Direct flights to Greece from the United States and Canada will begin a lot earlier and end later this year, as Greece aims to extend its tourism season for 2022.
Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias this week announced that direct flights from the United States to Greece will begin on March 7, earlier than any other year.
Following a meeting with US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt at the Ministry, Kikilias also revealed that this summer American Airlines will operate 14 direct flights every week between eight large US airports and Athens International Airport.
“This amounts to a vote of confidence in our country by a key market, which adds high value to Greek tourism,” said Minister Kikilias.
Direct flights from Canada to Athens will also launch on April 2nd. This was announced by the Greek Tourism Ministry on Wednesday, following a meeting between Minister Kikilias and Canadian Ambassador Mark Allen.
The direct flights from Canada will extend to the end of November for the first time, which is also part of the Tourism Ministry’s aim to extend the tourism season in the country.
Kikilias emphasised that more international visitors from the United States and Canada are expected in Greece in 2022, following the recent lifting of mandatory coronavirus tests for fully vaccinated Americans, Canadians and Australians (which came into effect on February 12, 2022).
Greece is gearing up for what is expected to be an outstanding year in travel for the entire country.
The Greek Tourism Ministry is anticipating the sector will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, as officials are working closely with industry leaders to ensure it’s a record year across the board.
In 2019, over 33 million visitors arrived in Greece, up from 24 million in 2015, making it one of the most visited countries in Europe and the world.
And according to Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias, this year will see a booming comeback with new projects including upgrading important tourism infrastructure, setting up a crisis management task force, and new training programs for tourism professionals.
The Ministry also stressed the importance of highlighting Greece as a year-round destination, extending the tourism season, promoting lesser-known destinations, attracting higher-quality tourists, promoting cruise travel, attracting tourism investment, as well as focusing on sustainable tourism practices.
So far, the government has approved projects including upgrades to tourist ports, development of winter and mountain tourism, development of wellness and health tourism, training programs for tourism employees, agri-food and gastronomy tourism, diving and underwater tourism as well as making beaches more accessible to those with disabilities.
According to trade publication Travel Pulse, a recent survey by tour operators worldwide revealed key travel trends and top destinations for 2022, with Europe leading the way. Italy is currently ranking as the number one place of interest, Greece, and France tying second, and Ireland coming in at number three.
In another report just released by Greek tourism research group Tourix, Athens is also attracting more and more interest from the United States, Israel, and Cyprus.
Greece’s Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced the Greek government’s approval of new tourism projects and investments budgeted at 320 million euros, to be funded by the European Union’s Greece 2.0 Recovery and Resilience Plan.
With a focus on winter and mountain tourism, wellness and health, gastronomy and agritourism- the Tourism Ministry plans on showing the world there is more to Greece than summer, sun and Santorini!
The Greek government included travel sector projects in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (worth 3.35 billion euros in total) following their approval by Alternate Finance Minister Theodoros Skylakakis.
According to Minister Kikilias, the new funding will “mark the beginning of a new cycle of development in the tourism sector, with benefits for everyone. The pandemic has shown that we live in a beautiful country that we must protect for ourselves, our children, and future generations. This is for Greeks and for people worldwide who dream of experiencing Greece’s magic every year.”
The government aims to promote Greece as an all-year-round destination with the government utilising 320 million euros worth of resources from the Greece 2.0 Fund, as well as additional private funding in a bid to “change the model and to achieve the maximum possible result.”
So far, the government has approved projects including upgrades to tourist ports, development of winter and mountain tourism, development of wellness and health tourism, training programs for tourism employees, agri-food and gastronomy tourism, diving and underwater tourism as well as making beaches more accessible to those with disabilities.
After being named Europe’s top destination for 2021 at the World Travel Awards, Greece has announced it will not only focus on the peak summer season but will also be ready and willing to welcome international visitors all year round.
Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias made the announcement in a recent interview with CNN, during his time at the international tourism trade fair at the World Travel Market (WTM), in London.
According to the Minister, Greece’s tourism board is working hard to “win over” every traveller, offering a new tourist experience, and at the same time promoting new destinations including more untouched islands, both small and large, the mainland, and city breaks.
Greece proves it’s more than just a summer destination
Minister Kikilias said, “Tourism is the locomotive of the Greek economy, something that proves again this year, in the midst of a pandemic, and brings new jobs that we aspire to be of better quality and better paid, enable through the 320 million euros of the RRF of the Ministry of Tourism for infrastructure, ports, marinas, upgrading of hotel units, for digitization, green development, and a sustainable system of the sustainable tourism product.”
The Minister stressed there is more to Greece than just a few popular islands. “It doesn’t always have to be to the two or three branded places that people discovered in the 50s and the 60s,” he said, adding that Greece has many beautiful destinations that he believes will appeal to tourists from the UK, the US, France and beyond.
Concerning infrastructure in specific popular destinations including Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes to name a few, Kikilias said that Greece has 320 million euros from the Recovery and Resiliance Fund (RRF) to improve its infrastructure and build new infrastructure where it’s needed.
During his time at WTM London Minister Kikilas also met with a range of international tour operators, travel agents, and airline companies from Great Britain, the USA, and France and signed a number of new deals for 2022.
And although the country will be open to tourists all year round, the official tourist season in Greece will commence in early spring (March-April). And with high volumes of bookings already taking place, 2022 is expected to be a very successful year for Greece’s tourism industry.
Greece plans on extending its tourist season in 2022, as it will officially kick off on the 1st of April, announced Greece’s Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias on Friday, during the annual general assembly of the Rhodes Hoteliers Association.
“We must be ready by the end of March, as in any case, the new tourist season will commence on April 1st,” said Minister Kikilias, during his speech.
“The Greek government’s aim is to extend the tourist season. And what we seek is quality in tourism, as well as higher hotel occupancy numbers,” he stressed.
According to the latest reports, Greece welcomed more than two million international visitors in the months of July and August 2021 alone- the highest of any other European nation- with the country looking towards a very optimistic 2022.
The minister added that the contacts he made at the International French Travel Market, during his recent visit to Paris were very positive, with Greece being a favourite destination for the French this year. More than 450,000 French tourists visited the Greek islands this summer and according to the latest travel agent bookings, those numbers are expected to increase in 2022.
Minister Kikilias went on to thank the hoteliers of Rhodes and the Association’s President Manolis Markopoulos, for supporting not only the Dodecanese island but the Greek tourism industry in general by operating quarantine hotels and for increasing the salaries of the employees during the challenging last two years.
Patmos is an island where you feel a sense of peace as soon as you arrive. With the old town, the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, and the Cave of the Apocalypse, all named UNESCO-protected monuments, Patmos not only attracts those seeking a rich spiritual and cultural experience but also those who want to holiday on an authentic Greek island with a cosmopolitan feel.
Local and international artists, authors, fashion designers, business people, academics, and thousands of pilgrims arrive here each year to take in the natural beauty of the island, as well as its laid-back yet chic style. Although it’s located in the Dodecanese it features a Cycladic look with its whitewashed mansions, pretty beaches, and lots of lovely spots to wine and dine.
Here are the Top 12 Things to Do when visiting Patmos
Holy Monastery of Saint John
1. There are around 360 churches on the island, and you can definitely sense the island’s unique spiritual energy as soon as you step off the ferry. Patmos is known around the world as the island where around 95 AD Saint John the Baptist wrote The Revelation, in a cave that can now be visited in the island’s Holy Monastery of the Apocalypse. Also make sure to check out the Monastery’s museum next door, containing a number of ancient texts and religious items dating back hundreds of years.
2. Patmos’ capital and main town Hora, is filled with charming alleyways, beautiful chapels, and lush courtyards. If you walk through the small streets you will come across whitewashed homes and mansions that belonged to very wealthy families, including the Nikolaidis Mansion, which has now become a museum. Hora also offers gorgeous boutiques, and a wide range of restaurants, taverns, bars, and cafes to suit all tastes.
3. Also spend time at Skala Town and the charming village of Kampos, which both have a unique beauty and are perfect places to bump into locals who make visitors feel welcome. The port town of Skala is where most people head to at night, as soon as Hora goes quiet after a certain hour. Skala is filled with lots of shops, tavernas, and all-day cafes and bars, where you can grab a drink and enjoy the town’s squares and charming little streets. Among the many sights of Skala are the ruins of the ancient acropolis and the convent of Zoodochos Pigi.
Skala Town
4. It’s definitely worth making your way around the bay of Skala to the 18th-century Monastery of Panagia Koumana, one of the Holy Seats (or Kathismata) of the island, serving as hermitages for monks. This one was built against a rock on of a hermit’s cave.
5. Swim at Agrio Livadi, Psilli Ammos, Plaki, or the pretty little bay of Vagia. Then head to Lambi, which has a great little tavern right on the beach. Livadi Kalagorion is perfect for a peaceful swim as well as Livadi Geranou. Make sure you also add Kambos and Petra to your list.
6. When it comes to eating, there are plenty of options from casual eateries to fine dining. We recommend Apocalypsis Restaurant, Astir, Ostria Taverna, Oklaca Italian Restaurant, Kyma for seafood, Pernera for great vegan and for something sweet make your way to Glykaki Patmos. If you have time also try Pandelis on Marathi islet (you can only reach by boat) and Giakos Pantheon.
7. For an after-dinner drink head to Thalami, Stoa Bar, or Koukou.
8. For a very special evening, make a reservation at Nautilus and watch the sunset while sipping on your favourite beverage and tasting some modern Greek flavours.
9. Get up close to Patmos’ iconic windmills, which have been operating for the past four centuries. The one windmill is a museum. Organic flour is ground there, with the milling process open to the public. The second windmill turns wind power into electricity. A contemporary use that benefits the island, for sure! And the third windmill focuses on water. Ever since they have been the true power of the island and its people.
Petra Beach
10. Explore the Nunnery of the Annunciation, a convent that started off as a small chapel with a hermitage until 1613 when Nikiphoros, an abbot from the monastery of St. John the Divine, renovated the building and dedicated it to Luke the Evangelist. The nunnery is home to over 40 nuns who always pray for and support their local community. The sisters also grow their own vegetables and herbs, make honey and create Byzantine embroidery called the”spitha” (spark).
11. Make a note of visiting the gorgeous nearby islets Makronissi, Aspronissi, Tiganakia, Arki, and Marathos that are all visitable by boat. From Skala, boats leave daily for all the isles. They are quite remote but offer good taverns, crystal clear water, and beautiful coves to swim in.
12. If you are looking for some Greek jewellery, sandals, or art, head to Ivli, Thanos, White Greek Designers Store, Kapopoulos Art Gallery, or Tourlou Art Shop.
Stay at
Stay at a historic house by Chora Patmos 360
There are some great accommodation options on the island and for some wonderful villas check out Patmos Eye, for boutique-style hotels head to Petra Hotel Suites to Patmos Aktis Hotel. And the beautiful range of historic houses by Chora Patmos 360 is a wonderful choice that is sure to make your stay here extra special.
Getting there
Patmos does not have an airport and is reachable only by an eight-hour ferry boat trip from Piraeus port, which departs Athens about 3 times a week. Patmos is also connected by ferry with Rhodes, Kos, Leros, Lipsi, and Kalymnos.
Greece is officially welcoming international visitors for the Greek Summer Season 2021, as of today, Friday, May 14.
Domestic travel and lockdown restrictions have also eased, however, certain rules still apply.
Here is all you need to know!
International Travellers to Greece
Only international visitors that have filled out the Passenger Locator Form can travel to Greece. The submission of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) by all passengers of international flights to Greece is compulsory. This rule applies to all travellers (including all children over 5 years old).
They are also required to have a vaccination certificate, a negative PCR test (performed less than 3 days) or a certificate stating they have recovered from the coronavirus.
Travelling by Plane and Ferry
All people in Greece (this includes residents and foreign visitors) will be allowed to travel to the Greek islands by plane or ferry with one of the following:
• a vaccination certificate (stating that 14 days have passed since full Covid- 19 vaccination.)
• a negative PCR test performed less than three days prior.
• a negative self-test taken 24 hours prior to travel.
• a negative rapid antigen test taken 24 hours prior to travel.
Please note, those who have recovered from Covid-19 can present a certificate issued two months after their recovery. And passengers who prefer to travel with a negative self-test must present the negative result before travelling, via self-testing.gov.gr.
Travelling Around Greece by Car
• Authorities are strongly recommending people take a Covid-19 self-test before travelling by car between mainland regions in Greece. This is optional and people travelling by vehicle will not be checked.
Lockdown Restrictions
Many lockdown restrictions in Greece are easing as of today, Friday, May 14.
They are as follows:
• Greece’s new curfew will begin at 12:30 am until 5 am.
• requesting permission for movement via SMS to 13033 and 13032 will no longer be required.
• restrictions on domestic travel between islands and regions have been lifted. However, rules are in place regarding travelling between islands by ferry and plane (please see above).
• retail stores will reopen with a rule of one customer per 25 square meters in stores.
• museums across the country will reopen on May 14.
• open-air cinemas will reopen as of May 21.
• outdoor live cultural events and shows in outdoor areas (all guests required to be seated) will begin on May 28.
