In 2012, as an experiment, the EU made it much easier to enter Greece from Turkey. Now vacationers in Turkish resorts have the opportunity to visit Hellas without first applying for a Schengen visa.
To Greece from Turkey and back - such a trip can be made by vacationers in the western resorts of Turkey. Moreover, the entry to 5 Greek islands (Chios, Samos, Rhodes, Lesvos and Kos) has become much easier. To visit these places of ancient Hellas, you do not need to have a Schengen visa.
The European Union went to such an experiment because of the long-held opinion that the main "brake" for the tourist flow to Greece is the Schengen visa, the registration of which takes a long time. Visa-free entry to Ellada is allowed from July 7 to September 30, 2012. If the experiment pays off, it will most likely be continued.
Vacationers of any country who are legally in Turkey have the opportunity to visit Greece without a Schengen visa. It is enough to buy a ferry ticket from Turkey to Greece and / or book a hotel room on one of the islands.
When planning a vacation in Greece, you must have one photo made according to the Schengen model, a passport and fill out a visa application, as well as pay a fee of 35 euros.
The passage of this procedure gives you the opportunity to enjoy the ancient monuments and the most beautiful nature of Hellas for 15 days. In addition, vacationers from Russia can travel to Greece for a day on a free visa.
But keep in mind that the ferry trip is expensive. For example, a ticket from Marmaris to Rhodes costs from $ 40 one way, and from Cesme to Chios - $ 35. But if you buy tickets in both directions at once, small discounts are provided.
According to the current agreement between Turkey and Greece, daily 2 ferries - Turkish and Greek - operate parallel flights. But tickets, as a rule, are sold in each country only for their own ship. For example, on the island of Lesbos, tickets are sold for a Greek ferry leaving for Turkey in the morning, but it is impossible to buy a ticket for an afternoon Turkish ship.
You can also get to Greece from Turkey by train. It departs from Istanbul to Thessaloniki daily. The cost of one ticket is about 55 euros. But to cross the border by train, you must have a Schengen visa.
