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In this post we are going to tell you all the preparations to travel to Greece on your own. Flights, accommodation, how to move, transfers, what to see and what to do and all the necessary information to prepare your trip. We have just returned from our trip and we have come back in love with the country. We highly recommend it.
Our route was Athens, Milos, Santorini and Mykonos for 11 days in early October. In Greece there are more than 2,000 islands but only about 200 are inhabited. Within the Greek Islands are the Cyclades Islands, the Dodecanese Islands, the Ionian Sea Islands, Saronic Islands, Sporades, Crete … but for this first trip we wanted to know some of the Cyclades Islands. And within these we will focus on the 3 that we have been able to visit, which are Milos, Santorini and Mykonos. Although we have clear that we will return to visit more islands because we have loved them.
It is best to focus on one area, especially if you have few days and then choose the islands you want to visit. We were clear that we wanted to see the most famous ones for our first visit which are Mykonos and Santorini. And as we wanted to see a third one we were hesitating between Milos, Ios, Paros or Naxos. There are many more and for sure they all have a lot to offer, but these are the ones we had researched and that called us more at first. Then, going out of high season, we saw that there were islands with few ferry combinations and finally Milos was our third island of choice.
Things forbidden in greece
Getting off the plane and taking a car is almost a traveling tradition for us. It is the most common form of transportation in a destination for us. The road trip as a form of travel, since driving on your own seems to us the best way to get to know a new country. In the case of Greece, as it happened with Croatia or Iceland, the combination of car and ferry was very necessary.
Regarding travel between mainland Greece and the islands, you can reach the main ones with internal flights, so you would not need to take a ferry. As far as we were concerned, in one case we went with the rented car (then the plane was not an option) and in another, the combination of frequencies and schedules was much wider with the ferry and allowed us more freedom.
In fact, we returned to Madrid from Santorini with Iberia, although at a significantly higher cost than flying from Athens would have been (almost twice as much). But this also saved us the transfer from Santorini to Athens and, above all, we gained an extra day on the island.
What is the cheapest time to travel to greece?
If you are an European citizen, you will only need your ID card with a minimum expiration date of 6 months from your departure date to travel to Greece. We always recommend that you carry a valid passport. If your passport is stolen, it is very inconvenient to go to the nearest embassy or consulate to process the documentation.
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If you need to exchange currency, there are currency exchange offices in all major cities, as well as ATMs on every corner. You will have no problem withdrawing money when you need it, although I recommend you to make card payments whenever you can, as you will not be charged withdrawal fees.
In Greece the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is available which covers medical expenses and emergencies. What this card does not cover are treatments, repatriations, indemnities, lost or stolen luggage, etc. That is why we always travel with a private insurance combined with the EHIC. We always opt for Mondo, as it has very good coverage, with a discounted price. But what we like the most is their 24h medical assistance service via WhatsApp. Here you can contract it with a 5% discount!
Traveling to Greece on your own
Also, since there won’t be as many tourists, the prices of accommodations and restaurants will be more affordable. On the other hand, November to March is the worst time to travel to Greece, as temperatures will be colder and many of the tourist attractions will be closed. Also many of the ferries that connect the islands also see reduced activity, so the advice to travel to Greece that we give you is not to do it during these months, as you may not be able to visit all the places you want.
The summer months are considered high season in Greece, as it is the time that receives more tourists. If you travel to the country during these months you will see how all the places of interest will be full of tourists, to which must be added the large increase in prices that can occur in accommodation, airline tickets and even car rentals.
Our advice to travel to Greece and know thoroughly the city of Athens is that at least you stay in the city about three days. Only with that time you will be able to know each of the places of interest that this city has. If you want you can combine your walks around the city with one of the tours or guided visits that are offered in this, certainly the best combination. You should keep in mind that if you go to the country during the high season you will find long lines in many of the places of interest.