Greece has been one of the world's great travel destinations for thousands of years. The ruins of Delphi, the beaches of Halkidiki, the white-washed villages climbing Santorini's caldera — all of it has drawn visitors since antiquity. But getting around this country as a foreign traveler? That used to be an entirely different story.

After World War II and through much of the twentieth century, non-Greek speakers would find a country with limited English signage, crumbling roads, congested airports, and a cash-only economy. Improvements came slowly, incrementally. Then, in the 2000s, something shifted dramatically. The country rebuilt itself for the modern international traveler — and the results are extraordinary.

We've been traveling to Greece for years. Our most recent immersive trip through Northern Greece — through Macedonia, the Pindus Mountains, Veria City, and the heights of Olympus — reminded us just how transformed this country has become. Three pillars explain it: easier access, easier communication, and easier financial services.

Easier Access

Athens International Airport (ATH)

Athens welcomed its new Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport back in March 2001, replacing the aging Ellinikon Airport that had served the city for 60 years. The new ATH sits far enough outside the city center to avoid downtown congestion, yet it's exceptionally well connected. A suburban rail line runs directly from the airport to central Athens and continues to the Port of Piraeus — a godsend for cruise ship passengers. Taxis typically make the run to downtown Athens in about 45 minutes. Local buses and KTEL luxury coaches service destinations across the country. You can also rent a car at ATH and, using the national road network, reach virtually any corner of Greece within a single day.

Thessaloniki Airport “Makedonia” (SKG)

For travelers headed to Northern Greece, SKG is your gateway. Thessaloniki's airport sits just 13 km southeast of the city and offers direct connections to destinations across Europe and beyond. The airport underwent a complete transformation following privatization by Fraport AG — a €100 million investment that was fully completed in 2021. A brand-new 34,000 m² terminal now doubles the facility's capacity, connected via skyway bridges to the redesigned original terminal, with twice as many departure gates, expanded check-in counters, and a significantly improved retail and dining experience. SKG is no longer a modest regional airport — it now rivals the quality you'd expect at any major European hub.

A Thriving National Airline — And Real Competition

Aegean Airlines is the national flag carrier and the largest operator in Greece. It has grown significantly since it absorbed the old Olympic Air brand and is today a full member of the Star Alliance. Service is professional, cheerful, and punctual in our experience. Aegean now flies to more than 40 countries, including recent expansions into Iraq, Azerbaijan, Abu Dhabi, and multiple new domestic island routes launched in 2025.

But here's the major update from when we first wrote about this: Aegean is no longer your only cost-effective option for domestic or European flying into Greece. Budget carriers including Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Sky Express have all established significant presences at Greek airports. Competition has driven prices down and frequency up — which is excellent news for travelers. Always compare across carriers before booking. For a first-class domestic ticket on a short hop aboard a small turboprop, Aegean still earns our preference — priority boarding and storage space make a real difference on those tight little aircraft.

The National Road System

This may be the single most underappreciated improvement in modern Greece. Where decades ago an interior road trip meant multi-day crawls over crumbling two-lane macadam roads behind diesel-belching buses and herds of goats, today you roll through a sophisticated national motorway network that rivals anything in Western Europe. Construction ran throughout the 2000s; the backbone of the system was largely complete by 2017. The engineering alone is staggering — the A2 alone passes through roughly 60 tunnels as it cuts through the mountains from the Turkish border to the Ionian coast near Corfu.

North-south roads carry odd numbers; east-west roads are even. The A1 and A2 intersect about 30 minutes south of Thessaloniki, making that city the natural hub for road trips into Northern Greece. From Athens, Thessaloniki is a six-hour drive north on the A1. From SKG, you can reach Mount Olympus in under an hour, Veria City in 45 minutes, and the Pindus mountain villages near Kipi in under three hours.

Rental Cars

Unless you plan to spend your entire trip in the heart of Athens or Thessaloniki, renting a car is simply the best way to experience Greece. You'll access places no organized tour reaches. Don't let anyone talk you out of it — confident, competent drivers will find Greek roads straightforward and well-signed (in both Greek and English).

For U.S. travelers, we always carry an International Driver's License (IDL) alongside our domestic license. Rental agents in Greece will accept licenses from the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, but the IDL is a sensible precaution. Economy Car Rentals consistently offers competitive multi-week rates for long-stay travelers — worth comparing to the major chains, particularly if you're staying longer than 30 days. Note their ATH office is a short drive from the airport; have their local number saved before you land.

The Ferry System

For the islands, the ferry network remains essential — and often delightful. Aegean Air doesn't reach every island year-round, and for many smaller destinations, the ferry is the only way in. Book tickets online well in advance in peak season. If you're bringing a rental car aboard, the ferry operator will need the vehicle's make, model, weight, and dimensions — all found on the registration document.

Easier Communications

Language

The transformation here has been remarkable within a single generation. Once, only Greeks from wealthier families attended private Frontisteria language schools to learn English or German. Today, foreign language instruction begins in primary school across the country. The result: you will routinely encounter English-speaking hotel staff, restaurant servers, taxi drivers, pharmacists, and kiosk operators, especially in cities and tourist regions. Road signs are now bilingual — Greek and English — throughout the national road network. Many toll booth operators speak functional English.

That said, venturing into small mountain villages will quickly remind you that Greek remains the essential language. A translation app (Google Translate's offline Greek download is excellent) and a few phonetic phrases — efharisto (thank you), parakalo (please/you're welcome), pou einai (where is) — will earn you genuine warmth from locals.

Internet & Cell Coverage

Coverage is strong in cities, along the national road corridors, and in most resort areas. Yes, you'll find dead zones in the deep mountain gorges of the Pindus — we once watched our elevation climb to 1,400 meters with zero bars, which felt entirely appropriate. But for practical navigation, communication, and daily use, a smartphone is a fully functional travel companion across Greece.

Before buying a local SIM, check your home carrier's international plan. Providers like T-Mobile offer seamless data roaming in Greece at no extra cost on many plans. Setting up a Greek cellular account in-store typically takes two to three hours and is rarely worth the hassle for a standard vacation.

Easier Financial Services

Credit Cards Are Now Widely Accepted

Today, the businesses you're most likely to deal with — restaurants, hotels, pharmacies, grocery stores, rental car companies, gas stations, and most street kiosks — accept credit and debit cards without issue. You can in many cases complete an entire transaction without exchanging a word. This is a genuine sea change from the cash-dependent Greece of earlier decades, when travelers hauled wads of bills and traveler's checks and prayed for honest counting.

A Note on Cash

Despite widespread card acceptance, cash still matters. Carry a moderate float — €50 to €100 — for toll booths, small-town tavernas, village markets, and any situation where connectivity is uncertain. When you pay with cash, especially with a €50 note for a small purchase, keep hold of the bill until the vendor reaches for it and your change is in your hand. On three separate occasions during our Northern Greece trip, we had to stand our ground and demonstrate that yes, we had handed over a €50 note. This behavior is opportunistic rather than systemic — the overwhelming majority of Greek business operators are scrupulously honest — but it is worth the vigilance.