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Rio Antirio Bridge, Gulf of Corinth, Achaea, Greece
Rio Antirio Bridge, Gulf of Corinth, Achaea, Greece
Author: Eusebius (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Greece, Cradle of Western Civilisation

Greece Budget Travel Guide helps you prepare for your vacation in this Mediterranean country. I hope that though my description of the country and its sights, you will be ready for an enjoyable time there. In this guide, I try to provide you, as concisely as possible, essential travel details to go to Greece and explore it on your own. As this guide is written for budget travelers, I will share information, whenever available, on using public transportation. The principal cities in Greece are also listed.




Greece in a country at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. It is bordered by Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and by Turkey to the east. To the east and south of mainland Greece is the Aegean Sea. A vast part of Greece comprises islands and islets in the Aegean Sea.

Greece has a total area of 131,990 square kilometers (50,944 square miles), and an estimated 2010 population of 11.3 million. The capital of Greece is Athens, a city of over three million people. Euro is the official currency in use.


Agios Nikolaos in Ermoupolis, on the island of Syros, Greece
Agios Nikolaos in Ermoupolis, on the island of Syros, Greece
Author: Hans Peter Schaefer (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)


 Greece receives over 17 million visitors per year, making it one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world. Visitors to Greece are drawn to its beaches, sunny summer weather, nightlife and historical sites. On this Greece Travel Guide, I want to introduce to you all the places to explore in Greece. But first, let's get to know a bit more about the country.

Fast Facts about Greece

  • Official Name: Greece (Hellenic Republic)
  • Capital: Athens (3,216,000)
  • Population of Greece: 11,306,000
  • Currency: Euro
  • Languages spoken: Greek
  • Religions: Greek Orthodox
  • Size: 131,940 sq km (50,942 sq miles)
  • Continent: Europe

    • Greece Hotel

    There is a mind-boggling array of hotels to choose from, but before you book a room, it is wide to check and compare prices offered by different hotel booking websites. You will discover that different booking sites offer vastly different rates for the same rooms. To get the best value for your money, use our free Greece Hotel Search Engine to view and compare what rates are offered by different the booking sites. This helps you in making an informed decision that will potentially save you a lot of money

    You can also use the search console below. Just key in the dates of your trip, and the engine will generate a list of hotels with the best prices, as plucked from the different Online Hotel Booking websites.

    Find a hotel

    Getting into Greece

    The biggest airport in Greece is Athen's Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (www.aia.gr), located in the suburb of Spata. Other international airports in Greece are located in Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Rhodes and Corfu. The national flag carrier is Olympic Air, while privately owned Aegean Airlines offer a vast network of domestic flights with a growing number of European routes.

    In addition to taking the plane, you can also enter Greece by train, by driving, by bus, and even by ferry. Greece's international rail hub is located in Thessaloniki. It is connected by train to many European cities. You can also make a land crossing by car into Greece via the former Yugoslavia, or take a car ferry from Italy.

    Money matters in Greece

    The Euro is used in Greece. At time of writing (Oct 2007), USD1.00 = EUR0.71 For the latest exchange go to the Oanda Currency Converter.


    Geneos, Corinthia, Greece
    Geneos, Corinthia, Greece
    Author: CuteHappyBrute (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

    Principal Cities in Greece

    Cities are listed according to population, according to 2007 estimation, rounded to the nearest thousand.
    1. Athens (721,000)
      Capital and biggest city in Greece,

    2. Thessaloniki (349,000)
      Capital of Greek Macedonia and second largest city in Greece.

    3. Piraeus (176,000)
      City within the metropolitan area of Athen with history going back to ancient times.

    4. Patras (160,000)
      Prefectural capital of Achaea, built on the foothills of Mount Panachaikon.

    5. Heraklion (140,000)
      Capital of Crete and prefectural capital of Heraklion Prefecture.

    6. Peristeri (137,000)
      Suburban municipality of Athens, bordered by the Cephissus River.

    7. Larissa (131,000)
      Capital of Thessaly periphery and Larissa Prefecture, city settled since the 10th millennium BC.

    8. Kallithea (107,000)
      Fourth biggest municipality within the urban area of Athens and second most densely populated in Greece.

    9. Nikaia (95,000)
      City on the southwestern part of Piraeus, in a rural area of farmlands.

    10. Kalamaria (94,000)
      Municipality within the urban area of Thessaloniki.

    11. Glyfada (93,000)
      Suburb of Athens, an upscale neighborhood favored by the rich and famous of Greece.

    12. Acharnes (86,000)
      Most populous municipality in East Attica Prefecture.

    Major Tourist Attractions of Greece

    1. Corfu
      Island with numerous tourist attractions.

    2. Crete
      Island which is a major tourist destination.

    3. Delphi
      A major archaeological site in Greece.

    4. Ithaca
      Destination with a long connection with Greek mythology, home of Odysseus.

    5. Meteora
      Destination with impressive hilltop monasteries.

    6. Mount Athos
      Mountain destination in Greek Macedonia.

    7. Mykonos
      Famous resort destination.

    8. Olympia
      Tourist destination famous for being the site of ancient Olympics and sanctuary to Zeus.

    9. Rhodes
      Destination with ancient ruins as well as beaches and a vibrant nightlife.

    10. Santorini
      One of the most picturesque islands in Greece.

    11. Volos
      Port city with a good number of museums and heritage buildings.

    12. Zakynthos
      Third largest of the Ionian Islands famous for its clifff sceneries.

    UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Greece

    1. Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
    2. Acropolis, Athens
    3. Archaeological Site of Delphi
    4. Medieval City of Rhodes
    5. Meteora
    6. Mount Athos
    7. Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika
    8. Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
    9. Archaeological Site of Mystras
    10. Archaeological Site of Olympia
    11. Delos
    12. Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios
    13. Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos
    14. Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina)
    15. Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
    16. Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos
    17. Old Town of Corfu

    Find lowest price for your Hotel Room

    Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?

    The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!



    Great Travel Deals Wego.com

    Flight Checker

    Our Flight Checker helps travelers compare flights and get the lowest fare for their trips. If you're flying somewhere, use our Flight Checker to compare the rates from different airlines. To use it, enter where you will be flying from, where you will be flying to, your departure date and return date. Select the number of passengers, and then click search.

    Our engine will return you a list of possible flights that you can take. You can compare the fare of different airlines for your trip. Click on your selected airline, and we transfer you to the airline website.





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