Travelling to Greece this year? Know all these rules for tourists

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Home to around 6,000 islands and a whopping 13,000 km of Mediterranean coast, Greece has long been a go-to for beach holidays. Travellers flock to Greece also for its ancient-history-filled city breaks in Athens and other parts of Greece mainland.

Greece recorded about 13.5 million inbound travellers during the first half (January–June) of 2026. This represents a 15.4% increase over the same period in 2025. Greece has introduced new rules for tourists, digital border tracking, and environmental protections to combat overtourism and protect coastal areas. The goal is to better specify where and how tourist-related development takes place, and to redirect resources to lesser-known areas.

So, if you are travelling to Greece in 2026, read on for all the new norms for tourists as well as existing ones.

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Page Contents

Border and Entry Changes

1. Entry/Exit system (EES)

The EU’s digital Entry/Exit System is operational since April 2026, replacing manual passport stamps with biometric facial scans and fingerprint tracking at external Schengen borders. All non-EU visitors (including those from the US, UK, and Australia) are subject to this. It permanently replaces traditional manual passport stamping. First-time visitors to the EU under the new system have to register passport information and biometrics, including a facial scan and fingerprints.

Airport chaos due to the new digital border system across Europe

However, this digital border system designed to track non-EU citizens, caused long waits at airports across Europe. Athens International Airport has faced severe congestion and and long lines at non-Schengen passport control due to EES during peak summer travel season. Greece is one of the 9 Schengen countries have been allowed to delay full implementation of the EU’s Entry/Exit System to maintain the flow of passengers at their borders.

2. ETIAS status

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for visa-exempt travelers is delayed and not active yet. It has been pushed to an unknown date in 2027.

Taxes on Tourists

1. Overnight Accommodation Tax

This fee replaces the older bed tax and applies per night to hotels, rental properties, and Airbnb stays. Rates change depending on the season and the official rating of the property. For High Season (March–October), the overnight accommodation tax ranges from €2 to €15 per night for hotels depending on star ratings, and up to €8 per night for short-term/vacation rentals.

2. Cruise Passenger Tax

Cruise travelers to Santorini must pay a arrival fee

To combat over-tourism on heavily visited islands, cruise travelers disembarking at Greek ports must pay a targeted arrival fee. Santorini and Mykonos have imposed a €20 per passenger tax during peak summer months (June–September), dropping to €12 in shoulder months (April–May, October) and €4 during the low season.

Over-tourism and Zoning Regulations

1. Tourist zoning framework

Greece has implemented a new zoning system splitting destinations into zones to limit bed capacities and visitor numbers. The country is divided into 5 distinct spatial categories based on tourism intensity, population ratios, and environmental pressures. Saturated hotspots like high-pressure islands of Santorini and Mykonos face the strictest limits, including caps on new hotel beds.

2. Strict coastal rules

Building is banned within 25 meters of the shoreline on certain beaches, and steep fines apply for removing natural items like sand or shells from protected beaches.

3. Site caps

Book the Acropolis timed entry slot ticket early

To prevent overcrowding and protect ancient monuments, Greece enforces daily and hourly visitor caps at its major archaeological sites. Popular historic sites like the Acropolis in Athens maintain strict daily visitor caps of maximum daily visitors of 20,000 (there are maximum numbers assigned for hourly slots as well).

Other popular sites such as Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, Epidaurus that make for easy day trips from Athens also have daily caps. As does the Knossos Palace on Crete island.

Archaeological and Historical Site Rules

1. No high heels

Wearing stilettos or high heels is banned at ancient monuments like the Acropolis to prevent permanent damage to ancient marble. In any case, we walked quite a lot in Athens each day, so flat, comfortable shoes were one of the important items in my Greece packing list.

2. No gum or food

Chewing gum, eating, or bringing sugary drinks inside historic ruins and ancient theaters is illegal and leads to fines. Dropping gum onto ancient stone leaves permanent chemical stains and ruins the historic surfaces.

Delphi is one of the most popular day trips from Athens. — Respect the ancient sites when visiting

Remember this is relevant not just for ancient ruins in Athens, but also if you take a day trip to Delphi or explore other historical sites on the mainland or or the islands. Only bottled water is permitted.

3. Hands off artifacts

Touching statues, climbing on ruins, or taking “souvenir” rocks/stones is strictly prohibited and treated as the theft of antiquities.

4. Drone bans

Flying a drone over or near archaeological sites without a special permit is highly illegal and heavily policed.

Public Conduct and Local Laws

1. Restricted photography

Taking photos or videos of military bases, border installations, or police personnel is illegal and can result in espionage charges.

2. Vaping and smoking restrictions

Smoking and vaping are banned in indoor public spaces, bars, and restaurants (€500 fine). Smoking in a car with a child under 12 incurs a penalty up to €1,500.

3. No laughing gas

The recreational use, purchase, or possession of nitrous oxide (laughing gas balloons from street vendors) is a serious criminal offense.

4. Quiet hours

Be careful of excessive noise during late hours in Athens

Mandatory quiet hours apply during the afternoon and nighttime; excessive noise can lead to steep fines or imprisonment.

5. Plumbing etiquette

Do not flush toilet paper down toilets in most Greek buildings; use the provided waste bins next to the toilet.

Greece’s government is not discouraging tourism – just trying to reshape and better manage it. Greek authorities continue to emphasise that preserving the country’s archaeological heritage is a shared responsibility, ensuring that iconic monuments remain protected for future generations.