Synonymous with ancient history, white washed sea-side towns, and sunsets to write home about, Greece is the quintessential Mediterranean destination.
Sip ouzo, eat paprika dusted gyros, and dance the night away in a blur of white and blue.
With the economic down turn it has been suffering, Greece needs its tourist industry more than ever, meaning prices are very affordable at the moment.
TIME FRAME?
Plan for one to two days in Athens. To be honest, I don’t find there is too much to see in the capital itself other than the Acropolis and old town.
Three to ten days is the perfect amount of time to visit one or two islands. Some of the islands can only be reached by ferry, so allow enough travel time – some ferry trips take close to ten hours!
TRAVELLING GREECE?
Athens – travel by taxi or Uber. There are endless tour bus companies of course, but I believe Athens is easy enough to self-navigate.
To the islands – I like to fly to one of the islands and then take the ferries between them. The ferries are quick and systematic, make sure you are lining up at least 10 minutes before, they certainly don’t hang about.
The Greek islands with airports are; Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Lesvos, Samos, Chios and Skiathos.
On the islands, I love to hire quad bikes and get out there and explore for myself. Cars are available for hire but I find them impracticable on the windy dirt streets, attempting to dodge donkeys and horses and finding a legal parking spot is a nightmare.
TRAVELLING GREECE?
Athens – travel by taxi or Uber. There are endless tour bus companies of course, but I believe Athens is easy enough to self-navigate.
To the islands – I like to fly to one of the islands and then take the ferries between them. The ferries are quick and systematic, make sure you are lining up at least 10 minutes before, they certainly don’t hang about.
The Greek islands with airports are; Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Lesvos, Samos, Chios and Skiathos.
On the islands, I love to hire quad bikes and get out there and explore for myself. Cars are available for hire but I find them impracticable on the windy dirt streets, attempting to dodge donkeys and horses and finding a legal parking spot is a nightmare.
MY BEST ADVICE?
Travel on the shoulder months, from April to June and September to October to experience smaller crowds and cooler temperatures! The islands do shut down dramatically during the winter so don’t leave you trip too late in the year.
Take a look at what the tours around Athens or on the islands involve, and then go do it yourself! A bus trip to the Acropolis and into town to do some shopping can be done at your own pace in a taxi and for half the price the tour companies charge.
Allow plenty of time to travel from downtown Athens to Piraeus Port on the train or by taxi. The port is large and convoluted, and there is nothing worse than trying to run down your departing ferry!
Look into the Greek island packages offered by the ferry companies. Depending on time and budget you can visit anything between one to five islands. There are several ferry companies criss-crossing the Aegean Sea with their own routes.
Try FerriesinGreece.com or Ferries.Greeka.com to view all routes or GreekFerries.gr for routes between Greece and Italy.
Why not continue on to Turkey from the Greek Islands?
Some islands are a stone’s throw between the two countries. Turkey’s southern seaside towns can be cheaper and less commercial than many of Greece’s hotspots. Rhodes to Marmaris and Kos to Bodrum are popular routes. In Turkey some of my favourite seaside towns were; Bodrum, Marmaris and Türkbükü.
DID YOU KNOW?
NEED MORE ADVICE? KEEP READING…
So who am I…? Hi! My name is India.
I am a nomadic Australian who has wandered the world full time exploring over 60 countries and 5/7 continents.
After ten years on the road, I have launched my own website – Travelling Notebook – to share the knowledge I have gained on the road and the images I have collected over the years with fellow adventurers. Keep reading…
I am a freelance travel writer, photography and videographer, based in London. If you need specific travel advice or would like to collaborate please send an email my way!
Always say yes to adventure!
x India
