We can always come up with long lists of reasons to travel to Greece but it’s especially easy right now. We’ve seen a lot of Greece and want to see even more – Santorini in September maybe?
These are the top 5 reasons we love Greece so much. (The first is true now but not always.):
#1 Travel in Greece is affordable
If your home currency is the euro then you are most likely not smacking your lips in excitement over the euro’s decline. But ours is the U.S. dollar and we are mercilessly delighted by the current euro slump!
You may have noticed that we are not economists and don’t do much in the way of currency arbitrage. However, we do know that the euro and the dollar are as close to a one to one exchange as we have ever seen them. We don’t miss the bad old days of 2007 where the U.S. Dollar bought 47% less in euros; instead we celebrate that the difference “against us” is now only 7%. Take that you euro bullies of years past!
Many travelers hoped Greece’s prices would decline as a result of the economic crisis. But that was looking at it backwards. Prices held, but your buying power has grown so much that those same prices are now bargains. Forget “buy low, sell high”. We say “buy low, enjoy highly”!
#2 Travel in Greece is yummy
Proof that the food is good in Greece; Blonde had to join Weight Watchers when she returned from her most recent trip to Greece.
That time we were in Athens (one of the best restaurants we visited there was Mani Mani) and then traveled to the Pelion region. Throughout the region, including at the charming Taverna Agnanti in Tsagkarada, we ate way too much broiled and/or grilled Saganaki cheese. The food is tasty, fresh and prepared with so much care and pride that it would just be rude not to eat as much of it as possible! We were very polite.
#3 There is something for everyone to do in Greece
History buff?
Greece got started on theirs somewhere around the 3rd century B.C. so suffice it to say that there’s a lot of it! This small country has 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites. And don’t get us started on museums (seriously, don’t, we would rather eat).
If you like your museums outside go to the Acropolis, the medieval city of Rhodes or Meteora. Think museums are for rainy days (of which there are very few in Athens with its nearly perpetually sunny weather) then go to the excellent Acropolis Museum across from the…. well you may have already guessed! Want to see some museums that are not in Athens? Check out the Archaeological Museum of Delphi at the site of the famous Greek oracle or the Herakleion Archaeological Museum, which is self-described as “the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art”.
Like beaches or sailing?
Head to the uncrowded Ionian Sea and do what we did that resulted in being one of the best trips of our lives (to date); rent a yacht and a skipper and tour the islands. We went with Beyond Yachting because we met the owner’s daughter at a travel show in Boston. (Hey we once went to Ningaloo Reef in Australia because a stranger in a bar told us we’d like it so compared to that this was nothing.)
We’ve been plotting a chance to travel Beyond Yachting again ever since! One reason of many that they’re a terrific company s because they don’t nickel and dime you as so many sailboat charter companies do. The nickel and dime crowd makes it way too hard to know what your total cost will be so we went the simple, high-end and super fun way. No regrets (other than that the trip ended).
Like to shop?
On a private walking tour with Athens Insiders we learned about some of the many new entrepreneurs who hope to be the economic future of Greece. In Athens it’s much harder not to find somewhere you want to shop than to find somewhere. Some designers are creating purses or leather sandals, others are producing artisanal cheeses or honey and microbreweries are flourishing. Admittedly you have to be careful if you pack all of these items in the same bag for your journey home!
#4 Travel in Greece is safe
Yes, your alarmist relatives and friends will tell you that swarms of pickpockets will attack you in Syntagma Square. They might. Same thing could happen in Times Square too. Use some sense.
Tell your violence alarmists that last year 32,163 people died in the U.S. from guns and 164 died in Greece. And then, if the person belongs to the NRA, run like hell!
Greece, like other countries in the region, can be a geographic steppingstone on the way to places where terrorism is flourishing. And, like every country we know of, has some home-grown would-be terrorists. But if you fear terrorists and stay home because of the possibility of them we have no idea why you’re reading a travel blog!
We will confess that when we buy our trip insurance, no matter where we’re going, we make sure it includes coverage for acts of terror or civil disturbances and that if one of those occurs, it will get us out of Dodge ASAP!
The only crime we experienced was the one against our waistlines. We experienced a lot of kindness and no fear in Greece so if two women with AARP cards can do it on their own don’t you be a wuss about it!
#5 Greeks are nice (and fun too)
When you consider points 1-4 above and then add the Greek people you would be a fool not to go to Greece now while it’s such a bargain!
We did our Blanche DuBois thing and relied on the (considerable) kindness of strangers many times. They walked us to places we could not find, were patient as we attempted to pantomime what we wanted and made sure we got off at the correct metro stops. (They were probably also glad when we left.)
We have never been anywhere (except maybe our grandmother’s house a long time ago) where the food was prepared and served with so much love. You might have more haute cuisine in France but it may arrive with a serving of ‘tude that is hard to swallow – not so in Greece!
Aren’t there any negatives about travel to Greece? Well, yes. They love to go on strike, but at least they always announce it ahead of time. They smoke WAY too much and driving there is very dangerous because of the drivers and the roads. But hey, no one is perfect!
Greece is a country that could really use your tourism dollars and one that will appreciate your business.
And, if you’re a woman, you don’t need to get your lip waxed before you go. What more can a traveler ask?