Greece Travel Tips

Acropolis’ Parthenon in Athens, Greece

Greece is one of the world’s most beautiful countries with an incredible history. There are ancient sites everywhere you look in Greece. The food is amazing and cheap. Why have you not gone yet? Here are some Greece Travel Tips!

• Do not stick to the islands only. There are SO many amazing places to visit on the mainland from Athens to Delphi to Epidaurus to Olympia
• Make sure to visit the islands as well. I took a day trip to Poros and Aegina which was all the time I had but I regretted not visiting Santorini (It is now on my Bucket List)
• The best time to go is September or early October. I went in early October which is near the end of the high season and when the islands are slowing starting to pack up for the winter. There are fewer tourists like yourself so it makes for a nicer trip and the prices for accommodation are cheaper
• Do not be afraid to try the local cuisine or street food. The prices are incredible and damn tasty
• Try the Ouzo – it is a Greek drink. It is pretty strong but you cannot go to Greece and not try one of their most popular local drinks. I think it tastes a bit like licorice. You drink it straight with no mix or anything to dilute the flavor. Greeks drink it practically at every meal
• Book early – this tip is almost for any trip but it works. The earlier you book your flight and accommodation, the cheaper it should be
• Greece is SUPER HOT. Even when I was there in October, the weather was nearing 30 degrees Celsius most days and often it exceeded it. You will not need layers in Greece unless you go to the mountains near Meteora 

Meteora from monastery, Greece

• Speaking of Meteora, that is an amazing area that is famous for its monasteries. They sit atop small mountains, very rocky formations, and is quite the trip to visit them. Go visit!!
• Be prepared for last minutes strikes or protests. Greece is still going through a tumultuous time economically and politically so be prepared. Some historic sites may be closed or its workers are on a one day strike. That occurred to me back in 2011 and I hear that it is still occurring. It can cross over to the transit system and taxis as well
• Also keep in mind that museums are not opened every day and as is the case in most European countries, they have different hours depending on their summer or winter schedule. Do your research in advance; check their websites online
• Do not be ignorant – learn some Greek phrases. While English is quite common in Greece, I ALWAYS suggest learning a bit of the local language. The locals appreciate it in particular and I always love learning new words
• Try the olives. Unfortunately, I HATE OLIVES but they are everywhere in Greece and everyone else loves the olives. I did try them but seriously, I cannot express how much I dislike them. Everyone else? They LOVED them; they cannot get enough. Olive oil is another story; I love that and it is tasty dipping with bread. That I did enjoy!!!
• Book your accommodation near the PLAKA area if you stay in Athens. It is the oldest part of Athens and a wonderful area to take nightly walks or stop by the wonderful restaurants to try the moussaka (mmmm), souvlaki or gyro. Honestly, I did some good eating in Greece! Once again, I never took any pictures of the food. I am going to force myself in the future to do so
• A short note about Athens – I loved it there BUT I spent a lot of time at the Acropolis and in the museums. The city itself can be quite dirty with piles of garbage on the corner and dogs roaming everywhere even on the Acropolis site (which I found adorable but others did not) especially on the edges of the Plaka area. Be careful with street vendors and scam artists. They are everywhere as well

Temple of Hephaestus in Ancient Agora, Athens, Greece

Well those are the top Greece travel tips I can think of off the top of my head. I’ll post something more about my trip to Greece next time. I had a great time: spend a few days in Athens, then went on a tour of some of the ancient sites such as Delphi, Epidaurus and Meteora via a five day tour of the mainland via Viator before coming back to Athens then heading to Italy. Yes that was a GREAT trip!  Mmmmmm the food, the history, the men….oh such a delight.

So have you been to Greece? What tips do you have?