Transport in Greece…  

1. Getting to the Cyclades Islands: Check flight prices carefully

If you’re flying to Greece from mainland Europe or the UK, check how much it is to fly directly to an islands. I found flying one way from Santorini was much cheaper than Athens. My flight was €34 whereas going from the mainland would cost €100.

If you know you’re travelling to the Cyclades from Athens, it’s almost always cheaper to get the ferry across rather than a flight. 

Check out flights to and from Greece on Skyscanner here. 

2. Getting to the Cyclades Islands: Be flexible with plans and ferry times. 

If you aren’t on a tight schedule you’ll be able to pick cheaper options for buses and ferries. The prices range from €11 – €50.

3. Getting around the Cyclades Islands: Take the bus! 

The services are really regular and will take you all over the islands. Depending on the place tickets range from €1.60 – €5.00. Taxis will be available, but significantly more expensive! Using public transport in Greece is often cheaper than a group of you renting a car in most places, especially once you have considered the cost of petrol on top of the rental. 

Athens in particular has really good public transport (which is natural, of course, being one of the best capital cities to visit in Europe rather than an island!). Here there is an amazing transport system where you pay for the time rather than the destination so you can use this on trains and buses. It cost €1.20 for 90 minutes.  

Check out my guide to Athens here. 

The best time of year to visit Greece…

4. Visit in shoulder season.

The best time to visit Greece and the Cyclades Islands are May to the middle of July, or September-October. August is peak season and by far the busiest month in Greece with both tourists and locals. Due to their holiday system a lot of Greeks will take their summer holidays on the surrounding islands, so you’ll also come across local tourists in August! . 

Choosing accommodation in Greece…

5. Stay in hostels. 

Another way to save money when backpacking in Greece is to be conscious of the accommodation you choose. I recommend staying in hostels to cut down costs. In addition to helping you save money, hostels are a great place to make friends while you’re backpacking, find activities and get inspired on what to do around the islands. Keep reading for my favourite hostels in Athens, Mykonos, Paros, Ios, Naxos and Santorini. 

Top tip: I noticed a lot of the hostels don’t have kitchens so it’s something to keep an eye on when booking. 

See my top tips for your first time staying in a hostel here. 

See my top tips for making friends when travelling here. 

Food in Greece…

6. Find cheap, good quality, local food! 

If you’re backpacking in Greece, eating on the cheap can be quite easy when you know what to look for and where to go. Trying all the food has got to be one of the best things to do in Greece, so here are my top three dishes to try when you’re backpacking in Greece! 

The most famous dish on offer is the Gyros. It ranges from €2.20 – €5.00, depending on where in Greece you are. There is usually a pork and chicken option, with other meats and vegetarian/vegan options becoming increasingly popular. It gets its name from the vertical rotisserie that spins to cook the meat. You can get it wrapped in a pita (the cheapest option for food when you’re backpacking in Greece) but also served on a plate. The components of a gyros are the meat (or replacement), tomato, onion, tzazitki sauce (yogurt, garlic and cucumber) and chips wrapped up in or served with a pita. Some places will also add in peppers, lettuce and/or feta cheese! I lived on gyros wraps for most of the time I was backpacking in Greece!

Another affordable dish is the Greek Salad (feta, cucumber, tomato, green peppers, onion and capers dressed with olive oil) and this can range from €5.00 to €9.00. Sometimes it comes on its own and other times with bread; it depends on the restaurant. 

One of my favourite things to eat in Greece is the Moussaka (layers of aubergine and potato baked with a tasty ragu and smooth bechamel! This ranges from €8 – €12 (as do most main dishes when you’re eating in Greece) and is a really nice traditional dish.

It goes without saying that the cheapest way to eat in Greece is to cook in your hostel kitchen, so as I said above, if that’s a priority for you then check the facilities before you book! See more tips for travelling on a budget here.