Greece’s awe-inspiring history and culture, delicious Mediterranean cuisine, and spectacular natural beauty make it an ideal destination for those who wish to explore a truly magical corner of the world. With its ancient monuments, majestic mountains, remarkable beaches, and vibrant cities—not to mention its tantalizing food—there are so many wonderful things to see and do in Greece!
But before you jump on that plane or cruise ship, be sure you arm yourself with some knowledge about navigating this captivating country. From understanding currency exchange rates to choosing the right spots for sunbathing, read our guide below to ensure your vacation in Greece is as safe and stress-free as possible.
Figure Out Transportation Plans
One of the first things you will have to do when traveling in Greece, or in any other country, for that matter, would be to figure out your transportation plans. Greece is a vast country home to more than 200 inhabited islands. Aside from figuring out how you will get around the city to the various destinations you plan on visiting, you’ll also need to figure out how you will visit its islands if that’s what you plan on doing.
One of the obvious options is booking a ferry. While you need to book your ferry through a reliable platform like Let’s Ferry, you also need to be aware of all the rules regarding cancellations, which you can learn more about here, as well as postponements because these could mean extra fees.
Find Out Where You Will be Staying
The next thing you will want to do when traveling in Greece would be to find out where you will be staying. This is another important thing that needs to be done since there are more than 7,500 places of accommodation in the country.
There are two ways that you could do this. The first way is to determine where you will be going and which islands you will visit so that you can book or reserve hotel rooms in those areas. The second method is to determine where you’ll be staying first and then create your itinerary, which is a great plan if you are on a budget.
Create an Itinerary
This leads us to the next tip: create an itinerary. As mentioned above, there are more than 200 inhabited islands in Greece and roughly 500 minor and major archeological sites in the country. This isn’t to mention all the other tourist attractions available for tourists to see, as well as the many activities such as waterboarding, surfing, tour guides, and more.
In other words, there is just so much to do in Greece that if you don’t plan your itinerary, you will not be able to choose what to do, and you might begin feeling overwhelmed.
Learn the Language
One of the most important things you will have to do before you even consider traveling to Greece would be to learn a little bit of the language. First, knowing a speakable amount of Greece will help you tremendously in your travels. For example, you can easily ask for directions if you get lost.
When you go to a restaurant, you can ensure your order is correct if you speak the language of the waitperson. More importantly, learning a bit of the language will also help you become closer to the culture, which will make the experience more immersive.
Look Out for Scams
Finally, the last important thing to know before traveling to Greece is that even though the level of crime in the country is relatively low, that doesn’t mean it is nonexistent. Like any country with high levels of tourism, there are criminals that prey on the unaware.
One of the most common scams that occur in Greece is taxi scams. One, in particular, involves the driver receiving cash from you, then dropping that cash and swapping it out for a smaller denomination, and claiming you still owe money for the fare.