What's the budget for a trip to Greece?

The flight is cheap and stable, from €27 return out of London. As with most Mediterranean destinations reachable in four hours, it is not worth twisting your dates for.

Athens lodging spans a wide range: €15 at the budget end, €116 for a three-star, €189 for a four-star. Athens stays noticeably cheaper than Rome or Barcelona at equivalent comfort, and its budget end is particularly well served.

The real variable is the season. Athens hotel rates move moderately, but island rates explode in July and August, where lodging can triple compared with May or September. A trip combining Athens and an island therefore costs very differently by period, far more than by comfort level.

Eating stays affordable everywhere. A souvlaki or gyros stays under €4, a meal at a neighbourhood taverna €12 to €18. Tavernas at the foot of the Acropolis charge double for more ordinary cooking.

April-May and September-October are the only genuinely comfortable windows. Athens then posts 15 to 23°C, warm enough to spend several hours on the Acropolis without difficulty, and rain stays light.

Summer is Greece's real trap. July averages 28°C and August 27, with 7 and 5mm of rain respectively across the month: a dry, unrelenting heat on archaeological sites with no shade. Add island high season and rates that can triple. Paying more to visit in worse conditions is a bad trade.

Winter is mild and very cheap, around 8 to 11°C, with 48 to 64mm of monthly rain. Athens remains perfectly visitable, the sites are empty, but most island connections thin out sharply and many island businesses close.

The flight starts at €27 and barely moves by season: it is island lodging, and that alone, that makes summer so expensive.

Eating. Greek street food is among the Mediterranean's best bargains: a souvlaki or gyros pita stays under €4 and makes a real meal. At a neighbourhood taverna, plan €12 to €18 a head with a glass of wine. Establishments at the foot of the Acropolis or on Plaka's squares charge double for standardized cooking: a few streets are enough to find local prices again.

Getting around. Athens is largely walkable, the ancient sites being clustered. The metro is modern and cheap, and links the airport directly to the centre for far less than a taxi. For the islands, ferries leave from Piraeus: tickets book ahead in high season, and fast services cost markedly more than standard crossings.

Sightseeing. The Acropolis charges admission, but a combined ticket gives access to several of Athens' ancient sites and becomes worthwhile from the second visit. One sensible tip on the ground: sites open early, and going at opening avoids both the crowds and the heat, which becomes difficult by mid-morning in the warm season.

Currency. The euro, so no exchange fee for a eurozone traveler. Cards are accepted everywhere in the city, but keep cash for small tavernas and the islands, where it remains common.

Language. Greek, with a different alphabet that can disorient when reading. English is very widely spoken in tourism, including on the islands.

Heat and sites. This is the major practical point. The great ancient sites are open-air and shadeless. In the warm season, visiting happens at opening or late in the day, with a hat and water: not a comfort but a necessity.

Ferries. Island connections thin out sharply off-season and some stop in winter. Check frequencies before building an island itinerary outside the May to September window.