Are Credit Cards Widely Accepted in Greece? | Intrepid Travel (2024)

Credit cards are widely accepted in Greece, particularly in the tourist areas. It’s actually a legal requirement, as a response to the financial crisis, that working Greek citizens aged below 65 have a credit card, so most hotels, shops, cafes and restaurants shouldoffer the option of paying by credit card.

The past few years have seen the Greek government push locals and tourists to pay by credit card as a way to crack down on tax evasion. It’s a big transition for a country that, according to Visa, used to make 90 per cent of payments in cash – in 2013 the Greeks made the least number of digital transactions per inhabitant in the EU.

Though plastic payments have greatly increased across the country, it’s still worth having some euro on hand, if only to tip the bartender at your favourite island bar and guarantee quick service all evening.