Greece Travel: An Online Odyssey
Greece is known not only for its capital city, Athens, home to the Acropolis, but for its 2000-plus islands, about a hundred of which are popular destinations for tourists. Each island exemplifies Greece's cultural legacy: whitewashed houses dotting the landscape, rugged hills, unspoiled beaches, great cuisine, and everywhere reminders of the country's ancient roots in art, religion and mythology. This guide will give potential travelers to Greece the online resources to book a vacation, find places to stay, things to do, and get tips and advice for the journey.
Expand All Guide SectionsGreece Travel Basics
Greek culture is steeped in tradition, so any vacationer will want to take advantage of the ... read more »
Travel Requirements for Greece
Many different options for travel and accommodation while in Greece make it important to research ... read more »
Getting to Greece
Greece is conveniently located in the eastern and central Mediterranean, making it easily accessible by ferry from Italy and very convenient for air travel. In this section, we outline some tips and Web sites that can assist you in booking part or all of your transportation to Greece, whether you are traveling to the mainland, islands, or both.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The main European point of plane departure to Greece is the United Kingdom. Many Web sites are based in the UK simply because Greece is a very popular destination with its residents. Many of these sites accept bookings and payments from other countries.
- Several Greek islands have airports, most of which are accessed by charter airlines departing from Athens. Check the resources on FlightMapping, listed in our picks section below, for a map of all airports in Greece.
- Flight travel from the United States to Greece is best done by taking advantage of deals from bigger airlines, often available in the early fall and late winter, and by using European low-cost airlines. Often using two different airlines can reduce the cost of your trip.
- Ferry travel, while not as luxurious as cruise ship travel, is one of the most popular and enjoyable ways to get to Greece and travel around the Mediterranean, and can be even better if you're traveling with a car or RV. Ports in Italy and Greece, such as Venice and Piraeus (the port of Athens) are a common departure point when visiting the isles.
- Don't forget that Greece is part of the Eurail network, which is especially popular with backpackers looking to hit up multiple destinations and save money.
Dulcinea's Picks
For air travel ...
Greeka specializes
in air travel to the Greek islands, so you will find a large selection of islands available, as well as options like "Island Hopping", hotel listings, car rental, and other extras for your itinerary. Also of note are the "Greek Beaches" and "Reviews" section, both of which have general and specific information from site staff and travelers.
Gate 1 Travel
is a popular package travel agency with the site Budget Travel, which recommends Gate 1 Travel in several of its articles on package tours, including an article called "Greek Island-Hopping". Check out their Greece landing page for a list of deals that include ferry and cruise travel, air travel, and mainland/island packages of varying lengths. The company is a particularly good source for cheap airfare from the U.S., but you will also be able to book other parts of your vacation.
FlightMapping
not only lets you book air travel to Greece from several UK destinations, but also includes tips and information about the types of airlines that fly there and the best times of year to find deals. A map of airports in Greece is on the home page, as well as links to the airports and a listing of the airlines that fly there.
For ferry travel ...
GreekFerries
allows you to book trips from ports like Ancona, Bari, and Venice in Italy, to several Greek destinations on the mainland and dozens of islands. The front page of the site has a color-coded listing of the ferry companies that operate in Greece, making it easy to select an itinerary and learn about ticket types.
Ferries.gr
is a popular site for booking ferry trips to and around the Greek mainland and isles. There are also bookings available here to and from surrounding countries, including Italy and Spain. The text-heavy navigation on this page can be distracting, but scroll down for a more concise listing of the many ferry companies that operate in Greece.
For rail travel ...
Eurail
is the official site for Eurail passes, so it is the most comprehensive, both as a reference tool and source for buying tickets. On offer are single and multiple-country options, open-ended passes, and more, all available for purchase in U.S. dollars or Euros. Visit the "Greece Pass" page to learn about a few options when traveling by rail to and around the country. You will also find links on this site to ferry and hotel discounts, which can be used in conjunction with your passes.
Harry's Greece Travel Guide
is a useful resource for learning about train travel options on the mainland and sights to see along various routes. Similar to Matt Barrett's guide to Greece, this site comes from an insider's perspective and has other valuable sections on ferry travel, the islands, and Greek history. You can also book vacations through this site, which has operated as a travel agency since 1979.
Greece Hotels
There are several types of accommodation in Greece, which all cater to a different set of traveler, ... read more »
Getting Around in Greece
Greece is a rugged place, where walking requires comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers, a sturdy ... read more »
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