🇬🇷 Greece
Visa-free, cash-friendly on the islands, and a ferry system worth planning around.
No - Australian passport holders can enter Greece without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Pack a Type C/F adapter for the 230V supply, one Australian dollar buys about 0.62 EUR.
Entry rules last checked 24 October 2026.
Greece has one of the largest Greek diasporas outside Greece living in Australia, and a lot of trips here are family visits rather than holidays. Entry is 90 days visa-free. The planning that matters is not the border, it is the ferries - island timetables change seasonally and a missed connection can cost a day.
Your Greece trip setup
21 things Australians need to sort. Tick them off as you go.
Entry requirements
Visa-free (Schengen Area)Up to 90 days in any 180-day period View detailsFlights
Compare 3 searchs Search flightsConnectivity
Compare 8 plansFrom $8.50 Compare eSIMsTravel insurance
Compare 7 policysFrom $18.50 Compare insuranceMoney & payments
Compare 5 cards0.43%-0.65% conversion fee Compare cardsAirport transfer
ATH → AthensFrom $9 Compare optionsDriving
IDP requiredDrives on the right Compare car hireTravel essentials
Adapter type C/FTap water: safe to drink View guideThings to do
Compare 7 experiencesFrom $45 Explore activitiesGreece at a glance for Australians
Best time to visit
May-June and September-October
July and August are hot enough to be genuinely unpleasant on the islands and prices roughly double. Many island businesses shut entirely from November to March.
21h 30m from Sydney
Busiest month for Australian travellers: July, quietest March. Greece travel statistics
Health & safety
Smartraveller: Exercise normal safety precautions
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Greece. You pay for treatment up front, and an air ambulance home is the cost that turns a bad week into a bad decade.
Emergency: 112 for everything
Money
Good in cities and tourist areas, weaker in village tavernas and at island kiosks. Small businesses sometimes prefer cash and will say so.
Bank ATMs (Alpha, Piraeus, Eurobank) are reliable. Euronet machines are everywhere in tourist areas and charge heavily - avoid them.
Tipping: Not obligatory. Round up the bill or leave 5-10% in a restaurant for good service. Tavernas often add a small cover charge for bread instead.
Language & culture
Greek
English: Very good in tourist areas and among younger Greeks, limited in rural villages
Capital: Athens
Australian dollar to Euro
€0.62 EUR per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
Where Australians go in Greece
Athens
Thessaloniki
Santorini
Mykonos
Rhodes
Greece FAQs for Australian travellers
Do Australians need a visa for Greece?
No. Australian passport holders can enter Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. The allowance is shared across the whole Schengen Area, so time in Italy or France counts against the same 90 days.
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Greece?
Yes. Greece requires foreign drivers to carry a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit alongside their Australian licence, and it is one of the countries where police actually check. Apply through your state motoring club before you leave.
Can I drink the tap water in Greece?
On the mainland, yes. On many islands including Santorini and Mykonos the supply is desalinated and locals drink bottled water instead - it will not make you ill but it tastes of the process.
What power adapter do I need for Greece?
A Type C or F adapter, the round two-pin European plug. Greece runs on 230V at 50Hz, the same as Australia.
How much cash should I carry in Greece?
EUR 80-150, and more if you are island-hopping. Cards are widely accepted in cities and resorts, but ferry ticket offices, village tavernas and island kiosks are often cash-only.
Is travel insurance necessary for Greece?
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Greece, so you pay for all treatment up front. The larger risk on a Greek island holiday is a scooter or quad accident, and most policies exclude those unless you hold a motorcycle endorsement on your Australian licence.
Planning Greece?
We will send you the Greece guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.