The Best Tips for Traveling to Greece with Mobility Problems

Greece is a popular destination on many people’s bucket list. If you have mobility problems, you may be wondering if Greece is a viable choice to visit given the challenges it presents for wheelchair users people with limited mobility. In this post, I’ll give you my tips for traveling to accessible Greece and important information you should know.

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Is Greece Wheelchair Accessible?

Since Greece and its islands are largely built on ancient volcanoes, the terrain will be difficult to navigate when you have mobility problems.  There are many steps along walkways and lots of cobblestones as well.  For the best experience, use an accessible travel agent to help you plan your trip and who can organize wheelchair accessible tours in Greece.

How to Visit Greece with Mobility Problems

If you don’t want to use an accessible travel agency to help you plan your trip to Greece, I highly recommend you consider going on a cruise to see this region. Cruises will offer accessible accommodations, places to eat and entertainment for a reasonable price.  They will also allow you to see more of the country without having to worry about additional flights or using a ferry.   

For more information on planning an accessible cruise, check out my post here. 

5 Tips for Traveling to Greece with Mobility Problems

 1. Plan, Plan, Plan! 

A challenging trip such as this is possible but requires a lot of advanced planning to make your dreams a reality.  Certain destinations within Greece will be more accessible than others and depending on your abilities, some may not be accessible at all.  It’s best to know what the challenges will be in advance and what is needed to see the sights/places you are interested in. 

For example, if you want to see Santorini, and are cruising, you’ll need to be able to tender.  Some cruise lines have roll-on tender systems, but they still have a weight limit.  You will also need to do your research on which lines or more specifically, ships, have this system.  Holland America cruise line claims to have a roll-on system or lift to assist people in tendering on all but one of their ships (the Volendam).   

To help give you an idea of what there is to see and do in Greece, check out my other blog post detailing what I did on my trip there here. 

2.  Be Prepared to Pay for an Accessible Trip to Greece. 

Unfortunately, accessible travel is typically more expensive than traditional travel… sometimes costing twice as much or more!  A cruise to Greece will have you most likely relying on booking accessible tours to see the sights in many destinations.  These will add up quick. 

My advice to help keep costs down is, first, see if there are any discounts through tour providers for booking multiple excursions through them.  Second, join your cruise roll call on cruise critic and see if is anyone else on the cruise that may be interested in sharing your private excursion (which will help divide the price among more people). 

If you haven’t used cruise critic before, there is a forum for every cruise sailing so that you can meet other people that will be on your cruise.  I have made some great new friends this way.  There is also a whole forum dedicated to cruising for the differently abled.  You can also check out my post on cruising on a budget.

For other ways to save money on your next vacation, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter and I’ll send you my tips for free. 

3. Compare Accessible Tours and Prices. 

Since Greece is such a popular destination within Europe, there are multiple companies that provide accessible tours.  Each company may offer different options as far as what you’ll see and how much it will cost.  Pick the tour that seems most interesting to you and that will fit your budget.   

Some of the companies offering accessible tours to Greece are Sage Travel, Disabled Accessible Travel, Get Your Guide and sometimes even Viator.   

4. Know Your Prioritizes. 

Due to the challenging terrain, this trip may take more out of you while you are sightseeing.  I recommend prioritizing what you would like to see and do, while also giving yourself time to rest and recoup.  At the end, you don’t necessarily want to have to take a vacation from your vacation. 

I can be guilty of this one.  I tend to treat each place I visit as if it will be my only time there.  As a result, I tend to pack in as much as possible so I can experience “it all”.  Since my endurance is limited, I can get overly tired and then not enjoy the things I have planned.   

To help with this, I try to look for cruises that have built-in sea days.  Sea days force me to slow down a little and relax.  This way, when I get to the next port, I’ll be more rested and ready to explore.  I also do my best to try to not overpack too many activities in one day…. I’m working on being more realistic in my expectations of myself! 

5. Consider Using a Travel Agent that Specializes in Accessible Travel. 

If all this talk of planning and challenges intimidate you, then one option that may help take some of the stress out of the equation is to consider using a travel agent.  The caveat being, make sure to use a travel agent that specializes in accessible travel.  

They can help with appropriate hotel and cruise line recommendations.  It is possible that they may even be able to do some research for you on accessible excursions or other options.  They can also help with arranging equipment rentals and accessible transfers from airports etc.   

Generally, it should not cost more to use a travel agent as they work on commission, but sometimes, using an agent specializing in accessible travel will add an additional fee.  I recommend talking to a couple of different agents and comparing what they have to offer as well as the price they are quoting.   

You do not have to use a travel agent in your area or even state.  So, if you find an agent you really like that happens to live on the other side of the country, the only issue you will have is getting used to the time zone differences to contact them.   

Recap on Tips for Traveling to Accessible Greece

There you have it, my 5 tips for traveling to Greece with mobility problems.  I hope this helps you plan your dream trip to Greece!