One popular destination for travelers is Greece, with its scenic views, amazing food, and historical finds. But a lot of travelers are just average-day people who do not have an exorbitant spending budget. So how does one travel on a budget? Read on to find out the best tips and tricks for visiting Greece on a budget.
10 Planning For Travel
The most important thing for travelers is the traveling part of the budget. Whether flying or driving to Greece, visitors should be prepared for a bigger part of the budget to travel. One of the best ways to minimize this expense is to plan ahead because it is known that flights tend to be a lot cheaper when travelers book them in advance.
Travelers that choose to drive upon arrival, should be sure to save in advance for fuel and start using apps and points to get money back on gas, which saves money in the long run. Signing up for points for different gas stations will bring back more rewards over time.
9 Saving On Lodging
Another one of the most important things travelers must consider in their budget is lodging. Travelers must know that there are hundreds of options for lodging in Greece, both depending on the island they are staying on and how cheap they want to travel. The cheapest options are couchsurfing or staying in a hostel dorm room, which tends to range from free to $10.
For travelers that are willing to splurge just a little bit more on their lodging, there are private hostel rooms and budget hotels, which range in the $10-$40 range. These are great options because travelers still get their own room, but a lot cheaper and it makes it easier to fit them into the budget.
8 Finding Affordable Food
The last major expense will be food while visiting. There are a lot of tempting restaurants and expensive places to eat at, but these are definitely not budget-friendly. Some of the more budget-friendly options are smaller restaurants and fast food. The good thing about fast food is that even then travelers are still getting a good feel for Greece culture and food.
There are plenty of cheaper options on every island in Greece because the locals want to eat out too but without the exorbitant tourist prices. The best places to find cheaper and better food are just a couple of streets away from the main buzz of the city. These more backstreet type places have amazing food that stays in business because the locals eat there, and are going to be a lot cheaper than any tourist restaurant.
7 Having Affordable Drinks
A popular thing for tourists to do in Greece is to drink. There is a lot of tasty wine and other spirits that can be found all around the islands, but these are not going to be cheap. The tastings and specialty stores will be extremely marked up, but luckily for people who want to drink the supermarkets actually have them for fairly cheap. So for travelers that are interested in wine in Greece, they should head to the supermarket and then go lay on the beaches.
6 Planning Cheap Excursions
Outside of the main expenses of travel, the extra activities and excursions that travelers want to do are an important part of traveling to other countries. This also means that they tend to take up a large part of the budget, but some of these higher prices can be avoided in a few different ways. One way is to book ahead when there are deals and lower prices. Another large way is to use an international student card because it will get a decent percentage off at most activities.
5 Planning Affordable Modes Of Transportation
Luckily for a lot of travelers, Greece has transportation available for tourists and locals. This makes it a lot easier to get around but visitors do need to keep the schedules in mind. One of the most popular and cheapest ways to get around the mainland is by bus because of its cheap prices.
Another cheap mode, along with a great way to get off the beaten path, is by moped. Both locals and visitors use mopeds, and it is the best way to go visit some more local and cheaper spots.
4 Island Hopping
Another popular thing to do in Greece is to go island hopping. Tourists like to visit as many islands as possible while out, and the best way to do this is by going between all the different islands. There are several ways of doing this, but visitors must keep in mind that there is a price to these, and they need to lookup information about the different islands.
One easy and cheaper way to go between a few of the islands is on the overnight ferry, where visitors can go between the islands overnight and have both a cheaper trip plus a night of accommodation.
3 Additional Free Things
The best plan for budgeting on any trip is to research what things are free in the area. Visitors may be able to find free walking tours, tastings, or even finding someone new to hang out with could be a way to score some free drinks or a place to sleep. There are always options, but without proper research, people may never find these golden opportunities for visiting things for free.
2 The Timing of the vacation
One important aspect of deciding to travel is choosing a good time. During the summer there are lots of travelers and they tend to take up a lot of openings for activities, airline seats, or rental cars. Some of the best months to visit are May and October, which is when prices are lower and there are fewer tourists.
1 Budgeting And Planning
While it is tempting to shove everything possible into the trip while in Greece, it may not be feasible on a budget. Travelers need to plan ahead, book things in advance, and save for the trip. These simple tips and a bit of planning will go a long way in not having a trip to Greece breaking the bank.