Greece Travel Guide: Islands, Athens & First-Timer Tips

I have been coming back to Greece for the better part of two decades, and I still get the same flutter when the ferry rounds the headland and a whitewashed town tips into view. This Greece travel guide is the one I wish someone had handed me before my first trip: honest about what is worth your time, candid about the tourist traps, and specific about the ferries, the costs, and the food that will actually make your trip. Whether you are a first-timer weighing Santorini against Mykonos or a returning traveler chasing quieter islands, you will find a real plan here.

The short answer: for a first trip, give Greece 10 to 14 days, split between Athens (2 days for the Acropolis and the food) and two islands you can reach without backtracking — most people are happiest with the Cyclades (think Naxos or Paros plus Santorini). Travel in late May, June, or September for warm seas and thinner crowds, budget roughly €100–180 a day per person, and let the ferries be part of the holiday rather than a chore.

Greece rewards almost any style of traveler: history obsessives, beach loungers, honeymooners, families, and budget backpackers all find their version of it. Below I break the country down the way I actually think about it — Athens first, then the islands by group, then the mainland most visitors skip, followed by the practical machinery of when to go, how to get around, what it costs, and what to eat. If you only have time to read one section, read the one on choosing your islands, because that single decision shapes everything else.

Greece at a glance: where to go

Greece is not one destination, it is dozens stitched together by ferries and short flights. The mistake I see again and again is travelers trying to “do Greece” in a week and spending half of it in transit. Pick a region, commit to it, and save the rest for next time — and there will be a next time. Here is how the headline destinations compare, so you can match a place to the trip you actually want.

Destination	Best for	The vibe	Ideal stay
Athens	Ancient history, food, city energy	Gritty, electric, deeply layered	2 days
Santorini	Honeymoons, caldera views, sunsets	Dramatic, romantic, busy	2–3 days
Mykonos	Beach clubs, nightlife, design hotels	Glossy, expensive, fun	2–3 days
Naxos & Paros	Sandy beaches, value, real village life	Relaxed, family-friendly	3–4 days
Milos	Surreal beaches, boat trips	Wild, photogenic, quieter	2–3 days
Crete	Road trips, food, history, big beaches	Diverse, authentic, vast	4–7 days
Rhodes & Dodecanese	Medieval towns, long summers	Historic, sun-soaked	3–4 days
Corfu & Ionians	Green scenery, Italian flavor	Lush, laid-back	3–4 days
Meteora & Delphi	Monasteries, oracle sites	Otherworldly, cultural	1–2 days
Peloponnese	Ruins, road trips, fewer crowds	Slow, rewarding	3–5 days

If you want a fuller shortlist with my honest rankings, I keep a running list of the best places to visit in Greece, and a deeper dive into the best Greek islands for every type of traveler. For the bigger picture of how Greece fits alongside the rest of the continent, our guide to the best places to visit in Europe is a good companion read.

Is Greece worth visiting?

Yes — and I say that as someone who is professionally skeptical of hype. What makes Greece special is not any single island or ruin, it is the density of good things: you can stand inside a 2,500-year-old temple in the morning, swim over a shipwreck in the afternoon, and eat grilled fish at a table with its legs in the sand by night. The light is genuinely different — painters have not been lying about it. And the hospitality, what Greeks call filoxenia, is real; I have been waved into kitchens and handed extra carafes of wine “from the house” more times than I can count.

It is also more affordable than its glossy reputation suggests, as long as you sidestep the two priciest islands in peak August. The combination of culture, coastline, and value is why Greece keeps topping the wish lists, and why it earns its place near the front of this guide.

Athens: don’t treat it as a layover

For years travelers treated Athens as a one-night airport stop on the way to the islands. Do not make that mistake. Give it two full days. The things to do in Athens go far beyond the obvious, but the obvious is unmissable: the Acropolis, crowned by the Parthenon, is worth every cent of the (around €20, more in peak season — check current prices) entry fee. Go at opening (8am) or in the last two hours before close to dodge both the heat and the cruise crowds, and buy a timed ticket online in advance.

Below the rock, the Acropolis Museum is one of the best archaeological museums in the world and beautifully air-conditioned — a strategic afternoon stop in summer. Then let the city surprise you. Wander Plaka and Anafiotika, the village-like quarter that feels like an island misplaced in a capital. Eat your way through the Central Market and the lively streets around Psyri and Koukaki. Climb Lycabettus or Filopappou Hill for sunset over the Parthenon. Athens is grittier and more soulful than Instagram suggests, and a couple of days here will change how you read everything you see afterward.

Choosing your Greek islands

This is the decision that makes or breaks a Greek holiday. There are around 6,000 Greek islands and islets — about 220 inhabited — clustered into groups that each have a personality. You do not choose individual islands first; you choose a group, because islands within a group are linked by quick, frequent ferries, while hopping between groups usually means routing through Athens. Here is how I think about them.

The Cyclades are the postcard: whitewashed cubes, blue domes, bare brown hills meeting an impossible sea. This is Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos, and a dozen smaller gems, and it is where most first-timers should go. The Dodecanese in the southeast (Rhodes, Kos, Symi) bring medieval architecture and a longer, hotter season. The Ionians off the west coast (Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos) are greener, wetter, and flavored by centuries of Venetian rule. Crete is a world unto itself. And the Saronic islands (Hydra, Aegina) sit close enough to Athens for a weekend. If you want a structured plan that strings several together, see my Greek island hopping itinerary.

Santorini: worth it, with caveats

Santorini lives up to the photos — the caldera, ringed by cliffs with white towns clinging to the rim, is one of the great views in the Mediterranean. The sunset from Oia really is that good. But it is also the busiest and most expensive island in Greece, and on an August evening the main caldera path can feel like a rush-hour platform. My advice: come in the shoulder season, stay two or three nights, walk the spectacular Fira-to-Oia caldera trail (3–4 hours, and free), do a catamaran cruise to the hot springs, and taste the volcanic Assyrtiko wines. Then move on before it wears thin. The full detail lives in my Santorini travel guide.

Mykonos: glamour, for a price

Mykonos is the party-and-beach-club island, and it is unapologetic about it. If you want chic beach clubs at Paradise and Super Paradise, world-class people-watching, and a maze of designer-boutique alleys in Chora, you will love it. The windmills and Little Venice at sunset are genuinely lovely. Just know that prices here rival the French Riviera in August — a sunbed can run €50–100 and a cocktail €18. It pairs naturally with a half-day boat trip to the sacred ruins of Delos, one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. My full Mykonos travel guide has the beach-by-beach breakdown.

Naxos and Paros: where I send first-timers

If you asked me for one honest recommendation, it would be this: build your first trip around Naxos or Paros rather than the famous two. Naxos has the best sandy beaches in the Cyclades — Plaka stretches for kilometers of golden, shallow sand — plus mountain villages, ancient ruins, and the iconic Portara gateway framing the sunset. It is bigger, cheaper, and more rounded than its glossier neighbors. Paros is its slightly trendier sibling: pretty Naoussa harbor, good dining, easy bus connections, and excellent ferry links that make it a natural island-hopping hub. Both are family-friendly and far better value than Santorini or Mykonos.

Milos: the surreal one

Milos has surged in popularity for one reason — Sarakiniko, a beach of wind-sculpted white volcanic rock that genuinely looks like a moonscape. The island is ringed with extraordinary swimming coves best reached by boat, including the sea caves at Kleftiko. It is quieter and more low-key than the headline Cyclades, with a working-port honesty to it that I love. Rent a car or join a full-day boat trip, because the best of Milos is on the water.

Crete: a country pretending to be an island

Crete is the largest Greek island and easily deserves its own week. You could spend it all in the west, basing yourself in beautiful Chania with its Venetian harbor and lighthouse, day-tripping to the pink sands of Elafonisi and the lagoon at Balos, and hiking the Samaria Gorge. Or anchor in the center near Heraklion for the Minoan palace of Knossos and Europe’s oldest city. Crete has its own cuisine (some of the best food in Greece), its own fierce identity, and enough variety — beaches, mountains, towns, ruins, road trips — to satisfy almost anyone. It also has two airports with direct European flights, making it a smart place to start or end a trip. My Crete travel guide maps out how to split your time.

Rhodes and the Dodecanese: history and a long season

Down in the southeast corner, the Dodecanese enjoy the longest, warmest season in Greece — swimmable well into October. Rhodes is the star, and its medieval Old Town, ringed by Crusader-era walls and threaded with cobbled lanes, is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe and a UNESCO site. Beyond it lie long beaches and the gorgeous horseshoe harbor of Symi, a popular day trip. If you are flying in from elsewhere in Europe and want sun, swimming, and a serious dose of history without changing islands constantly, Rhodes is a strong single-island base.

Corfu and the Ionians: the green side of Greece

The Ionian islands on the west coast feel different — greener, softer, with an Italian inflection from centuries of Venetian rule. Corfu has a UNESCO-listed Old Town that looks more Venice than Cyclades, all elegant arcades and faded shutters, plus the dramatic coves of Paleokastritsa. Neighbors Kefalonia and Zakynthos bring the famous Shipwreck Beach (Navagio) and turtle-nesting bays. If your image of Greece is whitewashed and barren, the Ionians will pleasantly upend it. Start with my Corfu travel guide.

Mainland Greece: the part most visitors skip

Here is a small confession: some of my favorite Greek days have been on the mainland, where the crowds thin out and prices drop. If you have more than ten days, or you are returning, build in some of this.

Meteora: monasteries in the sky

Meteora — the name means “suspended in the air” — is a cluster of monasteries perched impossibly atop sandstone pillars rising hundreds of meters from the plain. It is one of the most extraordinary sights in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can reach it from Athens in around 4.5 hours by direct train to Kalambaka, which makes an easy overnight trip; six monasteries remain active and open to visitors (dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered). Sunset over the rocks is unforgettable.

Delphi: the center of the ancient world

The ancient Greeks believed Delphi was the navel of the world, and standing in the Temple of Apollo’s sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, you can see why they chose it. It is the second most important archaeological site in Greece after the Acropolis, an easy day trip (around 2.5 hours’ drive) from Athens, and best paired with lunch in the stone-built mountain village of Arachova.

The Peloponnese: ruins, road trips, and elbow room

The Peloponnese peninsula is, for my money, the most underrated region in Greece. Rent a car and you can string together the theater of Epidaurus (with acoustics so perfect a whisper carries to the back row), the citadel of Mycenae, the elegant seaside town of Nafplio — arguably the prettiest town on the mainland — and ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Games. It is a region of fortresses, vineyards, and empty beaches, and it links beautifully with Athens for a trip that mixes islands with deep history.

Best time to visit Greece

Timing matters enormously in Greece, and the “best” month depends on what you want. The sweet spots are the shoulder seasons — late May to mid-June and September to early October — when the sea is warm enough to swim, the days are reliably sunny, crowds are manageable, and prices sit well below the August peak. June and September are, frankly, when I prefer to travel here. For the full month-by-month picture, see my dedicated guide to the best time to visit Greece, and for the wider continent, the best time to visit Europe.

Season	Months	What to expect
Spring	Apr–May	Wildflowers, green hills, mild days; sea still cool early on; Orthodox Easter is a highlight
Early summer	Jun	Warm seas, long days, big crowds not yet arrived — arguably the best all-rounder
Peak summer	Jul–Aug	Hot, busy, expensive; meltemi winds in the Cyclades; book everything ahead
Early autumn	Sep–early Oct	Warm sea, harvest, thinning crowds, softer prices — my favorite
Off-season	Nov–Mar	Quiet and cheap; many island businesses close; Athens and Crete stay lively

One regional note: the Cyclades catch the meltemi, a strong dry north wind that blows hardest in July and August. It cools things pleasantly but can disrupt small ferries and make some beaches choppy. The Dodecanese and Ionians are more sheltered and stay swimmable later into autumn.

Getting around Greece: ferries, flights, and cars

Half the romance of Greece — and half the logistics — is the ferry network. Get this right and the country opens up; get it wrong and you lose days to backtracking.

Ferries are the backbone of island travel and, for most classic routes, the simplest and most scenic option. From the port of Piraeus (and nearby Rafina) in Athens, boats fan out across the Aegean. There are two broad types: big, stable, cheaper conventional ferries (Blue Star is the workhorse), and faster, pricier high-speed catamarans (SeaJets) that cut journey times roughly in half but can be cancelled in rough wind. A useful rule: choose the slow ferry for the experience and your wallet, the fast one when timing is tight. Book online once schedules are live — I use Ferryhopper — and reserve well ahead for July and August, when popular sailings sell out. Prices are not hiked for last-minute buyers the way flights are, but seats genuinely run out.

Flights make sense for long jumps — Athens to Rhodes or Crete, or hopping between far-apart island groups — where a ferry would eat most of a day. Aegean and Sky Express run dense domestic networks, though most inter-island routes still connect through Athens. My favorite trick is the open-jaw: fly into Athens, ferry through your islands, and fly home from your final island (Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete all have direct European flights). It saves a full day of doubling back.

Cars are worth renting on the bigger islands — Naxos, Crete, and the Peloponnese reward exploration, and a car unlocks the mountain villages and quiet beaches. You do not want one in central Athens or on tiny Santorini’s congested caldera. An ATV or scooter is the local move on small islands, but ride cautiously; the accident rate is no joke. For the smoothest experience, plan your route so each hop is short and logical — Athens to Paros to Naxos to Santorini flows naturally because the islands line up. My Greece itinerary guide sequences several of these for you.

How much does a trip to Greece cost?

Greece can be a bargain or a blowout depending on three variables: which island you choose, which month you travel, and how you sleep. Santorini and Mykonos carry a 50–100% premium on accommodation over the mid-tier islands; the same money buys you a great deal more on Naxos, Crete, or the Peloponnese. Here is a realistic per-person, per-day framework for 2026 (excluding international flights); treat these as ballpark figures and always check current prices.

Travel style	Daily budget (per person)	What it looks like
Budget	€60–90	Hostels or simple rooms, ferries, gyros and bakery lunches, free beaches and hikes
Mid-range	€120–200	Comfortable hotels, tavernas nightly, a boat trip or two, the odd domestic flight
Luxury	€300+	Caldera suites and design hotels, fine dining, private tours, sunset catamarans

A week for two, done mid-range outside peak August, typically lands around €1,700–2,800 per person all in. The single biggest lever is timing: shift from August to June or late September and you can cut accommodation costs by a third while getting a better experience. Gyros and souvlaki keep lunch to a few euros, museum entries are modest, and many of the best experiences — caldera hikes, village wandering, swimming — are free. If you are weaving Greece into a longer continental trip, my guide to Europe’s best destinations and the overarching Europe itinerary can help you balance the splurges.

Greek food and drink: what to actually order

Eating in Greece is one of the great pleasures of travel, and it is gloriously democratic — some of my best meals have cost €15. The format to know is the taverna: family-run, unpretentious, often with a handwritten menu and a grandmother in the kitchen. Order a spread of mezedes (small shared plates) rather than one main each, and let the table fill up.

Start with tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic), creamy fava, smoky melitzanosalata, dolmades, and a horiatiki — the “village salad” of tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and a slab of feta with oregano and good oil, no lettuce in sight. For mains, the icons are moussaka (layered eggplant, spiced meat, and béchamel — the national dish), souvlaki and grilled pork or chicken skewers, slow-cooked lamb kleftiko, and whatever fish was landed that morning, sold by the kilo. On the islands, look for gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers) and fresh seafood; on Crete, do not miss dakos and the local cheeses.

Drink the local stuff: a chilled Assyrtiko from Santorini’s volcanic vineyards, retsina if you are feeling brave, ouzo or tsipouro with your mezedes (slowly — it is stronger than it tastes), and a Greek coffee or frothy freddo espresso to power the afternoon. Finish with baklava, galaktoboureko, or a bowl of thick Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. One tip: many tavernas bring a complimentary dessert and a shot of something at the end — accept it, it is part of the ritual. And the tap water is generally safe in Athens and on Crete, but on many smaller islands locals drink bottled, so ask.

Greece for different travelers

Couples and honeymooners

Greece is one of the world’s great honeymoon destinations, and not only because of Santorini’s caldera suites and infinity pools. For romance with fewer crowds, I steer couples toward Folegandros, Milos, or the quiet coves of the Ionians, and pair a few caldera nights with a slower island. If you are planning the big trip, my guide to a Europe honeymoon weighs Greece against the other classic options.

Families

Greece is wonderfully easy with kids: shallow sandy beaches (Naxos and Crete excel), a culture that genuinely welcomes children at the dinner table late into the evening, and enough myth and ruins to make history click. Skip cliff-edge Santorini with toddlers in favor of flatter, beachy islands, and build in slow days.

First-timers

If this is your first trip, resist the urge to cram. Two days in Athens plus two well-chosen islands over 10 days beats five islands in a blur every time. The classic, reliable first-timer route is Athens → Naxos or Paros → Santorini, finishing with a flight home from Santorini.

Budget travelers

Greece is very doable on a budget: dorm beds and simple rooms, ferries instead of flights, gyros and bakery spanakopita for lunch, and the cheaper islands (Naxos, Paros, the Dodecanese) over Santorini and Mykonos. Travel in the shoulder season and your money stretches dramatically further.

Luxury and slow travel

At the other end, Greece does barefoot luxury as well as anywhere — boutique caldera hotels, private catamaran days, Michelin-level tables in Athens, and villa stays on Mykonos or Corfu. The trick is to slow down: fewer islands, more nights, a private boat instead of the public ferry.

Sample Greece itineraries

Here are the frameworks I return to again and again. Each assumes you fly into Athens; adapt the island legs to taste, and see my full Greece itinerary and island hopping itinerary for day-by-day detail.

• 5 days (express): 1 day Athens (Acropolis + Plaka), then fly to one island — Santorini or Naxos — and stay put. Do not try to hop on a trip this short.
• 7 days (the classic): 2 days Athens, ferry to Naxos or Paros (2–3 days of beaches and villages), high-speed ferry to Santorini (2 days), fly home from Santorini.
• 10 days (the sweet spot): 2 days Athens, 3 days Naxos or Paros, 2 days Mykonos (with a Delos morning), 3 days Santorini. Open-jaw home from Santorini.
• 14 days (history + islands): 2 days Athens, a Meteora overnight or a Peloponnese road trip (Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidaurus), then 7–8 days island-hopping through the Cyclades.
• 14+ days (the grand tour): Athens, the western Cyclades (Milos, Sifnos), across to Naxos/Paros, Santorini, then finish with 4–5 days on Crete and fly home from Chania.

Entry requirements and practical tips

Greece is part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, and the entry rules are changing in 2026, so check official sources close to your trip. Here is where things stand as of mid-2026.

Visas and ETIAS. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the Schengen Area as a whole (days in France, Italy, Spain, and the rest count toward the same total). The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) — biometric registration at the border — began rolling out across Schengen in 2026. The separate ETIAS travel authorization (a roughly €20 online pre-registration, valid three years, with under-18s and over-70s exempt) is expected to become a requirement later in 2026 into 2027. It is not yet mandatory as of this writing, but check the official EU ETIAS pages and your government’s travel advice before you book. For a continent-wide overview, our guide to the best places to visit in Europe tracks these rules too.

Money. Greece uses the euro (€). Cards are widely accepted in cities and tourist areas, but carry some cash for small tavernas, island bakeries, kiosks, and rural spots. ATMs are common; tipping is appreciated but modest — rounding up or 5–10% at a sit-down meal is plenty.

Language. Greek is the language, with its own alphabet, but English is widely spoken in tourism. Learning a few words — yassas (hello), efharisto (thank you), parakalo (please) — goes a long way and is warmly received.

Health, safety, and connectivity. Greece is one of the safer countries in Europe; the main risks are petty pickpocketing in crowded Athens spots, summer heat, and scooter accidents. Drink plenty of water, wear real sun protection, and respect the midday sun in July and August. A local eSIM or an EU-roaming plan keeps you online cheaply for ferry bookings and maps. Pack modest cover-ups for monasteries and churches, and sturdy sandals for those gorgeous but ankle-twisting cobbles.

Greece travel guide FAQ

How many days do you need in Greece?

For a first trip, 10 to 14 days hits the sweet spot: two days in Athens plus two or three islands without living on ferries. You can do a rewarding 5–7 day trip if you stay put — one city and one island — but resist hopping on anything shorter. More islands almost always means a worse holiday, not a better one.

What is the best Greek island for first-timers?

Honestly, Naxos or Paros. Both deliver the classic Cyclades look with great sandy beaches, real village life, easy ferry links, and far better value than Santorini or Mykonos. Pair one with a couple of nights in Santorini for the iconic views, and you have a near-perfect first trip. Crete is the best choice if you want one island for a whole week.

Is Greece expensive to visit?

It can be either. Santorini and Mykonos in August are genuinely pricey — Riviera-level for hotels and beach clubs. But the rest of Greece is one of the better-value corners of Western Europe: mid-range travelers spend €120–200 a day, and budget travelers far less. Travel in June or September and choose Naxos, Crete, or the mainland to keep costs down without sacrificing the experience.

When is the best time to visit Greece?

Late May to mid-June and September to early October are ideal — warm seas, sunny days, manageable crowds, and softer prices. July and August are hottest, busiest, and dearest, though the sea is at its warmest. Spring brings wildflowers and Orthodox Easter; winter is quiet and cheap but many island businesses close. See my full best time to visit Greece guide.

Santorini or Mykonos — which should I choose?

Choose Santorini for romance, dramatic caldera views, and that famous sunset; choose Mykonos for beach clubs, nightlife, and shopping. Santorini is better for couples and photographers, Mykonos for groups and party-minded travelers. Many people do both in one trip — they are a short ferry apart — but if you only pick one, let your priorities (views versus nightlife) decide.

Do US and UK citizens need a visa for Greece?

Not for short stays. US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and many other passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. The new EES biometric checks are rolling out in 2026, and the ETIAS pre-authorization (around €20) is expected to become required later in 2026 into 2027 — check the official EU ETIAS pages before you book.

Is Greece safe for tourists?

Very. Greece is among Europe’s safer countries, with low violent crime. The realistic risks are petty pickpocketing in crowded Athens areas, the summer heat, and scooter and ATV accidents on the islands — so guard your bags in crowds, hydrate, and ride carefully. Solo and female travelers generally report feeling comfortable here.

Is Greece better than Italy, Spain, or France?

It is different rather than better. Greece wins on islands, beaches, ancient sites, and value; Italy edges it on art, cities, and food variety; Spain on nightlife and tapas culture; and France on big-hitter cities and countryside. For a sun-and-sea trip with deep history, Greece is hard to beat — and it combines beautifully with the others on a longer European tour.

Which Greek islands have the best beaches?

Naxos for long golden sand, Milos for surreal volcanic coves, Crete for the pink sand of Elafonisi and the Balos lagoon, and Zakynthos for the famous Shipwreck Beach. The Greek islands hold some of the best beaches in Europe; my round-up of the best Greek islands breaks them down by beach type.

Can you drink the tap water in Greece?

In Athens and on Crete, yes, the tap water is generally safe and fine to drink. On many smaller islands the supply is brackish or relies on desalination, and locals stick to bottled water — so ask your host or hotel, and when in doubt, buy bottled or bring a filter.

Final thoughts

The best advice in this entire Greece travel guide is also the simplest: slow down and go back. Greece is not a country you finish; it is one you start a relationship with. Pick a region that fits the trip you actually want, give the ferries and the long tavern dinners room to breathe, and leave a few islands for next time. Whether you anchor your first visit in the Cyclades, lose a week to Crete, or chase the quiet mainland, you will come home already plotting the return. For the wider picture, pair this with our Europe itinerary and the guide to the best places to visit in Europe. Kalo taxidi — good travels.

About the author

Written by Hannah Brooks, Senior Europe Editor at European Tourism. Hannah has spent more than fifteen years traveling across the continent in every season — from January ski weeks in the Austrian Alps to September wine harvests in Tuscany — and writes our destination and trip-planning guides. In Greece she has island-hopped the Cyclades more times than she can count and still argues that Naxos is criminally underrated.

Last updated: June 2026. Weather norms, prices, opening hours, ferry schedules and entry requirements change — always check current official sources (the Greek National Tourism Organisation, ferry operators, and the EU’s official ETIAS pages) before you travel.

Photo credits

All images are used under their respective free licenses via Wikimedia Commons. Thank you to the photographers who share their work:

• Acropolis & Parthenon, Athens — Photo: Jebulon (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons
• Santorini, Greece — Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Mykonos windmills — Photo: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Portara, Naxos — Photo: moustakik (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons
• Sarakiniko beach, Milos — Photo: dronepicr / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Chania harbour, Crete — Photo: Cayambe / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Rhodes Old Town — Photo: Nikolay Gromin from Moscow, Russia / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Corfu Old Town — Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Meteora monasteries — Photo: Jolovema / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Nafplio, Peloponnese — Photo: Ava Babili / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Greek island ferry — Photo: Jean Housen / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Greek souvlaki — Photo: Benoît Prieur (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons

Sources & further reading

• Greek National Tourism Organisation — official guides and destination information (visitgreece.gr)
• European Union — official ETIAS and Entry/Exit System (EES) information (travel-europe.europa.eu/etias)
• Ferry schedules and bookings — Ferryhopper, Blue Star Ferries and SeaJets operator timetables
• UNESCO World Heritage List — Acropolis, Meteora, Delphi, Medieval City of Rhodes, Old Town of Corfu