Greece is an all-year-round destination, depending on your interests the country offers an array of activities and experiences. For example, if you are visiting Athens or Thessaloniki, you can pretty much come at any time of year. Over the years Athens has gained popularity as a winter destination too, especially during the Christmas holidays.  Greece enjoys mild winters and approximately 300 days of sunshine. It is also less crowded than during the summer, which means you can enjoy the Acropolis and museums without the queues. Winter is also a great time to visit destinations like Meteora, Delphi, and Ioannina. 

The hotels and businesses on the islands usually start their operation around Greek Orthodox Easter, this varies from year to year depending on whether Easter falls early April or towards the end of the month. Islands like Santorini have a longer tourism season and some businesses remain open until December, but not all. 

If you wish to enjoy the warm weather, swim in the sea, and indulge in outdoor dining, the best months to do so are from June to early October. But again this can change as warm weather in Greece can stretch until early November. If sightseeing is what interests you the most, March to November is a great time. July and August are the peak and most expensive months to visit Greece. September is a wonderful month to visit the Greek islands, there are fewer crowds and the weather is still hot. Shoulder season (April, May, October, and November) is generally more affordable when it comes to booking hotels.

One of our favorite sayings is that a lifetime isn’t enough to discover all of Greece. For your first trip to Greece we definitely recommend visiting Athens, where you can easily spend three full days. Athens is a great destination to enjoy some spectacular day trips. If you decide to visit at least three destinations (including at least one Greek island) then we would recommend spending at least a week, but ideally 10 days. If you decide to include Crete on your Greece itinerary, you should allocate at least 7 days to visiting Crete. If possible we recommend planning a 14 day trip to Greece which will give you plenty of time to visit the mainland and a few Greek islands too. But trust us that this will not be your last trip to Greece, we’re pretty sure you will want to come back soon.

That’s a good question, which we get asked often. Greece is a country that offers endless opportunities to travelers. There are 227 inhabited islands, and of course, visiting each one will be almost impossible. You can take your pick based on the experiences you are looking for, but the easiest thing to do is allow our travel advisors help you choose. Athens and Thessaloniki are the two major cities and are well connected to other European cities. It seems that everyone wants to visit Mykonos and Santorini, but Greece is not defined by these two destinations. What's important for us is matching your wishes with the right beautiful island or islands for you. The nearby Cyclades islands of Naxos and Paros offer wonderful opportunities to bask in the sun, taste authentic Greek cuisine, explore traditional villages, and delve deeper into the Greek culture. Crete for example is like a country on its own. Its history and people are famous for their genuine hospitality. For an off-the-beaten-path experience, we recommend that you consider including Ioannina and the Epirus region, an all-seasons destination for all tastes and ages. Get in touch with our team today and let us plan the trip of a lifetime.

With 6,000 islands, 277 of which are inhabited, choosing which Greek islands to include in your itinerary can tough. Some are more popular or well-known than others, and many have specialties or features that might make them more interesting to certain types of travelers. Whether you're a foodie, a history buff, or a thrill-seeker, our guide to Greece's main vacation islands will help you make that choice.

We start by working with you to plan your vacation, your route, and where you're spending each night. A private Greece tour offers you complete freedom to create your dream itinerary. Our Greece travel packages are designed exclusively with you in mind. You'll get to pick from a shortlist of recommended accommodations. You can also decide how you'd like to get around Greece. We can arrange ferry tickets, private transfers, or short internal flights. You can pick which guided tours covering city sights, ancient archeological sites, galleries and museums, other activities like wine tasting, cooking classes, and many more that you'd like to include when you book. Or wait until it's closer to your arrival when you'll be in touch with our local staff in Greece. Once you land those staff are available to you by phone or email to assist with whatever you need.

Our custom Greece vacation packages of accommodation, transfers, and activities start at around $200 per person per day. You can get a rough estimate based on any of the itineraries on our site by using the Price Guide function. Choose which class of hotel you prefer, the size of your party, and the month you wish to travel in, and an estimated price will be generated for you. Included in the price is our expert planning service and support throughout your custom tour of Greece.

In many locations, we offer both options; either with a private guide just for you and your party or small group excursions. Although your overall Greece tour will be a private one, based on your dates and preferences, you can enjoy the social aspects of a group tour by opting to take some group excursions. We emphasize small group sizes wherever possible on the shared excursions we offer.

Absolutely. It's your vacation after all! Our custom itineraries are created specifically for your needs. Not every day has to be packed with a full-day private tour. Enjoying the opportunity to spend the day wandering on your own or relaxing on the beach is a big part of what makes a trip to Greece so special.

The Euro has been the currency of Greece ever since the drachma was replaced in 2002. It's not necessary to bring large quantities of cash with you but it's always a good idea to have €100 or so in small bills as not everywhere takes cards, especially small cafés and tavernas. When using ATMs always decline the option to have the transaction converted to dollars as the rate is never good.

The starting point for anyone interested in Ancient Greece needs to start in a capital. A tour of Athens will show you the city’s most important antiquities. The Temple of Poseidon at the tip of Cape Sounion can be visited on a day trip from Athens. Delphi, site of the Oracle, can be an overnight stop on the way from Athens to northern destinations like Meteora, Ioannina, or Thessaloniki, or a long day trip from Athens. Ancient Corinth at the entrance to the Peloponnese peninsula, combined with Nemea, is a popular day trip from Athens. The Temple of Zeus at ancient Olympia is around four hours drive from Athens, so we don’t recommend it as a day-trip. In the north, the home of the gods, Mount Olympus, can be visited from Thessaloniki.

With enough time, or a willingness to move at what might for some feel a rushed pace, yes you can definitely combine Italy and Greece in one trip. With many US airlines offering direct flights to major destinations in Italy and Greece, you can even fly open-jaw and maximize your vacation time by avoiding back-tracking. We have prepared a number of suggested itineraries for Greece and Italy tour packages.

That depends on what you intend by all-inclusive. Our trips include airport transfers, day trips, city tours, transportation between destinations, accommodation, and the support of our local staff in Greece. We don't offer all-inclusive resort stays or meal plans because we don't believe this is the best way to experience Greece.