Turkey or Greece: which is better to choose for a vacation in 2021?

Greece or Turkey in 2021? We were both there and there - however, once. And since on such experience, an objective comparison cannot be built, it was decided to ask friends and acquaintances and delve into the forums.

And let the average attendance figures for the year seem to hint at something:

🇹🇷 Turkey - 7 million tourists from Russia
🇬🇷 Greece - 950 thousand

... we tried to present everything as impartially as possible 🙂

Where to look for a tour?

Addressed to non-Muscovites. Is there a departure from your city? - a question that can dispel any argument in favor of a particular country. And on finishing - are you ready to go to the nearest city where air traffic is established? There are no problems with Turkey in this regard, in summer it is everywhere and everywhere, but Greece ... thank you if there are flights to Rhodes and Crete once a week.

You can ask the price of tours and make sure in advance of the flight program to Greece or Turkey for 2021 at:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

The services analyze the databases of all leading tour operators, compare offers and show the lowest possible prices - it is convenient to calculate where it is cheaper.

Visa differences

A visa to Greece in a clean passport was given for six months

🇹🇷 Turkey captivates by the fact that the entry for 60 days - without a visa... The main thing is that the passport is valid for at least 4 months after arrival in the country.

🇬🇷 Greece “repels” the need availability of Schengen... Without a valid insert in a foreign country, it will not work to take and fly away tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Schengen visa to Greece:

• issued at the consulate / accredited visa centers, which is not available in every city
• done within 7 days after submission of documents
• it costs - at best - 35 euros (consulate). For regions - from 55 euros (GVCW visa centers). Free for children under 6

Flight and distance

Turkey or Greece - which is better if you count the hours spent in the air? Almost the same.

🇹🇷 The flight from Moscow to any coast of Turkey lasts 3.5 hours.
🇬🇷 To Greece: mainland - 3-3.5 hours; islands - 3.5-4 hours.

A group transfer from Antalya airport to a hotel on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey takes an hour and a half (but two or three to Alanya). But on the Aegean coast, the time may be the same, but it will work pretty well - the coastline is heavily indented.

In Greece, the longest journeys are in Crete (from Heraklion airport to Paleochora resort in the south - 3 hours) and Halkidiki (from Thessaloniki airport to the south of the peninsula - about 2.5 hours). On other islands, buses shake for no longer than an hour and a half 🙂

Independent tourists: We solve the transfer issue through KiwiTaxi. Especially if we are traveling with a company. So in Greece, in Athens, a car from the airport to the hotel leaves at the price of a bus ticket - 6-8 euros per person.

Where is the best place to relax in summer and spring? Seasons in countries

Are the weather similar in Turkey and Greece? In order not to overload with definitions, where is the climate, let's say - the heat is everywhere in summer. Please note that the range of sensations from the heat is revealed depending on the humidity.

• Humid resorts:
  🇹🇷 in Turkey - the entire Mediterranean Sea (Side, Belek, Alanya, Fethiye, especially Kemer "atrocities")
  🇬🇷 in Greece - the island of Corfu and Halkidiki
• With lowered, and even blown by the winds:
  🇹🇷 Aegean Sea (Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi)
  🇬🇷 islands of Kos, Rhodes, Crete

The drier the easier. We rested in Rhodes in June - it was felt that the sun was flaring up, but the wind saved us perfectly (no, getting out of the water did not freeze). And we rested in Side in August ... can you not remember these + 35 degree days and sticky evenings?

However, in Turkey on the Antalya coast - longest seasonstarting early in May and folding late in November. In Greece, Rhodes and Crete "hold out" the longest (June-October).

What to choose?

Monthly weather

And to clearly demonstrate where it is warmer - in Turkey or in Greece:

Average air (daytime) and water temperature, ° С

Food prices

What makes a vacation in Turkey different is that in 90% of cases a tourist will not try either the soup ezogelin, or balyk ekmek, or dondurma. Traditional cuisine remains in flight, because the tourist has "all inclusive". And we ourselves learned about local food only in Istanbul, outside the resort of Turkey.

In Greece, the situation is different. An obligatory element of relaxation is the search for taverns where you can get lost in the world of gyros, moussaka and Greek salad. In fairness, before moving on to the numbers, we note that food prices in Greece are among the lowest in Europe.

The striking difference between Turkish and Greek cuisines is the relationship with pork. If you are passionate about bacon or real meat shawarma in Turkey, nope, you just won't find it. And in Greece, on the contrary - pork is cheap, and is found in taverns more often than chicken.

So that's it. Imagine walking into a completely ordinary cafe and ordering completely typical positions. Let's compare the cost?

* 1 lira = 10.6 rubles
€ 1 = 70 rubles

Yes, in Greece it is more expensive, and the daily budget for food should be from € 25 for two. But the portions are larger 🙂 Seriously, for the third time we abandoned the plan to take both pizza and salad - too much. They were limited to one thing, well, and drinks (water, by the way, is free). Turkey has its own advantage: they will definitely treat you to something. Local snack, Turkish delight, etc. Culture!

Tour cost - where is it cheaper to have a rest?

Which is cheaper in 2021 - Turkey or Greece, if you go on a tour? Many will answer - the first. But we have something to fend off: in June 2018, we flew to Rhodes for 25,000 rubles. In a 3 * hotel. For 11 nights. FOR TWO. Without food, and therefore 50,000 rubles came out with expenses on the spot. Still for two.

Good to know: Since 2018, all tourists in Greece are required to pay an additional tax. The amount is formed per night in the room based on the star rating of the hotel: 5 stars - 4 euros 4 stars - 3 euros 3 and 2 stars - 1.5 and 0.5 euros, respectively

If we discard the Schengen (and tax) and consider the cheapest tours (for June, 7 nights, from Moscow), looms:

🇹🇷 Turkey - from 40,000 rubles for two (dubious 3-star all-inclusive hotel)
🇬🇷 Greece - from 42,000 rubles (2 * hotel with good reviews, no meals)

The cheapness of "package" Greece continues even further, the price of vouchers for a week to more star hotels is lower or on a par with Turkey:

We found our last-minute tour (and quickly bought it) on an online aggregator:

• Onlinetours

... but the other two monitored too:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel

We like them for their idea: firstly, saving time (found — booked — received documents by mail), and secondly, offers from all leading tour operators in one place (and a hint from whom which is cheaper).

The irony lies in the equivalence of hotels. A typical "Turkish" reservation - on all inclusive, with a huge territory, its own sandy beach and active animation - is a request of every second tourist. And it is most profitable to satisfy it in Turkey. In Greece, such Wishlist will cost an order of magnitude more. And if you tick the ultra all checkbox, then you will be surprised not so much by the gap in price as by the choice: relatively speaking, if there are 280 such hotels in 🇹🇷, then in 🇬🇷 there are only 30!

Why, then, do they go to this Greece? They go for active rest, for independence. They settle in hotels without "all inclusive", rent a car, communicate with the locals. The top of assimilation is to book air tickets (from 12,000 rubles round trip per person), rent an apartment near the beach you like (from 4,000 rubles per night) and not depend on anyone!

Excursions and attractions

Alanya resort in Turkey / Symi island in Greece (excursion from Rhodes)
It seems?
If you choose where it is better to go - to Turkey or Greece, based on the excursion and educational component, then it is more difficult here. Each country has an equal share of historical and natural attractions and entertainment. The only thing is that Greece is a little more variable, you can't go around even ten times. Just what are its 1000+ islands with azure coasts!

Excursion prices (per person):

Surprised by an excursion from Turkey to Greece? Schengen is not required for such a cruise. It is enough to issue an island visa on the spot (photo, passport and 35 euros), and in an hour and a half on the ferry you can be on the opposite bank (and check for yourself which is better)... Of course, if you sail from Greece to visit Turkey, you don't need any visa.

In recent trips, we also began to take excursions online:

• on Tripster
• or Sputnik

Sometimes - because it is a little more profitable. Sometimes - because the program is more interesting, and even with local residents. Well, sometimes it’s because it’s corny that you don’t want to go in a bus for 50 people, when you can take a minivan for two or four.

Transport

Please note that car rental is a direct way to save money on excursions. In Greece, you can find a car for € 20-30 per day. In Turkey, for comparison, the same € 25 per day.

But if the international RentalCars service is suitable for car rental in Greece, then in resort Turkey it is easier to rent a car on the spot - “from Ahmed,” as they say.

Gasoline cost:

• 🇬🇷 € 1.8 per liter
• 🇹🇷 6.6-6.7 liras per liter (≈ € 1)

What is the situation with public transport? In Turkey, trips around the city or a close intercity will cost 2.5-5 liras (€ 0.4— € 0.7), to another city - 8-15 liras (€ 1.2— € ​​2.3). In Greece - from € 2— € 2.5 for travel within the city and € 5— € 10 for intercity.

Holidays with children - Turkey or Greece?

The next question on the agenda: Turkey or Greece - where is it better with children? This is probably one of the rare moments when one cannot argue with the opinion of the majority.

It's really easier with a child in Turkey. There are many hotels of the club concept, where there is everything you want on the territory; children's animation (in Russian!) is developed at a high level. But we would add an age gap: with a child from one year and up to 10. With those who are less or more, you can fly to Greece. The first - it doesn't matter where, the main thing is mom, the second - are already adults to survive travel by car / buses to attractions and food on schedule 🙂

As for Greece ... We will list the obvious pros and cons:

- less common, but more "biting" in cost all inclusive
- even on all inclusive, sun loungers and umbrellas on the beach can be paid. The entire coastline in Greece is municipal, so you will also have to look for private sandy beaches
- the infrastructure of hotels, with regard to children's recreation, is meager: so that animation, and water slides, and carousels - not everyone will offer this

+ a lot of apart-hotels and apartments with kitchens - in case you need to cook
+ food, as it seemed to us, is clearer; in stores - quality products

Where is vacation safer?

Talking about security is too subjective, especially about Turkey. What does a tourist who rests in a strictly limited area (hotel-beach) see? Smiles, service, serene vacationers. The police, the military cannot be met like that, but everything is guarded reinforced concrete.

The border between Syria and Turkey: all resorts are far from it. Yes, the number of police officers has been increased, checks at airports and at the entrances to them have been strengthened. But the war has been going on for the sixth year, and the tourist flow is only growing. If Greece is also afraid of the Syrian issue (for example, Rhodes, which seems to be an island bordering on Turkey, that is, a “window to Europe” for migrants), then here is my personal experience - there are no refugees at all. And we visited many nooks and crannies.

Theft: Interestingly, even in Italy - on the territory of hotels, not to mention the beaches and cities - theft is not uncommon. In this regard, Turkey and Greece are much calmer.

Driving: what the reviews of tourists emphasize is that there is a certain extravagance in Turkish drivers. Are they cheating, driving, traffic rules? (no, haven't heard). In Greece it is quieter - measured, with understanding. Perhaps because there are more holidaymakers on the roads.

Beach vacation and the sea

I want white sand - where is the best place to go? Turkey or Greece? Beaches both there and there can be found both sandy and pebble. But the sand, alas, is yellowish in color, not Maldivian.

As it seemed to us, if in Turkey it is not so easy to stumble upon pebbles (except for Kemer and the Aegean Sea), then in Greece, on the contrary - you need to know where to choose a hotel near the sandy coast. But this is also a plus, clear water is a direct consequence of small stones, there is no cloudy suspension of sand.

What are the other differences? In Greece, hotels do not have their own beach, with very few exceptions. Also on the fingers of one hand to count the lovely heart of fans of Turkey beach bars (where everything is free, if at all). But the Greek coast is more picturesque! These cozy bays and the blue-blue sea - for the sake of this you can put up with a towel and the lack of mojito 🙂

The cost of 2 sun loungers and an umbrella: in Greece the set costs ≈ € 7; in Turkey, if you manage to get to a public or paid beach - 15 liras (€ 2.3).

Resorts in countries

Here are some quick tips for the resorts:

Where is better? Reviews of tourists

What kind of vacation do you like more - lying on the beach or walking around the sights and the city? We are clearly the second 🙂

Most likely, you know how categorical the reviews of tourists can be. And when it comes to opposing one "pop" resort to another, the quietly and peacefully emerging discussion quickly slides into a whole battle, where the participants do not hesitate to express contempt in a free form. And all the valuable infa that could have been lost is lost behind this ...

In the case of Turkey and Greece, such topics are very hot 🙂 Against the first, there are “weighty” arguments in the style of “a place for a low-budget vacation in Tagil” or “a hot rest in an ollo-combine with gorging until the elastic of panties breaks”. Well, but about Greece they write something like “they drag their children in the heat, looking for where to eat” “they cook themselves, wash towels”, “they trudge to a public beach with some kind of mats”. In general, it is clear who is offended by what.

Therefore, the opinion should be formed on the facts. Which, we hope, we have clearly stated in each of the sections.

And to summarize, let's make such an approximate "who-where":

if:

-… for the first time abroad. Get comfortable, look around, understand if you need all-inclusive on vacation
- ... the weather and the sea are important, but to make it hotter - at any time of the year it is warmer in Turkey
-… you need a lazy reboot, i.e. sunbed, food and sea, and even more so in a luxury hotel
- ... going to hang out, sunbathe, but cheap
- ... vacation in November or May, but want to swim
- ... the budget is strictly limited, and it is more convenient for you to pay for everything at once, and not to look for establishments according to the principle "where would we eat inexpensively today?"
-… you are planning to fly with a child from 1 to 10 years old and hope that you will be able to entertain him, and feed him, and buy
- ... you haven't been there yet

View from our Side Town Hotel in Side

It seems you have Greece!
if:

-… have been to Turkey and are in doubt whether to return
-… tour operators throw last minute deals in both directions, and you have Schengen
Explanation: we are afraid to go to 3 * Turkish all inclusive (and, as a rule, they burn), but we have no doubt about Greek 2 * without meals. In the end, only Turkey is applicable to the concept of "five of the level of three" and "three of the level ..."
-… lying on the beach is not about you; you love to walk a lot, climb both on foot and by car to historical ruins and natural attractions
- ... horrified by anthill hotels, hate group transfers and hate being tied to the hotel, because "paid" - in short, for complete independence
-… you like the sound of such a plan: “we rent a car, look at all 28 places that are marked (and also raft to the islands), be sure to try horjatiki / moussaka / meze / kleftiko, in the evenings we relax with wine and olives”