Is a trip to the Greek Islands in your bucket checklist? I all the time knew the Greek Islands have been costly however till I began researching our journey to Greece price, I didn’t understand fairly how expensive a trip to Greece may be.
After spending 10 days in Greece for our particular anniversary journey, now we have an important deal with on what you will have to avoid wasting to your Greek Islands journey finances (trace: it depends upon which island you go to!)
The Greek Islands have by no means been a finances vacation spot, however as of late if you wish to go the posh route for a special day journey (like our Twentieth-anniversary journey!), it’s downright costly. So earlier than you pull the set off and e-book a Greek trip, ensure you work out your personal Greece journey price.
How to Plan your Trip to Greece
Planning a visit to Greece can get sophisticated. Coming from the USA, it’s best to fly straight into Athens, however then in case you are visiting the Greek Islands, you should work out methods to get to the assorted islands.
You may fly into one island and out of one other, however you will have to attach someplace in Europe, and relying on the day you allow, there can be lengthy layovers. And, you continue to want to fret about getting ferry tickets or flights from place to position. Plus ferry tickets can e-book up early so you should plan prematurely.
WHere in Greece do you Want to go?
Your first step in planning your Greek Islands trip is to decide on your locations and work out how lengthy you need to spend in every location. Are you principally excited by archeological websites and studying concerning the Ancient Greeks? Or do you need to chill out by the seashore for many of your vacation in Greece?
Which islands you select makes a distinction too. Santorini and Mykonos are notoriously costly. Santorini is well-liked with {couples} and Mykonos is called a celebration island.
Lesser visited islands like Naxos are a lot cheaper and family-friendly, however some could not have as a lot vacationer infrastructure constructed out. Other islands like Crete are so massive you want per week or extra only for one island.
WHen do you Want to Travel?
Will you journey within the excessive season and cope with the crowds, or go for the much less crowded shoulder seasons? Or possibly you need to lower your expenses and go to the mainland in the course of the off-season and probably navigate closures, cooler climate, and restricted companies on the islands?
All of those components make calculating what a visit to Greece prices a problem. But to make your budgeting job a bit of simpler, I’ve put collectively a pattern journey finances to your reference.
Greece Budget Assumptions
Our journey was a splurge trip to have a good time a milestone birthday and anniversary, however I’ve based mostly this finances on a extra average journey. I’ve tried to offer some comparisons in case you are seeking to improve to luxurious properties.
For simplicity, I’ve additionally used U.S. {dollars} and sometimes use xe.com to get up-to-date forex conversion charges. Luckily proper now the U.S. greenback is powerful towards the Euro so, for Americans, your cash goes additional.
In order to find out what a visit to Greece prices, I’ve based mostly this Greece journey finances on the next assumptions:
- Pricing for 2 adults
- Traveling from a serious airport hub on the east coast of the United States (e.g. JFK)
- Travel in the course of the summer time
- A visit of 12 nights
- Stops in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete — these well-liked locations have been chosen as they could sometimes be included in a Greek trip package deal
To create your finances and a common thought of how a lot it prices to go to Greece, I’ve included the next:
- Approximate worth of flights (each worldwide and in-country)
- The common price of a lodge in Athens and in well-liked island locations
- Transportation prices to get round Greece
- How a lot cash to put aside for particular experiences, like a day journey from Athens or a sundown cruise round Santorini
Keep in thoughts that in case you are touring on a decent finances, an effective way to scale back prices is to stay to the mainland and shorten your journey. You may select to go to among the cheaper islands, like Naxos, Paros, and others. By making these changes, you may simply lower the price of your lodging virtually in half.
How a lot does a visit to Greece price?
Note: This publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I’ll obtain a small fee. Prices are topic to alter.
The prices on this publish have been organized by airfare, lodging, transportation, meals, and actions. As I discussed, I included a few of our precise prices as a comparability.
Airfare to Greece
One of the explanations that airfare eats up some huge cash when budgeting for a visit to Greece is that there are a restricted variety of direct flights from the U.S. to Athens, and even fewer within the low season and shoulder seasons.
If you don’t dwell close to one in every of a handful of airports, you’ll have to attach elsewhere within the U.S. or Europe earlier than arriving in Athens, and certain pay much more to take action. For day by day direct service to and from Athens in July and August (peak season), the primary choices at current are American Airlines from Philadelphia, Delta from Boston, JFK, and Atlanta, and Emirates and United from Newark.
Average flight costs throughout this time of 12 months are $1,000 per particular person. Prices go up the nearer you get to summer time so e-book early in case you are visiting Greece in the summertime!
If $1,000 per particular person for the worldwide flight is past attain, bear in mind that the value sometimes drops to $500-900 within the low and shoulder seasons (fall, winter, and early spring). However, some resorts on the islands received’t be open from November – April, and a few ferry companies is not going to function on a day by day schedule, so it should take some finesse in planning to nonetheless see every part you’d prefer to see.
Given the excessive price of airfare, it will be a great time to avoid wasting your bank card factors or airline miles for this journey or think about flying a finances airline that connects someplace in Europe.
Intra-Island Flights
Most individuals touring to Greece and venturing past Athens will find yourself on one other flight sooner or later, particularly in the event that they want to go to Crete. The quickest ferry from Crete to Athens is 7 hours.
If you might be planning on primarily visiting the Greek Islands, take note of your flight instances. I’ve discovered that it may be laborious to get into Athens early sufficient to catch a ferry to Santorini or Mykonos on the identical day in case you are connecting in Europe. This will drive you to spend an evening in Athens regardless of your plans. If Athens isn’t a precedence, chances are you’ll need to fly on to one of many island airports.
The identical can be true on the return journey. Depending on how far the island is away from Athens, it might be a problem to get again to Athens in time to your flight. Especially contemplating that Greek ferries don’t precisely have a status for working on time. That will not be a danger you need to take.
Therefore chances are you’ll must return to Athens the night time earlier than your flight except you e-book a multi-city flight and return from a special island. I additionally discovered that some return flights from Athens have exceedingly lengthy layovers on sure days of the week so that is one other factor to control when you’re reserving your flights.
The price for a one-way quick flight between Athens and Crete is lower than $100 per particular person (often $50-75) so this sometimes makes probably the most sense for that specific journey.
For this publish, I assumed guests would spend $1,000 per particular person to get to and from Athens from the U.S., after which one other $150 complete on a one-way home flight again to Athens from Crete.
Total airfare price: $2,150
Accommodations Costs in Greece
In order to estimate lodging prices, I allotted two nights in Athens firstly of the journey, two nights in Mykonos, two nights in romantic Santorini, 5 nights in Crete, after which a last night time again in Athens earlier than your return journey again to the United States.
If you don’t have two weeks to take pleasure in Greece, or you should lower prices, there are a lot of methods to regulate this itinerary. For instance, if the seashore isn’t a giant precedence, you would skip Crete or go for a number of days on the island of Naxos or Paros as a substitute of Crete (they’re much nearer to Athens and less expensive than Santorini or Mykonos).
Alternatively, if spending time on the seashore and having fun with views of the Aegean Sea is your high precedence when planning your journey, then think about simplifying your itinerary by solely visiting Athens plus one of many islands in Greece, as a substitute of spending time island hopping round to totally different places.
Athens
In Athens, count on to pay $500-700 or extra per night time for a room at a 5-star property in the summertime such because the Hotel Grand Bretagne. Pro tip: we used Marriott Bonvoy factors to e-book an evening on the Hotel Grand Bretagne.
More primary 4-star lodging is round $300-500 per night time. vrbo choices or finances lodges typically worth out below $200 per night time however do select neighborhoods fastidiously to make sure you are in a secure space handy for sightseeing.
Mykonos
Mykonos is among the costliest locations in Greece, particularly relating to lodging. Five-star properties are simply $1,000 or extra per night time in the summertime.
Four-star lodges are round $400-600 per night time. When we have been planning on doing one night time in Mykonos, I discovered a little bit of a “deal” on the Nissaki Mykonos for 520 euros per night time. Anything beneath 400 euros will possible be an enormous sacrifice in high quality and facilities (like a pool) or in location. But that isn’t to say that there aren’t finances properties obtainable.
Santorini
In Santorini, 5-star lodges such because the Canaves Oia begin round $1200 or extra per night time in the summertime. And these attractive suites with private plunge swimming pools or jacuzzis? You may probably spend $2,000 an evening. The city of Oia is the costliest (however affords the beautiful sunsets and blue-domed church buildings you’ve possible come right here to see).
We went with the marginally extra reasonably priced property of the Canaves chain, the Canaves Oia Epitome and the honeymoon suite with the plunge pool was a mere $1,200 an evening. It feels insane to spend that a lot on a lodge room however as I mentioned, this journey was a splurge celebration for us. You can discover upscale boutique lodges for much less, such because the Vedema Resort, the place you might be able to discover a room for below $500.
Fira is the place the ferry port is positioned and is a bit cheaper, with easy accessibility to Oia by bus or taxi. A 4-star lodge in Fira such because the Aria Suites can be round $500 in the summertime.
Even a really primary 3-star lodge in Fira is $300+ per night time throughout peak season. Again, Airbnb/VRBO can supply less expensive choices, however many require a three-night keep minimal, so it might require some itinerary adjustment. If you might be reserving a vrbo in Santorini, be sure you look fastidiously at their cancellation coverage and any extra cleansing or service charges they could tack on.
Crete
Crete is the most important Greek island, and it affords a beautiful steadiness of gorgeous seashores plus traditionally and culturally attention-grabbing websites. It additionally has a well-developed tourism infrastructure and loads of family-friendly resorts to select from.
These are all causes Crete works so properly as a house base for a lengthier keep throughout a visit to Greece. Families can count on to pay $200-500 per night time in summer time for a 4-star resort or boutique lodge on or close to the seashore such because the Ammos Hotel or Porto Elounda Deluxe Resort.
For a higher-end luxurious choice, 5-star properties such because the Daios Cove Resort run $500-700 in July and August.
One cost-saving tip is to pay attention to affiliations with U.S. chains like Marriott and Hilton. Many Greek lodges and resorts have affiliated with these manufacturers, so visitors can earn a variety of factors or use present factors they could have already got.
Naxos
As I discussed earlier than, you would additionally skip Crete and select a more in-depth island within the Cyclades and keep on Naxos or Paros. We didn’t have fairly as a lot time so we opted for 5 nights on Naxos on the Virtu Suites. We obtained a deluxe sea view suite for nearly $700 per night time.
To calculate approximate lodging prices, we assumed reserving at 4-star properties in every location, so a $400 common nightly price was used. You can clearly deliver prices down significantly in case you e-book an Airbnb for sure parts of the journey (or the complete journey), or redeem some lodge factors for a part of your keep. Costs enhance dramatically in case you go for a 5-star expertise, paying upwards of $1,000 per night time in some places.
Total Accommodation Cost: $4,800 for 12 nights
Transportation Costs inside Greece
The best route for getting to those 4 places is to take the ferry from Athens to Mykonos, then a ferry from Mykonos to Santorini, and a last ferry from Santorini to Crete. Most individuals would then fly again to Athens from Crete for his or her return flight to the U.S., however an in a single day ferry is an choice for that specific journey.
The price of the ferry and the flight are comparable. You can use FerryHopper to test charges and schedules for the assorted ferry strains and e-book tickets on-line.
Each of the ferry journeys outlined above is between two-to-three hours and ferry tickets price round $20-90 every (relying on in case you take a quick ferry or not.) You can save a bit of in case you journey on slower ferries or not at peak instances, however it’s often not important. You may select first-class tickets or VIP tickets with precedence boarding and seating, however that can price a bit extra.
Keep in thoughts when planning your journey that you will want to e-book ferries not less than a few months prematurely as they do promote out and also you don’t need to find yourself caught with no strategy to get from island to island.
For those who select to journey to the everyday locations in Greece (Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete, for instance, as outlined on this publish), then a automotive rental isn’t essential. Hotels can prepare transfers or I used Welcome Pickups to schedule transfers to/from the port in lots of locations and it labored completely each time and we have been relieved to not have to attend in a protracted taxi line.
If you need to do some off-the-beaten-path exploration, the price of a non-public driver in Greece is often $200-400 per day. On among the islands, you may as well hire an ATV to discover, however locals strongly advise towards ATVs as they see many deadly accidents annually. On our journey, we simply took taxis, a lodge shuttle, or booked personal excursions that helped us discover extra of the islands.
For budgeting functions, let’s assume three ferry companies at $90 per particular person per trip, plus at some point of a non-public driver service or day journey at $200, and an extra $200 for public transport and taxi fares. For a two-week journey, that is truly fairly reasonably priced. Opting to remain within the heart of walkable cities and full-service seashore resorts is essential to this price financial savings.
Total Car Rental/Transportation Cost: $940
Food Costs in Greece
If you’re affected by sticker shock after studying about the price of flights and lodging, you’ll be happy to study that Greece is among the extra reasonably priced European nations so far as meals and eating out. First, breakfast is included at most lodges and resorts (however do affirm that earlier than reserving.) If not, count on to pay lower than $5 per particular person for espresso and a pastry at a restaurant every morning.
The key to saving cash on Greek meals is to eat at native institutions (and also you most likely got here for the recent seafood and native meals anyway) or strive some road meals. A big lunch at a taverna is often $10-15 per particular person, or you may simply seize quick meals sandwiches or a lightweight chew and feta cheese from bakeries or cafes to take pleasure in a picnic on the seashore or between sightseeing adventures.
A hearty sandwich or low cost gyros can be lower than $5 from native retailers or stands. For dinner, count on to solely pay about $15-20 per particular person for a multi-course dinner at native eating places. Of course, this all goes out the window in case you are eating at a luxurious lodge or attempting a degustation menu (in Santorini an expertise like that with wine pairing can run you $500+ for 2!)
A number of finances busters in Greece, nonetheless, are cocktails or imported wine. Best to stay to beer or home wine in case you don’t need to spend some huge cash on drinks.
We assumed {couples} would spend per day on $20 lunch and $40 per day on dinner, however once more, you would simply spend much less in case you didn’t sit down for a full-service meal for each every day. I’ve additionally finances one effective eating dinner for an extra $100.
Total Food Cost: $820
Tours and Activities Costs in Greece
Another cost-saving perk of a visit to Greece is that a lot of what you got here to see is free, like a day spent having fun with one of many spectacular seashores or wandering the gorgeous facet streets and alleys of Santorini. That mentioned, you’ll undoubtedly need to finances for a number of memorable actions.
A non-public tour of Athens is a should, for my part, particularly for historical past buffs. These may be personalized to your pursuits or wants, like a common strolling tour as a means of getting oriented in your first day, or to dig deep and study extra about essential archaeological websites just like the Acropolis, which is a UNESCO World Heritage web site, and even only a meals tour. Prices for a half-day personal tour in Athens are round $300-500, though you would be a part of a bunch tour for about $50 per particular person.
An Athens sightseeing go whereas in Athens may also make sense if you wish to go to points of interest just like the Acropolis Museum, as a lot of the landmark historic websites do cost admission. A go often ends in price financial savings for many who plan to see a number of of the included websites. The worth is round $40 per grownup.
A sundown cruise whereas in Santorini, Mykonos, or Crete is often a spotlight for guests to Greece as properly. Done as a small group, it’s often round $200 for a pair, which generally features a meal or drinks. Done privately, count on to pay round $500-1,000 or extra.
Also on Crete, many guests take pleasure in a guided tour of the Palace of Knossos or maybe olive oil tasting. Again, count on to pay $200-300 for a small group expertise or $500+ for a non-public tour. There are additionally some meals excursions or wine excursions on Santorini and Naxos that may make for a enjoyable afternoon. We did a half-day personal wine-tasting tour in Santorini for round $350 and a full-day meals, wine, and island tour on Naxos for nearer to $800.
For this Greece journey finances, I estimated $1,000, based mostly on two excursions or excursions and a sightseeing go in Athens. If the resorts or lodges you e-book cost for each exercise and amenity as a substitute of being considerably all-inclusive, chances are you’ll need to enhance your exercise finances accordingly.
Total Activity Cost: $1,000
Total Greece Trip Budget
Given these parameters, a complete Greece trip finances when visiting Greece in the summertime for a complete of 12 nights for 2 adults could be $9,710. However, if yow will discover a means to make use of miles or factors for airfare or lodges, a visit to Greece can truly be fairly cheap.
If spending practically $10,000 on a two-week journey is past your attain, simply know that there are extra reasonably priced methods to go to Greece. If you have got the pliability to journey from April by way of June, for instance, chances are you’ll discover flight costs and lodging prices to be considerably much less (and even higher, fewer crowds!)
Also, selecting residence leases by way of on-line reserving websites is usually half the price of a lodge keep, particularly in case you are prepared to forego facilities like a pool. Or, choose to go to much less well-liked islands or places, as a substitute of expensive locations like Mykonos and Santorini.
| Category | Cost |
| Airfare | $2,150 |
| Accommodations | $4,800 |
| Transportation | $ 940 |
| Food | $ 820 |
| Activities | $1,000 |
| Total Greece Trip Budget | $9,710 |
Don’t neglect to additionally finances for journey insurance coverage for a visit to Greece! And don’t e-book something that isn’t absolutely refundable.
If Greece sounds too costly, you may as well try our journey budgets for:
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