Posted by Alcohol
A lot of alcohol is consumed in Greece. The locals drink to have fun. It is rare to see very drunk Greeks. The traditional alcoholic drinks are wine and spirits, which are also made from grapes. Drinking beer has only become fashionable in the last 2-3 decades.
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Greek wine
A lot of wine is grown and drunk in Greece. Red wine is more common than white wine in many regions. Wine is cheap in most tavernas, especially if you order the house wine. This simple wine may not win any international awards, but it doesn’t taste bad. A glass costs around €2.50, and half a liter costs €6 to €9. Locals and tourists often order a whole liter. House wine is usually served by the glass in a carafe. In Greece, people often say a kilo of wine, rather than a liter. In really touristy areas like Santorini or Mykonos, however, it is difficult to find tavernas with wine by the glass.
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They only sell bottles, and these are usually much more expensive. Sometimes there are 2-3 types of different white and red house wine. These wines often taste different. You can ask if you can try one or the other before ordering half a liter or a whole liter. In the countryside, the tavern owner’s own wine is often served, and he is naturally very proud of his wine. In better restaurants, you can also order more expensive wines. Retsina, a resinated white wine, is also often available. Some people like it, some like me find it undrinkable. At least retsina is cheap.
Beer is also becoming very popular with the Greeks. A bottle (0.5 l) is almost always served. This usually costs 3 to 4 euros (more in very touristy regions). In simple taverns there are 2 to 3 different brands to choose from. These are often “Amstel” (Dutch) and “Mythos” (Greek). Heiniken is also popular, but usually a bit more expensive. For a few years now there has been a new beer called Fix, which is very popular. German beer is mainly available in tourist areas. For the Bavarians: there is usually also wheat beer available (Erdinger or Paulaner in the original glass).
Ouzo
The most famous liquor in Greece. It is a brandy flavored with anise. Ouzo can be found in every tavern, every pub and every supermarket. It is usually cheaper than other liquors. Ouzo is roughly equivalent to Turkish raki. It is usually drunk on ice. Several large brands dominate the Greek ouzo market, and there are very few smaller, local producers.
Raki (Tsikoudia)
The Cretan national drink. In the rest of Greece, people drink ouzo, but on Crete they drink raki (see Drinking on Crete). It is a very high-proof liquor made from the leftovers from wine production. Raki is usually extremely cheap. A 2 cl liquor usually costs less than a euro in a bar or tavern. Hard drinkers can also order a carafe or bottle. But be careful: raki has between 45% and 55% alcohol. Tiskoudia is also common on some Cycladic islands such as Naxos. It is hardly known in northern Greece.
Getränke Griechenland (German)
Non-alcoholic
Soft drinks
Coca-Cola and Pepsi are of course available everywhere in Greece. Pepsi is usually a bit cheaper in supermarkets, as in Germany. When it comes to lemonades, there are now more tasty Greek alternatives to Fanta & Co. These are usually cheaper too.
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Water
Tap water is safe to drink on many islands and if it comes directly from mountain springs, it tastes excellent. On small, dry islands and, for example, on the island of Santorini, the water is sometimes a bit salty. You should buy drinking water there in the supermarket. You can also buy bottled water everywhere. This is very cheap. A large 1.5 l bottle rarely costs more than 2 euros. But most Greeks still drink tap water. It’s best to ask the locals whether the local tap water is drinkable.
Coffee and tea
Normal Greek coffee is a small, very strong cup of coffee. It is drunk sweet (gliko), slightly sweetened (medrio) or without sugar (sketo). You will also be asked whether you want milk or not.
Nescafe is available everywhere. When it’s hot, you should also try the Greek version of iced coffee (frape). Filter coffee is not very common unless you are in a cafe with lots of tourists. It is also called galiko kafe (French coffee). Black tea is available everywhere. You should also try Cretan mountain tea made from plants from the mountains of Crete.
Pubs and bars
Kafenion
Traditionally the village meeting point for men, especially on Crete. In addition to ouzo, wine and Greek coffee, there are small cold dishes (sometimes free as a small gift), and in some kafenions there is also a small menu. Until a few years ago, women were not welcome there. In remote mountain villages, you still find few women in the kafenion. Most of the people there are older and very friendly. You quickly get into conversation. You can usually find someone who speaks a little German or English because they have worked abroad.
Bars and discos
In tourist areas and big cities, there are modern western bars and discos all over the island. Prices have almost reached German levels in recent years. The clientele mostly consists of tourists and young Greeks. Often, the holidaymakers and the locals each have their own clubs.
Great overview of hotels in Greece season 2025
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