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Peloponnese on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes — the Peloponnese is one of the most affordable parts of Greece, with cheap tavernas, guesthouses and many free beaches and villages. A realistic minimum is about €87 a day per person sharing a room: €30 for a bed, €20 for food, €12 for tickets and €25 for a share of a car, fuel and tolls.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €60 |
| Sights & tickets | €12 | €20 | €30 |
| Local transport | €25 | €35 | €50 |
| Per person, per day | €87 | €145 | €250 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Peloponnese day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The old town of Nafplio and its harbour front
- The Arvanitia promenade around the Akronafplia headland
- The view from the old road bridge over the Corinth Canal
- Walking the lower town of Monemvasia
- The tower-house village of Vathia and the harbour of Limeni in the Mani
- Karathona beach near Nafplio
Cheap eats
- Souvlaki or gyros pita — about €3–4.50
- Spinach or cheese pie from a bakery — about €2–3.50
- Greek salad in a taverna — about €7–10
- Home-cooked dishes such as gemista or giouvetsi in a family taverna — about €8–12
- Diples (honey pastries) from the Mani — a few euros
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Nafplio's new town, a 10-minute walk from the old town, and in Gytheio for the Mani, where rooms often cost about €50–80 a double. Village guesthouses are good value outside July and August.
Getting around cheaply
For two or more people, a rental car is the cheapest and most flexible way to see the sites; tolls from Athens to Nafplio add roughly €10–12. KTEL buses run from Athens' Kifissos terminal to Nafplio (about 2 hours, roughly €15) and on to Mycenae and Epidaurus a few times a day.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Mycenae at 8:00 (roughly €20)
- Lunch: souvlaki and salad (about €8)
- Afternoon: swim at Karathona beach (free), car share and fuel (about €25)
- Evening: walk Nafplio's old town and the Arvanitia promenade (free), taverna dinner (about €12)
- Total: about €87 including a shared room in Nafplio's new town (about €30)
More ways to save
- Travel in May, June, September or October for lower prices and cooler sites.
- Choose one ancient site a day and fill the rest with free villages and beaches.
- Book rooms with kitchens and buy local olive oil, cheese and fruit at markets.
- Take advantage of free and reduced entry for students and EU under-25s.
- Share car costs with other travellers; one car for four people is very cheap per person.
- Use KTEL buses for Athens–Nafplio if you only need a car for part of the trip.
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Common questions
How much money do I need per day in the Peloponnese?
About €87 per person on a budget, €145 mid-range and €250 for comfort, sharing a room and a car.
How do I get from Athens to Nafplio by bus?
KTEL buses from the Kifissos terminal take about 2 hours and cost roughly €15.
Are there free entry days at Greek sites?
Yes, on certain dates and on the first Sunday of the month from November to March. Check the official list before you go.