Visiting Greece: Good Things To Know and Common Phrases

Ready to embark on a Greek adventure even Odysseus would be jealous of?

Whether you’re lounging on a beach in Santorini or exploring Athens, you’ll want to make sure you’re equipped with some useful tips when visiting Greece—key Greek phrases and words to help you blend, not like a local, but as an interested guest of Greece.

Related read: A Guide to Island-Hopping in Greece

Here’s an overview:

• What You Should Know Before Traveling to Greece
• The Best Time To Go to Greece
• Don’t Forget To…
• Language
• Weather
• Getting Around
• Currency
• Typical Costs
• 15 Essential Greek Words for Your Vacation
• Greek Travel Phrases
• Essential Greek Greetings & Polite Phrases
• Essential Greek Questions for Travelers
• Greek Phrases for Ordering at a Restaurant
• Greek Phrases for Shopping

What You Should Know Before Traveling to Greece

The Best Time To Go to Greece

If you want to sunbathe and enjoy the crystal-clear water, the absolute best months to visit Greece are May, June, and September. Avoid July and August. It usually gets too hot and crowded with tourists during this period.

Don’t Forget To…

Try the olives, the Ouzo (Greece’s most popular drink), and make small talk with your host or any of the other Greeks you will meet. They’re friendly, warm, and full of positive energy.

Language

As you may expect… Greek. The Hellenes are not big on speaking English, so you may find yourself in difficulty if you need help. Don’t worry, though!

We’ve also put together a list of basic Greek travel phrases and words to help you break the communication barrier and enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Alternatively, you can learn the basics with Mondly, which offers a fun and interactive way to speak basic Greek like a local before you even set foot in Greece! Give it a try.

However, you may also be able to get by with English. Greek people do speak English, but their enthusiasm may make their accent hard to understand at times. I remember talking to my landlord a couple of years ago in Thasos. Hilarious man, but I only understood two words once every three sentences.

Weather

Since Greece is a Mediterranean country, the weather is a dream for everyone who loves hot summer days. Careful, though! The sun is HOT. Always wear sunscreen and only sunbathe from 7 A.M. to 11 A.M. and from 4 P.M. until dark. You know the rules!

Getting Around

The best way to travel on the islands is on foot, by bus, or ATV. Depending on your needs, you’ll choose the best option once you get there. I rented a car as soon as I got to Thasos. It was really useful since I wanted to go to a different beach every day.

Related read: A Guide to Athens, Greece

Currency

Good news! In 2001, the euro became the sole currency of Greece.

Before you go, make sure you have at least half of your vacation money in cash. Depending on the city or island you are visiting, paying with a credit card might be a problem.

You can withdraw money directly from an ATM upon arrival at the airport.

Typical Costs

If you’re on a tight budget, I’d recommend visiting Greece around mid-September. Food, accommodation, and entertainment tend to be cheaper towards the end of the season.

Depending on your preferences and the island you are visiting, a meal (main course, salad, and a soft drink) for one person at a restaurant ranges between €20 and €45.

On the other hand, if you want to stay under budget, a €3.70 – €6.50 gyros sandwich or a €4.50 – €6.00 souvlaki are just as tasty!

From my experience, a good reference point for typical costs is the classic water bottle. In Greece, a water bottle is €0.50 in stores and around €1 in most restaurants and cafés.

Find out even more details about typical costs in Greece.

15 Essential Greek Words for Your Vacation

Now, let’s talk about language barriers and how to overcome them. Here are some basic Greek words and phrases that will come in handy during your trip to Greece:

• Yes – Ναι (Ne)
• No – Όχι (Ó̱chi)
• Pharmacy – Φαρμακείο (Farmakeio)
• Sunscreen – Αντηλιακό (Antiliakó)
• Toilet – Μπάνιο (Banio)
• Airport – Αεροδρόμιο (Aerodrómio)
• Taxi – Ταξί (Taxi)
• Train station – Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός (Sidi̱rodromikos̱ stathmos̱)
• Bus station – Στάση λεωφορείου (Stási leoforeíou)
• Hotel – Ξενοδοχείο (Xenodocheio)
• Beach – Παραλία (Paralia)
• Help – Βοηθάω (Voithao)
• City center – Κέντρο της πόλης (Kéntro tis pólis)
• Supermarket – Σουπερ-μάρκετ (Souper-market)
• Souvenir – Ενθύμιο (Enthymio)

Greek Travel Phrases

Finally, my favorite part of any vacation in a foreign destination: learning the essential travel phrases.

Wherever you travel, it’s always better to be prepared when it comes to communication. Why not learn a few key phrases in advance to avoid stressful moments, like desperately searching for a bathroom? Plus, even learning something as simple as the basic greetings shows respect for the local culture.

We’ll start with common Greek greetings, then move on to phrases for asking for help, some essential expressions for dining out, and a few useful phrases for your shopping adventures.

Essential Greek Greetings & Polite Phrases

• Good morning! – Καλημέρα (Kaliméra)
• Good afternoon! – Καλό απόγευμα (Kaló apógevma)
• Good evening! – Καλησπέρα (Kalispera)
• Good night! – Καληνύχτα (Kalinýchta)
• Hello! – Γειά σας! (Geiá sas!)
• How are you? – Τι κάνεις; (Ti káneis?)
• Very good, thank you. – Πολύ καλά, σας ευχαριστώ (Polý kalá, sas efcharistó)
• What is your name? – Πως σε λένε; (Pós se léne?)
• My name is Mondly. – Το όνομα μου είναι Μόντλυ (To onoma mou einai Mondly)
• Nice to meet you. – Χάρηκα για την γνωριμία (Chárika gia tin gnorimía)
• Please. – Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)
• Thank you. – Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó)
• I’m sorry. – Λυπάμαι (Lypámai)
• You’re welcome. – Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)
• Excuse me. – Συγνώμη (Sygnómi)
• No problem. – Κανένα πρόβλημα (Kanéna próvlima)

Essential Greek Questions for Travelers

• Can you help me? – Μπορείτε να με βοηθήσετε; (Boreíte na me voi̱thí̱sete?)
• Where can I find a taxi? – Που μπορώ να βρω ένα ταξί; (Pou boró̱ na vro̱ éna taxí?)
• Where is the toilet? – Που βρίσκεται η τουαλέτα; (Pou vrísketai i̱ toualéta?)
• Where is the bus station, please? – Που είναι ο σταθμός των λεωφορείων, παρακαλώ; (Pou eínai o stathmós to̱n leo̱foreío̱n, parakaló̱?)
• Where can I buy tickets? – Από που μπορώ να αγοράσω εισιτήρια; (Apó pou boró̱ na agoráso̱ eisití̱ria?)
• Where is a pharmacy? – Που υπάρχει ένα φαρμακείο; (Pou ypárchei éna farmakeío?)
• Where is a supermarket? – Πού είναι ένα σούπερ μάρκετ; (Pou eínai éna souper market?)

Greek Phrases for Ordering at a Restaurant

• We are ready to order. – Είμαστε έτοιμοι να παραγγείλουμε. (Eímaste étoimoi na parangeíloume.)
• We would like two glasses of wine. – Θα θέλαμε δύο ποτήρια κρασί. (Tha thélame dýo potíria krasí.)
• I’d like something without meat. – Θα ήθελα κάτι χωρίς κρέας. (Tha í̱thela káti cho̱rís kréas.)
• I’d like a mineral water. – Θα ήθελα ένα μεταλλικό νερό. (Tha í̱thela éna metallikó neró.)
• I’d like an orange juice. – Θα ήθελα έναν χυμό πορτοκάλι. (Tha í̱thela énan chymó portokáli.)
• I would like a salad. – Θα ήθελα μία σαλάτα. (Tha í̱thela mía saláta.)
• I would like a soup. – Θα ήθελα μία σούπα. (Tha í̱thela mía soúpa.)

Related read: How to Order Coffee in Greece

Greek Phrases for Shopping

• How much does it cost? – Πόσο κοστίζει αυτό; (Póso kostízei af̱tó?)
• I would like _____. – Θα ήθελα _____. (Tha í̱thela ____.)
• How much are they? – Πόσο κοστίζουν; (Póso kostízoun?)
• Can I have a receipt? – Μπορώ να έχω μια απόδειξη; (Boró̱ na écho̱ mia apódeixi̱?)
• Can I have some ice cream? – Μπορώ να έχω ένα παγωτό; (Boró̱ na écho̱ éna pago̱tó?)

And that’s a wrap on Greek phrases! But if you’re looking to dive even deeper into Greek, don’t forget that Mondly is a great resource to help you master the basics and beyond.

What do you think? Are you officially ready for your Greek adventure? If it’s not quite the time yet, be sure to bookmark this travel guide—you never know when it’ll come in handy!