You’re probably all busy planning your trip to Greece. You’ve asked around, checked out dozens of blogs, travel magazines, and Reddit, you’ve even watched films to get inspired and you’re ready to do what every traveler for the past 50 years dreams of doing in Greece … hitting the beach on some Greek island. Yes! Definitely Santorini or Mykonos. But what if you decided to discover Greece in a different, more rewarding way?
One of the most common questions I get concerns itineraries jam-packed with the Greek islands everyone knows about. So for readers and potential travelers out there getting ready for their #nextGreeceadventure read on. I’ve listed here 5 insider travel tips that guarantee you will not only enjoy the best of Greece but will also return home a changed person.
► 25 Things You Should Know Before You Plan Your Trip to Greece
Go Slow
Traveling to Greece should be much more than fitting as many islands as possible in the few days you’re here. Instead, take it slow. You have to keep in mind that getting to many of the Greek islands on board ferries takes hours so does flying there mostly due to pre-boarding procedures – like everywhere in the world – so why waste your time traveling when you could be spending it on one or two isles just sitting in the sun? If Santorini or Mykonos are musts for you, then you can do those slow too. But there are definitely other islands you should consider visiting that offer a more genuine experience, great food and veer away from the mainstream tourism trends.
👉🏼 Find the best hotel deals for you
Hit the Road
A great way to discover Greece and get a true feel for life in the countryside is by car or even bus if you’re too lazy to drive. Of course, taking the bus means you’re not carrying tons of luggage. For me, renting a car or camper and hitting the mainland or touring Crete is even better than the islands because you’ll get to see more and life in the mainland is still very much Greek and not tourism-affected. You can still find authentic Greek cuisine, traditional happenings like panegyria, untouched forests and beaches, remote villages. Best road trips to take: Arcadia, Mani, Nafpaktia, Western Macedonia, and Epirus, as well as islands Crete and Evia. If you tour Argolida for instance, you can also hop over to Poros and Spetses islands.
►5 Unique Experiences You Shouldn’t Miss on Santorini
►Looking for Authentic Greece? Visit Western Macedonia
Stay on the Mainland
Yes, I know everyone fantasizes about sandy Greek island beaches and turquoise waters and there’s no doubt about it, they are truly beautiful but you can find emerald waters and romantic coves along the mainland too – a secret hundreds of German, Austrian and Swiss travelers have known for decades. Many come back every year either as campers with their trailer homes or visitors and they love Mani, Argolida, Corinthia which includes Ancient Epidavros and Kynouria, which includes tiny hamlets like Tyros and Poulithra and endless beaches like Plaka. Yes, mainland Greece has so many postcard-perfect villages and pristine beaches that you won’t ever want to go to the islands.
►Secrets of Epirus: Discover a New Side of Greece
Visit off Season
Traveling to Greece off season doesn’t mean coming here in the winter, although you could do that too if you’re more of the adventurous type seeking alternative experiences like skiing, or hiking, mountain climbing, and rafting. Off season means planning your vacation to Greece in May and June or in late September early October. For the younger crowds, I get it, you want loud music, lots of happenings and your share of peoplewatching so July and August are for that but for the older crowds or the introverts among you looking for more laid-back holidays, June and September are the best times of the year to visit Greece. The weather is perfect, not too hot or too cold and the country’s notorious “meltemi” winds have finally died down. The water temperature is perfect for swimming. The sun and heat are comfortable. The people are more relaxed and the prices are lower.
►Solo Female Traveler? Go to Greece
Live Like a Greek
Last but not least, one of the reasons we travel is to immerse into a different culture, to experience new things, learn something we didn’t know, engage in customs and traditions that are different to our own. Doing this is much easier when you visit Greek islands and villages that are off the beaten track. Yes, these places may not have the best super luxury hotels, dozens of sea sports, massive green golf courses and high-end bars with blaring music all day long but they do have something that for me is more important: they offer a glimpse into the true Greek way of life which is what won tourists over in the first place.
► How to Live Long and Happy Like a Greek
Start Planning!
Plan your trip start to finish with these trusted partners I use when I travel in Greece and abroad.
- 🏩 Expedia is my favorite when I want to find the best hotels and affordable accommodation.
- I always look for cheapest flights 🛫 on Kayak
- For vacation home 🏠 rentals VRBO is my go-to source
- I use Tripadvisor all the time for restaurant 🍔 and hotel 🏩 ratings and for things to do.
- Book your 🚢 ferry tickets online on Ferryscanner
- 🛵 Greece is the perfect place to explore on bike, moped or motorbike, especially if you’re on a budget. Rent your bikes from BikesBooking – they know their stuff.
- 🏕 Want to find the perfect campground in Greece? Campsaround is the ultimate go-to source and my personal favorite
- 🚘 Discover Greece in comfort with a car. DiscoverCars is a great place to compare prices and find the best deal that suits your needs. Plus they offer info on local and international companies
- 📞 Avoid massive phone bill. Instead, stay connected using a local SIM card at affordable prices with Airalo
- 🛎 For those of you traveling on a budget or alone why not find a cheap hostel and connect 🍻with travelers like yourself visiting Greece. HostelWorld finds both!
- 💵 In these unstable times and especially during holidays and summer, it’s important to know your rights and to get help or compensation for flight delays & cancellations. The people at AirHelp are experts
- 🏛 Go deeper into Greek culture with exciting sightseeing tours & activities with Viator.
- 🤿 Plan fun things to do & exciting adventures in Greece with the experts at GetYourGuide. I use them when I travel abroad.
- 🛎 For those of you traveling on a budget or alone why not find a cheap hostel and connect 🍻with travelers like yourself visiting Greece. HostelWorld finds both!
*The Greek Vibe may receive commissions on purchases made through affiliates and partner links. Clicking affiliate or partner links comes at no additional cost to you but goes a long way in supporting our work.
♫ I end today’s post with a song by a popular Greek singer-songwriter who left the madness of Athens behind and moved to a far-off Greek island with her dog. Matoula Zamani in “Gine” (Become) the best version of yourself.
Enjoy!
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Wonderful articles with lots of information thank you. I have been to Athens many times but I am still discovering new things and feel it would take a life time to explore the whole of Greece and the islands and I look forward to experiencing much more.
Thank you so much, Anita. So true about Athens. There is really so much to discover that sometimes it blows me away. One day at a time. And very important: enjoy that very moment.