Greece from Spain

Best time to visit

Monthly breakdown for Spain travellers planning a Greece trip.

Best value

May · Jun · Sep · Oct

Peak season

Jul · Aug — Hotter, busier and more expensive

Getting there

Flight time

~3–4 h

Why Greece?

Greece is one of the few destinations where a Spanish traveller barely has to adjust: meal times, street life, dry summer heat and even the sense of humour feel familiar. The difference is geography, with thousands of islands scattered across the Aegean and Ionian seas against a much shorter mainland coastline back home.

The appeal goes well beyond beaches. Athens packs 2,500 years of history into a walkable centre, the Peloponnese holds sites like Mycenae and Epidaurus without the crowds of the more photographed islands, and the north of the country, anchored by Thessaloniki, offers a less touristy Greece with more Ottoman and Balkan influence in its architecture and food.

On cost of living, Greece is still cheaper than Spain for accommodation and dining outside Santorini and Mykonos, two exceptions that run at near-peak prices almost year-round. Air connectivity from Spain concentrates in summer, with year-round direct flights to Athens and seasonal island routes running roughly May to October.

Where to stay

• Athens — The Acropolis, the Plaka district and the port of Piraeus make Athens the obligatory gateway and the most practical base for combining history with island hopping.
• Thessaloniki — Greece's second city, with Byzantine walls, Ottoman-era markets and a food and student scene that stays largely outside the usual tourist circuit.
• Chania — A Venetian harbour town in northwest Crete, with a well-preserved old quarter and direct access to the beaches and mountains of Greece's largest island.
• Kalamata — The capital of the western Peloponnese, known for its olive oil and beaches, and a quieter starting point for visiting Mystras and the southern mainland.

Outside Santorini and Mykonos, a mid-range double room runs roughly 60-90 EUR a night in high season, and a meal at a local taverna typically costs 12-20 EUR. Inter-island ferries cost 20-50 EUR per leg depending on distance and season, usually cheaper than an equivalent domestic flight. In Athens, public transport and the combined ticket for the main archaeological sites keep daily spending manageable even in August.

Plan your trip

• Greece travel guide
• Events in Greece

Package holidays vs booking independently

Compare packages from Spain-based operators against building your own trip.

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