Drugs, including cannabis: long jail sentences
Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties: expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling them.
Local Rules for Travellers
🇬🇷 Local Rules in Greece for Travellers
Greece is relaxed about most things, but strict about a few that matter to visitors: police arrest people for rowdy or indecent behaviour, causing a wildfire is a crime even by accident, camping on beaches is banned, and photographing military sites is illegal. These rules were checked against the UK government's official travel advice for Greece.
🚫 Drugs & cannabis
💊 Medicines
Bring a doctor's letter for prescription medicines
Bring prescription medicines with a letter from your doctor stating the quantity you need for your stay. For controlled medicines, contact Greece's Organisation Against Drugs (OKANA) before travelling.
🍺 Alcohol
No alcohol for under-18s
It is illegal to sell or give alcohol to anyone under 18, and bars face large fines or closure for doing so.
🏛️ Public places & behaviour
Rowdy or indecent behaviour gets you arrested
Greek police will arrest you for behaviour they consider rowdy or indecent, especially when heavy drinking is involved. Some fancy-dress costumes can also break decency laws.
No photos of military sites
It is illegal to approach, photograph or film military installations, vehicles or buildings.
🪪 ID, fees & documents
Carry your passport: a copy may not be accepted
Always carry your passport to show the police if they ask for identification. The police may not accept a photocopy.
🚗 Driving
Helmets on quads and mopeds, and a proper licence
Drivers and passengers must wear helmets on quad bikes and mopeds; riding without one may invalidate your insurance. Provisional licences are not valid for hiring or driving any vehicle, and hiring a moped needs a licence with at least category A1.
Low drink-drive limit, with fines and possible prison
Drink-driving is a serious offence. Greece's limit is about two-thirds of England's, and going over it can mean a fine and possible imprisonment.
🌿 Nature, beaches & wildfires
Causing a wildfire is a crime, even by accident
Causing a wildfire or forest fire is a criminal offence in Greece, even if it is unintentional. The risk is high from April to October: don't light barbecues, and never light fires while hiking.
No camping or campervans on beaches or at ancient sites
Camping in tents and parking caravans, camper vans or motorhomes is prohibited at archaeological sites, on the seashore and on beaches. Use licensed campsites to avoid fines.
🛃 Customs & what you can bring
Knives over 10 cm and pepper spray count as weapons
Pepper spray and knuckledusters count as weapons. A knife with a blade of 10 cm or more is a weapon, and needs a special licence unless it is made for domestic, professional, artistic or hunting use.
Declare €10,000 or more on arrival
Declare cash or travellers' cheques worth €10,000 or more when you enter Greece. If you don't, the money could be seized when you leave.
Law, venue rule, custom or advice?
Every rule on this page is labelled, so you can tell what is enforced by law from what is simply polite.
- Law
- Set by national, regional or city law. Breaking it can mean a fine or worse.
- Venue rule
- A rule set by a venue or operator, such as a bath, museum, hotel or transport company.
- Local custom
- Not a law, but expected behaviour. Ignoring it can cause offence.
- Safety advice
- Practical advice from an official source to keep you out of trouble.
Sources checked for this page
- UK government travel advice (FCDO) for Greece
- UK government travel advice (FCDO) for Greece
- UK government travel advice (FCDO) for Greece
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the source.