This part of our guide to holidays in Greece sees us covering the basic information that travellers there need to know…
Greece offers a wide range of experiences, landscapes and activities. It is famous for its natural beauty, historical sites and nightlife, and of course for its reliably sunny summers and the many beautiful beaches on its islands and coastline, which stretches along the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas.
These features attract more than 15 million visitors each year, making this southern European country one of the world’s top 20 tourist destinations. While 90% of its tourists come from other European countries, in recent years there have been growing numbers of visitors from other parts of the world too.
Athens and islands such as Corfu, Crete and Rhodes are the major destinations, but other parts of Greece are also rewarding. Travelers wanting a quieter holiday can escape large-scale tourism in many attractive places.
The vast majority of visitors arrive during tourism season, which is April through October, with the peak of the season being July through to August. Outside of this time, most of the country’s tourist infrastructure goes into hibernation, particularly on the islands.
Athens and Thessaloníki handle the bulk of scheduled international flights. However, during tourism season, several charter and planned low-budget flights arrive daily from many European cities to many of the islands and smaller cities on the mainland.
A valid passport is necessary to enter Greece. Citizens of some non-EU countries may also need to obtain a visa, but citizens of the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay as long as 90 days without needing a visa.
It’s considered a safe country to visit (in terms of occurrences of theft and violence against visitors) and no immunization vaccinations are required or advised prior to traveling there.
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