
Greece is perhaps my favorite country in Europe. It’s home to everything you could think of: Wonderful beaches, Ancient history and ruins, incredibly vibrant cities, delicious food, and dramatic landscapes. My first trip to Greece was to visit Crete, followed by another trip where I spent two months traveling through the Cyclades Islands.
While Mykonos and Santorini are the most popular islands, there are far more beautiful and less touristic places in the Cyclades like Amorgos, Sifnos, and Folegandros. The cities are also incredible: Athens is full of energy and is definitely a place I could live. Make sure to visit the world famous Acropolis and Parthenon when you are here.
Greece also has my favorite food in all of Europe. Yes I said it. I think Greek food is by far the tastiest food in all of Europe (move over Italy) due to its incredibly fresh ingredients, delicious grilled meats, amazing salads, cheap wine, and feta cheese.
Greece Facts
Language: Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken especially in all the big tourism hot spots.
Currency: Greece uses the Euro. Up until 2001, they used the Greek Drachma
Credit Cards and ATM: Greece uses credit cards everywhere. In fact, it’s one of the most credit card friendly countries I’ve ever been to. While staying in Athens for a month, I literally did not use a single Euro of cash.
Population: ~11m
GDP Per Capita: ~$21,000
Largest Cities: Athens (The Capital), Thessaloniki, Patras
Power Plugs: European 220v two-prong
Is Greece Safe? Yes Greece is very safe. While you may encounter the occasional pickpocketing in big cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, there is very little violent crime to speak of. If you travel to one of the smaller islands, you are more likely to fall off a cliff trying to take Instagram photos than be the victim of a crime

Subtitle for This Block
Best Time To Visit Greece
In my opinion, the best time to visit Greece is in the shoulder seasons. This is typically between April and early June, as well as September. In these months, the weather will be warm and pleasant, but you can expect far smaller crowds than normal (with the exception of Eastern weekend).
July and August are the worst times to visit Greece, especially in the month of August when all of Europe as well as Greece visits the islands. Expect prices to be double or even triple that of the shoulder season and everything to be well booked up in advance.
The winter months are very off season and I would not recommend visiting the islands during this time as ferries run infrequently, restaurants are closed, and the weather is not pleasant. However, this is probably the best time to visit ultra touristy Santorini but only if you can time it to be with a good weather weekend.
Athens: The Capital of Greece
Athens, Greece’s hectic capital is home to the timeless Acropolis and Pantheon. While it may not be love at first sight, Athens has an incredible energy that you must experience.
From delicious restaurants to world famous cocktail bars, Athens is the perfect place to play and enjoy the city life before a ferry ride to the nearby Cycladic islands. While most people choose to spend a day in Athens to check off the main sights, I could easily spend weeks here enjoying all that Greece has to offer.
Read my Athens City Guide to learn about all the sights in Athens and then my perfect Athens one to three day itinerary to plan your trip.
Additionally, Athens is a great place to live and an amazing place for digital nomads. I spent many months living in Athens.

Get Inspired

Perfect Greece Honeymoon Itinerary And Guide: Athens And Greek Islands
Greece is without a doubt my favorite country in Europe. The combination of its fascinating ancient history, beautiful ruins, stunning…

The Perfect Athens Itinerary: One Day, Two Days, and Three
Athens is one of my favorite cities in Europe. The Greek capital is probably the oldest in Europe with monuments…

Cost Of Living In Athens, Greece: Detailed Breakdown Of My
Athens is one of my favorite cities in Europe. The vibe and energy of the Greek capital is electric and…

What To Do In Athens: Top 16 Must See Attractions
Athens is one of my favorite cities in Europe. I’ve spent a lot of time in Athens and also a…

The Perfect Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini Travel Itinerary
I spent two months traveling around Greece during the times of Coronavirus. It was absolutely unreal to visit all these…

The Perfect Travel Guide For Athens: Everything You Need To
Well what can I say about Athens, one of the most historic cities in the entire world besides that it…
Visiting The Cyclades Islands
When you conjure up images of Greece in your mind, inevitably it moves to the Cyclades Islands. This is the place that dreams are made of.
An archipelago of dozens of islands in Greece’s South Aegean sea is home to the most quaint villages you can imagine. White washed houses, blue washed window frames, and granite stone streets are what you’ll see everywhere you go. Along with beautiful beaches, dramatic mountain scenery, and a scooter to boot, this is the must see part of Greece!
For starters, read this list I compiled for what I think are the best Cyclades islands in Greece. Then you can go into the details to plan your own trip!
Finally, if you are debating between the Ionian islands (the best beaches in Greece) or the Cyclades islands, make sure to read my Ionian vs Cyclades island

Get Inspired

The Best Greek Islands In The Cyclades: How To Choose
The Cyclades are an ancient group of islands in the south Aegean sea of Greece. However they were formed, The…

The Perfect Cyclades Greek Island Hopping Itinerary
I spent two months traveling around Greece during the times of Coronavirus. It was absolutely unreal to visit all these…

The Ultimate Santorini Travel Guide
Santorini, without a doubt Greece’s most popular attraction is a breathtaking island formed from a volcanic eruption thousands of years…

The Perfect Travel Guide For Paros & Antiparos, Greece
Paros, the second largest island in the Cyclades is filled with history, culture, and natural beauty. While not nearly as…

Visiting Ios: The Greek Party Island With So Much More
Ios is somewhat like Mykonos’ grungy little brother. While Mykonos has gone the full route of upscale Miami style posh…

The Ultimate Naxos Island, Greece Travel Guide
Naxos Island, also the largest island in all of the Cyclades was the fourth island I visited after Mykonos, Milos,…

The Ultimate Folegandros Travel Guide – A Slice Of Greek
Folegandros is a small island in the Cyclades located between Milos and Santorini. At 10km long and 3km wide at…

The Perfect Travel Guide For Milos Island, Greece
Milos Island was the second Cyclades island I visited after Mykonos. It’s natural beauty is well known throughout all of…

The Ultimate Travel Guide For Mykonos, Greece
Without a doubt, dreams of cute whitewashed houses, granite stone streets, beautiful beaches, and picturesque views are all things that…
Visiting The Ionian Islands
If you’re looking for the best beaches in Greece, look no further than the Ionian islands. The blue shades of the water surrounded by the rocky mountain landscape will take your breath away. I always thought you would find the best beaches in the Cyclades but I was surely mistaken.
From the world famous shipwreck beach in Zakynthos to the incredible beaches of Lefkada, there is something here for everyone.
- Zakynthos Travel Guide
- Kefalonia Travel Guide
- Lefkada Travel Guide
- Corfu Travel Guide
- Paxos Travel Guide
If you’re overwhelmed with all the different islands, make sure to read which Ionian islands are the best, and finally how to plan an itinerary to visit the Ionian islands of Greece.

Get Inspired

Ionian or Cyclades Islands: How To Choose Between Greece’s Most
The Ionian and Cyclades island chains in Greece are the most famous and most beautiful. I have spent many weeks…

The Perfect Ionian Islands Travel Itinerary
I spent two months traveling around Greece during the times of Coronavirus. It was absolutely unreal to visit all these…

A Guide To All The Ionian Islands, Greece: Which Island
The Ionian islands are an ancient group of islands in the west Ionian sea of on the northwest coast of…

Paxos and Antipaxos: Travel Guide For The Hidden Ionian Gems
Paxos is the last Ionian island I visited and probably my favorite of all the islands. Located just south of…

The Ultimate Corfu Island, Greece Travel Guide
Located in the northwest off the coast of Albania lies the beautiful island of Corfu, Greece. Corfu is one of…

Visiting Lefkada And The Most Beautiful Beaches In Greece
Located just off the mainland of Northern Greece, Lefkada is one of the three Ionian Islands known for its stunning…

The Ultimate Travel Guide For Kefalonia, Greece
Kefalonia a gem in the Ionian Sea. It carries a rich history in cultural tradition. It’s the biggest Ionian Island and…

The Ultimate Travel Guide For Zakynthos, Greece
Zakynthos, also known as Zante Island by locals, is an island in the Ionian sea known for its mesmerizing landscapes…
Northern Greece
While the vast majority of people choose to visit the various islands of Greece, do not sleep on the mainland. The north of Greece is home to incredible landscapes and sights. One of the most famous places is Meteora, home to the monasteries floating on top of mountains.
Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city is considered the culinary capital of Greece. Halkidiki, one hour from Thessaloniki is home to incredible beaches that the locals can’t stop raving about.
- Visiting Thessaloniki: Greece’s Culinary Capital
- The sky monasteries of Meteora
- Northern Greece Travel Itinerary: Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Meteora, Zagora Valley, and Lefkada

Get Inspired

The Absolute Best Hiking Trails In Greece
There’s nothing quite like getting out into nature and taking in the fresh air. And Greece is the perfect place…

Visiting Thessaloniki: The Culinary Capital Of Greece
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and widely considered the culinary capital. After spending time in Athens not…

The Perfect Travel Itinerary For Northern Greece
I recently took a road trip through Northern Greece. Having traveled all over the Cyclades islands, the Ionian Islands, and…

The Ultimate Guide To Visiting Meteora, Greece
In the middle of the mountains in the heart of the Greece lies the world famous monasteries of Meteora. These…
Crete
Crete is the largest island in Greece. Located in the very south of the country, Crete is the only island in Greece that is completely self sustaining. This means that everything required to sustain life is manufactured and developed on the island without having to import from the mainland. Of course electronics, cars, and the like are probably imported, but the you’ll never catch any Cretans yearning for food from other parts of the country.
The food and culture on Crete is slightly different but divine in every way. I think some of the best food in the country is here and most Greeks will echo my sentiment. The island itself is littered with incredible beaches and mountain landscapes where you can spend a month seeing. The island is huge so you’ll likely have to divvy up your trip and choose an area to explore.

Cyprus
Cyprus is its own country and not a part of Greece. However, the culture and language are more or less Greek. In fact, the country wanted to reunite with Greece after it achieved independence from the British in the 1960s. Because of their large Turkish minority, the countries ended up being split into two. Nowadays, Cyprus is perhaps better known as the ultimate tax haven country in Europe and a refuge for the world’s rich who want to buy an EU passport (2 million Euros please)
Cyprus is a beautiful island with many diverse and beautiful sights. While I don’t think it is as beautiful as Crete, its Middle Eastern influence is very unique and the food is fantastic.
