Short-haul, sun-soaked, and chronically underrated by travellers who have not yet been. Budget carriers dominate the routes, which keeps fares honest most of the year. Summer fills up fast and fares reflect it. The sweet spot is May, early June, or September: warm water, thin crowds, and prices that leave room for a decent rabbit stew and a glass of local wine.
What works well
- Budget carrier coverage
- Incredible history
- Year-round sun
What to watch
- Book early Jul-Aug
- Summer crowds spike
One runway, one terminal, and somehow still room for a temple complex older than Stonehenge. January fares dip to $55, which tells you everything about how the crowds behave the rest of the year. Rome is 1h 30m away for $65, London 3h 05m for $85, so the maths favours the impulsive as much as the planned. Just don't be the non-Schengen passport holder stuck in a 30-40 minute August queue wondering why you didn't book those instalments back in spring.





