Where to buy in Greece

Greece offers overseas buyers an amazing range of geographies, climates and lifestyles to choose from. For a start, it has well over 200 inhabited islands — and each is different. Even within the same island groups, the geography can be strikingly varied.

While it’s only a medium-sized country, 80% of it is mountainous and barely inhabited. It has a total area just over half the size of the UK, yet with just a sixth of the population. And all those islands provide a Mediterranean coastline five times longer than Spain’s and twice as long as Italy’s.

A good start is to divide your options into mainland and island groups. Come with us as we take a tour of the country to find where to buy in Greece:

Mainland

• Athens and Attica
• Peloponnese
• Central Greece

Islands

• Ionian islands
  • Corfu
  • Kefalonia
  • Ithica
• Cyclades
  • Mykonos
  • Santorini
  • Paros
  • Andros
• Crete
• Dodecanese
  • Kos
  • Lesbos
  • Rhodes
• Sporades and Evia
• Argo-Saronic islands

Athens and Attica

Athens, with an urban population of three million, is the oldest western capital city and one of the grandest. Athens has had a chequered history over recent years. It spruced up confidently for the 2004 Olympics, took a downturn after the financial crash, but is thriving once more. Since 2019, the Greek economy has grown at almost double the rate of the eurozone.

Athens international airport is the best connected in the country, with year-round frequent and inexpensive flights to Europe, China, Israel and the USA.

Athens

Known as the cradle of western civilisation, Athens is home to over 3,000 years of history. Buy here and you’ll have the most famous ancient site in the Western world — the Acropolis — on your doorstep.

Life in contemporary Athens is equally interesting. For a start, the vibrant nightlife in its hip bars and cafes gives the city an infectious energy. Check out the picturesque Palaka neighbourhood to enjoy cobbled streets, boutiques, period architecture and sunny piazzas. Located near the Acropolis is the sleepy hillside village of Anafiotika — an urban slice of Cycladic island life, with its labyrinth of alleyways connecting whitewashed houses. Metaxourgiou is fast gaining a reputation for offering a cool alternative to more traditional areas, with its art galleries and trendy food joints.

The best bit is property in Athens — typically apartments — is often cheaper than other European capital cities like Lisbon, Madrid, Berlin, Vienna and Paris.

Athens Riviera

The Athens Riviera (also called the Apollo Coast) stretches from the southern suburbs of Athens down to the coast of Cape Sounio. It is a great place to look if you are after the convenience and bustle of city living, the country’s best-connected airport but would also like to be by the sea.

Glyfada is a glitzy, modern seaside resort with gorgeous beaches, yachts and a celebrity clientele. Voula and Kavouri have a similar vibe to Glyfada. Vouliagmenis, famous for its beautiful lake, is a refined holiday resort with upscale hotels, surrounded by pine forests. Next door you’ll find Varkiza with a fisherman’s harbour, sandy beaches and a nice promenade. Lagonissi and Saronida are also excellent areas to look for a home. Property prices vary across the Riviera: homes in Glyfada command high prices while Varkiza has more of a suburban feel and prices.

Corinth and the Peloponnese

Corinth

The modern town of Corinth is the gateway to the Peloponnese. Corinth is about 80 kilometres west of Athens, at the eastern side of the Gulf of Corinth. The modern town has wide, pedestrianised streets lined with palm trees, as well as plenty of shops and cafes.

There are beaches in the villages of Kalamia, Kantare and Kato Assos beach. The main attraction is the Gulf of Corinth, which impresses people with its sheer size. Plus, five kilometres southwest of the modern town, you’ll find the archaeological site of ancient Corinth.

Look into the following villages: Vrachati, Velo, Kiato and Xylokastro for a laidback lifestyle and easy beach access. As it is not home to established seaside resorts like the Athens Riviera, property in Corinth is considerably more affordable. Corinth is a great choice for buyers interested in an older home, but it has less options for those after new builds and luxury properties.

The Peloponnese

The Peloponnese region in southern mainland Greece has an impressive historic pedigree, both mythological and sporting. BY legend, not only are Hercules, Paris of Troy and the Argonauts all linked to the peninsula, it’s the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The region is home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Mythological charms aside, the Peloponnese has a diverse landscape where snow-capped mountains and vast gorges sweep down to sandy beaches lapped by crystal clear waters. Nafpilo, a popular holiday destination with Athenians, is a picturesque port town. It has neoclassical homes on its waterfront and a Venetian fortress overlooking the town.

Central Greece

It’s never very hard to escape the tourist side of Greece, but the central mainland of Greece feels like little has changed for hundreds of years. It’s rural, with the vast plain of Thessaly filled with wheat fields, cattle farms and orchards, surrounded by mountains, forests and the sea. It’s here that you see monasteries built on outrageously high cliffs. Houses are inexpensive, built from the local red stone, usually half timbered. You are in deepest Greece here, more like the rest of the Balkan region to which Greece belongs. The region can be cold and wet with heavy snowfall.

There are coastal resorts too. On the Aegean coast consider the Pelion peninsula. It’s a little pricey, but relatively easy to each via the port and airport at Volos. On the Ionian coast, the resort of Parga is famous for its beauty.

Ionian islands

The seven main Ionian islands include the ever-popular Corfu and the increasingly popular Kefalonia. Being the closest part of Greece to the UK, the Ionian islands offer the option of travelling overland via France and Italy and then by ferry.

Corfu

Corfu has a long tradition of welcoming British expats — most famously the Durrell family in the 1930s. Corfu isn’t a big island, around 20 miles wide at its widest point and 40 miles long, north to south. Corfu Town has an attractive Italianate waterfront while the northwest corner of the island’s nickname “Kensington On Sea” may give you an idea of the usual clientele and prices there.

During the summer there are flights to Corfu galore, although in winter they are much more restricted and usually involve a flight via Athens or Thessaloniki. There are also ferry services from the Greek mainland and the Italian coast.

Kefalonia

Kefalonia and its small sister island Ithaca sit in the Ionian Sea, just off the coast of Aetolia in Western Greece. Kefalonia is only around 300 square miles in total, with a low population density; and Ithaca is just 37 square miles.

They’re known for their spectacular beaches — you’ve probably seen Myrtos in countless travel brochures. Kefalonia’s other attractions are the Melissani Lake and Cave are a popular sight. All around the island, you’ll find poppy fields, giving a red burst of colour to the landscape. Argostoli, the capital, has a vibrant harbour, shops and restaurants.

Ithaca

Ithaca may be smaller than Kefalonia, but it occupies a big place in Greek mythology. It was supposedly once home to Odysseus, hero of the Odyssey. You can easily reach it within forty minutes by ferry from Sami in Kefalonia. The island’s divided into two main areas, connected by a narrow isthmus. Vathi, in the south is the capital. In the north, the largest village is Stavros.

A home in Kefalonia or Ithaca would suit those looking for a slower pace of life. Public transport is unreliable, there are not a huge number of supermarkets to choose from, and there are no international schools. Another thing to consider is the possibility of earthquakes, the last major one was in the 1950s, but it still pays to be careful. Most local homes are built with a steel-reinforced concrete shell for extra safety. Do make sure that any property you’re viewing or renovating has one. Summer here in the Ionian islands is glorious and winter is mild, but it can still get chilly and rainy. Some houses don’t have damp-proofing, so, again, do double-check.

Cyclades islands

In the centre Aegean Sea, you find the 30 Cyclades islands. The Cyclades offer a wide choice, from the wild summertime hedonism of Mykonos and Ios to the breathtaking beauty (and crowds) of Santorini or the quiet charm of Syros.

This group of islands in the central Aegean is easy to reach from Athens by ferry or plane, or direct flights run from some European destinations into Mykonos and Santorini.

The islands are mobbed in summer and quiet in winter, although not completely closed down. The busier islands have some of Greece’s most expensive property, but they also offer the best holiday rental returns.

Mykonos

Mykonos is idealised for its white-washed houses with blue roofs, perfectly mirroring its white sandy beaches and azure seas. If you are looking for a classy seaside home but also great nightlife, look no further than Mykonos. Mykonos is easily accessible from mainland Greece, with a five-hour ferry trip or a 25 minute flight from Athens.

The island has a typical Mediterranean climate, with around 300 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures can rise as high as 40⁰C in the summer, with the hot, dry “meltemi” wind blowing off the sea. In the winter, the average high temperature is 15⁰C and frost very rare. Although mild, the weather will occasionally be wet.

In Mykonos, the west coast is where all the action happens. Here you’ll find the most desirable areas to own a home, including Mykonos Town, also known as Chora. It has an ancient harbour and the picturesque ‘Little Venice’ quarter. Other hotspots on this coastline include Agios Lazaros, Agia Sofia, Tourlos and Houlakia. Set back a bit from the jetsetters, gay-friendly Elia has the island’s longest beach. Platis Gialos is one of the oldest resorts on the island and is a more chilled option.

Santorini

Santorini, formed after an enormous volcanic eruption, is known as one of the most romantic islands of Greece.

The island is one of the most beautiful in Greece, if not the world, with white-washed houses, centuries of historical architecture and its unique beaches – its volcanic landscape means you can often find black pebbled beaches, and its famous Red Beach.

Its popularity and beauty means that Santorini is one of the more expensive parts of Greece to buy property.

Crete

Crete has traditionally been one of the most popular parts of Greece with overseas buyers, thanks to its climate, cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes. It is the southernmost part of the country and the biggest island in Greece. It is superb for spending days by the beach or exploring the various sights and places from the island’s rich history, from the Minoan civilisation to the foundations of Ancient Greece.

Dodecanese islands

The most south easterly and sunniest islands in Greece include the tourist favourite Rhodes, which has a good choice of tourist style apartments in hedonistic spots like Faliraki, but also attractive village properties. Other islands in the group include Kos, increasingly popular among buyers for its year-round warmth and sunshine. Kalymnos is easy to reach by boat from Kos and has an attractive port, while Karpathos is famous for its beaches and has an airport.

Sporades and Evia

Skopelos, where Mamma Mia! was filmed, remains relatively unspoiled and is known for its traditional stone farmhouses, kalyvia, used during harvest time. Skiathos is a popular holiday resort, easily accessible in summer.

Skopelos lacks an airport but can be reached via Skiathos airport and a 15-minute water taxi. Alternatively, year-round access is possible via Athens or Thessaloniki and a ferry from Agios Konstantinos or Volos. The island, about 25 km long, offers beautiful walks through green hills, orchards, and forests, with the Mediterranean shimmering in the distance.

Evia, a large island reachable by car from Athens in under two hours, has quiet seaside resorts and attractive inland villages, popular with Athenians. The north is more appealing than the drier south.

Argo-Saronic islands

The islands closest to Athens are busy all year and have relatively expensive property. But their convenience for Athenians is just as useful for the rest of us off-season, when flights and ferries to further-flung islands are limited. Aegina is the most convenient from Athens at around an hour by sea, depending on your choice of vessel. The interior is green and mountainous, and the beaches are especially nice. The islands of Hydra and Spetses are car free and among the most expensive in Greece.