War heroes and Brexit: Why Greeks will always love the British

Tourists from the UK are always welcome in Greece, locals tell The Telegraph – Getty/E+

While anti-tourist protests have become a feature in many of our favourite holiday destinations – particularly in Spain – Britons hoping for a warm welcome this summer should look no further than Greece.

The country, in which I’ve lived for 15 years, is known for its filoxenia (love of the stranger), but Brits have long been treated especially well – ever since, exactly 200 years ago, O Vyronas (better known as Lord Byron) died of malaria in Missolonghi while waiting to join the struggle to liberate Greece from the Ottoman Turks. Not even the long-running spat over Elgin’s Marbles, nor the long shadow cast by Churchill’s decision to turn on the Greek partisans in 1944, seem able to dent the centuries-old affection that links the two nations.

“It’s incredible how Greece adopted and still respects Byron so much,” says Georgios Papadopoulos, whose family is from near Missolonghi. “Few other countries can boast such a respected national hero who is not of their own nationality. It is one of the reasons why we still love the British today.”

Lord Byron fell in love with Greece on his firts trip to the country in 1809 – Universal Images/Getty

Like many of today’s travellers, Byron fell in love on his first trip to Greece in 1809, not only with Teresa Makri, the so-called “Maid of Athens”, but with the Greeks themselves, whose customs and traditions he greatly admired. His death sparked a wave of philhellenism around the world, helping ensure Britain a special place in Greek hearts. In an 1862 referendum, nearly 40 years after the death of Byron, 95 per cent of Greeks even voted in favour of installing Queen Victoria’s second son Prince Alfred as their monarch, after a revolt deposed Bavarian King Otto.

The bond was cemented in the Second World War, when Britain was one of Greece’s closest allies. Even today, if you enter a traditional kafenion and mention Patrick Leigh Fermor, the SOE officer who hid in the highlands of Crete as he helped to organise the Greek resistance, you’ll probably be invited to toast the British war hero’s memory with a punch-packing tumbler of raki.

British war hero Patrick Leigh Fermor is still toasted in Greece – Hulton Archive/Getty

True, the UK’s reputation has been tarnished somewhat in recent years by booze-fuelled antics in places like Malia and Kavos, but Brit-bashing in Greece is still rare.

“British tourists are still quite popular here, and since the Covid pandemic locals actually value the British even more,” says English teacher Enid Monica-Robinson from Loughborough, who lives on Skiathos, a ferry-hop from Mamma Mia! island Skopelos.

It was telling that, even as other countries were imposing strict rules on British visitors during the dark days of the pandemic, Greece kept the door open to UK arrivals.

Furthermore, Greeks, many of whom hankered for “Grexit” after a “no” vote in the 2015 bailout referendum was ignored, generally sympathise with Britain’s collective decision to leave the EU. “Wages were reduced to nothing during our economic crisis and pensions were slashed by more than half – even though it was often grandparents who had to support their entire family because there was so much unemployment,” says Manolis Papadakis, who works in a bar in Heraklion. “We were very angry, so we understood why Britain wanted Brexit.”

Last year, some 4.5 million UK tourists flocked to swim from Greek beaches and sup Mythos beer in its tavernas. However, while demonstrations are becoming regular occurrences in Mallorca and the Canary Islands, protests against tourists are almost unheard of in Greece. Even during the so-called “Beach Towels Movement” last year, when locals protested about beaches being swamped by sunbeds, Greeks praised British tourists for their support. “British visitors… realise that we are committed to safeguarding our island’s authentic character and contributing to its sustainable future,” said Nicolas Stephanou, a member of the Paros Citizens’ Movement for Free Beaches.

‘Even in Santorini and other over-touristed hotspots it’s rare to hear a bad word said against the British,’ says Eleni Balatsas – Digital Vision/Getty

A far cry from recent events in Tenerife and Amsterdam, where Britons have been vociferously told to “go home” and “stay away”, Greece is even offering 25,000 “free” holidays to those whose stays were cut short by the wildfires in Rhodes last year – more than half of whom were British. “We want travellers to return to the island to enjoy its natural beauty,” PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said while launching Rodos Week, a scheme which grants vouchers of up to €500 (£430) to visitors affected by the blaze.

“Even in Santorini and other over-touristed hotspots it’s rare to hear a bad word said against the British,” says teacher Eleni Balatsas, who lives in Piraeus. “Shunning a certain group of people who have contributed so much to our economy is not a good idea – it’s actually an ungrateful thing to do.”

Georgios Kaloutsakis, who owns luxury resort Abaton Island on Crete, agrees. “Greeks cherish the profound admiration the British hold for our culture and civilization,” he said. “Today, the bond is reinforced by King Charles’s affection for Greece, as evidenced by his ‘Greek Flag’ ties, which have sparked tremendous enthusiasm within the Greek media. This mutual appreciation fosters a deep and enduring friendship between our nations.”

Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles – and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.