Turkey or Greece: which is better to choose for vacation in 2019?

Greece or Turkey? We were both there and there – true, once. And since on this experience, an objective comparison is not to build, it was decided ask friends and acquaintances and delve into the forums.

And let the numbers for 2018 seem to be hinting at something:

?? Turkey – 5.9 million tourists from Russia ?? Greece – 950 thousand

… we tried to present everything as impartially as possible?

Content

1. Decisive Factor # 1
2. Decisive factor number 2
3. Flight and distances
4. Weather
5. Food prices
6. Where is cheaper to rest?
7. Excursions and attractions
8. Children’s holiday
9. Beaches, sea and resorts
10. Tell me already, where is better?

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 of a particular country. And on finishing off – are you ready to go to the nearest city, where air traffic is established? With Turkey in this There are no problems with the plan, in the summer it is everywhere and everywhere, but Greece … Thanks if once a week there are flights to Rhodes and Crete.

Ask about the tours and make sure in advance of the flight program in Greece or Turkey for 2019 can be on:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

Services analyze databases of all leading tour operators, compare offers and show the lowest possible prices – conveniently to calculate where it is cheaper.

Visa differences

Visa to Greece in a clean passport was given for six months

?? Turkey impresses with the fact that the entry for 60 days – without visas The main thing is that the passport would not act less than 4 months after arriving in the country.

?? Greece “pushes away” the need for Schengen. Without a valid insert in the abroad to take and fly tomorrow or the day after will not work. Schengen visa to Greece:

• issued by the consulate / accredited visa centers that there is not in every city
• done from 7 days after submission of documents
• worth – at best – 35 euros (consulate). For regions – from 55 euros (GVCW visa centers). For children under 6 years free

Flight and distances

Turkey or Greece – what is better tolerated, if you count the hours, held in the air? Almost equivalent.

?? 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.

Group transfer from Antalya Airport to the hotel on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast takes an hour and a half (but two or three to Alanya). But on the Aegean coast in time, maybe so much same, but shook pretty – the coastline is strongly indented.

In Greece, the farthest departures in Crete (from Heraklion airport to the resort of Paleochora in the south – 3 hours) and Halkidiki (from the airport Thessaloniki to the south of the peninsula – about 2.5 hours). On other islands Are buses shaking for no longer than an hour and a half?

Independent tourists: a question with a transfer we solve through KiwiTaxi. Especially if traveling by company. So in Greece, in Athens, the car from the airport to the hotel goes on The price of a bus ticket is 6-8 euros per person.

Where better to relax in the summer and spring? Seasons in the countries

Is the weather similar in Turkey and Greece? Not to ship by definition, where is the climate, let’s say – heat is everywhere in the summer. Note that the range of hell sensations is revealed depending on humidity.

• Humidity resorts: ?? in Turkey – all Mediterranean the sea (Side, Belek, Alanya, Fethiye, Kemer is especially “brutal”) ?? at Greece – Corfu Island and Chalkidiki
• With low, and even blown by the winds: ?? Aegean Sea (Bodrum, Marmaris, Kusadasi) ?? Kos Islands, Rhodes, Crete

The drier the easier. We rested on Rhodes in June – it was felt that the sun was burning, but the wind perfectly saved (no, leaving the water does not freeze to death). And we rested in Side in August … you can not remember these + 35 degrees days and sticky in the evening?

However, in Turkey on the Antalya coast – the most long season, early starter, in May, and late folding, in November. In Greece, Rhodes and Crete (June-October).

What to choose?

• In the spring

  By the end of April: Turkey, from Kemer to Alanya. You can swim with a stretch (+ 20 ° C), and for tanning – excellent (+ 27 ° С)

  In early May: also Turkey. From the second half it is very good there – warm and fresh

  At the end of May: both Turkey and Greece (Crete, Rhodes)

  Summer

  At the beginning of summer: any resort. The weather is comfortable everywhere but the warmest sea – Mediterranean in Turkey

  C July is very, very terribly hard: Kemer, Side, Belek, Alanya in Turkey; Corfu, Halkidiki in Greece

  Passable in July and August: Marmaris, Bodrum, Kusadasi in Turkey; Rhodes, Crete, Kos. Beach vacation in full swing, like the sun, but it’s just hot there, and it’s better than wet hot

  In the autumn

  In September: all of Turkey, except for the region of Antalya (connects after 20 numbers); all of Greece

  October and November: Mediterranean Turkey. More charters, higher degrees

  In winter

  December-February: only Turkey. What is there do? Ski, relax in the “five stars” at great prices … However, we have a separate article about the Turkish coast in winter – read?

I chose Greece! And now – which is better, Rhodes or Crete? >>

I chose Turkey! And now where – in Side or Kemer? >>

Weather by Month

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

Average air temperature (day) and water, ° С

• Mediterranean Turkey

  May + 27 / + 23

  June + 30 / + 26

  July + 33 / + 28

  August + 33 / + 29

  September + 30 / + 28

  October + 25 / + 25

  Aegean Turkey

  May + 26 / + 22

  June + 27 / + 24

  July + 32 / + 26

  August + 31 / + 27

  September + 27 / + 25

  October + 22 / + 22

  Greece – Rhodes, Crete

  May + 24 / + 21

  June + 27 / + 24

  July + 29 / + 26

  August + 29 / + 27

  September + 27 / + 26

  October + 23 / + 23

  Greece – Chalkidiki

  May + 23 / + 20

  June + 26 / + 24

  July + 29 / + 26

  August + 29 / + 27

  September + 26 / + 24

  October + 20 / + 21

  Greece – Corfu

  May + 23 / + 21

  June + 26 / + 24

  July + 28 / + 24

  August + 30 / + 27

  September + 25 / + 24

  October + 21 / + 22

Food prices

What is different in Turkey is that in 90% of cases the tourist will not try neither esogelin soup, nor balyk ekmek, nor Dondurma Traditional cuisine remains in the span, because the tourist – “all inclusive”. Yes, and we ourselves learned about local food only in Istanbul, outside the resort of Turkey.

In Greece, a different alignment. Mandatory element of the rest – search tavernas where you can get lost in the world of gyros, musaka and greek of lettuce. For the sake of justice, 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 like passion like bacon or real meat saverma in Turkey, no, you just will not find. And in Greece on the contrary, pork is cheap and is more common in taverns than hen.

So here. Imagine that you go to a completely ordinary cafe and ordering completely typical items. Compare the cost?

* 1 lira = 11 rubles € 1 = 80 rubles

Yes, in Greece it is more expensive, and in the daily budget for food it is worth laying 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. Limited to something one, well, drinks (water, by the way, free). In Turkey – its advantage: necessarily something will treat. Local snack, Turkish Delight, etc. Culture!

Consider: How much money to take to Turkey? >>

Cost of tours – where is it cheaper to rest?

What is cheaper – Turkey or Greece, if you go on tour? Many answer – the first. But we have something to counter: in June 2018, we flew to Rhodes for 25 000 rubles. In 3 * hotel. For 11 nights. ON TWO. No meals, and therefore with the cost on the site turned out 50 000 rubles. Still for two.

Good to know: Since 2018, all tourists in Greece must pay additional tax. Amount is formed per night in the room based on the star hotel: 5 stars – 4 euros 4 stars – 3 euros 3 and 2 stars – 1.5 and 0.5 euros, respectively

If we drop the Schengen (and tax) and consider the most cheap tours (for September, 7 nights, from Moscow), looms:

?? Turkey – from 43 000 rubles for two (doubtful hotel in 3 stars on all inclusive) ?? Greece – from 30 000 rubles (2 * hotel with good reviews, no power)

I want to make sure! >>

The cheapness of “package” Greece goes on and on, the price of vouchers for a week in more star hotels – below or at the level of Turkey:

All the irony – in the equivalence of hotels. Typical “Turkish” reservation – on all inclusive, with a huge territory, its sandy beach and active animation – every second request tourist. And it is most profitable to satisfy him in Turkey. (for example, in 5 * Crystal Paraiso Verde Resort & Spa for 70 000 rubles in October). In Greece, such Wishlist will be much more expensive (as in 5 * Stella Palace Resort & Spa for 120,000 rubles). What if put a check mark ultra all, it will surprise not so much a gap in price, how many choices: relatively speaking, if in ?? There are 150 such hotels, then ?? – only 10!

Найти тур >>

Why, then, go to this Greece? Going for active recreation, for autonomy. Settled in hotels without “all inc”, rent car, communicate with local. Top Assimilation – Book air tickets (from 12 000 rubles round trip per person), rent apartments near the beach (from 4000 rubles per night) and not depend on anyone!

Аat иабилеты >>Найти апартаменты >>

Excursions and attractions

Resort Alanya in Turkey / Symi Island in Greece (excursion from Rhodes) Looks like? If you choose where it is better to go – to Turkey or Greece, based on excursion component, it is more difficult. In every country equally and historical, and natural attractions, and entertainment. The only thing is that Greece is a bit more variable, and not to travel around ten times. That only cost her 1000+ islands with azure coasts!

Prices for excursions (per person):

Surprised excursion from Turkey to Greece? For such a cruise schengen not required. It is enough to arrange an island visa on the spot (photo, passport and 35 euros), and for an hour and a half on the ferry you can be on противоположном берегу (и самому проверить, где лучше).Of course, if you go from Greece to visit Turkey, no visa need to.

Please note that renting a car is a direct way to save money. excursions. But in Greece, where you can find a car for € 20-25 per day. In Turkey, for comparison, $ 35-50 per day. Accurate to the opposite is true of public transport: in Turkey trips around the city or close to the intercity will cost 5-10 lire, Greece – € 3-4.

Holidays with children – Turkey or Greece?

The next question on the agenda: Turkey or Greece – where is better with children? This is probably one of the rare moments when with an opinion most do not argue.

With a child, indeed, easier in Turkey. Club hotels concepts where the territory has everything that you wish, a lot; children’s animation (Russian-speaking!) is developed at a high level. But we would add an age gap: with a child from a year to 10 years. With those who are less-more, you can fly to Greece. First all no matter where, the main thing is mom, the second is already adults to survive trips by car / bus to attractions and food schedule?

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

– less common, but more “biting” in value all included – even on all inclusive sun beds and umbrellas on the beach can be paid. The whole coastline in Greece is municipal, therefore private sandy beaches will also have to look – infrastructure hotels, in relation to children’s recreation, scanty: to both animation, and slides, water parks, and carousels – this will offer each

+ A lot of apart-hotels and apartments with kitchen – in case it is necessary to cook + food, as it seemed to us, clearer; in the shops – quality products

Where is rest safer?

To argue about security is too subjective, more about Turkey. What does a tourist see rest on strictly limited area (hotel-beach)? Smiles, service, serene vacationers. Police, the military did not meet, but all reinforced concrete guarded.

The border between Syria and Turkey: all resorts away from her. Yes, the number of policemen has been increased, checks at airports have been strengthened and on the approaches to them. But the war has been going on for the sixth year, and the flow of tourists is only is growing. If Greece is also afraid of Syria (for example, Rhodes, which is an island bordering with Turkey, i.e. “window in Europe “for migrants), then personal experience – there are no refugees, in general. And we visited many back streets.

Thefts: it is interesting that even in Italy – on the territory of hotels, not to mention the beaches and cities – thefts are not uncommon. In this plan Turkey and Greece are much calmer.

Driving: the fact that emphasize the reviews of tourists – there is some extravagance in Turkish drivers. Lakhachat, chase, traffic? (Not no heard). In Greece, quieter – measured, with understanding. And possibly because there are more holidaymakers on the roads.

Beach holidays and the sea

I want white sand – where better to go? Turkey or Greece? Beaches and there, and there you can find sand and pebble. But the sand, alas, yellowish, not Maldivian.

It seemed to us that in Turkey it’s not so easy to stumble upon pebbles (except for Kemer and the Aegean Sea), then in Greece, on the contrary – hotel near the sandy coast you need to know where to choose. But this plus, clear water is a direct consequence of small pebbles, no muddy suspension of sand.

What other differences? In Greece, hotels do not have their own beach, for sooo rare exception. Also count on the fingers and cute Turkey’s fans’s heart’s bars on the beach (where everything’s free, if on all). But the Greek coast is more picturesque! These cozy coves and blue-blue sea – for this you can come to terms with a towel and lack of mojito?

Cost of 2 sun beds and an umbrella: in Greece, a set costs ≈ € 7; вTurkey, if you manage to get on a public or paid beach – 15 lire

Country Resorts

We give brief tips on resorts:

• Sand beach

  • • at ?? – Belek and Side
  • • at ?? – Crete (Agios Georgioupolis, Malia, Heraklion) and Rhodes (Tsambika, Lindos), Kassandra peninsula in Chalkidiki

  With kids

  • • at ?? – Belek, Side, Kemer (Tekirova), Alanya (Avsallar and Inzhekum) – in June, September-November; Bodrum, Kusadasi – in July-August
  • • at ?? – Crete (Agia Apostoli, Rethymnon, Chersonissos), Rhodes (Faliraki, Lindos), Peloponnese (Tolo)

  Hang out

  • • at ?? – Kemer, Antalya, Marmaris
  • • at ?? – Crete (Chania, Heraklion, Rethymnon), Rhodes (the city itself, Faliraki)

  Cheap

  • • at ?? – city hotels in Alanya, Antalya, Marmaris, Kemer
  • • at ?? – Kos, Rhodes, Crete

  Lots of green

  • • at ?? – Kemer, Fethiye
  • • at ?? – Chalkidiki, Corfu, Zakynthos

  Expensive-rich

  • • at ?? – Belek, Kemer (Tekirova), Bodrum
  • • at ?? – Crete (Elounda), Corfu

And what about all inclusive? Read here >>

Where is the best? Guest reviews

And what kind of vacation do you like more – lie on the beach or walking around the sights and the city? We are clearly the second ?

Most likely, you know what categorical reviews can be tourists. And when it comes to opposing one “pop” resort to another, then the quietly nascent discussion of frisky rolls into a whole battle where participants feel free to express contempt in free form. And all valuable infa is lost behind this, what could be …

In the case of Turkey and Greece, are such topics very hot? Vs the first are the “compelling” arguments in the style of “a place of low budget rest Tagil “or” puzogreyny rest in the all-combine with obziralovkoy to break gum pants. “Well, as they write about Greece something like “with the children in the heat drags themselves, looking for where to eat” “yourself prepare, wash towels “,” trudging on the public beach with some kind of mats. “In general, it is clear who it hurts.

Therefore, the opinion is to form on the facts. Which hopefully we clearly stated in each of the sections.

And to summarize, let’s do such an exemplary “who-where”:

It seems you have a turkey! if a:

– … for the first time abroad. Get familiar, look around, understand do you need on vacation “all inclusive” – … important weather and sea, yes To get hotter – at any time of the year in Turkey is warmer – … we need a lazy reboot, i.e. lounger, food and the sea, and even more so, in a luxury hotel – … you go to hang out, sunbathe, but cheap – … leave in November or in May, but you want to swim – … the budget is strictly limited, and you it is more convenient to pay for everything at once, rather than looking for establishments on the principle “and where would we eat cheap today” – … plan to fly with a child from 1 year to 10 years and hope that it will turn out and entertain and feed and buy – … you have not been there yet

View from our hotel Side Town Hotel in Side

It seems you have Greece! if a:

– … you were in Turkey and you doubt whether to return – … tour operators throw last minute trips in both directions, and you there is a Schengen Explanation: we will be afraid to go to 3 * Turkish all inclusive (and they, as a rule, burn), but we do not doubt the Greek 2 * without power supply. In the end, the concept of “five level three “and” three level … “- … lying on the beach is not about you; adore to walk a lot, climb both on foot and by car to historical ruins and natural wonders – … horrified by hotels-anthills, can not tolerate group transfer and hate to be tied to the hotel, because “paid” – in short, for complete independence – … you like the sound a similar plan: “we rent a car, we look at all 28 places that are marked (and also we float to the islands), we are sure to try horiatica / moussaka / meze / kleftiko, in the evenings we relax for wine and olives”

But if a visa for you is a completely forbidden word, then read our Other articles comparing visa-free countries: Turkey or Tunisia? Cyprus or Turkey?