Beautiful Greece – the country that launched a thousand travel Instagram captions. Yet most of what gets written under pictures of Santorini or Athens has nothing to do with Greece (see: banal quotes about pretty sunsets). What a shame, when literature has given us so many gorgeous quotes about Greece!
So here are our favorite Greek quotes, written by Greek authors, philosophers, and the occasional foreign Greek devotee.
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Where to Stay in Greece
If you’re visiting Greece any time soon, you’ll probably spend some time in Athens before moving to discover other amazing places in the country. In that case, it’s a good idea to check this accommodation guide to Athens to find the best places to stay in Greece’s capital. Check this article as well, if you’d like to book a room with unforgettable Acropolis views. Remember that booking early is always the best way to get better prices and nicer rooms! We recommend checking out Booking.com as early as possible since this is a popular time to visit. These are some of the places we suggest you check.
Budget: If you’re looking for a budget hotel in lively Monastiraki, book a stay at Fivos Hotel. Located right by Monastiraki Station, the hotel has free wifi and ensuite bathrooms. Check out prices and availability at Fivos Hotel here.
Mid-range: If you want more traditional accommodation, stay at the Kimons Athens Hotel in Plaka. The rooms are cozy and there’s a roof terrace that guests can enjoy. Check out guest reviews, prices, and availability at Kimons Athens Hotel here.
Luxury: To enjoy a bit of luxury in Monastiraki, check into the four-star Emporikon Athens Hotel on Agia Irini Square. The rooms are sophisticated and swanky, with a traditional take on comfort. Check out guest reviews, prices, and availability at Emporikon Athens Hotel here.
Our Favorite Greek Quotes & Quotes About Greece
Greece is the most magical place on Earth.
-Kylie Bax
There is a kind of flame in Crete – let us call it “soul” – something more powerful than either life or death. There is pride, obstinacy, valor, and together with these something else inexpressible and imponderable, something which makes you rejoice that you are a human being, and at the same time tremble.
-Nikos Kazantzakis
Gradually the magic of the island [Corfu] settled over us as gently and clingingly as pollen.
-Gerald Durrell
I know that each one of us travels to love alone, alone to faith, and to death. I know it. I’ve tried it. It doesn’t help. Let me come with you.
-Giannis Ritsos
Coming to Greece soon and no idea how to get from the airport to the center of Athens?
Check this convenient airport transfer service
Experts in ancient Greek culture say that people back then didn’t see their thoughts as belonging to them. When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love. Now people hear a commercial for sour cream potato chips and rush out to buy, but now they call this free will. At least the ancient Greeks were being honest.
–Chuck Palahniuk
I want to have an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ experience where I drop off the face of the planet and move to Greece.
-Jennifer Hyman
Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean sea.”
Alcohol makes other people less tedious, and food less bland, and can help provide what the Greeks called entheos, or the slight buzz of inspiration when reading or writing.
-Christopher Hitchens
I want to see the Parthenon by moonlight.
-Daphne Du Maurier
Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.
-Socrates
In many ways we are all sons and daughters of ancient Greece.
-Nia Vardalos
Greece was a muse. It inspired creativity in magical ways that I can’t even begin to understand or explain.
-Joe Bonamassa
Greece has got something like 1,400 islands. There is so much of Greece you can’t know even if you’re Greek. It’s sprinkled out all around the edge of the Aegean, all over the place. It’s already a secret place wherever you go, even if it’s somewhere huge like Athens or Corinth. The place enchanted me.
-Joanna Lumley
You can’t swing a cat in Ancient Greece without hitting one of Zeus’s ex-girlfriends.
-Rick Riordan
Greece gave democracy to the rest of the world.
-Alexis Tsipras
We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.
-Aristotle Onassis
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We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their root in Greece.
-Percy Bysshe Shelley
Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.
-Archimedes
Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
-Aristotle
Experience, travel – these are as education in themselves.
-Euripides
On a summer night, I have sat on the balcony drinking Ouzo, watching the ghosts of Greek Heroes sailing past, listening to the rustle of their sail cloths and the gentle lapping of their oars
-Phil Simpkin
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In a way, it’s nice to know that there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong.
-Rick Riordan
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Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.
-Nikos Kazantzakis
At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.
-Plato
Wisdom begins in wonder.
-Socrates
5 Things to Bring with You to Greece
We’re working on our full list of what to pack for Greece, but here are five things you want to bring with you!
The Lonely Planet Greece: a good guidebook can help you with the kinds of tips you need if you’re out exploring Greece and feel a bit lost, especially if you don’t have internet or a cell signal. These also have recommendations for the major sites in Greece, which will come in handy if you’ll be visiting more than one Greek city or island.
Unlocked Cell Phone: Allison and I both have unlocked cell phones that we bought in Europe (I use a Samsung and she uses an iPhone). This allows up to get sim cards when we travel so that we always have the internet. Being able to pick up a Greek sim card for around ten Euros is a great way to stay connected while you’re here.
If you don’t have an unlocked cell phone that can use a Greek sim card, you can buy a cheaper unlocked phone online and bring it with you!
Pacsafe Citysafe or Other Anti-Theft Bag: This is the bag both Allison and I use (and they also make men’s versions). It has a pouch with RFID technology so our credit cards can’t get scanned from afar, interlocking zippers to make it harder to pickpocket, and it’s roomy enough to be a perfect sightseeing day bag. If you’d rather bring something smaller, you can pack a money belt instead.
This is especially handy in Athens where tourist sites are crammed and anyone who looks like an obvious tourist is a potential target.
Grayl Water Filter: Being on the road means staying hydrated. If you want to avoid having to buy lots of single-use plastic water bottles, bring a reusable one with you. If you’re concerned about drinking the local tap water (or you don’t love the taste) grab one with a reusable water filter built right in.
Seabands: If you get seasick easily, pack some Seabands or seasickness pills so you can go island hopping without getting sick. A trip to Greece isn’t complete without at least one day spent in the islands, so make sure you’re prepared to enjoy it to the fullest!
Greece Travel Resources
Headed to Greece? We have some great travel resources to help you with your trip. First read our guide to planning a trip to Greece, which covers visas, budgets, vaccines, and much more. We also have a Balkan currency guide that explains how money works in Greece and local tipping customs.
If you are still trying to figure out your itinerary, check out our guides on where to go in Greece and when is the best time to visit. We also have a guide to the best Greek souvenirs to bring back with you.
If you’ll be spending time in Athens, check out our Athens Instagram Guide, the best Athens day trips, and our complete Athens hotel guide.
We publish new content about the Balkans almost every day! For more information about traveling to Greece and the Balkans, bookmark our Greece and Balkan travel pages so you can find out what’s new before your trip.
Finally, Make Sure You Come to Athens with Travel Insurance
I’m sure you’re aware that it’s a good idea to have travel insurance for traveling in Greece, the Balkans, or anywhere in the world!
Stephanie and I have both been paying customers of World Nomads for the last three years. We love the peace of mind it gives us in case of emergencies, accidents, illnesses, theft, or trip cancellation or disruption.
While Athens is safe, there’s always a risk inherent in everyday travel like theft or injury, so it’s better to play it safe. The saying goes “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel,” and we think it’s true!
Pin this Post of Greece Quotes & Greece Instagram Captions for Your Trip
Stephanie has been living in and traveling around the Balkans for the past three years. She’s written for National Geographic Online, appeared on CNN Arabic and in the New York Times, and ridden more Balkan buses than is good for a person.
