Greece

Staying connected in Greece

Greece means sea and islands: Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, as well as Athens with the Acropolis and the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora. Most itineraries link Athens with a couple of islands by ferry from Piraeus or by short flights.

High season runs from June to September, when ferries sell out and the islands bake; May and October are milder, though ferry schedules can thin out. Data matters most for tracking ferry times, catching weather-related schedule changes and finding your way through maze-like island villages.

Coverage and networks

The plan information names these networks in Greece: Cosmote, Vodafone GR and WIND.

Combining Greece with Turkey or Cyprus? Look at the Europe 39 countries plan and check its country list.

Signal and speed depend on where you are, your device and network conditions, and can differ between plans.

Choosing a data allowance

eSIM plans for Greece currently last 1 to 30 days and come in these types:

• Daily data (500MB, 1GB, 2GB and 3GB per day): suits a steady routine. Check when the daily allowance resets and what happens once it is used.
• Total data (3GB to 50GB): one allowance for the whole trip, handy when some days are heavier than others.
• Unlimited: always read the fair-use policy; after a set amount, speed may be reduced.

Suggestions for this trip

• A week in Athens and two islands: 1GB per day covers maps, ferry tickets and photos; if you want to share Santorini evening videos daily, choose 2GB per day.
• A 10–15 day beach stay on one island with Wi-Fi at your accommodation: a 10GB total data plan is usually comfortable, or 20GB for heavier use.

Count your arrival and departure days. Before paying, check the exact plan for when validity starts, how days are counted, and whether hotspot, calls or SMS are included; these differ between plans.

Before you go

• Ferries: Book online before summer, keep e-tickets on your phone and arrive early — Piraeus is huge and routes leave from different gates.
• Ride-hailing: In Athens, Uber mainly dispatches licensed taxis; on the islands taxis are scarce and are often easiest to book through your accommodation.
• Payments: Cards work in most city restaurants, but beach tavernas and small village shops on the islands still prefer cash.
• Local SIM: Registration requires your passport.
• eSIM setup: Before buying, make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. Install the eSIM before you fly, on a stable Wi-Fi connection, following the instructions sent with your plan.
• On arrival: Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line and follow its roaming instructions. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid unexpected charges.