| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athen | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 10 |
| London | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk/) before your departure.
Parliamentary republic; the state president is Katerina Sakellaropoulou (since January 2020) and the head of government is prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (since July 2019).
Greece is a peninsula state, or an island state in South East Europe.
Athens (population approx. 665,000)
Around 97 % of the population is orthodox (state religion). 0.2 % of Greeks consider themselves to be atheists and 1.7 % consider themselves non-denominational.
Modern Greek
A Mediterranean climate is prevalent in Greece with hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters. In the inland mountainous regions, snow is to be expected in the winter months.
Greece is two hours ahead of UK time, all year round.
230V alternating current, and 110V DC in some areas. An adapter is necessary.
The country code for Greece is 0030 with the zero cancelled before the area code. If you are calling the UK from Greece, please dial 0044 and the area code without the zero.
If you are planning to travel to an EU country you must meet the Schengen area rules. Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Greece as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit. Nationals of other countries are advised to enquire at the Greek Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Customers are reminded that it is their sole responsibility to make sure that passport and visa entry requirements for the country or countries that they are visiting are satisfied and we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. Regulations in respect of passport and visa requirements for Greece are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whose Website is https://www.mfa.gr/en/index.html. If you hold a different type of British nationality (BN(O), British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or British Subject), check visa requirements with the Greek Embassy before you travel. However, passport and visa requirements change from time to time and are also dependent on the purpose of your visit and your nationality. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary. For up-to-date information on entry requirements, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/.
The EU has a new visa waiver system, called ETIAS, which will be valid for three years. British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to apply and pay for an ETIAS, via an online system (https://etias.com/).
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture, etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Greece has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras. We recommend booking the following packages:
Gourmet package: This package includes 7× half-board, i.e. sumptuous buffet every evening with international specialties: only £ 189 per person.
Explorer package: The package includes the two fascinating full-day excursions “Olympia (World Heritage)“ and “Sparta & Mystras (World Heritage)“: only £ 169* per person.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.
In Greece, from March to October, 4-star hotels are subject to a climate tax of up to €7.00 (£ 6.00) per room per night. Outside of this period, the State imposes a tourist and city tax of up to €3.00 (£ 2.50) per room per night (status January 2024).
Greece is a member of the EU. The currency is the Euro. Exchange rate (as at January 2024): 1 GBP = 1.17 Euro; 1 Euro = 0.85 GBP. Bank opening times are Monday – Thursday 08:00 – 14:00, Friday 08:00 – 13:30. In major cities opening hours are sometimes longer. Popular credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted almost everywhere. A debit card and PIN number can be used to withdraw cash from cash machines for a fee. Cards bearing the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are also accepted as means of payment. Caution: When paying with debit or credit cards, we recommend vigilance against fraudsters who will secretly try to copy tourists‘ bank cards and spy out the associated PIN so that they can then withdraw cash from cash machines using a cloned card. Travellers are therefore advised when paying by card to always keep their card in sight and to conceal the PIN when entering it. Caution is advised when using debit and credit cards with a PIN in currency exchanges.
There are a number of products which have entry or exit limitations in Greece from outside the European Union. These include cultural goods, wild fauna and flora and products derived from these, vegetables and plant products, weapons and ammunition, medicines, tobacco and alcoholic beverages (please note the alcohol and cigarette allowances). You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. In terms of medications, only those necessary for personal use are allowed, and they must be accompanied by a copy of the prescription or medical report.
Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain.
In Greece, the acquisition, possession and export of “cultural and natural goods“ is severely punished since these are regarded as state property. Violations can mean several months of custody and high bails (currently around 9,000 €) even for tourists, even if the antiquities or oldlooking objects are of apparently little monetary value. It is therefore expressly advised not to buy antiques, old coins, fossils, etc. from dealers or to take any such objects away from sites you may visit. The acquisition, possession, import or export of drugs (even in small quantities) is severely punished. Do not carry defence sprays with you either. Their possession and use is banned in Greece and is a prosecutable offence. Photographing military installations and important civilian facilities (airports / ports) is prohibited due to the risk of spying. Violations will be prosecuted. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/foreigntravel-advice/greece/local-laws-and-customs.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the TravelHealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Anyone entitled to free healthcare in the UK is also entitled to treatment in Greece – if it is urgently required – from doctors, dentists, hospitals, and so on that are approved by the foreign statutory health insurance company. You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations. Nonetheless, you are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals). Such policies usually also offer benefits not covered by state health insurance companies, e.g. the costs of repatriation.
The customer must establish for himself that his physical and mental state is compatible with the selected journey. He is obliged to obtain information about the degrees of physical mobility and mental autonomy required for this journey.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: January 2024
Travel highlights
Europe
Asia
America
Africa