Greece Traveler Essentials
- Capital
- Athens
- Currency
- EUR (Euro)
- Best time to visit
- April–June and September–October. July–August is crowded and hot.
Visa requirements
EU citizens travel freely. Non-EU can stay up to 90 days in Schengen zone without a visa.
Getting around
Ferries are central to Greek travel, linking Piraeus and the mainland to the islands, while domestic flights speed up longer island and city hops and a limited rail network and buses (KTEL) cover the mainland. Athens has a clean metro, tram and bus network on integrated tickets, and taxis plus apps like Uber/FreeNow (which dispatch taxis) are common.
Safety
Greece is very safe. Petty theft can occur at busy tourist sites.
Tipping customs
Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. In tavernas and restaurants round up or leave about 5–10%, round up taxi fares, and leave a euro or two for hotel porters and housekeeping.
Travel tips
Many attractions have reduced hours on Mondays. Lunch is the main meal.