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Much is known about Greece’s current economic crisis and how it has affected everything there, including tourism. This crisis is unlikely to improve quickly, but should it keep us from visiting Greece in the near future or the next couple of years?
I’m no economist, so I won’t dwell on that. I’ll just speak from my own experience planning a trip to Greece as a first-timer, being there (back in May 2012), and how the economic crisis was reflected in my travel plans – both positively and negatively.
Before deciding to go to Greece, I recommend keeping an eye on current news to know what’s happening there.
Sporadically, we see on TV the riots that tend to dominate the news reports. Yes, they do happen, but they are the exception to certain special events (like elections) and not the norm.
And, they are concentrated in Athens, leaving the rest of Greece and the islands unharmed.
I was in Athens during the May 6th elections. I was warned about the possibility of riots, but nothing happened. The city was a bit crazy (as usual), but it kept its cool under the event. No riots.
Also, strikes and service cuts have plagued the country, making most train and ferry service timetables outdated. This is both good and bad, depending on how you want to see it.
Personally, I saw it as a bad thing in the beginning because Greece was the starting point of my Eurail trip through all of Europe, and I wasn’t sure if the infrastructure would allow me to use the pass (for the existing train routes, I could).
In addition, I wanted to jump from Ephesus, Turkey to Samos, Greece; and from there to Santorini – a ferry route that once existed. Not anymore. Now, to get to Santorini, from Samos, you have to stop in Paros (overnight) and leave on the next day’s ferry to Santorini.
On a positive note, most tourists don’t do this route, they instead take the ferry from Athens to Santorini, which is much more common (and what I did on the way back).
While the aforementioned problems can cause travel in Greece to be slower and logistically a bit more complex, in my opinion, that’s the only negative effect they have in any visitor’s experience. Now with the positive.
Greece is a place where I can say that a cut of resources is not necessarily the worst thing for tourism.
In my case, the fact that ferry lines cut certain routes between the islands forced me to hop a few more islands I had no intention of visiting, but that in the end provided me with beautiful and unforgettable experiences.
I got to see more of what the regular Greek island lifestyle looks like and it made me see more of Greece, and not necessarily the popular Greece.
That overnight in Paros gave me an experience sleeping on the sidewalk (which is totally safe there), where I met two great travelers that today I can call my friends. Oh, and let’s not forget we saw the sunrise!
This is a time symbiotic relationships between travelers and business owners. Travelers want to reduce their spending, while business owners want (and need) to generate an income.
At the moment, Greece is providing a good environment where both parties can pull enough to their side until a middle ground is reached.
Bartering is much easier and even expected. If a business is not in the position of lowering their price, they will mostly offer more services for the same price.
In Santorini, I got this great apartment deal in the center of Thira for 20 euros a night. That was really cheap. I also got to stay in one of the best hostels in Athens for a fraction of the price.
Apart from economic benefits, there is also the experience. Truth is, many businesses are quite empty since tourism has slowed down in recent months (hello, I was at the Parthenon on a Saturday and it was almost empty!).
Many business owners have more time to dedicate to you, to make sure you have a great experience and hopefully return.
This happened to me a few times, but the most memorable was in Samos. I had an almost rare experience where the restaurant owner sat with me to chat and offered me wine and a selection of things to complement my 4 Euro meal, all free of charge because he was happy I was there at his restaurant.
I was amazed by it and offered to pay accordingly, but he was more pleased with the fact that I was there as a customer and that I was enjoying his food. I became a returning customer.
Events like these are the ones that can make a place even more memorable than a simple dining experience. It was an interaction with a local that would have not happened any other way.
Other key features that make Greece a destination to visit at any time is the continuing existence of authentic traditions and the wealth of cultural and historical sites.
In addition to that, Greece has a spectacular natural beauty that ranges from snow-capped mountains to sunny island beaches. All this beauty can be experienced regardless of the economic status of the country.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Euro is at an all-time low and that the current situation presents menu advantages for travelers like deals and cheaper options, so in general, a trip to Greece (and many other parts of Europe) might be cheaper now than what it was six months ago.
Is it a good idea to visit Greece now? That is up for you to decide, but from my experience, I would go back in a heartbeat!
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