Budget Travel Greece - Tips for Enjoying a Cheap Vacation in Greece
83Budget Travel Greece
In these difficult times, where most people have little money, it is useful to look at ways of downsizing our holiday plans. If you insist upon a luxury hotel or cruise, in a prime location, then Greece is expensive. If you are prepared to lower your sights a little, and put in some effort, you can have a budget holiday and enjoy a better experience than sitting on a crowded beach for two weeks. Greece offers much more than the stereotypical beach holiday, and a couple can get by on 50 – 90 Euros, with a little planning and thrift. This year, it looks like the airlines are dropping prices to attract customers, so 2009 could be a great time to take advantage.
If you visit Greece and stick to the traditional places, such as Athens, Santorini and Mykonos, the bill soon builds up. These places, whilst beautiful, are very expensive for both accommodation and food. There are many other beautiful places around Greece, away from the tacky bars of the tourist beaches. Everything that you see on the postcards, and in the brochures, is not the real Greece, but a stereotypical myth designed to extract as much money from the average tourist as possible.
Cut out the middleman by arranging your own flights
and accommodation, and avoid the package tours and cruises. Arrange your own
medical insurance, and you will save a lot of money and unnecessary expense.
The Peloponnese, the north of Greece
and Crete are fantastic, and offer a plethora
of interesting sites for very little money.Budget travel in Greece requires a little extra work but can save hundreds of dollars.
Budget Travel Greece - Picking the Right Time of Year
The high season, from June to August is extremely hot, very busy and also expensive. April/May and September have the best weather and the cheapest rates. The spring and autumn in Greece are cool enough to move around and tour, but still warm enough for a lazy day at the beach. In addition, these times of year boast abundant blooms of colourful wildflowers and butterflies. The low season is when the hotels drop their prices significantly, and you can drive a hard bargain. For example, the Hotels in Sparta usually charge around 35 Euros per night, instead of the high season 50 Euros.
![Lonely Planet Greece [LONELY PLANET GREECE 8/E]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418PX-1Si7L._SL75_.jpg){kind=small}
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Lonely Planet Greece [LONELY PLANET GREECE 8/E]
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Greek Island Hopping, 19th (Independent Travellers - Thomas Cook)
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Budget Travel Greece - Cheap Food
Food can vary wildly in Greece, but is guaranteed to be
extremely expensive near the tourist spots. Generally, you will come across
restaurants with waiters standing outside, trying to entice you in. Avoid these
places – they are generally very expensive and the food is not usually great,
certainly not the real Greek food. You are looking for a Taverna rather than an
Estiatorio (restaurant). The latter is generally overpriced and serves exactly
the same food, but in a classier surrounding, for which you pay a premium. One good tip is to make yourself a Greek breakfast with tomatoes, feta and bread. You can buy the ingredients very cheaply!
Ideally, you are looking for a place where the locals eat, with authentic food, and a much lower price. Greeks will not tolerate bad food, so if a taverna is full of Greek families, it is usually safe. By law, a taverna must display the prices, so spend a little time comparing prices rather than falling into the first place you come across. As an example, there is a little taverna in Sparta, hidden down some stairs, where a meal for two will cost less than 15 Euros, including drinks, and the food is fantastic. In a tourist area, you are looking at double the price for the same meal. A local pizza parlour feeds five for less than fifty Euros, so the bargains are there – talk to the locals, check some of the lesser known areas and look for the Taverna with the unassuming exterior.
Again, like most capital cities, Athens is expensive – expect to pay 4 – 5 Euros for a coffee, whereas off the main drag, you will pay less than 2 Euros. Despite this, there are some hidden gems, just a street or two away from the tourist trail. One word of warning – NEVER ENTER INTO A TAVERNA THAT HAS PICTURES OF THE FOOD ON THE BILLBOARD. Generally speaking, if they need to put a photo of the food, then it is usually poor quality, meant for the tourist palate.
Budget Travel Greece - Accommodation
Like in any other country, Hotels vary in price and quality, but you can usually find basic but clean accommodation if you hunt around. If you want good information, try the Lonely Planet guide, which is full of great information about travelling on a budget. If you want to explore Greece with freedom, and without booking ahead, there is no problem during the low season. Instead of looking for a hotel, look for ‘Domatia,’ basic but clean rooms in a house, and usually very keenly priced.
This year may well be difficult for the Greek Tourist industry, so check in advance – you will be bargaining from a position of strength and should be able to negotiate a good price. Outside Athens, most of the hotels are of a good standard and clean. They also have to, by law, put a notice on the door of your room with the maximum price that they can charge. If you feel that the hotel is charging you too much, threaten them with the Tourist Police. If they are trying to cheat, they will soon back down. This is a rare occurrence, but there are always some owners who will take a chance.
Staying away from the tourist areas will halve your accommodation costs; Athens is a no go, as it is expensive and overcrowded. If you want to see Athens, which is definitely worth visiting, then stay outside the city and catch the coach. From Gythio to Athens, for example, costs 20 Euros and takes about 4 hours – you can stay just a couple of nights in Athens and then return to the peaceful coast.
It may also be worth looking at self-catering accommodation – staying at home and cooking the odd meal can save you a lot of money. If you feel really adventurous, you could bring a tent. In Greece, it is so easy to camp under the stars, albeit with a mosquito net. We have often overnighted on the beach – it is beautiful to fall asleep to the sound of the waves. The Peloponnese is well provided with campsites for a few Euros per night, and you generally meet like-minded people.
Budget Travel Greece - Going off the Beaten Track
There are many other beautiful places in Greece – Gythio, Monemvasia and Sparta are fairly cheap, and many other wonderful places lie dotted around the Peloponnese. There is so much history and culture outside the hotspots that you can have a wonderful experience and see things that many other people have never even heard about. Instead of visiting the crowded Parthenon and Knossos, Ancient Sparta, Pylos and Mystras are steeped in history, yet lie forgotten about by the Athens-centric tourist brochures.
All around Athens, and in Greece generally, information centre staff are always helpful and bilingual. Greece relies upon tourism, and the whole industry is based around the customer care aspect. Look also for the tourist police, who are an excellent source of information, in English and often many other major languages
Budget Travel Greece - Transport
Public transport is very reasonable in Greece, and the coach and ferry system is cheap and reliable. Athens is well provided with buses, trams and a modern metro system installed for the Olympics, costing a Euro or so per journey. It is also possible to buy cheap multi-journey tickets, so ask at the information desk. If you need to get from the airport to the coach station, avoid the taxi, which costs at least 25 Euros, and catch the bus, costing a couple of Euros.
Taxis are very cheap within Athens, and the vast majority of the drivers are honest and friendly. Like in any major city, there is the odd rogue, so make sure that the meter is turned on. If you feel that you have been cheated, ask for a receipt, which they legally must provide, and ask them to drive you to the nearest police station. The tourist police, since the Olympics, have really cracked down on unscrupulous behaviour, and merely mentioning the term will ensure that people behave.
If you want to hire a car, try to avoid booking with the airline or holiday company, as they will charge you top dollar. In addition, the hire places around the airport are expensive and, whilst it may be a little extra hassle, you are better to catch a coach to your destination and hire a car there. You will easily save 100 € per week, and generally receive a car more suited for the purpose. Athens companies often give you a city-car, completely unsuitable for the twisting country roads in Greece.
For catching ferries, there are a couple of things to watch out for. If you buy a cheap ticket, you are supposed to remain in a certain lounge with ‘aircraft style’ seats. In reality, once the boat is underway, everybody mingles, so do not be persuaded to pay extra for ‘exclusive seats.’ Finally, there is usually an employee responsible for stowing your luggage. It is wise to tip him before the journey, and he will ensure that your bags are well looked after.
Hope that this helps – Greece has a lot to offer, and will give you a lifetime’s worth of memories without costing a small fortune.
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Comments
Glad to help, CW. Thanks for the thumbs up!
That is great advice - the locals always know the best places.
Great tips! My brother (philosophy/classics major) went to Greece this past spring for study abroad and had a great time. I am dying to go myself, but trans-Atlantic travel with a toddler isn't high on my to-do list so it looks like I'll have to wait a few more years. :(
Not sure about the plane journey with a young 'un, but Greece is a very child friendly country. The Greeks love children and generally spoil them rotten!
Should I or anyone that I know want to travel to Greece I know which hub to direct them to, yours! Its funny, but when I think of Greece, romantic Athens comes to mind. Regarding your comment about the postcards, its true, I live in Oregon, and in the postcards, one sees all these beautiful lights, and buildings, and in person its really much simpler.
Great tips. Thumbs up!
Thanks for stopping by, VioletSun.
Athens is beautiful and romantic, but it is also very expensive. When family and friends come over, they stay with us and then spend 2 or 3 days in Athens. This is enough time to see the sights without breaking the bank!
I must admit that I am not really a city person, so I may be a little biased against Athens. It has some great attractions and a vibrant nightlife, but a few days is enough for me!
Hello, I am planning on going to Greece in early June for 3 weeks. I think I will spend 2 weeks island hopping and one on the mainland. Other than my airline tickets and reservations, it would be nice to be as unrestricted as possible. Should I reserve my accomodations ahead of time or will it be easy to find moderate places to stay as I go along? Thanks for your help.
Hi Islander.
I hope that you look forward to your trip - you will have a great time here.
This year, with the state of the economy, there is little need to book reservations, and June tends to be fairly quiet. We rarely book ahead when we travel around Greece.
There are a few exceptions - Santorini and Mykonos can be a little crowded, so booking ahead is advisable for those islands. If you plan to visit Athens, it may be wise to book in advance, to make sure that you find a good value hotel. Other than that, visit with freedom and go where the mood takes you.
I would recommend the Lonely Planet Greece guide, as it is full of information for backpackers. Most major stockists carry the title.
Hope that helps.
Hey Sufidreamer.
Thank you very much for such a quick response. I will take your advise. Those are the places I will be going so I may make reservations ahead of time. I have one other question. Do you know if there are shops in Mykonos and Santorini where I can burn images from my camera memory card to a cd? I have read that there are places in Athens where this can be done. I don't want to have to buy and carry around a laptop. Thanks again.
Islander.
Hi, Islander.
I am not 100% sure. I think that two major tourist spots like that would have such a place. They both have internet cafes, so you could always bring your connection cable and burn them yourself.
If you want to double check, you could try Carolina Crete's hub - she may well know more about Santorini.
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Tips-When-Backpacking_1
Let us know if you have any more questions!
Hi Sufidreamer lovely hub to read on a cold day in ireland and the heating is broken!! I had a fab holiday in Mykonos approx 20 years ago!! so i would love to go back just for a look. We have 2 small boys now so aim for short haul but we might brave a longer flight soon and greece will be high on the agenda.
Hi CFlynn - Thanks for stopping by.
It is not much warmer here, and we have no heating, if that makes you feel better!
You would have a great time over here - as you probably saw last time, the Greeks love children. They will be spoiled rotten. I have never been to Mykonos, but believe that it has changed a lot, and is a 'clubbers' island. There are still plenty of traditional places left, though.
I lived in Ireland for a while, and the Greeks and Irish have similar mentalities. Drinking, singing, dancing and enjoying life are all high on the agenda!
Thats for sure!! the greeks love a laugh too...when i was there i was sooooo white the greek men used to call out "IRISH" as i walked by...every day!! i was so embarrased of my lilly white butt. But Mykonos was heavenly then
lol - And if your butt had been lobster red because you sat out in the sun for too long, they would have shouted 'ENGLISH!'
There are still a few places like Mykonos used to be, so hunt around. The traditional Greek holiday exists, and you can still have a beach to yourself, if you know where to look!
If I ever get the opportunity I will visit Greece using your suggestions. For the moment I love reading travel guides, which is the cheapest way I can ever travel :).
Thanks for dropping by, SweetiePie.
I hope that you get the opportunity to visit - if you do, let us know and we will help you to find some good budget places, or even lend you a tent!
Sufi- Since sweetipie is such a sweetie I was expecting you would say I would even let you stay in our house(free boarding & lodging)...LOL
lol...No problem with that - we have room here. We both like cooking so food is not a problem. Mind you, my partner might wonder why I am inviting lots of pretty girls to stay! ;)
If anybody wants to travel around Greece on a budget, a tent is a good and cheap way. We met a Korean guy last summer who stayed on campsites and managed to live on 25 dollars a day - top bloke.
Oh you are so nice Sufidreamer. I wish I had money to travel, but the problem is I have to pay this high rent here in SoCal :(. Someday I would love to see Greece though, and Italy too!
That sucks - money is so tight foreverybody at the moment. Hopefully, you will manage to save up enough to come and visit. I have been to Italy, a long time ago, and that is a nice place too.
Hi, this is great! I am thinking on going go greece with my boyfriend, sisterand her boyfriend in may. Looking at staying there for a week or so, we will fly into athens, and hope to see some of the beautiful beaches, history etc, where do you recommend we go from athens? and is it easy to get over to turkey from there?
May is a great time of year - it is sunny but not too hot. A week is a fairly short time, so you will not be able to go too far. There are planes, trains and buses to Turkey, but it takes time and will eat into your holiday.
It may be better to pick one area and concentrate on that, rather than trying to see it all in one trip. You could spend a day or two in Athens and see the Acropolis etc. After that, you could try Nafplio - about two hours from Athens, and it is a beautiful town, with nice beaches and the famous Epidavros theatre.
The island of Aegina is easy to get to from Athens, just over an hour by ferry, and has some beautiful old villages and beaches. It is popular with Athenians wishing to get away from the city for a weekend.
Hope that the info helps - if you need anything else, let us know!
How I got to Greece inexpensively was to go visit my fun cousins in England - and hang out and laugh etc. Then he and partner would drive me to Luton, one of England's small local airports - it was so much cheaper to fly from a local airport instead of the two main ones. I few on EasyJet!
Ah, but no matter how you get there or how much you spend - Greece was worth it! Wow! I met an artist who showed me all around the art colony by the Parthenon, and we had great Greek coffee in a sidewalk cafe - I sailed to three of the near Islands - and traveling alone was no problem. Generally I prefer it - I like to come and go as I please and dance to my own tune. Being an older woman alone has always turned out to be an advantage - truly I have enjoyed the kindness of strangers everywhere in the world.
A great place to go back to again and again and again...
Thanks for the memories!
Thanks BkCreative
Really glad that you enjoyed your time here - there are plenty of cheap flights within Europe, so that was a good plan!
There really is so much to see here - it is such a varied country that a lifetime would not be enough time. It is one of the safest countries for a lone woman - outside the Athens and the tourist areas, crime is virtually zero. I am quite happy for my partner to walk across Sparta at night, something that she would not do in England. Mind you, she went to Venezuela on her own and had np trouble - a lot of it is the media hype.
The Greeks have the code of Filoxenia, the love of strangers, and they see it as a sacred duty to make sure that you have a good time. Add to that a fierce pride in their culture, and you will never be alone in Greece.
Hope to see you back here at some point in the future!
Thank you! My husband and I are looking to take a cruise and would love to go to Greece for the first time! These are great points!
Hi, Andromeda 10. Thanks for commenting!
It is a good time for a cruise - tourism is going to be down this year, so you should be able to negotiate a good deal. The other advantage is that you can avoid the crowds! Feel free to PM if you need any help, although cruise locations are not my speciality!
it has been a long time since I travelled to Greece. Any suggestions and which Island would suit kids and adults
Hi Morgan.
Personally, I would recommend Crete - it is a big island with plenty for kids and adults alike. My partner brought her young son to Crete a few times, and he loved it. A nice mixture of history, culture, scenery and beautiful beaches. The Greeks love kids, so they will be spoilt rotten!
nice article
Greace......... can't you please come to NewZealand
lool so far
I'v been there
I like it soo much
especially one all white land
grat place man
best regards
Hey Eng.M - Glad that you liked the place!
Great to see you - I would love to visit New Zealand one day, but need to save up some money first :(
Greece is like heaven on earth for me...I am an avid history buff. Would so love to visit your country one day. Thanks for all the wonderful tips. Pity my days of living in a tent are long gone. :(
By the way love your 'name' - Sufidreamer
Thanks, Diana,
There certainly is a lot of great history here. Greece is not as cheap as it used to be, but there are some cheap places to stay without resorting to the tent! I would love to visit India for much the samr reasons - the culture and history :)
lol - Thanks, the name seems to have stuck nicely!
Thank you for the valuable and money-saving tips, Sufidreamer. If one were to stay in Greece for, say, a week or two, would it be worth purchasing a bike in order to get around? Or rent one?
Hi mythbuster - Glad that you found the information useful.
Bikes can be a little expensive to buy, but most of the major tourist spots have bike hire shops at reasonable rates. We cycled a lot in Crete - those mountains will keep you fit. If you like camping, too, there are plenty of good campsites - lets us know if and when you come over, and we will find you more detailed information.
Greay Hub, makes me want to pack my bags and fly to Greece! Thanks for a job well done!
Thanks for the kind words, Betsylckes - you are welciome here anytime :)
Another hub of yours that I'll be bookmarking. I especially liked the comment about pictures of meals on the outside -- that's true when traveling in any country.
Thanks, Jerilee - lol - that is true - if it needs a picture, you do not want to eat it. The same with fast-food - Why does the burger that you are served bear little resemblence to the fat and juicy quarter pounder shown on the menu?
Sufidreamer, excellent Hub with great tips that I will use one day when I visit Greece! As you recommend, I would much prefer to see the Greece that locals know than the tourist facade. Be careful these HubPages ladies don't get you in hot water with your sweetheart! :-)
Thanks, Staci-Barbo7 - You are welcome in Greece anytime - if and when you decide to visit, feel free to PM if you need any advice.
I think that I will be in even more hot water soon - I just wrote a Kitten hub, guaranteed to draw the ladies :D
Great site!
My sister and I are going to Greece on August 21 to September 4th. Initially we were going to spend $1700 sailing to about 8 of the Aegean Islands which is a lot of money for us (we’re in our mid 20’s).
So we’ve decided to do it on our own. We like adventure and we want to see the real Greece. I definitely want to stay away from the touristy areas and beaches.
We both love love love beaches, swimming, ruins, ancient things and places etc. And we are highly considering doing the whole camping thing. Should be bring our own tent and sleeping bag or just buy it there?
I want to eat real good Greek food too.
However, I don’t even know where to begin! May you please help us?
Thanks a lot. We really appreciate it.
p.s. last year I went to Europe for 2 weeks (France, Czech, Italy) and it was horrible. Everything that could go wrong on a trip went wrong. I love food and it was the worse food I’ve ever eaten and that’s b/c we were always in the touristy spots and didn’t know where to go.
Very interesting Hub about travelling to Greece. On all of the islands and some parts of the mainland there are resorts worth avoiding unless you want to drink and party. For the real Greece you have to be just a little more adventurous.
Hi Dubienka - thanks for dropping by and for the kind words.
You should have no problem having a great time in Greece with that budget - there are many good value places off the beaten track.
The best place to begin is by buying the Lonely Planet guide for Greece - they have a new edition out, as well as guides for Crete and for the Peloponnese. They are full of good information for the budget traveller.
The Peloponnese has pretty much everything you want - history, nature, quiet beaches and great places to eat, all very low priced. There are plenty of campsites - bring a tent, but remember that you should be able to sleep under the stars at that time of year! That costs about 5 Euros and, if you know the right places, the two of you can eat out for less than 20 Euros.
I think that the best thing is to send me a personal mail - click on my profile - and we will help you to plan a trip. It is worth staying a night or two in Athens - we know a good hostel - and then touring the Peloponnese.
Look forward to hearing from you!
Thanks, CMHypno
There was an item on the BBC News today about the British tourists getting drunk and ruining certain islands. Very embarrassing to be an Englishman, sometimes.
The Peloponnese, Northern Greece and parts of Crete are much quieter for the tourist who wants to sample culture and history. Much cheaper, too!
Um, we Brits are a strange nation that seems to like behaving badly abroad, making TV programmes documenting it and then beaming them out to the rest of the world!
lol - 'Tis true! Luckily, Sparta is well away from the club scene, and is geared towards culture and history junkies. Must admit, it is embarrassing to watch some of these programmes. Brits seem to see being drunk as a good thing - Greeks see it as shameful :)
Thanks for telling much about Greece. In India Greece is famous for its medicines and It is called Unani medicines. Thanks for info , I may use it in future.
Thanks, Vizey
Glad that you enjoyed the Hub. I never knew about Unani, so you taught me something new today. Cheers!
Thanks for your tips. I will keep these in mind.
But, I think when you visit Greece first time, you will definitely visit Athens and other tourist spots.
These tourist spots are ideal for those who have visited Greece famous spots two or three times, and would like to see something new.
Thanks, Karmadir
Certainly, many visit Athens and have a great time, although it can be expensive to stay there. Many people base themselves outside Athens and stay there for a long weekend, saving a little on hotel bills.
Thank you for your insight and expertise :)
Great advice! I always wanted to go to Greece. I would love to see the Acropolis as well as everything the cities of Athens and Sparta have to offer. 300!
I really am a huge history buff.
Thanks for dropping by, Shaun.
There is a lot to see for the history buff - apart from Athens and Sparta, we have Mycenae and Pylos nearby. Well worth a visit. I have not seen the new Acropolis museum yet, but apparently it is awesome.
- Athens, Travel agencies, Greece,Tourists Packages, travel Tours, Acropolis
Listings for some of the budget travel agents and places to stay in and around Athens. Athens is a city that every tourist should visit but it can be expensive if you do not know the cheap places to stay and eat. - Worth reading: Greece\'s new Acropolis Museum opens - This Just In - Budget Travel
Information about the new Acropolis Museum, a must-see for anybody visiting Greece. The state-of-the-art museum contains many rare and ancient artefacts documenting the long and noble history of this important land. - Greece + Budget travel | Travel | guardian.co.uk
Useful information from the respecdted British newspaper about some of the prime spots for a budget holiday in Greece. A good read with some pointers to sources of further information. - αθηνόραμαtravel.gr | LOW BUDGET TRIPS - ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Excellent information about some of the easy ways to save money in Greece. Picking some of the lesser known destinations can result in some huge savings. A very useful resource. - Backpacking in Greece: Matt\'s Quick Guide to Greece on a Budget
Matt Barrett provides an excellent guide for backpackers and budget travelers, pointing out some of the ways to save money. He has been there and done that - well worth a visit.
countrywomen says:
11 months ago
Thanks Your Majesty for giving me this kohinoor...LOL
Seriously a very informative hub. Just a small tip since I did a lot of traveling in India/US whenever we go to a new place strike a conversation with locals on a flight/bus/train. Then ask them for the must see places, flea markets or inexpensive places to shop and what are the local specialties/where they go to eat it. More often than not people always are friendly if you are polite and keen to have a good tourist experience (we were even invited once for dinner by a local when we enquired in India)...hehe
You got my thumbs up. Good Job.