Independent travel in Greece. travel to greece
To have a cheap vacation, you have to go on your own. This does not apply to all resorts in the world, but Greece for sure! In all the details about the rest of the "savage" in the country of legends and myths about the gods of Olympus, she shared with us Anastasia Shatkevich, editor-in-chief of the travel portal Traveling.by.
It is better to study reviews, but at the same time understand that each person has a different perception. For example, we, often communicating with travel agencies, noticed that tours to noisy resorts are bought more often by tourists from small provincial towns - people need movement. But tourists from big cities want to sleep in silence, hear the surf and it is desirable that there are fewer people around.
- How many euros did you spend per day, what did you eat at the resort?
Our apartments had small kitchen with all the necessary utensils, so almost every day in the morning we went to the fish shop and bought fresh fish for lunch. Such stores are usually only open until 11-12 am. For two, we gave about 2-3 euros for fish.
Shops bought fruits and vegetables. The most frequent dish on our table was baked fish, Greek salad and fruit. As an addition, they bought olives and Sun-dried tomatoes. This dinner cost about 4 euros for two. If you eat in a cafe and restaurant, the amount will be higher - from 8 euros per person.
As for inexpensive street food- in Greece they cook simply amazing gyros. This is an analogue of shawarma, only it is wrapped in a tortilla and french fries are added to the filling. Very tasty and, of course, satisfying and high-calorie. But it's very hard to resist. The cost is 2.5 euros. Gyros often replaced a full meal for us.
Prices practically do not differ from Belarusian ones. Some cheaper, some more expensive. If you eat on your own, you will not feel much difference in the daily budget in Greece and Belarus. But the quality of the products will definitely be higher.
By the way, in Greek cafes there are simply huge portions, you can safely order one for two. Just ask for two clean plates at the time of order. If you can't handle dinner, there's no shame in telling you to pack the rest. Here it is the norm.
How much money do you need for a vacation in Greece?
Again, depending on which one. Independent search and booking of apartments can cost 200 euros for 14 days if desired. Meals on your own - about 10 euros per person per day. Not on your own - 20-30 euros. Travel, car rental for a couple of days to see nearby sights - another 100 for the entire period. This is about the minimum. I don’t undertake to answer for the maximum, here you can’t see the ceiling.
— Do I need to rent a car in Greece and what do I need to drive around the resort?
Renting a car in Greece is a fairly popular service. The reason is the low cost of small small cars. For example, if you want to drive around the surroundings of your resort or go to another city, a rental car will be much more convenient (about punctuality and schedule public transport read above). For the price - a small Chevrolet Aveo cost us about 40 euros per day, excluding gasoline.
Since the four of us went to neighboring cities, the trip cost a penny in general. There are international companies, there are private local ones. We rented a car in a small office - in the end we didn’t leave any deposits or passports, and no one really examined the car upon arrival.
Advice for low cost flights: There is one caveat when traveling with low-cost airlines. As a rule, the time of their departure is not very convenient and often does not fit with public transport, or the airport of arrival / departure is far away. In our situation, the plane left Thessaloniki very early and there was no way to get to the airport. We used a car rental, only with a driver. For the price - about 80 euros for 4. In general, to travel cheaply, look for like-minded people - this can sometimes save significant amounts.
- Should I take luggage on vacation to Greece if you are flying with a low-cost airline?
We spent two weeks in Greece, a period for which we don’t need a lot of things. Swimsuit, a pair of T-shirts, shorts and summer dress- this is quite enough. We flew with one backpack per person in the truest sense of the word. Nothing extra.
Another thing is that you want to bring souvenirs from there, to take something tasty with you. This already needs space. We, anticipating our future purchases, just flew there with a half-empty backpack. On the way back, many have problems. Nevertheless, if we talk specifically about a budget trip, there is no need to take luggage, in my opinion.
Flight tickets to Greece for june fromlowcoswter. by
– 116 euro round-trip tickets
The cost of air tickets on the site is current at the time of publication
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More and more people in our country are beginning to relate to the group of "potential tourists". People's incomes, though slowly but steadily, are growing, gradually smoothing out the difference with some Western countries. There are more opportunities to earn additional income. Tourism is gradually ceasing to be shuttle-shopping, becoming civilized - leisure and sightseeing. Travel agencies began to multiply by leaps and bounds, not only in megacities, but also in provincial territories. People flocked to them en masse. Now no one is surprised by the number of countries visited. Foreign tourism is encouraged by the absence, or only the initial stage of development of tourism infrastructure in places of potential recreation in our country. And there are enough places. The coast of the Black Sea, one of the places for Russian beach holidays, due to well-known political and economic factors, was temporarily forgotten, and is being revived only before our eyes. So far, the comfort of rest, its price factor, are turned towards foreign countries.
However, since not very long ago, all large quantity tourists began to think about the independent organization of their holidays abroad. I will try to bring to you the main pros and cons of an independent holiday in such a wonderful country as Greece. I worked on this issue and successfully implemented it for rest on Greek island Rhodes.
Since Greece is a visa country, which is part of the circle of countries united by the Schengen Agreement, the issue of obtaining a visa must be taken very seriously and responsibly. To apply for a visa on your own, you will need: a questionnaire, 1 photo, a certificate from work, a certificate of purchase of foreign currency, a copy of insurance if you are traveling with a child, a copy of the child’s birth certificate if you are traveling without a father, a copy of the father’s consent for the child’s trip. All documents must be notarized. But, as it seems to me, at least you should have the Consular Section of the Embassy of Greece available to you. Moreover, prepare for repeated visits to it. From the beginning, the documents will be accepted without verification, if they find something that is not clear, they will call, ask to come in for clarification. Come, explain the reason (by phone - no), bring the corrected again. And, without a queue, most likely they won’t let you in, the magic phrase does not work here: I was already here yesterday, I just have to give ...
If the Consular Department is not available, then you will have to trust professionals from the Internet (I would not), or use the service of a travel agency, some provide such services without purchasing a tour. What documents will be required here, everyone will say on the spot. Everything depends on them.
Now consider the advantages of independent rest. 
Of course, this is savings. From our trip, we exclude the services of numerous freeloaders, oh, excuse me, intermediaries. And these are travel agencies, a carrier, that is, you yourself choose the airline, its discount promotions, exclude the price of booking a hotel. You can easily find a holiday hotel directly. To increase the savings, you can try to stay in small private hotels. Some of them offer different types nutrition. They, of course, do not have beaches and, as a rule, are more remote from the sea. If the legs are young, this will not become a special obstacle, but even diversify your rest. The next plus is your mobility. You can not pre-pay for the entire stay at the hotel, and if you don’t like something, you can change the hotel, or even the city. If the tour is purchased through a travel agency, no matter how disgusting the hotel is, you are simply doomed to rest in it. I think this is the biggest plus!
Now, about some of the negative aspects, the so-called "cons". We have already talked about independent paperwork. I will not repeat. The next disadvantage is the language of the host country. If you speak at least English, it's already easier. If not, you will have to learn sign language, acquire a phrasebook. In a purchased tour, if the hotel staff does not understand you, this is the concern of the hotel and the guide assigned to the tourists. In your case, saving a drowning person will be the work of the drowning person himself.
And last but not least, I'll highlight this in a separate paragraph, HEALTH INSURANCE. With independent rest, its registration is a must. The prices for medical services in Greece are very high. Even the treatment of a banal dislocation can result in a tidy sum. I'm not talking about something more serious. Of course, pah-pah over the left shoulder, but hope in God, but don't make a mistake yourself.
Greece is a member of the European Union, its visa is Schengen. If you already have a Schengen visa of any state, this question is closed for you. If there is no visa, then it must be done. The requirements for Schengen visas are standard, these are a questionnaire, financial documents, booking tickets and hotels. In recent years, one can note a positive trend in the issuance of visas by Greece: it has become much more willing to issue multiple visas to Russians, and previously it mainly issued single entry visas.
Buying airline tickets and booking hotels
Quite a lot of planes fly to Greece from Russia, you can find suitable option wherever you fly from. The offers of some companies are quite budget-friendly. In general, if you take tickets no later than a month before departure, you can confidently count on a price of about 100-130 euros for a one-way ticket from Moscow. Often, airlines arrange promotions for which it turns out to find cheaper options. It is convenient to search for tickets on sites such as skyscanner.com.
If you are flying to the islands in Greece, then pay attention to flights with transfers, usually it is carried out in Athens. This option is often much cheaper.
With hotels in Greece, not everything is so simple. In the high season, in summer, room rates become quite high. This is an argument in favor of booking in advance. The sooner you start planning your trip, the cheaper it will cost you. An excellent period for traveling to Greece will be the time early autumn: September or early October. Prices are already low, and the sea is still warm. It is convenient to search for hotels on services such as booking.com.
Where and when to go
If you have the opportunity to travel in the low season, this is the most profitable and pleasant option. The high season lasts from late spring to early autumn. On the other hand, holidays in Greece are good precisely because of the warm sea and good weather on the islands, so you won’t experience such pleasure at all in the off-season.
The nature of Greece is very diverse, everyone can find something that will appeal to him. In addition, wherever you go, you will not be bored: many excursions and interesting places can be found anywhere in Greece. The most equipped holiday destinations in Greece: Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Peloponnese. Chalkidiki, Kos. Santorini and Mykonos are places that deserve a separate discussion. Incredibly beautiful, they are also associated with many legends. But the prices for rest here are higher. If you want to relax in seclusion and feel more peace, it is recommended to choose other islands.
The sea and beaches are good anywhere in Greece, and healthy Mediterranean food will delight you wherever you are.
A trip to Greece is offered by many travel companies, but sometimes it is much more correct, cheaper and more interesting to organize your trip yourself. Let's find out how to do it and where to start.
Getting ready for the trip
You need to start planning an independent trip to Greece in advance. This country is part of the Schengen area, so you will need a visa to visit it. You can get a document at the consulate, after preparing a package of documents and filling out a questionnaire. To simplify the procedure, it is better to use the help of the visa center vizaweek.ru, where you will be relieved of all formalities.
Next, you should decide on the itinerary of the trip and tickets. The optimal solution for independent travel there will be a fly & drive format when you get to the designated point by plane, and then just rent a car. This will allow you to be as mobile and free as possible, as well as visit many interesting places in Greece.
When packing for the country, do not forget to take a first aid kit with you (the medicines we are used to are sometimes difficult to find in Europe) and leave a place in your suitcase for souvenirs and gifts that you will take home.
Traveling in Greece opens up many opportunities for tourists. By laying out the route yourself, you can relax on the beach, walk around museums, see the sights and generally discover your Greece. Here are some tips to help you choose a direction.
Green corners
Halkidiki is considered to be the coziest and greenest region of Greece. It's great to walk, swim and enjoy life. Also, for such a holiday, you can consider the western part of Crete (the regions of Chania and Rethymnon) and the island of Corfu. These places are perfect for families with children.
Historical places
In fact, Greece is an amazing country in which there is something to see everywhere. But it's hard to imagine the journey through historical places Greece without Athens. If you are a fan of wandering around the city, be sure to leave yourself 2-3 days for walking around the capital and stock up on comfortable shoes.
Night life
If you are sick of a sleepy vacation by the sea and want a hot party, think about the place Malia (Crete). Here you will find huge sandy beaches and non-stop night discos. In Northern Greece, stop by Paralia Katerina - the amount of entertainment and nightlife restaurants will pleasantly surprise you. And not far from Athens there is the resort of Loutraki, which will also be remembered for its fun parties.
Romantic getaway
Traveling to Greece on your own can also be planned in such a way that this trip will be remembered as the most romantic event of your life together with your loved one. Corfu is considered one of the most picturesque islands for romance. Here you can endlessly walk, enjoy delicious food and be just the two of you. And what could be better for strengthening relationships?
Why Choose Greece
Planning a trip to Greece on your own is a simple task. This is a small, comfortable country, very loyal to tourists and visitors. It will be easy for you here even with minimal knowledge of English.
Also in Greece there are a lot of hotels and hotels, both large chains and small family ones. So you can easily find yourself a room for the night in any city and for any budget, even without prior booking. By the way, in general, hotels offer a breakfast or breakfast and dinner system, since gastronomic pleasures in local restaurants are one of the obligatory parts of a trip to Greece.
In addition, holidays in Greece can be very versatile. Here you will find resorts and entertainment to your taste both young and old. active people as well as families with children and elderly couples. If you want to please your parents with a trip to Europe, Greece will be the best choice, and they will definitely be satisfied.
It is not difficult to organize a trip to Greece on your own - there would be a desire. Of course, the most simple and often a budget option is to buy a tour in an agency and shift all the worries to managers. Another alternative is to organize everything yourself. This raises a lot of questions, which we will try to answer in this post.
In fact, over the past 2 years, Grekoblog has accumulated enough information to find answers, if not to all questions related to organizing an independent trip to Greece, then to most of them. Therefore, now we will rather try to systematize the information than “discover America” in a new way.
Visa application
Despite all the vicissitudes associated with rumors about the possible withdrawal of the country from the Schengen, while it continues to be one of the members of the European Union. At the same time, as Greek officials assure, exit from the EU is not expected. Thus, to travel, you should apply for a Schengen visa. If you already have it, then you can safely skip this section and move on.
All countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement set fairly standardized requirements for tourists to the package of necessary documents for a visa. Greece in this case is no exception to the rule. In order not to repeat ourselves, we recommend our posts and, which describe in great detail where and how visas to Hellas are obtained.
Of the nuances of the process, it is worth noting that with the onset of the crisis, the diplomatic missions of Hellas became much more loyal to visa applicants. This was especially evident in the part of Russian tourists, on the attraction of which considerable emphasis is placed. In particular, the number of visa centers has expanded, the process of processing applications has been accelerated, and, what is especially interesting, many Russians are given a multi-visa instead of a single visa by default. Consular offices in Ukraine cannot yet boast of such loyalty, but there are positive developments in Nezalezhnaya as well.
It became easier to get a visa to Hellas during the crisis years
Flights
In recent years, air traffic with Greece has become much more intense. A number of airlines have entered both the Russian and Ukrainian markets, offering tickets at very low prices. affordable price and have become a significant competitor to air carriers that previously served these routes.
If we talk about specific figures, then air tickets can be bought at a price of 115 Euros one way from Russia and 134 Euros from Ukraine, respectively. And these are regular flights, not to mention promotional offers. It is clear that Russia and Ukraine are rather big countries, and Greece has its own characteristics. Therefore, the most profitable approach may be the search and purchase of air tickets through the site aviasales.ru, which allows you to search for more than 700 airlines and several booking systems at the same time.
For budget travelers, we would recommend paying attention to options with transfers. Often the cost of such air tickets is much more profitable than direct flights, especially if you are not traveling from capital to capital, but are on your way to the islands.
Hotels
As we said above, the price of hotels largely depends on the month of travel. Peaking in the summer, room rates are very affordable during the off-season and winter months (excluding ski resorts).
The hotel infrastructure of Greece is in many ways inferior to other popular Mediterranean destinations. Many experts see the reason for this in the absence of significant competition between local hoteliers and international chains. Nevertheless, in Hellas there are a number of chains with local roots that delight with a full-fledged five-star service, and the owners compensate for the lack of service in numerous private hotels with such cordiality and responsiveness that you will not find even in the most luxurious hotels in Western Europe.
Some Greek hotel chains offer the same level of service as well-known international ones.
A room in a decent "three stars" in the off-season will cost a tourist from 30 euros per day. The cost of the same room, but in the summer months, can easily "fly up" to 60-80, or even 100 euros per day, depending on the region and the attractiveness of the tourist area in which the hotel is located.
There are a huge number of opportunities to book a hotel both through a travel agency and through the Internet. When we depart from Hellas, we most often use the booking.com service, which provides a good choice hotels in every tourist area and pleasing pleasant prices. By the way, at one time a review was written on Grekoblog about Booking, so if you have not yet come across this booking system, you can read the details.
But when booking a hotel, you can start not only from the price, but also from the purpose of the trip. This can be, for example, a romantic trip or vacation with children. With this in mind, Grekoblog has started a series of articles: The Most Romantic Hotels in Greece. And to date, articles about and have already been published. We highly recommend.
When to go
Greece is a country with a pronounced seasonality of tourism. From the end of autumn to the beginning of spring, the low season is here, and the prices of flights and hotels are pleasantly pleasing. On the other hand, the main charm of the country is in its summer weather, the sea and the islands, so you won’t be able to fully enjoy them during the off-season months.
At the same time, of the 17-18 million tourists visiting Hellas annually, most of them are in the summer. Therefore, from mid-June to mid-September, prices for everything related to tourism and recreation are at their zenith. If the budget is not a problem for you, you can not bother, and if the cost of a vacation is a sensitive issue, it makes sense to pay attention to the off-season.
The period from late April to early June, as well as from the second half of September to the end of October, is considered by many, including the author of this blog, to be the best months for planning a trip. At the same time, each of these periods has its advantages.
Rhodes has been gaining popularity among Russians in recent years
At the end of spring in Greece, it's blooming time. The weather pleases with pleasant temperatures from 18 to 28C, and a huge amount of greenery and flowers that have not yet known the scorching summer sun make this time ideal for lovers of car tours. The minus of the end of spring is the unpredictable sea temperature, which can still be quite cold for the opening of the swimming season. Prices for hotels, air tickets and car rentals during this period are also far from peak.
The middle of autumn, along with good weather and still summer, by our standards, temperatures, on the contrary, pleases with the still warm sea warmed up during the summer months. Swimming in Greece in September and October is possible without any restrictions. In some southern regions of the mainland and in Crete, at times, the temperature of the air and water allows you to swim even until early December. Autumn prices are also more affordable than summer prices.
Where to go
Greece is a very diverse country and allows everyone to find something for themselves. By and large, you are safe regarding the choice of the final destination of the trip. In all significant tourist areas of the country there are plenty of opportunities to combine beach holiday with excursion. Crete, Chalkidiki, Peloponnese, Rhodes, Kos and Corfu are among the most developed tourist destinations. Details about each of them can easily be found on Grekoblog in abundance.
A separate line is to highlight the islands of Santorini and Mykonos. Located relatively close to each other, each of them is a legend of Greek tourism in its own niche. Santorini, which some scholars associate with the legend of Atlantis, is known for its breathtaking views and is the only island in Hellas that has a year-round high season. Mykonos is an island whose development was given an artificial impetus. Today it is considered the most "party" island of the country and one of the most attractive destinations for young people in the entire Mediterranean, fully competing with Ibiza.
However, if you want more peace and solitude, you can easily switch your attention to the less popular islands - since there are a great many of them in Greece. At the same time, for sure, you will not lose either in the service or in getting impressions. The sea and beaches in Hellas are magnificent everywhere, the food is healthy and nutritious, and Greek hospitality is famous throughout Europe.
