Greece Travel Guide 2026: Athens, the Islands, Meteora and Where to Go

The essentials, updated for 2026

Entering Greece

Schengen rulesGreece is in the Schengen Area. Europe's Entry/Exit System, which records fingerprints and a photo of non-EU visitors at the border, has been fully operational since 10 April 2026.

ETIAS travel authorisation

No start date yetVisa-exempt visitors will eventually need an online ETIAS authorisation, but the EU has dropped its late-2026 target and will announce a date months ahead. No applications are being taken yet.

The Acropolis, Athens

€30For adults, with a one-hour entry slot. Morning slots in summer sell out weeks ahead. Free for under-18s from outside the EU. Buy on the official Hellenic Heritage site.

Climate resilience fee

€2 to €15 a nightPer room, paid at your hotel or rental from April to October, depending on its category; much less in winter.

Cruise visitors

€20 per passengerFor each call at Santorini or Mykonos from June to September, usually added by the cruise line. Other ports charge less.

Money and plugs

Euro (€), Type C/FCards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small tavernas and island shops. Sockets take round two-pin plugs.

Where to go

The capital

Athens

The Acropolis and the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum below it, the old Plaka district and the ancient Agora. Most island ferries leave from Piraeus, the port of Athens.

Two days is enough for the main sights

Official Acropolis tickets ↗Athens tourism ↗

Acropolis tour →Partner link

The Cyclades

Santorini, Mykonos and Naxos

Santorini's cliff-top villages above the volcanic caldera, Mykonos's beaches and windmills, and larger, quieter Naxos. Ferries link the islands in a few hours.

Book summer ferries and rooms early

Our Santorini guide →

Santorini half-day boat tour →Partner link

The largest island

Crete

The Minoan palace of Knossos, the old harbours of Chania and Rethymno, the Samaria Gorge hike and long beaches. Big enough for a week or more on its own.

Flights and overnight ferries from Athens

Crete on Visit Greece ↗

Monasteries on rock

Meteora and Delphi

Monasteries built on top of tall sandstone pillars at Meteora, and the ancient sanctuary of Delphi on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Both are often combined on a two-day trip from Athens.

Monasteries have dress codes and close on different days

Visit Greece ↗

Ancient sites

The Peloponnese

Ancient Olympia, Mycenae and the theatre at Epidaurus, with the old port town of Nafplio as a good base. Easy by car from Athens.

Quieter than the islands in summer

Visit Greece ↗

Green islands

Corfu and the Ionian islands

Corfu's old town, Zakynthos's Navagio beach, and Kefalonia and Lefkada, greener than the Aegean islands, on the west coast.

Many direct flights from Europe in summer

Visit Greece ↗

When to go

Late spring and early autumn are the best times for most trips.

Spring and autumn

May, June, September and early October are warm enough to swim, with fewer crowds than midsummer.
Greek Orthodox Easter is a big festival; check the date, which often differs from Western Easter.
Spring is the best season for wildflowers and hiking.

Summer and winter

July and August are very hot and the busiest months on the islands. A strong summer wind, the meltemi, can delay ferries.
Winter is mild in Athens and Crete, but many island hotels and ferry routes close.
Climate fees are lower from November to March.

What to pack

Pack for strong sun, ferry trips and dress codes at monasteries.