Packing list for Greece – REAL GREECE TRAVEL (2024)

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 🙂

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 ‘traveler’ slacks
• Waterproof windbreaker – Packable ‘in a pouch’ is a good kind
• Pajamas/sleepwear
• Underwear
• Sunglasses and glasses case
• Socks – 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 trunks

You’ll want to pack smart (not lots of) clothing options since this trip will take you to a variety of places. Having options doesn’t mean you’ll need to over-pack. (And in fact, you shouldn’t.) 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.

• Medications
• Toothbrush
• Tablet
• Chargers
• Change of clothes
• Underwear
• Copies of:
• Passport, credit cards (both sides), driver’s license, international driver’s permit

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 (you’ll want to make sure you have these in your carry-on bag just in case something were to happen to your checked luggage).
• CPAP – 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)
• Camera and Go Pro/video camera, memory card, and chargers
• Electrical converters and adapters
• Travel Comfort, Entertainment, and Information

What to put on the “cloud” (Upload to Google Drive, Onedrive etc.)

• Copies/Photos of:
• Passport
• Rx
• Health Insurance card
• Driver’s license
• International Driver’s Permit
• Photo ID

Electronics and related…

• 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.

DOUBLE CHECK on the roaming charges….

Make sure your apps are up to date and turn off automatic downloads / updates.

Plus, who wants to deal with technology when on vacation?

• • Passport/visa(s) – Make sure that your passport is valid for a period of 6 months after your scheduled return.
  • Personal ID/Student ID card – 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) – 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) – Contact your insurance company to make sure that you are covered for medical emergencies when traveling internationally.
• Travel insurance information – First, buy trip insurance, second, take a copy with you.
• Reservations and itineraries – 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 “make available offline”
• 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. DON’T store them with your other documents – you don’t want to lose everything.
• Guide books and maps (so old school, but some of us like them!!)
• Check your passport – As soon as you book a trip, it’s 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).

Also consider emailing yourself a copy of your passport, driver’s license, medical cards and itinerary, so if anything happens to them you’ll be able to access them online.