23 Things to Know before traveling to Greece

Author: Janice Vazquez | Last updated: November 20, 2023

A view of Athens, Greece showing the building, mountains, sky, and ocean

When I went to Greece I was surprised by the museum’s hours, driving, and accommodations. Reflecting on my experiences, I have compiled a list of valuable things I wish I had known before traveling to Greece. This list is divided into various categories, allowing you to easily navigate to the sections that interest you the most.

Table of Contents:

General Information
Archaeological Sites and Museum
Driving
Food and Drinking
Accommodations

General Information

One of my biggest fears while traveling is not bringing the right travel adapter to charge my phone. My other fear is not being able to pay for food. Thus, here are 7 things to know before traveling to Greece:

1. Currency:

The currency in Greece is the Euro.

2. Language:

The official language in Greece is Greek. Many people are taught English in school, so it’s easy to communicate with the locals.

3. Plugs:

The plugs in Greece are Type C and F. The standard voltage is 230V, and the standard frequency is 50Hz. I recommend buying a universal adapter (make sure it has surge protection) and using a converter for hair dryers and hot tools.

4. Crossing the street:

In Greece, pedestrians yield to cars. When crossing the street, you must wait for each car to pass and swiftly walk across when there’s an opportunity. This differs from the US, where cars give way to pedestrians.

5. Restrooms:

The bathrooms are labeled “WC”, which stands for water closet. Many bathrooms have pictures depicting a man or woman using the restroom. In the women’s restroom, you’ll see a sign that says “do not throw paper in the toilet”. Instead, you’ll see a small bit next to the toilet to throw the toilet paper. These bins are emptied by the cleaning staff.

6. ATMs in Greece:

There are a handful of cafes and shops that request cash only. Luckily, there’s an ATM machine that can be found in every major town and city. On my trip, I encountered two coffee shops that requested cash only.

7. Credit Cards:

Almost all restaurants, cafes, shops, and hotels accept credit cards. On my trip, I tried to use my American Express credit card in Greece and got denied several times. Fortunately, I brought backup credit cards such as Capital One and Chase to use in Greece instead.

Tip: Before heading to Greece, check online to make sure you won’t be charged a transaction fee. Many credit card companies waive the transaction fees for international purchases, but some charge an additional fee with every purchase.

Archaeological Sites and Museums

Greece is filled with archaeological sites and museums! In almost every city, you can visit an archaeological site that explains the city’s history. Though, there are 3 things to know before you visit these sites and museums.

1. Hours of Operations:

Most museums open at 8:30am and close at 3:30pm during the winter. They close at 4pm during the summer.

One of our tour guides informed us the museums close early because the public servants work from 7am or 8am – 3pm. Since the archaeological sites and museums are owned by the government, the workers follow the same schedule as the public servants.

A sign displaying the Archaeological Site & Museum of Ancient Korinth's hours of operation — *Archaeological Site & Museum of Ancient Korinth Sign*

2. Admission:

During the winter season, most museum admission prices in Athens are 50% off. For example, the National Archaeological Museum is 12 euros during the summer and 6 euros during the winter.

3. Parking:

Some museums and monasteries (e.g., Olympia archaeological site and museum, Delphi Archaeological site and museum, Holy Monastery of Grand Meteoreon) have parking lots available.
Some museums and monsteries (e.g., National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Holy Monastery of Saint Barbara Roussanou) do not have parking lots available.
If there isn’t a parking lot available, you can park on the side of the street unless there’s a sign that says “taxi” or “no parking”.
In cities, you can park on the side street and in any direction.

Cars parked on the street and bright street lights in Meteora — *Parking on the street in Meteora*

Driving in Greece

Many of the laws and regulations governing driving are similar in Greece as they are in the rest of the Europe Union and United States. However, there are 6 things you should know about driving in Greece:

1. Driving on the highway:

People in Greece drive FAST! The speed limit is 120 km/h (75mph), but there were several cars driving 130 km/h (80mph) or even 150 km/h (93mph).
The highways are paved well and safe to drive. The highways have signs in Greek to inform you of the upcoming exit to a city like “Athina” for Athens or “Kalabaka” for Meteora.

2. Rest Areas by the highway:

In major cities and toll areas, there are rest areas with restaurants available as well. However, if you are driving through a mountain or in a small city, there are porta potties available on the side of the highway.

3. Driving on one lane roads:

In Greece, you drive on the right-hand side of the road and overtake on the left, just like in the US. However, if you would like to let another car pass you, turn on your right flicker and keep to the right side to let the car behind you pass on the left.

4. Greece Toll Roads:

When driving to Meteora from Greece, we encountered six toll booths. The toll booths accepted three forms of payment: cash, credit card, and fast pass. We always went to the blue sign with a worker on it because we liked to pay with our credit card. After we paid with our credit card, the worker would give us a receipt.

5. Driving at night:

There were several places on the highway that do not have lights, so it was difficult to see when driving. The small towns also did not have lights on the side of the road, so it was hard to drive when you don’t know the streets.

6. Gas Station:

The gas attendant will come to you to fill your tank. In one instance in Nafplio, the gas attendant asked for our car keys because he needed our keys to open the gas tank door. After the gas attendant fills your tank, he will ask you to pay inside.

Food and Drinks in Greece

Greeks love to eat out and share big meals with family and friends. There are so many places to eat and drink, you’re going to want to try them all. Though, there are 6 things you should know before going out to eat:

1. Bars:

We visited numerous bars in Greece and were never asked to present our IDs. This is because there is no official legal drinking age in Greece. However, if you would like to purchase alcohol, you must be 18 or over.

2. Menu:

Almost every restaurant, cafe, or fast-food establishment we visited had a menu in Greek and in English. On only two occasions, we encountered a menu in Greek only.

Cafe Apollo Menu displaying the cost and description of the food and drinks — *Cafe Apollo Menu*

Tavern Dion Menu displaying the cost and description of the food — *Tavern Dion Menu*

3. Pay:

When you order food to-go (Greeks say “take away”), the cashier will ask you to wait until the food is ready before asking you to pay for it. At a sit-down restaurant, the waiter will provide you with a receipt after you’ve your food and drink order, even before your meal arrives. Once you have finished eating, it is necessary to request the waiter’s presence to pay for the bill.

4. VAT Sales Tax:

Greeks get taxes for everything. Food, clothes, museums, everything. The VAT Sales tax range from 13% to 24%. Typically, you will see the VAT sales tax listed on the side of the item you are purchasing. For instance, most menu prices include the sales tax in the final price, so when you pay, you’ll not see “sales tax” listed after the subtotal, you will only see the total cost of your food or item.

5. Tipping:

There is no rule or norm for tipping in Greece. People do not expect you to tip at restaurants, cafes, or taverns. We were only asked for a tip once from a waiter at the MoMix Bar. Even then, he said 10% tip was for great service. We tipped 10% because he was very generous and kind to us. We also tipped our private tour guides 10% for well guided tours.

6. Smoking

People are allowed to smoke outside. On one occasion, I witnessed people smoking inside a cafe. Many cafes offer outdoor seating where people can smoke while enjoying drinks and food. There were several restaurants with outdoor patios equipped with plastic walls and doors, creating a separate area for smokers while maintaining indoor dining.

Accommodations

In Greece, there are numerous accommodations available: hotels and Airbnbs. When you’re booking these accommodations, there are 2 things you should be aware of before traveling to Greece:

1. Hotel:

Most hotel rooms sleep a maximum of two people. If you’re a family of four, you might have to book two rooms. The room includes either two twin size bed or one queen bed. Though, at Pan Hotel in Delphi, we booked a room for a family of five. It was literally a room with five beds. There was very little room to walk around.

2. Airbnb:

There are many cities that offer Airbnbs such as Meteora, Athens, Sparta, and more. There are some instances where the Airbnbs and hotels are synonymous, meaning if they are listed on Airbnb, you can find the same listing on a hotel site. If you prefer to keep your family in the same room, it might be best to book an Airbnb over two hotel rooms.