When to Visit Greece?
The best time to visit Greece is between late April to early September when the weather is nice and warm, perfect for outdoor activities while also increasing the chance of clear days which is a must for places like Meteora and the Greek Islands as these are some of the best places to watch the sunset in the world.
If you can't handle the European summer heat, you can stick to the shoulder seasons in April or September when the weather is a little milder, crowds a little thinner, and things get a little cheaper as they settle for the low season. Either way, if you stick to the recommended period, you should be fine.
How to Get to Greece?
From the US, there are several direct flights from the US to Athens, the capital city of Greece, operated by airlines like Delta and Emirates from big cities like New York but you can also find plenty of transit flights that will take you to Greece at a cheaper price. You can browse through great direct flights from here.
From Europe, you can find plenty of flights flying from major European hubs to Athens International Airport (ATH) via either Aegean Airlines or low-cost airlines like Ryanair that will take you to Athens in no more than 4 hours.
From Asia, you can either fly into Europe via local airlines and then fly to Athens via low-cost airlines or you go with Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar, Turkish, and Emirates and transit in their countries before heading to Greece. The journey can take between 16 - 20 hours depending on the transit time.
To find a cheap flight to Greece, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.
How to Get Around Greece?
By Trains: Most places we will be visiting on the Greek mainland like Athens, Meteora, and Thessaloniki can be easily reached via trains which is the main mode of transportation we will be relying on for this portion of our itinerary.
Just don't expect the Greek trains to be very reliable and functional like their western counterparts. Most electric sign boards do not work, even in places like Athens, and so you might have to ask around to find the platform you have to get on. Most train stations in Greece have Tourist information centers so be sure to consult them to find the correct platform number.
To get the train ticket, I highly recommend you book it online prior to your arrival, especially if you are planning to visit Greece during the summer months which is considered peak season.
By Ferries: To visit the Greek islands, you are going to have to rely on ferries to take you between the islands and the mainland. They are pretty well operated with plenty of trips a day.
Here's a reserved seating area on the Blue Star Ferries.
Here's a tip for you, if you are traveling in the evening, say the 5:30 PM ferry, you do not need to book a seat as not many people are traveling at that time. On the other hand, if you choose the morning ferry, reserve a seat or you will be scrambling, trying to find a place to sit which is not fun for a 6 hours trip like this. I ended up sitting on the stairway as the airplane-style seats were all occupied. Don't cheap out like me and get a reserved seat with your ticket!
Here's a non-reserved seating area on the Blue Star Ferries.
You can book the ferry ticket here for your trip from Athens to Naxos and vice versa. If you are traveling during the summer months, I highly recommend you book the ferry in advance to get the best seats.
By Tours: For some cases, you might have to rely on tours to get to remote places like Delphi or in case you want to save time and visit some of the Cyclades islands on a day trip instead. There are plenty of tours you can check out for Greece, available here.
By Rental Cars: You can also rent a car straight from Athens Airport and drive around Greece but for this itinerary, you won't need it. If you insist, hit the link below to rent a car in Greece:
How Much Money Do I Need for 2 weeks in Greece?
From this 14 days itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:
Accommodation: For 14 nights in Greece, you can expect to pay around 350 EUR for accommodation minimum considering you are staying in hostels.
Food: For 14 days, 3 meals a day in Greece, you can expect to pay around 294 EUR for food considering you eat out every meal. It will be cheaper if you cook it yourself.
Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to pay around 200 EUR for ferries, trains, and metros.
Activities: Depending on how much you want to follow my itinerary, you can expect to pay approximately 130 EUR for all the day trips we will make including Delphi, Delos, and Mykonos.
Total Budget for 2 weeks in Greece: 974 EUR
Is it Safe in Greece?
In most places outside of big cities in Greece, it's pretty safe but it's always a good idea to exercise precautions by not leaving your belongings unattended, especially when in crowded places, and ALWAYS keep an eye out on your belongings at all times. Keep your hands in your pockets when entering or exiting crowded places to secure your phone and wallet.
Other than that, you should be fine traveling around Santorini. I didn't have any problems in Greece when I was there for about 2 weeks. Keep your wits with you and you will be fine.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Greece?
There are 3 major carriers in Greece, Cosmote, Vodafone, and Wind, that offer prepaid sim cards tourists can buy while they are traveling in Greece. Unfortunately, with the rise of esims, having to be in the country to buy a sim card at a store is quite inconvenient and not ideal.
If you have a smartphone that supports esims, I highly recommend you take a look at these esims. They have a variety of data packages, price points, and durations for you to choose from.
The setup is fast and instant and you can buy it prior to your trip so you don't have to scramble your way to get one at the airport after a long flight. The data speed is also equivalent to what you get with a local sim card with 4G speed across the entire country.
Or if you are traveling to Greece as part of a bigger Europe trip, I highly recommend you get the regional Eurolink esim which will give you access to data from over 39 countries across Europe. I have personally used this esim on my 3-months trip around Europe and it has worked wonders.
For more information on esims in Greece, click here: Check Greece's Available eSim.
What to Pack for Greece?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Greece:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Greece in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.