women to dress sensibly, topless sunbathing remains socially acceptable throughout many Greek beaches. You’ll see all ages doing away with those annoying bikini top tan-lines, and on a number of beaches, you’ll find full naturists beaches catering to those that really feel like letting it all hang out.

You should always be aware of your surroundings, typically this is done at the outer edges of beaches or the less crowded ones away from families. If you feel comfortable pack your thong and get ready for a full-fledged sun-kissed body.

Give me a word and I’ll trace its meaning to Greek

For those of you who haven’t seen the cult hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you should know the father of the movie famously states that he can trace the root of any word in English to its Greek origin. Now, this is of course not true, but it illustrates just how proud the Greeks are of their history. And it is a great one at that! They gave us democracy and modern philosophy, after all.

There are going to be some old buildings

Greece is filled with ancient ruins, medieval ruins, and buildings that easily date back to the turn of the century. Pretty much no matter where you step you will find some piece of history. Take it in doses, because it can overwhelm you. Many of these archaeological sites are very well protected and restored in Greece; tourism is a big factor in this and you should expect to pay some €€€ to see the most famous sites. For example, the Acropolis costs a whopping €30 for the full experience.

Check Greek tours here!

Frappe or Fredo Cappuccino

These are the two drinks of choice when it comes summer time. Sure, the Greek coffee is famous and we love it. However, a local will not be caught with one when it’s 35°C outside. In the summer Greeks drink frappes, a cold Nescafe that is topped with foamed milk and sugar.

Our personal favorite is a Fredo Cappuccino, which is espresso poured over ice then topped with cold-foamed milk. A frappe at a good takeaway price should cost €1 and a Fredo Cappuccino €1.50, if you find yourself paying more it better be sit down service or you’re getting the tourist price.

Hope you don’t get car sick easily

If you’re planning to get around the islands or mainland of Greece you’ll quickly learn that the country is very rough terrain. Meaning that roads wind back and forth and back and forth. They can be fun for the first thirty minutes, but after driving for two hours they can be exhausting.

Be sure to take breaks if you’re driving yourself around, often stopping in the little villages along the way can be some of the most rewarding travel moments. Views along the roads are also stunning, and you will need to pull over to take it all in and grab some photos.

Get out of the way

Driving in Greece is not like driving anywhere else in the EU. Here you ride in the shoulder of the road so those going 60km over the speed limit can fly by. We’re not even sure if there is a speed limit on most Greek roads for that matter, asides from the few national highways. With all the speeding you’d think they’d slow it down along all the narrow and windy roads, but that just isn’t going to happen.

These Greeks have places to be and were born to drive on their crazy roads. After all is said and done driving in Greece can be extremely rewarding and I even learned to drive stick on those crazy roads. So, this is an easy addition to our Greece travel tips; rent a car and blend in with the locals (or at least get out of the way).

No one does hospitality like the Greeks

Between the Balkans, Turkey, and Greece you will find some of the friendliest people who take hospitality seriously. We are always astounded at just how far the Greeks will go. They have this knack for making you go, wow! And the most amazing part, especially coming from America, is that feels genuine. It isn’t some formality to the Greeks – it is a tradition and one they are fiercely proud of. When you are a guest in the hands of a Greek you will undoubtedly be taken care of.

Yasas or Yasu

You should probably learn to say hello in Greek. They are proud of their culture and language and it means a great deal if you extend the olive branch and greet them in Greek even if you can’t speak a bit more. “Yassas” is the formal greeting and “yasou” is the informal singular. You will also find these words are much more fun than then just saying “hello.” I would recommend picking up a Greek language book if you want to learn a few more words.

The more appropriate setting for a show named Baywatch

Now, you will find some pretty attractive people frolicking along the Greek beaches, but that’s not what I’m referring to. Instead, I mean to talk about the abundance of gorgeous Mediterranean bays. The Greeks were historically sea-faring people, largely because of the Greek archipelago and the numerous deep water bays that could harbor their ships.

These small bays are no longer used for harboring ships, but make for a wonderful place to go for a swim (or for the adventurous, cliff jumping). These bays are our favorite place to go for a dip instead of some of the more crowded beaches. They take more work to travel to and they are very small, but you’re almost always rewarded with serenity.

Hop in loser we’re going to the next island

When exploring the Greek Isles expect to be subjected to the mercy of slow and sometimes late ferry schedules. The islands are spread apart and you can’t just hop on a train to the next one. Ferries are the best way to travel between the islands and are your primary form of transportation unless you can afford to shell out money to take flights everywhere. Book your ferry tickets here!

RIP Credit Card Points

We love to use our travel rewards credit cards; however, in Greece, we leave our cards in our wallets. Why? In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Greek financial market has seen better days. This has left harsh stipulations on cash withdrawals and transfers for Greek bank accounts.

In other words, you can hold off on your credit cards points and pay your friendly Greek hosts with cash. After all, their livelihood depends upon it, yours does not. Read more about our travel banking tips!

Go Greek

This should go without saying, but while in Greece you should eat and enjoy as many great local Greek products as you can. Here the yogurt is just that – yogurt. And the yogurt in Greece is among some of the best you will ever taste. “Greek yogurt,” as it is referred to in the U.S. was simply a marketing tactic employed by Chobani that paid off big and changed the American yogurt market.

Greece also has some fantastic white wine. A word to the wise, when selecting a vineyard to visit or buy from find those that are situated in the mountainous regions. Greece is hot, and that doesn’t make for great wine; however, in the right spots on the islands, the microclimates in mountainous areas can produce some great white wines.

What to Pack for Greece?

Flip Flops

Seriously, bring a pair of comfortable flip-flops to wander around the Greek islands. The key word here is comfortable as there will be a lot of walking involved. Yes, you could wear tennis shoes everywhere for optimal support, but Greece is a laid-back place with a lot of sunshine. So you don’t want to seem too uptight or get those ugly tennis shoes and sock tan lines around your feet. I have sung praises about my Rainbow sandals for years. Since I bought them in 2009, I have only had to get a new pair once and that was only because my first pair got stolen in Thailand. They have arch support, are comfortable, and look great. Check out more of our favorite travel shoes here (for men and for women).

Beach Tote

Don’t forget a beach tote before you go to the beach in Greece! I love ones like thesethat pack up small in your suitcase. And they hold more than you can imagine. They are also water resistant!

Travel Water Bottle

Plastic pollution is a problem in Greece so it’s best not to contribute to the problem buying plastic water bottles everywhere – plus the water from the taps here is perfectly safe to drink. We’ve shifted to using an insulated aluminum water bottle as it handles the hot sun well. However, we also love filtered water bottles in areas we’re uncertain of the water supply. Read more about favorite water bottle for travel in our post.

Sunscreen

You will absolutely need sunscreen for your trip to the Mediterranean. You can purchase it when you get there, but then you’ll be searching around for it and may pay a premium for a generic brand. Please consider spending a few extra dollars for reef safe sunscreen. The typical sunscreens like Coppertone, No Ad, and Banana Boat have many chemicals in them that will run off your body while swimming damaging the precious coral and marine life. We have this reef safe sunscreen for our ocean adventures.

Travel Towel

Most hotels will provide you with a towel, but they often aren’t suitable or allowed on the beaches. I like to travel with a microfiber towel because they are light and fold up small, and they also don’t cling on to sand our dirt. Here are a few of our favorite travel towels.

Hiking Sandals

These were great to have! You’ll do a lot of walking around Greece in the extremely hot sun. Hiking sandals allow for your feet to breathe and they do not collect sand when trudging through the desert. You bet we’ve reviewed the best hiking sandals for travelers!

Travel Insurance

We don’t travel without travel insurance and neither should you. You never know what can happen in a foreign country and it’s best to be prepared. World Nomads provides good short term coverage.

Adapter

Remember that Greece uses the Europlug. Make sure you find a good adapter like the one I have to keep you charged. Otherwise, you may be paying for a cheap one once you land.

Transport to and around Greece

Getting to Greece from elsewhere in Europe has never been cheaper with budget airlines such as RyanAir servicing Athens. If you are traveling from a different continent you will most likely need to be routed through Athens before you go anywhere. You can also sometimes score a cheap flight to Crete, the largest island in Greece.

The best way to get to the Greek islands is via ferry or plane. The Greek islands are spread apart and unfortunately you can’t just hop on a short ferry to the next one. Depending on the journey the ferry can take forever, or if it’s the next door island it can take as little as two hours. It’s advisable to book your ferry tickets beforehand, especially in the high season. Book your ferry tickets here!

Once in Greece, the best way to get around is with a rental car. This lets you get to all the destinations you want to get to on your own schedule. An automatic rental car can go for €15 a day in the low season up to €35 a day in the higher seasons and will ensure you get to all the best places in Greece. Knowing how to drive a manual car will get you better prices in Europe. If you’re traveling as a group it is worth your while to hire a car for your trip. Our best experiences have been with SiXT. Check car rental prices here.

Where to stay in Greece?

Airbnb

Every time we visit Greece we stay in an Airbnb and have had fantastic experiences. To feel more at home we use Airbnb you can check out some tips and read more about getting an Airbnb coupon code here. Or just take this coupon for your first stay!

Get Your Coupon Here!

THANKS FOR READING!

Hey, we’re Cameron and Natasha — We’re the head writers and creators of The World Pursuit. Over the last five years, we’ve traveled around the world. Let us send you some great tips and inspiration straight to your inbox every month.

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Last Updated on April 18, 2019