Greece is one of the favorite destinations for the Canadian travelers. So Canada to Greece is a frequent route taken during any season of the year. One reason for this choice is a simplicity to travel – Canadians do not require visa to visit Greece. Canada is part of the European visa liberalisation program which means they can travel visa-free for 90 days in any Schengen member state.
However, the travel requirements are going to change shortly. In November 2025, a new electronic travel authorization system is coming into light – ETIAS visa waiver. It will be mandatory to obtain the digital travel permit to travel from Canada to Greece.
This article does not intend to explore the new requirements. It will review the current opportunities, benefits and tips on traveling to Greece from Canada. Mainly, we will cover airplanes, airports, hotel choices, transportation means within Greece, and some general tips. If you are looking for a more thorough overview of Greek destination check out our ultimate guide on travel to Greece from Canada.
Flights to Greece from Canada
Throughout past few years direct flights became available for Canadian citizens traveling to Greece. Obviously, direct flights do not mean non-stop flights. Most of the airlines offer 1-stop lights. There are at least 8 different airlines that offer direct flights to Greece within different price ranges. Depending on your budget and desirable flight times you can choose among the following airlines:
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Swiss
- Delta
- British Airways
- American Airlines
- Finnair
- Iberia
We will present our top 3 recommendations for traveling to Greece from Canada:
Air Canada flights to Greece
Montreal-Athens-Montreal (11h 30m), average price 1300 CAD
Montreal-Thessaloniki-Montreal (13h 45m), average price 1800 CAD
1-Stop at Zurich Airport (ZRH), or Munich Airport (MUC)
Air Canada is one of the top choices to travel from Canada to Greece. The airline company offers flights to two major Greek cities: Athens and Thessaloniki. On average, it takes 11 hours and 30 minutes to fly from Montreal to Athens and 13 hours and 45 minutes to fly from Montreal to Thessaloniki. Flying to Thessaloniki is a bit more expensive and usually Athenian flights are cheaper by around 500 CAD.
Layovers happen to be in Switzerland mainly – in Zurich or Geneva or in Munich, Germany. They take up to 5 hours in the best case scenarios but you could find cheaper flights with 12-24 hours layover. These flights are usually combined flights of several airlines – Air Canada and Swiss (best deals), Air Canada and Delta, Lufthansa and Air Canada, etc.
Air Canada is one of the most comfortable airlines that fly from Canada to Greece. You enjoy average legroom (31 in), WiFi, comfortable seats, decent meal choice and safe flight.
Air France flights from Canada to Greece
Toronto-Athens-Toronto (12h 05m), average price 1450 CAD
Montreal-Athens-Montreal (11h 50m), average price 1350 CAD
Vancouver-Athens-Vancouver (18h 0m), average price 1600 CAD
1-Stop at Paris CDG Airport (CDG)
Air France is the best option if you wish to fly from other cities of Canada apart from Montreal). You can fly to Greece from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The cheapest flight would be Montreal-Athens and the most expensive would be Calgary-Athens (up to 3000 CAD). You can choose to fly to Mykonos, Thessaloniki, Paros and a few other Greek cities instead of Athens. Majority of these flights are 1-stop as well with a layover in Paris.
The layover is very short with Air France, usually less than 2 hours. It could be a trouble for you if you’re late for your connecting flight. Make sure to check your transfer times before actually booking a ticket.
Swiss airlines flights from Canada to Greece
Toronto-Athens-Toronto (11h 40m), average price 1250 CAD
Montreal-Athens-Montreal (12h 20m), average price 1190 CAD
Vancouver-Athens-Vancouver (18h 15m), average price 1900 CAD
1-Stop at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) or Munich Airport (MUC)
Swiss airlines is your top choice if you’re flying from Toronto or Montreal to Athens. The company offers fastest connecting flights from these two cities to Athens. However, if you wish to fly from other Canadian cities then you may end up spending more than 20 hours on the way or having to go through 2 stops. Also, there are no decent flights to rest of the Greek cities apart from Athens with Swiss airlines.
The majority of layovers with Swiss happens in German cities of Frankfurt and Munich.
Tours to Greece to Canada
There are quite a few tour agencies that operate within Canada and offer terrific itineraries and exclusive features for travelers to Greece.
The biggest and the most respectable company to offer tours from Canada to Greece is Air Canada itself. The branch is called Air Canada vacations. There are three major parts of Greece included within the itinerary: Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. You can explore the historical monuments that date back to several hundred BC, chill on the picture-perfect islands and beaches and discover the unique crafts and culture of the ancient Greece.
The package includes:
- round-trip flights to Athens + local flights
- 10 days and 8 nights of accommodation
- all airport and port transports
- fast ferry or hydrofoil between islands
- 8 breakfasts
- porterage
- 1 activity
The average price of the package is around 3500 CAD.
If you are looking for a more exotic vacation on Greek islands you can refer to Intrepid Travel tours. They offer two major exotic destinations: Santorini and the Crete island. “Highlights of Crete” is a 7-day tour with the average price of 2100 CAD while “Athens to Santorini” is an 8-day tour with the average tour price of 2800 CAD. These tours include everything except for the flights. They include all breakfasts + 1 dinner, several activities (1 activity every day), accommodation, all transportation within the country.
Travel Restrictions to Greece from Canada
If you are a Canadian citizen, you don’t have to get a visa to visit Greece. However, to enter Greece, you will need a valid passport. For Greece, proof of COVID-19 vaccine is not necessary. A negative COVID-19 result is also not required for travelers to travel to Greece. Public transportation requires the use of masks.
Petty crime
Pickpocketing, purse snatching, and theft of luggage are all examples of petty crime. Tourists are often targeted. Organised groups of thieves are known to use distraction techniques, and they are especially active.
- Attractions and tourist sites
- In restaurants, bars and patios
- in hotel lobbies
- Public transportation: Metro and trains from and to Athens International Airport
- At Athens’ airports, bus stations and railway stations (including Larissa and Peloponnese stations)
- Beaches
If you are in Greece,
- Make sure your belongings, including passport, are safe at all times
- You should not keep your passport and any other ID in the same place. Instead, carry a photocopy of the original.
- Avoid displaying signs of affluence
- Avoid carrying cash in large amounts or unneeded valuables
- Pay attention to what’s around you, especially in tourist and crowded areas
- Be wary of strangers offering advice or offers without asking
- Avoid isolated areas, parks, and down-market bars, restaurants and bars, especially after dark
