General
These suggestions apply to travel to Greece from May – October (and a little beyond)
- Rule #1 – Bring items that can be layered and worn mix & max
- Rule #2 – Put everything out on the bed, put half of it back in the closet đ
Seriously⊠dress rules:
Greece is casual & no place for high heels or evening gowns. Shorts are acceptable, but not super common among women away from the beach.
- A sarong or shawl will be your best friend if you are traveling around visiting sites & beaches.
- Lightweight clothing that can be layered
- A long sleeve button down shirt or tunic
- Sweater (cardigan) or fleece jacket
- T-shirts and tank tops (be respectful of the culture you are visiting! Not to be worn in churches or other religious sites.)
- Pants and/or shorts – May – September, skip heavy jeans, opt for lightweight cotton or âtravelerâ slacks
- Waterproof windbreaker – Packable âin a pouchâ is a good kindÂ
- Pajamas/sleepwear
- Underwear
- Sunglasses and glasses case
- Socks â look for wicking socks, they dry fast
- Comfortable walking shoes – Sport hikers, lightweight
- Water shoes for walking on rocky beaches (beaches in Greece are pebbly and sometimes there are rocks and sea urchins hidden under the surface of the water)
- A pair of sandals – you can always buy them in Greece and bring them home as a souvenir
- Hat or sun visor
- Scarf or bandana
- Swimsuit or swim trunksÂ
Youâll want to pack smart (not lots of) clothing options since this trip will take you to a variety of places. Having options doesnât mean youâll need to over-pack. (And in fact, you shouldnât.) Just pack smart. Include clothing that can be worn on your daily adventures and then dressed up slightly with a different pair of shoes and a scarf. Maybe a dress that becomes a skirt or comfortable travel pants that can be dressed up for a day at the market.
Carry On
- Medications
- Toothbrush
- Tablet
- Chargers
- Change of clothes
- Underwear
- Copies of:
- Passport, credit cards (both sides), driverâs license, international driverâs permit
Prepare Your Personal Item Carry-On Bag
The next thing youâll want to do is prepare your personal item carry-on bag with anything youâll want with you on the flight. Itâs always a good idea to make sure you have an outfit (or two) and a few essential toiletries in your personal items just in case your luggage is lost.
If youâll be traveling around to multiple destinations, make sure this bag has items to keep you cozy on any day trip, ferry or boat ride. It’s always nice to have a bag that’s easy to access so you don’t have to get into your luggage each time you need your eye mask. But remember, youâll be carrying all of this, so keep it light.
We recommend you consider using a small daypack or backpack as your personal carry-on item. Here are some good things to include in your carry-on bag packing list:
Pack Your Carry on Bag
The essentials
- Surgical / Covid masks (pack a few. They are available everywhere in Greece)
- Shampoo and conditioner in a ziplock bag (our properties & hotels all have bath amenities, but if you prefer your own – just make sure to pack them in your suitcase and NOT your carry on)
- Sunscreen and face lotion with HIGH SPF
- Make up packed in a wipeable plastic make up bag
- Face wash and/or makeup remover wipes and q-tips
- Night time Moisturizer/Lotion
- Triple Antibiotic First Aid Ointment – such as Bacitracin or Neosporin (it is not sold in Greece)
- Lip balm with HIGH SPF and lipstick or lip gloss
Personal hygiene items
- Feminine hygiene products
- Extra contacts, solution, and contact case
- Glasses and prescription sunglasses (We recommend carrying a copy of your prescription, or take a photo of it and keep it on your phone)
- Shaving kit and extra razors
- Sewing kit/clothing care kit, stain remover
- Facial tissues
- Nail clippers, and tweezers
Additional Health Items
- Hand sanitizer or wet wipes
- Prescriptions in original packaging and label/script so that they can be refill ed if needed and not be questioned by TSA (youâll want to make sure you have these in your carry-on bag just in case something were to happen to your checked luggage).Â
- CPAP â Sleeping medicines
- Extra pair of glasses and glass case
Technology stuff
- Mobile device and charger
- Laptop, iPad, or E-reader and charger(s)
- Headphones (consider noise-reducing headphones if you’re sensitive to sound)Â
- Camera and Go Pro/video camera, memory card, and chargers
- Electrical converters and adapters
- Travel Comfort, Entertainment, and Information
Tech tip: If you don’t have international service on your mobile device, be sure to TURN OFF AUTOMATIC DOWNLOADS (and AUTOMATIC UPDATES) or change to “only over WiFi”
iphone, ipads â Turn on/off Automatic DownloadsÂ
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Android devices â Turn on/off Automatic Downloads – ALL devicesÂ
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What to put on the âcloudâ (Upload to Google Drive, Onedrive etc.)
- Copies/Photos of:
- Passport
- RxÂ
- Health Insurance card
- Driverâs license
- International Driverâs PermitÂ
- Photo ID
Electronics and relatedâŠ
- Cell phone and charger
There are also chargers that can charge multiple devices at the same time. - Extra batteries for your electronics
- Electric converters and adapters
- Travel apps that will help with language, directions, and money conversions.
- It may be easier to download those apps when you are stateside. The download speeds from your carrier may be faster.Â
DOUBLE CHECK on the roaming chargesâŠ.
Make sure your apps are up to date and turn off automatic downloads / updates.
Plus, who wants to deal with technology when on vacation?
Converters - Power requirements
Most computer, phone, ipad, tablet, camera and other rechargeable electronic devices have dual voltage chargers that can be used in 110V – 240V. Check yours out.  It should be on the charger itself.
European electrical outlets have different shapes - Greece outlet
Traveling with a CPAP Machine
CPAP machines are usually dual voltage, but check the specifications on the “brick” or the manufacturer’s instructions.
Non-technology stuff to pack in your carry-on
Travel pillow, blanket, eye mask, and ear plugs
Travel journal and pen (itâs awful when you forget your pen!)
Books and magazines
Chapstick and lotion â itâs dry up there
Water bottle â youâll need to fill it up once you get through TSA
Guide books, travel guides, maps, language guides, etc. (if you will need any of these upon arrival at your destination, put it in your carry-on)
Collect Important Travel Documents, Cash, and Credit Cards
Start by collecting all of your important documents in a travel document organizer. (This travel organizer holds a passport, ID, credit cards, coins, documents, a boarding pass, and a pen!) By bringing all your important information together, this will help ensure you have everything you need to get from one place to the next.
Not sure what you need?
Hereâs your international travel checklist, document-wise:
International travel checklist
- Passport/visa(s) â Make sure that your passport is valid for a period of 6 months after your scheduled return.
- Personal ID/Student ID card â if you are traveling with student(s), archeological sites and/or museums may be free – so bring their IDs, including accredited university IDs.
International ID cards have been known not to work. Bring an ID from an accredited university or college.
Frequent flyer card(s) and other loyalty program card numbers;
Cash and credit card(s) â Call your credit card companies before you travel to inform them of your travel and to confirm they do not charge a service fee for foreign transactions. (otherwise they might turn them off to prevent perceived fraud) - **DO NOT bring travelers checks. They are difficult to cash and often times the exchange rate is not favorable.
- The currency of Greece is the Euro. DO NOT bring Dollars – They are difficult to cash. We find that using the ATMs is the best method for obtaining Euros.
- Health insurance cards/document(s) â Contact your insurance company to make sure that you are covered for medical emergencies when traveling internationally.
- Travel insurance information â First, buy trip insurance, second, take a copy with you.
- Reservations and itineraries â print them and save them electronically for easy access – our itineraries are downloadable – be sure to put our Trip Plan App on your device & click âmake available offlineâ
- Transportation tickets (plane, ferry, cruise ship, etc.)
- Emergency contacts and important addresses (of persons that are NOT traveling with you!)
- Copies of all these things in case you lose your wallet – we recommend taking photos of your passport & credit cards, etc and keeping copies on your device. DONâT store them with your other documents – you donât want to lose everything.
- Guide books and maps (so old school, but some of us like them!!)
- Check your passport â As soon as you book a trip, itâs a good idea to double-check your passport and be sure it is valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure from Greece. (Some websites may say 3 months, but the Greek government is pretty clear with their instructions – and these rules currently apply to all Schengen travel – so to be on the safe side we recommend 6 months to our guests).
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Also consider emailing yourself a copy of your passport, driverâs license, medical cards and itinerary, so if anything happens to them youâll be able to access them online.Â