When travelers dream of visiting Greece, they usually imagine golden beaches, turquoise waters, sunset cocktails at music-filled beach bars, and especially for culture lovers, long hours exploring ancient sites under the Mediterranean sun. But how many of you know that Greece is a dynamic, year-round sports destination, attracting athletes, teams, and spectators from around the world to major international sporting events.
Welcome to “All About Greece”, part of “TO BHMA International Edition Travels Greece With You” series. Here we answer your questions and introduce you to this wonderful country we call home and you call vacation!
Beyond its beaches and ancient ruins, Greece offers something unexpected: an exciting year-round sports calendar. And although many of you associate Greece with the origins of sport – this is after all where the first Olympic Games took place – very few realize it is also an ideal destination for sporting experiences. As a result, most vacationers don’t plan a sports-focused trip to Greece. They discover sports tourism accidentally, if at all.
Sea, Sun, and Sport
The iconic Athens Marathon – a dream-come-true for hundreds of athletes worldwide.
According to Expedia’s latest travel trends report, 57% of travelers want to attend a local sporting event while on vacation. Well, Greece is perfect for that. Whether you want to catch a local game as a spectator or try your luck as a participant, the country hosts an impressive range of sporting events throughout the year.
As a Participant
The Athens Authentic Marathon takes place in fall and is one of the world’s most iconic races, retracing the original route from Marathon to Athens run by the ancient messenger Pheidippides.
The Acropolis Rally, held in late spring, is a legendary motorsport event and part of the World Rally Championship.
UEFA Champions League – Olympiacos vs Real Madrid at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece. Photo: Reuters/Stephane Mahe
The Tour of Hellas, Greece’s premier professional cycling stage race, is also held in spring.
The Aegean Rally, one of the Mediterranean’s best-known sailing regattas, alongside dozens of other sailing events, takes place on the islands in the summer.
The Navarino Challenge is a high-profile multisport endurance event (triathlon, swimming, running) held in the Peloponnese in the fall, welcoming elite and amateur athletes from around the world.
Aerial drone photo of SUP or Stand Up Paddle competition in the Corinth Canal Crossing, Greece, in 2019.
The Messinia Pro-Am Golf Tournament and other pro-am events bring players from across the globe.
In addition, many Greek cities and islands, including Rhodes, Spetses, Tinos, Kea, Corfu, Crete, and Andros, host marathons, half-marathons, mini-runs, and trail races. In the summer, there are dozens of paddle-board (SUP) competitions, climbing events, paddle tennis tournaments, kite- and wind-surfing tours.
Greece also hosts purpose-driven events such as the annual Race for the Cure, raising awareness about breast cancer.
For the ultimate endurance challenge, elite runners travel to Greece every September to compete in the Spartathlon, one of the world’s toughest and most historic ultra-races. Participants run 246km (152.8 miles) from Athens to Sparta (road and trail) in under 36 hours, testing physical and mental limits.
As a Spectator
The 59th Acropolis Rally, Loutraki, Greece.
For travelers who prefer to watch sports instead of compete, Greece also hosts major international championships, including the EuroLeague Final Four, EuroBasket group games, UEFA Cup volleyball, water polo tournaments, UEFA youth competitions.
Visitors to Athens can easily attend a football (soccer) or basketball match between Greece’s top teams. Famous clubs include Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, PAOK and AEK, but there are also many strong regional teams worth catching.
For the most part, football or basketball matches are safe, well-organized, and family-friendly. You can book tickets for most major sporting events online. You will need your passport to book your personalized digital ticket. Main stadiums are centrally located and easily accessible by public transport.
For international or high-profile matches, it’s best to arrive at least an hour before kickoff to allow time for security checks and to get to your seat without rushing. Avoid large bags and backpacks.
Discovering the Origins of Sport
The ancient gymnasium at Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.
Sports fans visiting Athens can also discover more of Greece’s athletic heritage at the Athens Olympic Museum, which offers an immersive journey through Olympic history, featuring medals, torches, and artifacts from both the ancient and modern Games.
And of course no visit to Greece for a sports lover can be complete without a visit to the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese. This is where the ancient Olympic Games first took place in 776 BCE. And you can walk through the original ancient stadium where athletes once competed, explore temples and training grounds, visit the archaeological museum featuring artifacts from the Games, and stand where athletes once competed for glory, honor and in fair play.
So just a reminder: in Greece, sport isn’t just entertainment, it’s part of the country’s way of life and so worth discovering.
*Send your questions to Maria Paravantes at mparavantes@tovima.com
