As one of the world’s most loved holiday destinations, Greece holidays offer a culturally rich experience, and of course, beaming sunshine. Known for its incredible olive harvests, slow pace of life, passionate people and rich history and culture, the country’s 227 inhabited islands are all ripe for exploration.

Greece is blessed with 2,000 registered islands, of which more than 200 are inhabited. The truly fascinating thing about these islands is each and every one of them has their own unique culture, which is a result of their importance to the various Greek empires in classical eras.

The island of Corfu, for example, is heavily influenced by nearby Italy due to its past Venetian occupation and humid climate. Whereas Crete, which is far west of the mainland, is very much its own culture, with different social etiquette and community values to many of the other islands.

The differences extend to little islands like Lesvos too, whose proximity to the Middle East makes it a much more cosmopolitan area, with particularly strong influence drawn from Turkey.

One thing all the islands share is a laid-back attitude. A Greek does things at his or her own pace, and by and large will not rush, panic or compromise unless necessary. If we’re being candid, it sounds a pretty good way to live, right?

Across the Greek islands you’ll enjoy hot summers with average August temperatures of 29°C, and mild winters of around 10°C – it does vary between islands. In the shoulder seasons between April to June, and September to October, cheap Greece holidays are certainly a winner, still offering temperatures around 20°C, but with much less crowds and much cheaper prices.

Explore Greece with ease

Greece’s sprawling landscape is incredibly diverse, with everything from snowy mountains to sun-kissed beaches, and secluded islands to bustling cities, all within easy reach of each other. Travelling between all these locations is generally very cheap and easy, with coaches running regularly for tourists and locals alike, and regular ferry connections. Greece holidays offer ample opportunity for exploration and adventure seekers.

Hop between Mykonos, Santorini and Naxos to see those iconic white buildings with blue domes, or Corfu, Zakynthos and Lefkas for rolling green hills and charming natural beauty. Plus, keen hikers will love Samos with it’s abundance of natural trails,

On the other hand of course, party revelers will love Malia with its world renowned nightlife scene, and similarly, Kos offering activities of all kinds both day and night is just as popular a pick.

Cheap holidays to Greece can still be filled with exploring the islands and it doesn’t have to drain the bank. Simply lay down your towel for the day on a new beach and soak up it’s beautiful surroundings, or wander quaint streets and take in all the history and culture in a town like Corfu Town.

Incredible local cuisine

The climate in Greece yields ingredients that are juicier, richer and larger than almost anywhere else in Europe and the menus certainly reflect this. With a culinary tradition that is based on simple ingredients of meats, fish, cheese, vegetables and herbs, all of which are found in British food but taste nothing like anything you’ve ever eaten back home.

Our holidays to Greece offer you the chance to experience traditional Greek restaurants which are also known as tavernas, and these specialise in all the classics – Moussaka, Stifado, Kalamari and Souvlaki are top of the list to try.

For breakfast, try a spinach or feta pastry and wash it down with a fresh iced coffee. Lunch is a cheap but delicious lamb wrap from a street vendor, and for dinner, a hearty meat and tomato stew or an entire swordfish, washed down with ouzo or retsina, and baclava for dessert.

You’ll tend to find that prices in Greece are similar to those at home – or slightly cheaper. This means there’s no need to stress about dining out, cheap Greece holidays are more than doable if you set yourself a bit of a budget based on how much you’d spend usually. Even if you’re staying All Inclusive, the affordability of Greece holidays means an evening or two out could certainly be on the agenda.

Of course, after a satisfying and delicious meal, it’s time to check out Greece’s famous nightlife.

A beach lifestyle

The sheer amount of islands to choose from with holidays to Greece is outdone only by the amount of beaches. On every island you will find the popular resorts with loungers and parasols galore, as well as a simply beautiful view. However, just down the road you’ll stumble across your very own strip of paradise, in the form of a secluded cove for you and your travelling companions to relax on, away from anybody else – like your own private beach!

From beach parties to scuba-diving hotspots, energising sunrises to sleepy sunsets, you’ll find there’s a beach out there with your name written in its sand. Plus, with great tourist coach services on most islands, you’ll find it easy to dart between them at your leisure. The great thing about Greece holidays is that you can stay in your favourite spot all holiday long, or you can try new places and explore new scenery each day.

Corfu’s coastline is blessed with over 50 beautiful beaches, all of which edged with luscious greenery. Rhodes’s beaches offer a huge variety with one spot offering an expansive area of golden sand and the next a secluded rocky cove – windsurfing and kite surfing are popular picks in Rhodes too. For beaches full of action, watersports and amenities hit the shores of Zante, where come day or night, it’s the place to be.

It's all ancient history

Of course, Greece is most famous for its classical heritage, its rich and fascinating ancient history. It is said Greeks were the inventors of theatre, democracy, court systems, philosophy, the Olympics – and even screws. As such, our contemporary society is literally built on things that Greece thought up, and the proof is in the pudding once you get there. On holiday in Greece you’ll be astounded with the variety and number of things to do, see and learn about – you’ll probably have to come back again to complete it all!

Marvel for hours in the marble towers, forts, temples that have been crumbled over time and through wars waged throughout Greece’s history. Every island has its unique story to tell, and history lovers will be itching to visit each and every one to see just how it fits into the astonishing story of Ancient Greece – a story you could become a part of by visiting today. Across the Greek islands, many of the important historic sites are either free or extremely affordable to visit and wander around, meaning you can see a lot, without spending a lot.

Exploring historic sites may not be for everyone, but that’s not all Greece has to offer. There’s fun waterparks throughout Greece great for family days out, all of which can usually be booked in advance to make savings, plus, there’s markets to practice your bartering and haggling skills to take home a charming souvenir. There’s something for everyone with our cheap Greece holidays and despite a smaller budget, there’s no limit as to what you could get up to.