Greece is (was once) a dream. 😍 It may not be the most popular travel destination for Winter Vacation but we did fly and welcome the New Year in Athens.
He has a Mercedez that he converted into a taxi
Welcome Gifts (we felt like VIPs!)
Sim cards & Wifi hotspots
We stayed for 4 nights in Electra Hotel Athens which is just walking distance to tourist spots like the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum and other places to visit in Athens like Syntagma Square, Monasteraki (good place to find good food!), Plaka (lots of souvenir shops in this place), Thissio, and Ermou Street (a long street with just shops!).
Hotel prices are a bit pricey in Plaka area but we thought it is better to stay in this side of Athens because we could stay late and/or easily go back to hotel whenever we need to use the toilet 😁
The Electra Hotel Athens has really good customer service. Read my story about my delayed baggage.
Greece is such a beautiful country with great architecture and history preserved in beautiful landscapes and alleys. I love the sunny yet cool weather when we visited. Greece offers us wonderful view of the sea, city and mountain views. I love how everything feels so light and in shade of peach and pastels.
Greeks are generally friendly and easy-going.
Greeks love coffee and good conversation evident by coffee shops and cafes in every street and corner. You guys should try the Greek Coffee (it is more like Turkish Coffee).
Toilets are not marked as “CR” (comfort room) but “WC” (water closet)? 🚽
Bottled water are usually priced at 1 euro.
A decent meal in a restaurant costs around 12 to 15 euros.
Coffee and cappuccino is at 3 to 4 euros.
Of course Greece Starbucks Mugs are popular souvenir. Mug costs 12.95 euros
People do not expect you to leave a tip. You can tip as much as you want or not give a tip at all.
Just like in other European countries, fastfood restaurants like McDonald’s have codes in their toilets (you can locate in your receipt) so not just anyone can use them.
Some places in Greece like Meteora/Kalambaka still use a squat toilet. 😲
My tip, if you want to use a toilet, buy a bottled water. I used this trick a few times.
We didn’t see a convenience store (not even a 7-Eleven) in Greece, but I spotted Pharmacy (look for the Green Greek Cross).
Purchases more than 50 euros are qualified for Tax Refund. Ask for it at the cashier when settling your purchases. Allot time to claim your refund at the airport.
Around Athens, we spotted a lot of really cool vandals and graffiti that add to the character of the place.
There are dark alleys too, but they are quiet, clean and still instagrammable.
Most of the sanitary napkins I have bought are too thin (bring your own if you are traveling).
There are a lot of stray animals in Greece – like dogs and cats. Interestingly, locals feed them.
There are shops that offer FREE WIFI connection like Zara and Body Shop in Ermou Street. They come handy if you ever get lost and would need Google Maps.
Always check the operation hours of Museums. They are mostly closed on Holidays; same goes with retail shops and malls.
The most popular food in Greece is Gyros. Don’t forget to order Greek Salad and Yogurt (ah, so good!), Baklava, Bougatsa, and Moussaka
Greeks have big appetite and the orders are usually good for 2.
For souvenirs, you can buy olive oil soap, olive oil, ref magnet, and erotica displays. 🙈🙈🙈
Greece Travel Budget
Our Greece Travel Budget is for a comfortable travel that enabled us to experience the most of the country. This is not a budget travel yet not a luxurious one.
We set aside Php 5,000 for each day for food, transportation and museum entrance fees. This does not include airfare, hotel and tours.
Pocket Money: 7 days x Php 5,000 = Php 35,000
Hotel (Electra Palace Hotel) 4 nights x Php 8,000 = Php 32,000
Hotel (Stratos Vassilikos) 3 nights x Php 5,000 = Php 15,000
Tour (Cruise) Php 5,000 ++
2-Day Tour in Meteora Php 7,500 ++
Airfare: you can book a flight from Manila to Athens for as low as Php 10,754
(TIP: There’s a promo happening on the first Tuesday of February! First to grab fares as low as PHP9,899 to Athens!!!)
Note that you can find hotels at 35 euros per night in Athens.
You can be flexible with your budget. In the morning, we usually have a big breakfast, by lunch time, we were still full – and we usually just have early dinner.
If you are looking for a cheap airfare to Greece, check out www. flyscoot.com
Scoot fares to Athens start from PHP10,403 from Cebu, PHP10,704 from Clark, PHP11,198 from Kalibo and PHP10,754 from Manila. However, keep a lookout for Scoot’s monthly Take-off Tuesday promotions available on their website (www.flyscoot.com/ph-take-off-tuesday)!
We did enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of Greece. I am glad we didn’t end up eating cup noodles despite the challenges I faced on the first few days. 😁
I hope that you find this blog post helpful. Feel free to share or bookmark this page. Tag me on your photos once you made it in Greece! 🏴 Follow @ruthilicious on Instagram and Twitter.
*Special thanks to Scoot and Athens International Airport ❤️
Check us #RuroinGreece
