Travel Guide

489393048_de500f1442There are countless travel guides written about Greece, all offering useful information about the country.

Getting to Greece

Most travelers get to Greece by plane. Of the 16 international airports, only two receive the majority of the flights from abroad: Athens and Thessaloniki. There are 64 airlines serving Athens international airport and 25 serving Thessaloniki international airport. During the summer season (May –October), charter flights are common to most Greek islands.

Another option, mostly if you plan to visit several European countries, is to take a ferry from Italy to one of the Greek islands. Make sure to book in advance via a travel agent.

>>more information on Ferries in Greece

Getting around Greece

Once on one of the two major airports you have several options to travel between the Greek islands. Many islands have airports so it makes a lot of sense to use one of the domestic flights . The flights are short but you need to book well in advance. Make sure to do that via a travel agent.

Another good option is to take a ferry. If you need to get to an island close to the mainland, the ferry is the best option. Do remember that ferries make several stops on different islands before they get to the final destination. Also, due to wind and high seas, some ferries might not be available for up to a week.

If you need to travel on the Greek mainland, buses are a good option. Catch a “KTEL” (intercity) green colored buss and don’t be shy to ask for directions. Each city has a bus stop. However, the bus system wasn’t created to cater for tourists so language can be a problem but you will find someone speaking English pretty easily and they will be happy to help you with directions.

If you have a drivers license you can always rent a car. The gas is pretty expensive in Greece and the other drivers don’t really respect the rules, but driving a car in Greece can be a nice, exciting experience. Also nice to try are the scooters . They are cheap to rent and you can cover a lot of terrain using them.

Read more about:

>> Getting from Athens to Piraeus
>> Getting from Athens to Thessaloniki
>> Getting from Athens to Santorini

Taxis in Greece

In Athens, taxis are quite hard to flag. They would take passengers only if they are headed to the taxi’s general direction. It’s illegal but you can’t do much about it and certainly you shouldn’t waste your vacation on such disputes.

The meter has to be running when the passenger gets in and you are not expected to leave a tip.

To catch a taxi, stand on the side of the road towards your destination. When you see a taxi, raise your arm and stare at the driver. If it’s not carrying any passengers, it would stop and the driver would expect you to tell the destination before you get it. Open the passenger door, get in and tell the driver your destination. Once the taxi flag goes down, the meter should start running.

In smaller towns, you will find taxis stationed in “piatsa” (station). Just ask the locals where that is.

A unique Greek taxi is ..the donkey! They are used on many islands for rides and mostly to take tourists around. In Athens, you can take a donkey ride up to the Acropolis, while in Santorini a donkey can carry you to the volcano.