Greece is one of the places Australians go to relax, and the health side mostly lets you. Athens, the islands, Crete, and the Greek-Australian family trips home to the villages: none of it needs a long vaccine list. But there are a few things worth knowing before you go, and one of them, West Nile virus, has been getting worse in recent summers.
This guide covers what Australians should consider for Greece. It is general information only. Your personal plan depends on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history. If Greece is one stop on a wider European trip, our Europe travel vaccinations guide covers the whole continent in one place.
Do you need vaccinations to travel to Greece?
No vaccinations are required to enter Greece for Australians, and there is no yellow fever in Greece. Everything below is about protecting your health.
Recommended vaccinations for Greece
For almost every traveller
- Routine vaccines. Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and MMR should be up to date. Measles is circulating in Europe, and adults born from 1966 onward who cannot show two documented doses of a measles vaccine are recommended to catch up.
- Influenza. If you are travelling in the northern winter, roughly November to March, have the Australian flu vaccine before you go.
- COVID-19. Keep up with the current recommendation for your age and health.
Depending on your trip
- Hepatitis A. Considered for some travellers to Greece, and worth doing for longer stays, village and rural travel, and anyone eating widely at tavernas and markets. Family visitors staying with relatives for weeks fall squarely into this group. It is a two-dose vaccine that protects for decades.
- Hepatitis B. For longer stays, or if medical or dental treatment, tattoos or new sexual partners are possible.
Usually not needed
Rabies vaccination is not recommended for Greece, though stray dogs and cats are common and any bite or scratch still needs medical attention. Typhoid and malaria tablets are not needed. Tick-borne encephalitis is not an issue in Greece.
West Nile virus: the one with no vaccine
Greece has reported rising numbers of West Nile virus cases in recent late summers, mainly in the north and around Athens and the Peloponnese, and at the time of writing health authorities have flagged a significant increase again this year. Most infections are mild or silent, but a small number cause serious brain inflammation, and older travellers are at highest risk. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment, so prevention is everything: repellent with DEET or picaridin in the evenings from July to October, long sleeves at dusk, and screened or air-conditioned rooms, especially near wetlands and rivers.
Heat, sun and the islands
Greek summers are hot and getting hotter, and heat exhaustion is a real risk for visitors walking ancient sites in the middle of the day. The Acropolis has closed during heatwaves in recent years. Plan sightseeing for mornings and evenings, drink constantly, and take the sun seriously. On the islands, medical care is limited: many have a small health centre and nothing more, and serious illness means a ferry or helicopter to a mainland hospital. Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover matters more on Kos, Santorini or the smaller islands than it does in Athens.
Medical care and insurance
Australia does not have a reciprocal health care agreement with Greece, so you will pay for any medical care you receive. Travel insurance is essential. Carry your regular medications in original packaging with a letter from your doctor, and bring enough for the whole trip plus a buffer, because island pharmacies may not stock your exact medicine.
Food and water
Tap water is safe in Athens and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or trucked in and locals drink bottled, which is the sensible rule for visitors too. Travellers' diarrhoea risk is minimal overall. Enjoy the food.
When to see a travel doctor
A consultation 4 to 6 weeks before you fly is plenty for Greece. It is mostly about checking boosters and measles status, and deciding whether hepatitis A is worth doing for your trip. Even last-minute travellers benefit.
At Travel Doctors Brisbane in Bulimba, we check your vaccination history and sort out exactly what you need. See our Greece destination health advice, browse our travel health services, and book your consultation.
This article is general information only and was reviewed against our subscription travel health database in September 2026. It does not replace personalised medical advice. Vaccination needs and disease risks change and depend on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history. Always confirm with a travel health professional and Smartraveller before you travel.