Lately, Greece has become a great destination for digital nomads to visit and work in. Since many years ago, the country is easy to travel to. For residents of numerous other nations, it offers temporary travel visas for Europe and you can benefit from the same. Even if the country is pretty small, it has a great architectural, natural beauty and a cheap cost of living. Many freelancers are attracted to the country, drawn by its picture postcard locations and dreamy life. The internet connection is more or less stable, particularly in the major cities where most of the home are rented.
Test the connectivity
10Mbps happens to be the average speed of download in Athens. The farther you move away from this capital city, the more the speed goes down. You can get free access to WIFI easily in many of the coffee shops in Athens. It is always possible to get a 4G or 3G php dongle from a local provider here, which can ensure just stable internet connection – no matter where you go to.
A big metropolitan area and the capital city of Greece, Athens is a city that witnesses a combination of history and modernity. Its old world architecture and traditional cuisines exist side by side with state of the art offices and 21 st century lifestyle. Athens is really an open minded city. When it comes to internet speed in Greece, you can get the best experience in Athens. It can give you the fastest network connections. The great city is just regarded as the cradle of Western civilization and living and working here as a digital nomad can be a unique experience for you. Even if the safety levels are not that high, if you pay attentions you shouldn't have any risks.
In the rest of Greece, the co-working culture happens to be at a nascent stage. Although you can find quite a few good co-working offices in Athens, you might have to zero in on a remote café in any of the smaller towns. You'll be able to find them more in famous islands like the Greek Santorini and Mykonos. These two are two location where you'll be able to create a nice mix of fun and work. If you're planning to visit Greece, they don't have to miss on your list. Even if they are small islands, you'll be able to live your remote work life in all peace and relax. It is important to test the digital internet connectivity at various places before renting an accommodation anywhere in Greece. While you can get a speed of about 10 Mbps in Athens, it is possible to browse at a good speed of 4 Mbps on an average in Rhodes. The rest of the Grecian cities witness an average 3 Mbps speed.
The cost of internet connection, on an average, depends just on the cities and providers. However, the expense is likely to get lower in case you opt for co-working spaces. A co-working space for digital nomads in the capital city would be about 230 Euros each month. In Greece, there is free WIFI in most of the cafeterias. Every hotel or accommodation, whether Airbnb or otherwise, has some type of internet connection on offer. In case you are looking for a public place offering WIFI, cafes, hotels and Airbnb are some of the options to consider. However, in major cities such as Athens, you can choose from many more alternatives.
Work from an island
You can decide to start working from any of the smaller islands in Greece. The period from May to September is the best and most enjoyable time of the year. The smaller islands happen to be very tranquil in the October – April period, as sea travel is not allowed due to the climatic conditions that prevail here at this time. During emergencies, however, you can get transported to Athens with the help of a helicopter. You might also be taken to any other major citadel located on the mainland.
The islands of Greece are some of its just iconic places, known for their beauty. These are a digital nomad’s paradise for the unending party vibes, delicious foods, turquoise waters, deep views of the great blue sea and snow-white buildings. These places have preserved their local identity and rustic charm, and are special places that inspire foreigners with some of the most amazing views of Europe.
Find a suitable accommodation
You can try an Airbnb in Greece, and there are plenty of them in and around the capital city of Athens. It is a good idea to stay away from the great Acropolis, outside the city center, which sees the heaviest footfall. It is a place frequented by many thieves and pickpockets. The northeastern side of the capital has neighborhoods such as the fun Zografou and the good Panormou that let you easily access the metropolitan area and stay close to where the action is. Here, you can get a more local living experience and be spoiled with plenty of nightlife, café, market and restaurant options.
There are AirBnB apartments available in safe neighborhoods with balcony, kitchen and fast WIFI speeds. Needless to say, you have to look for an accommodation where the connectivity is solid. You may found as fast download speeds as 30 megabytes per second, but there can be drops occasionally that can be annoying when you have a lot of workload. It is recommended that you carry out a speed test before renting a temporary accommodation here. The SpeedSmart app can be a good way to test WIFI speeds.
If you wish to catch optimal sunlight, rent an accommodation nearer to the Glyfada or Ilioupoli coastline. You can move through the neighborhoods that are quieter in terms of activities and noise, and find local cafes, bakeries and taverns that can satisfy your cravings. You would love to live in a comfortable Airbnb that has a nice rooftop from where you can watch stunning views of sunset and sunrise.
Keep in mind that Greece has diverse types of accommodation on offer. As a digital nomad in this country, you can find accommodation options ranging from youth hostels to Greek 5 star hotels. You can also choose budget motels or other accommodations that offer short-term leases. There are actually plenty of options that you may consider and pick from. You can even opt to co-stay with travelers or other digital nomads from other parts of the world. If you like some of these accommodations, you can spread the word through social media and platforms, and have a great time living there at affordable costs by sharing a room and managing to reduce your living expenses.
No matter where you stay, ensure that there is a tavern, grocery store and bakery / café close to your place. The people of Greece are mostly Greek Orthodox / Christians, and thus some taverns and most of the grocery stores stay closed during the Sundays. It is important that you get some eatables and drinks in your fridge by Saturday night.
Know the time zone difference
The Time zone of the country is UTC+02:00, which means it is ago Beijing time by 5 hours. In case you have to work for a client based in Asia, you have to get up early and end the working day around afternoon.
As the country is 7 hours ago EST, in case you have a client calling you from the location of New York City, you have to begin working day at about 4 pm. In case the client is based in any place in Europe, you will be only 1 – 2 hours ago or ahead of their working schedule. It is important to keep the time zone difference in mind, so that you can be assured of seamless work without a hitch.
Get the Visa
This country happens to a Schengen Zone member state. Due to this reason, people from many other countries can find it easy to travel to Greece. In case you also happen to live in a nation that is a Schengen Zone member state, your National Identity Card will be enough for travel to this country. You can, alternatively, apply for a Schengen Visa prior to traveling and get access to various other nations in the area.
The Grecian government offers travel free of visa for a maximum period of 30 days to people from over 50 countries across the globe, when compared to many European nations. This makes it convenient for travel purposes. When you are in Greece, it is easy to move to its different Greek cities or hop from one island to another – be it the magnificent Santorini or the highly popular Rhodes.
It does not take long to travel here, and due to the availability of numerous budget carriers these days, it is convenient to visit the adjoining cities in many other nations. Aegean Air is the biggest and best airline in Greece, and it offers the most affordable flights to various European cities. An Aegean Air flight from Athens to Milan, Italy can be as affordable as just 50 Euros.
Join the Digital Nomad Community in Greece
As a digital nomad, you would often like to get some special advice about living in Greece or want to meet some new people to talk to. From few years, it is not safe to talk to everyone around, something that applies in almost any country everywhere in the world. You would do well to visit Greek Facebook groups like “Digital Nomads Athens” or “Digital Nomads Go Greece”. The members of these groups are always organizing rooftop meet-ups or arranging co-working sessions in various new spots.
When you move around, use the ‘Beat’ or ‘Uber’ app to get a taxi that can ensure a safe ride for you throughout Greece. Buses, trains and ferries are other transport options. Guys, our Digital Nomad friend is talking a lot about Greece and Athens as Digital Nomad, feel free to take a look at their article there : https://www.digital-nomad-couple.com/destination-item/greece/