Greece
Hellenic Republic
Southern Europe · GRC
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Greece
Greece is one of Europe's best warm-weather combinations of islands, ancient sites, and city breaks, with enough variety to support both first visits and repeat trips. It can work as Athens plus one island, a Cyclades-focused trip, or a mainland route built around archaeology, smaller towns, and the coast.
Popular For
Things To See
- Athens
- Santorini
- Crete
- Naxos
- Delphi
- Meteora
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Late spring and early fall usually offer the best balance of weather, sea conditions, and crowd levels.
- Island logistics can shape the trip as much as the destination itself, so ferry schedules and flight links matter.
- Most first visits are stronger with Athens plus one or two islands rather than trying to cover too many stops.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Greece.
Guidebooks
Rick Steves Greece: Athens & the Peloponnese
Rick Steves
Expert-guided Greece travel focusing on Athens and Peloponnesian Peninsula highlights.
View on Amazon →
Lonely Planet Greece
Lonely Planet
Comprehensive Greece guide with itineraries, insider tips, and coverage of islands and cities.
View on Amazon →
Fodor's Essential Greece: with the Best of the Islands
Fodor's Travel Guides
Full-color guide to Greek islands and mainland destinations with practical travel planning.
View on Amazon →Tours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Greece.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Athens
- Population
- 10,400,720
- Area
- 131,990 km²
- Region
- Southern Europe
Languages
- Greek
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
55.8
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 51.0
- Restaurants
- 59.2
- Rent
- 13.7
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Athens (37.98°N, 23.73°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
82/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 90/100
- Lived safety
- 66/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.908
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.015
- 10-year change
- +0.029
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.963
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.103
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.803
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (20)
- 🏛️
Minoan Palatial Centres
Inscribed 2025
- 🏛️
Zagori Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Philippi
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Old Town of Corfu
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
The Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina)
Inscribed 1996
- 🏛️
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos
Inscribed 1992
- 🏛️
Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios
Inscribed 1990
- 🏛️
Delos
Inscribed 1990
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Mystras
Inscribed 1989
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Olympia
Inscribed 1989
- 🏛️
Medieval City of Rhodes
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika
Inscribed 1988
- 🌍
Mount Athos
Inscribed 1988
- 🌍
Meteora
Inscribed 1988
- 🏛️
Acropolis, Athens
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Archaeological Site of Delphi
Inscribed 1987
- 🏛️
Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
Inscribed 1986
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 35.0%
- Forest cover
- 30.3%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 12
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 19
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
58/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
37/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
90/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
There were no changes to the advisory level or risk indicators. Advisory summary was updated. Advisory Summary Exercise normal precautions in Greece. Petty crime is common, especially in popular tourist locations. Stay aware of your surroundings. Large-scale demonstrations related to the local political situation may occur with little notice. Demonstrations may disrupt transportation and other essential services. If you decide to travel to Greece: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy or consulate contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Greece. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Greece. Whether you’re a first time or frequent traveler, use the International Travel Checklist. We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancelation coverage.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data