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Lonely Planet Greece
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
Lonely Planet's Greece is an expert guide to this incredible country, covering everything from the narrowest walkable gorge in the world to classic Greek myths. The authors provide information on inter-island ferries accompanied by a ferry map; extensive writings on history, culture, and mythology; place names in Greek script; and advice on choosing a quiet or gregarious island vacation. A special color feature covers Greek art. --Kathryn True
800 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Lonely Planet
4,147 books949 followersOUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 13, 2015
This was a helpful book in preparing for our trip to Greece. It is broken up into geographical sections and is arranged in a way that makes sense. While it does make sense, it is not super easy to read or follow. While still helpful, it was difficult to find what I was looking for at times, but it will definitely come in handy next week!
May 21, 2015
A useful travel guide to Greece
25 March 2012
This is the first Lonely Planet guide that I have read cover to cover. I sometimes wonder if we are supposed to do that but I guess it is useful if you are planning on visiting a country and want to be as prepared as possible before you actually travel. Okay, I actually read this book after I went to Greece, however after reading it I am definitely planning on returning, soon (though not soon enough).
I found this to be a very useful book, though it can be quite slow going. While it is impossible to cover everything (there are a number of things not covered) they do try to cover as much of the country as possible, particularly the places that are generally popular destinations for tourists. However, it also explores areas that are generally off the beaten track, particularly since there are usually hidden gems there as well.
I love Greece and there were places that I knew about that I didn't get to visit (such as the burial mound at Marathon). However as I read this book I kept on discovering places that I had never heard of or if I knew about I didn't think of much. It is because of these places that I am already planning a three week holiday back there so that I can go and visit them. Okay, one of the places is in Turkey (Ephesus) but since I put Samos onto the list, getting to Ephesus is not going to be all that difficult (though from what I have read, getting to Samothrace will be, but I so want to go and see the sanctuary of the Great Gods that I am going to attempt to work my way around it).
Greece is actually a very religious country, which is pretty obvious once you get there. It is one of the few European countries where the church still holds a lot of sway over the running of the country. As we are quite aware, it is also a very old country, dating back over 4000 years. I will not go too much into the ancient side of things, particularly since I discuss Classical and Roman Greece elsewhere. What is interesting is that Greece was occupied by the Ottomans for around 400 years but still managed to retain its identity. Okay, the Jews lived in exile for 2000 years, so 400 years is not a huge challenge. However, we need to remember that the period between the fall of Rome (around 500 AD) and the fall of Constantinople (around 1450) that Greece was ruled by the Greeks (the Byzantine Empire was Greek in pretty much everything that it did).
Greece, while being considered the nation that first experimented with democracy, in its modern form it has not been a democracy for all that long (since 1975). There were periods when it did try to create a republic, but it shifted over to that of a monarchy pretty quickly (though I do wonder where they found a king, since there is supposed to be a hereditary line, and the last king of Greece would have been the Byzantine Emperor). However, after World War II, the country collapsed into a civil war between the capitalists and the communists. The capitalists won and established a dictatorship that lasted until 1975. This is not surprising (especially since capitalists will do anything to make sure that only capitalist governments exist - while they promote the glories of democracy, in their minds democracies only work when it is capitalist governments that are elected: one of the reasons I hate politics is that the hard right tend to mock and ridicule anybody that disagrees with them, and if that does not work, they get violent) considering that the Greeks have a strong connection with the Russians. In fact the modern Russian state originated from the Byzantine Empire, and goes back even further as the Ancient Greeks had numerous colonies on the shores of the Black Sea. The languages are similar, and if you look at the Cyrillic languages of Eastern Europe you will notice that it has Greek origins. Further, the religion of Eastern Europe is pretty much Orthodox, having its origins in the Greek Orthodox Church.
I did like the history that they talked about behind the attractions. Greece, as mentioned, has a very long and rich history, and even if one does not like the ancient ruins, there are quite a few medieval castles still standing. There are places where the Venetians established trading posts (such as Heraklion, where a Venetian Fort stands at the entrance to the harbour) and in the Dodecanese there are the remains of the forts of the Knights of St John. However, one does wonder if Greece would have ever attempted to claim Anatolia on top of the mainland and the islands. World War I did have its origins in the struggle between Greece and Turkey as it attempted to wrestle its traditional lands in Thrace. However, if one were to consider what lands were originally Greek, one would include the west coast of Turkey as well as Istanbul. However, early on in its modern history, there was a massive population swap, when Turks returned to Turkey and Greeks to Greece.
This is a very useful and helpful guide, though unfortunately it will be quickly out dated. Also while the listings regarding accommodation and food are useful, one must remember that a lot of that is the personal opinions of the authors and contributors. When I was there I had left the the guide at home. In any case, despite buying another travel guide in Greece, it ended up sitting at the bottom of my suit case doing nothing, and we were able to find plenty of places to eat (and drink) and they all served fine food as well. However, there is still a lot more of Athens that I would like to explore.
25 March 2012
This is the first Lonely Planet guide that I have read cover to cover. I sometimes wonder if we are supposed to do that but I guess it is useful if you are planning on visiting a country and want to be as prepared as possible before you actually travel. Okay, I actually read this book after I went to Greece, however after reading it I am definitely planning on returning, soon (though not soon enough).
I found this to be a very useful book, though it can be quite slow going. While it is impossible to cover everything (there are a number of things not covered) they do try to cover as much of the country as possible, particularly the places that are generally popular destinations for tourists. However, it also explores areas that are generally off the beaten track, particularly since there are usually hidden gems there as well.
I love Greece and there were places that I knew about that I didn't get to visit (such as the burial mound at Marathon). However as I read this book I kept on discovering places that I had never heard of or if I knew about I didn't think of much. It is because of these places that I am already planning a three week holiday back there so that I can go and visit them. Okay, one of the places is in Turkey (Ephesus) but since I put Samos onto the list, getting to Ephesus is not going to be all that difficult (though from what I have read, getting to Samothrace will be, but I so want to go and see the sanctuary of the Great Gods that I am going to attempt to work my way around it).
Greece is actually a very religious country, which is pretty obvious once you get there. It is one of the few European countries where the church still holds a lot of sway over the running of the country. As we are quite aware, it is also a very old country, dating back over 4000 years. I will not go too much into the ancient side of things, particularly since I discuss Classical and Roman Greece elsewhere. What is interesting is that Greece was occupied by the Ottomans for around 400 years but still managed to retain its identity. Okay, the Jews lived in exile for 2000 years, so 400 years is not a huge challenge. However, we need to remember that the period between the fall of Rome (around 500 AD) and the fall of Constantinople (around 1450) that Greece was ruled by the Greeks (the Byzantine Empire was Greek in pretty much everything that it did).
Greece, while being considered the nation that first experimented with democracy, in its modern form it has not been a democracy for all that long (since 1975). There were periods when it did try to create a republic, but it shifted over to that of a monarchy pretty quickly (though I do wonder where they found a king, since there is supposed to be a hereditary line, and the last king of Greece would have been the Byzantine Emperor). However, after World War II, the country collapsed into a civil war between the capitalists and the communists. The capitalists won and established a dictatorship that lasted until 1975. This is not surprising (especially since capitalists will do anything to make sure that only capitalist governments exist - while they promote the glories of democracy, in their minds democracies only work when it is capitalist governments that are elected: one of the reasons I hate politics is that the hard right tend to mock and ridicule anybody that disagrees with them, and if that does not work, they get violent) considering that the Greeks have a strong connection with the Russians. In fact the modern Russian state originated from the Byzantine Empire, and goes back even further as the Ancient Greeks had numerous colonies on the shores of the Black Sea. The languages are similar, and if you look at the Cyrillic languages of Eastern Europe you will notice that it has Greek origins. Further, the religion of Eastern Europe is pretty much Orthodox, having its origins in the Greek Orthodox Church.
I did like the history that they talked about behind the attractions. Greece, as mentioned, has a very long and rich history, and even if one does not like the ancient ruins, there are quite a few medieval castles still standing. There are places where the Venetians established trading posts (such as Heraklion, where a Venetian Fort stands at the entrance to the harbour) and in the Dodecanese there are the remains of the forts of the Knights of St John. However, one does wonder if Greece would have ever attempted to claim Anatolia on top of the mainland and the islands. World War I did have its origins in the struggle between Greece and Turkey as it attempted to wrestle its traditional lands in Thrace. However, if one were to consider what lands were originally Greek, one would include the west coast of Turkey as well as Istanbul. However, early on in its modern history, there was a massive population swap, when Turks returned to Turkey and Greeks to Greece.
This is a very useful and helpful guide, though unfortunately it will be quickly out dated. Also while the listings regarding accommodation and food are useful, one must remember that a lot of that is the personal opinions of the authors and contributors. When I was there I had left the the guide at home. In any case, despite buying another travel guide in Greece, it ended up sitting at the bottom of my suit case doing nothing, and we were able to find plenty of places to eat (and drink) and they all served fine food as well. However, there is still a lot more of Athens that I would like to explore.
July 29, 2025
I stumbled upon this guide when I was looking for books on Greece from the library and I’m so glad I did. It was an excellent travel guide. I really appreciate how this book is structured with high-level information given first and then specific recommendations. I loved the first couple of chapters, which gave an overview of Greece and Greek people. After that, I skipped around and just read (and re-read) the chapters for each of the places that we went to. It really helped me understand the culture of the country and each of the islands. It was also a great supplement to Reddit to help us plan our days. I think I said the phrase “my book said…” no less than 100 times during the trip. I will definitely use lonely planet guides again!
April 25, 2019
I find the Lonely Planet guidebooks to be suited to my interests as a traveler. I appreciate the practical hints and the cultural and historical insights which I find useful. This book is no exception. I generally get a package flight and hotel deal when traveling to Greece, so I don't use the accommodation recommendations, but I find the sightseeing sections and travel info very useful. I also have had excellent luck with the eating suggestions. I find that the quality of the restaurants is consistent with the guide's reviews and I like the classification by neighborhoods (in large cities) and the price hints.
Nowadays with Wikipedia and many other sources of information, the basics are all that is needed in a guidebook. The reader will always find plenty of details on the internet. I find that this book about Greece gave me most of what I wanted to know about the sites I visited. The maps are clearly marked and in the Kindle version, they can be enlarged to see the details more clearly.
A warning to travelers to Athens from the airport. There is a very skilled gang of pickpockets operating on the metro line from the airport to downtown Athens. Make sure that all your money and valuables (Passport, credit cards, etc.) are in a money belt or somewhere else under your clothes. We were pickpocketed very skillfully, but luckily most cash was hidden in a money belt. Before getting on the metro, after buying your ticket to town, make sure your valuables are totally inaccessible. When speaking to other tourists, we discovered that two other travelers had been robbed in the same way. The gang has a tall, attractive young man who is very helpful, and he sets up the victim for the other gangmembers to close in when the metro car gets crowded. In all the cases we know of, the money was taken very skillfully. One of the gang jammed the exit doors to our metro car, so that the crowd started pushing toward other exits. When my partner looked at his suitcase to wheel it off the train, his empty wallet was on top of it! Later, he remembered getting pushed and shoved, but never felt anyone lift his wallet. Luckily his documents were in a moneybelt under his clothing.
Nowadays with Wikipedia and many other sources of information, the basics are all that is needed in a guidebook. The reader will always find plenty of details on the internet. I find that this book about Greece gave me most of what I wanted to know about the sites I visited. The maps are clearly marked and in the Kindle version, they can be enlarged to see the details more clearly.
A warning to travelers to Athens from the airport. There is a very skilled gang of pickpockets operating on the metro line from the airport to downtown Athens. Make sure that all your money and valuables (Passport, credit cards, etc.) are in a money belt or somewhere else under your clothes. We were pickpocketed very skillfully, but luckily most cash was hidden in a money belt. Before getting on the metro, after buying your ticket to town, make sure your valuables are totally inaccessible. When speaking to other tourists, we discovered that two other travelers had been robbed in the same way. The gang has a tall, attractive young man who is very helpful, and he sets up the victim for the other gangmembers to close in when the metro car gets crowded. In all the cases we know of, the money was taken very skillfully. One of the gang jammed the exit doors to our metro car, so that the crowd started pushing toward other exits. When my partner looked at his suitcase to wheel it off the train, his empty wallet was on top of it! Later, he remembered getting pushed and shoved, but never felt anyone lift his wallet. Luckily his documents were in a moneybelt under his clothing.
February 27, 2017
Not as helpful as usual so therefore 3 stars, but a 5 star destination and people.
July 2, 2017
I normally see Lonely Planet as a superior brand among European travel books. I picked up the Greece Lonely Planet to determine how to spend 9 days in Greece. It's sub-par compared to their other countries for deciding where to go within Greece. I would steer clear.
This being said, the Lonely Planet Pocket Athens does not deserve to be lumped into the country guide (and I believe was written by a different person).
This being said, the Lonely Planet Pocket Athens does not deserve to be lumped into the country guide (and I believe was written by a different person).
September 15, 2025
I read this in preparation for our trip to Greece next month. Lonely Planet is a reliable guidebook that is comprehensive and gives and good overall view of a country. it filled that role for greece. I really appreciated the historical overview and deep dive into art, literature, architecture, and music.
July 9, 2025
Took this book traveling with me to Greece and used the food recommendations while I was there, and was super helpful to get a better idea of what to do and see. Added bonus was the maps of the islands that were included :)
August 17, 2017
For me, I find the Lonely Planet guides to be okay, but not great. This one included.
November 2, 2021
Perfect for helping plan my summer vacation!!
October 3, 2023
.... did my kindle load this to my goodreads?
Anyway - update nobody (not even me) asked for
Honeymoon = Greece!
Anyway - update nobody (not even me) asked for
Honeymoon = Greece!
April 3, 2026
literally everything you can think of. I feel much more prepared!
January 8, 2019
Lonely Planet's guides always have a little bit of everything you might need, and then you can supplement it if need be, to fit your individual needs.
"Greeks are passionate and live life to the fullest, even at the most difficult times. The result is a country seemingly riddled with challenges, yet full of people loving life."
And later in the book (The Greek Way of Life section):
"Greeks have always shared good and bad times in the company of family and friends; they’ve danced when sad or defiant and sought solace in their country's rich culture and simple pleasures."
Well said;
"The secret to Greek cooking is often found in the chef's garden. Basic ingredients such as feta and olive oil are at home across Greece, but the regional produce and cooking styles make travelling here a culinary adventure. Taste herbs and mountain greens you've never heard of, mussels steamed in ouzo, bread baked with olives, and fish straight from the sea. Taste-test regional cheeses: crumbling feta, honeyed soft cheeses and sharp, hard rounds.
Find Italian influences in risottos and pastas or Turkish spices woven into delicate sweets. A traditional-cooking renaissance has chefs lifting timehonoured recipes to new gourmet heights."
"Greeks are passionate and live life to the fullest, even at the most difficult times. The result is a country seemingly riddled with challenges, yet full of people loving life."
And later in the book (The Greek Way of Life section):
"Greeks have always shared good and bad times in the company of family and friends; they’ve danced when sad or defiant and sought solace in their country's rich culture and simple pleasures."
Well said;
"The secret to Greek cooking is often found in the chef's garden. Basic ingredients such as feta and olive oil are at home across Greece, but the regional produce and cooking styles make travelling here a culinary adventure. Taste herbs and mountain greens you've never heard of, mussels steamed in ouzo, bread baked with olives, and fish straight from the sea. Taste-test regional cheeses: crumbling feta, honeyed soft cheeses and sharp, hard rounds.
Find Italian influences in risottos and pastas or Turkish spices woven into delicate sweets. A traditional-cooking renaissance has chefs lifting timehonoured recipes to new gourmet heights."
October 26, 2014
I'm usually highly dependent on my Lonely Planet guide when I travel, however, I felt this one was lacking more than others that I've used. I usually use Lonely Planet because they're the best for traveling around inside a country and not just staying in one city, but this one was lacking in the transportation details. For example, it mentions that there is a suburban rail system in Athens that reaches all the way to Corinth, but no further information about how to use it, how long it takes, or how much it costs. And this would have been great since there is no map available printed in the city, or posted at the station, and the employees are not greatly interested in helping a lost traveler. These are the kinds of things I'm used to having in Lonely Planet. Also, some of the towns only had sightseeing listed and nothing about sleeping or getting there. Possibly it's a symptom of trying to fit all of Greece into one book, but I found it less useful than other Lonely Planets, for example the Romania guide.
September 27, 2007
will never forget a relaxing meal of unknown meat product and a lovely Classic Coke both of which were tossed to the ground in a mad dash around a harbour to catch a ferry boat.. stupid ferry ticket people.. did i mention the run was with 60 pound pack on? but never fear it was 12 hr overnight voyage (and my ticket was only a guarantee for a seat on the deck) but the ship had a pool - the night was saved!!! up until the moment one goes to dive into a pool with no water.. so i stole some seats and some sleep
moral of the story: visit Milos :D which is not 12 hr journey
moral of the story: visit Milos :D which is not 12 hr journey
May 8, 2015
This book is definitely aimed for backpackers so if that isn't your type of vacation, another travel guide might be better suited for you. As the version I read dates from 2006 or so, I'll have to double-check some information but this is a great resource to start planning a trip. It is honest, well-written, and easy to follow. It addresses all the general questions you might have and gives information for many types of travellers, with all sorts of budget.
Can't wait to stop reading about Greece and finally be there!
Can't wait to stop reading about Greece and finally be there!
February 11, 2014
This book got me though Patras, Napflio, the Saronic Gulf Islands, Piraeus, Santorini, Crete, and Athens and was very useful and accurate. I booked hostels with this book and ate at a few of the recommended restaurants. I used the notes for resources when exploring Knosses and ancient Athens. This book has everything you would need for the Greek Islands, plus the rest of Greece - I would recommend it over getting an islands only guide.
April 13, 2010
I found this book incredibly helpful while planning my trip to Greece. The book breaks the country up into smaller areas and then in those areas they are broken up into most of the cities and what they have to offer. They have a list of scams to be aware of and maps. I highly recommend this to anyone traveling to Greece.
June 5, 2013
As usual Lonely Planet comes through. Although we only spent time in Athens ( with side trips to Mycenae and Delphi) and on Samos the book was worth buying. Good maps, reliable reviews of restaurants (although one we looked for has closed) and solid info about sites etc. Our trip was enriched by having the book.
May 11, 2012
[2009.05] Helped with planning the Santorini and Athens (+ side trips) portion of our Spring-Summer 2009 Europe trip. The other resource we used for information was the Athens pages from Rick Steves' website.
August 1, 2017
I'm going to Greece this summer, so I wanted to know a little about the country (since all I knew about it was Athens). Definitely made me more excited to go! Also, found Meteora through this book, and the day and a half we spent there was incredible. Wouldn't have known about it otherwise.
December 8, 2024
The worst experience that I had with lonely planet books, and it is also the last version!
No prices, no main places to visit, no experience or what to do.
Compared to what I used till today, which is quite a lot, it was awful 😖
No prices, no main places to visit, no experience or what to do.
Compared to what I used till today, which is quite a lot, it was awful 😖
December 9, 2009
a little dry, but useful.
October 18, 2010
It's a lonely planet for Greece. How could it not merit 5 stars?
June 2, 2011
In my opinion, nothing beats a lonely planet travel guide.
January 13, 2013
Very useful for travel with car.
October 26, 2014
Typical Lonely Planet, all you can use and more to plan a trip to Greece and the Greek Island.
July 29, 2015
There is tons of accurate info in here. I mainly used it for maps and history.
October 14, 2019
A useful book about the the country and its people. I read a newer version of the book, but I can’t imagine that the information have changed dramatically.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews