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Greece has become one of the favourite summer destinations for families from the Gulf: the flight from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha is about five hours, the sea is clear and warm, and Athens and Santorini together make a holiday that mixes history, beaches and beautiful views.
When to go
The best months are May, June, September and early October. The sea is warm, the days are long and the islands are calmer than in July and August. In mid-summer Athens can be very hot, so plan the sights for the early morning.
How many nights?
For a first trip, a week works well: three nights in Athens and four on Santorini. In Athens you visit the Acropolis and its museum, walk in Plaka and watch the sunset at Cape Sounion. On Santorini you take a boat trip around the volcano, see Oia and relax at the hotel. Between the two, the flight takes 45 minutes.
The visa
Greece is in the Schengen area. Most Gulf passports need a Schengen visa; if Greece is the country where you spend the most nights, apply to the Greek embassy or its visa centre. Citizens of the UAE do not need a visa for short stays. Read our Schengen visa guide for the documents.
Halal food and prayer
Meat is not halal by default in Greece. In Athens you find Arab, Turkish and Pakistani restaurants with halal grills around Omonia, and the official Athens Mosque opened in 2020. On Santorini halal meat is rare: fish, seafood and Greek vegetable dishes are the easy choice, and some villas can arrange a private chef.
Our tip: on Santorini many cliff hotels have long staircases. With small children or elderly parents, choose a hotel with few steps, a villa with a private pool, or a beach hotel in Kamari.
Where to stay
- Athens: Syntagma or Plaka to walk everywhere, or the Athens Riviera for a beach resort 30 minutes from the city.
- Santorini: Imerovigli or Oia for the caldera views, Fira to be central, Kamari for a flat beach area.
Can we organise it for you?
Yes. We book the hotels, the flight or ferry to Santorini, all airport transfers, a private driver in Athens and the caldera boat trip, with help in Arabic on WhatsApp during the trip.
Athens city guideThings to do, hotels we recommend, halal restaurants, tours and tips.
