Entry documents
Greece is in the EU and the Schengen area. US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; a passport valid for the stay is required. Check the current rules for your nationality before booking.
Carry your passport or a copy when traveling between islands; ferries and domestic flights check ID.
When to go
May, June and September are the sweet spot: warm seas, open sites, manageable crowds. July and August are the peak: hot (Athens regularly tops 35C), crowded, and the meltemi wind can disrupt Cyclades ferries.
Easter (which moves yearly) is a wonderful time to be in Greece if you plan around Holy Week closures. Winter is quiet: Athens and Thessaloniki are city breaks, the islands mostly shut down, and the Parnassus ski center runs.
The Athens Epidaurus Festival runs through the summer; the Patras Carnival fills late winter. See the events calendar before fixing dates.
May, June and September are the sweet spot: warm seas, open sites, manageable crowds. July and August are hot and packed, and winter is quiet with most islands shut down.
When are you going?
Pick your travel months above.
General guidance from regional climate patterns, not a forecast. Event dates follow their traditional pattern; confirm exact days before booking.
What to pack
Sun protection is non-negotiable from May to October: hat, high-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses. The Aegean sun is fierce even in spring.
Good walking shoes for the Acropolis, Delphi, and the cobbled old towns; the marble is slippery. A light layer for ferry decks and air-conditioned museums.
Modest dress (covered shoulders and knees) is expected in working monasteries and churches, including Meteora and Mount Athos approaches.