For direct flights to the Greek islands (when available) flight times can be up to 30 minutes longer or shorter.Birthplace of democracy, land of the gods and the cradle of western civilization, yes all these things describe Greece, but what else do those old travel guides say? How about a holiday destination you won’t forget in a hurry. How long is the flight to Greece?įlying times to Athens, Greece. You may pay slightly more for 2 one-way tickets than a round-trip ticket, but it will be more than made up for by the savings for the extra ferry and hotel night. For example, fly from London to Athens, then ferry to Mykonos, ferry to Paros, ferry to Santorini, then fly Santorini to London (and don’t go back to Athens for your return flight). My top tip for choosing flights is to fly into and out of different airports so you don’t waste time and money backtracking to your arrival point. If you’re arriving from the east you could fly via Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, or Singapore. Most people will fly from a hub in western Europe (usually London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, Rome, or Venice) to Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Kos, Rhodes, or Corfu. Relaxed vibe, wonderful local food, and great beaches. Naxos is one of my very favorite islands in Greece.

Staying in a caldera hotel in Santorini.

National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

The must-do destinations and attractions in Greece: What are the best things to do in Greece? English is widely spoken in the largest cities and on the most popular Greek islands. The most common foreign languages learned by Greeks are English (48%), German (9%), French (8.5%), and Italian (8%). The official language of Greece is Greek, spoken by 99% of the population. The Peloponnese has technically been an island since the completion of the Corinth Canal in 1893 but is generally not considered to be an island due to its artifical nature. The ten largest Greek islands by population are Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Corfu, Chios, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Kos, and Samos. The ten largest Greek islands by land area are Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes, Chios, Kefalonia, Corfu, Lemnos, Samos, and Naxos.

The number of inhabited islands is variously cited as between 166 and 227. Greece has between 1,200 and 6,000 islands depending on the measure used to establish an island vs an islet. Approximately 1.2 million people live in the Peloponnese and 1.3 million on the Greek islands. The vast majority of Greeks live in Mainland Greece. The five largest cities in Greece are Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, and Heraklion. Some estimates put the current population as high as 10,600,000. The population of Greece was estimated by the United Nations to be 10,445,365 in 2021.

Sharing its northern land borders with Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey, Greece is positioned at a historically rich crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece has a land area of over 50,000 square miles and comprises a large mainland peninsula between the Ionian and Aegean seas, surrounded by an archipelago of about 6,000 islands and islets. Greece is located in southeastern Europe, at the southernmost tip of the Balkan Peninsula. See Also: Greece: Itinerary for First-Timers Where is Greece?

The fantastic Calilo Hotel in Ios is one of our favorite new beach resorts in Greece. The magical Greek islands are perfectly scattered for island hopping and adventure, while mainland Greece is packed with ancient cities and less-visited regions that will surprise and reward the unhurried traveler. It’s loaded with great beaches ( Naxos, Mykonos, and Paros have the best sand and swimming), fantastic historical sites ( Athens, Crete, and Delphi top the list), and stunning natural beauty ( Santorini, Milos, and the Meteora are my favs). The spectacular walking path along the Santorini caldera.

Flights to paros from london