Travelling to Greece - what you need

It's easy to overlook something as you’re planning your holiday. Here are a few questions that our customers have posted to help you plan your holiday and arrange the right holiday insurance.

What travel documents do I need?

If you are a citizen of the EU you will not need a visa but you will need a passport or valid national identification card.

These are the only forms of acceptable ID. Bank cards, utility bills, or your driving licence may be enough ID to get a missed parcel from the sorting office but they will not get you into Greece.

If you are not an EU citizen you will need your passport and possibly a visa, depending on where you come from. You can obtain a Greek visa through your nearest Greek consulate.

What medical travel insurance do I need?

Top of the list of travel insurance FAQs from those people planning a trip to Greece is usually the question of whether they need additional cover if they hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The answer to this is usually yes. This is because the card will only allow you access to state-provided healthcare at a reduced charge or for free and it will not cover the costs if you need to be returned to your home country.

You may think that you would like to be on holiday forever, but if you are ill you will probably long for nothing more than to be close to home.

Try to find an IKA-ETAM dentist or doctor, who is part of Greece's biggest Social Security Organisation, if you do need treatment. You will need to show your EHIC.

You can go to a private practitioner but you will have to pay all costs and present your EHIC. You must keep your receipts and you should be able to claim these charges back from Greek authorities at a later date.

If you are referred by an IKA-ETAM doctor to a public clinic or hospital, you should ask for what is known as a 'ticket'. This is the proof that you are entitled to healthcare. If you do not have one of these you must present your EHIC when you are admitted and ask a member of hospital staff to contact the IKA office.

What travel vaccinations do I need?

You should ensure that any inoculations you need for life in Britain are up-to-date and you may want to consider vaccines for hepatitis B, tetanus, and tick-borne encephalitis, although this will depend on where exactly you are travelling and what you will be doing.

Protect yourself from irritating mosquito bites by using an insect repellent and covering up arms and legs, particularly after sunset, but there should be no malaria risk unless you are travelling to the Laconia district or the area of the Evrotas delta.