Guide to Greece

Hi friends 👋🏼 Planning a trip to Greece this year? Well you’re in for the trip of a lifetime! Check out my tips for Greece and guides to each island below.

General Greece Tips

Greek Island Guides
- Paros
- Naxos
- Santorini

General Travel Tips for Greece

When to Visit

The best months for traveling to Greece are May – October. We traveled to Greece in July & August which was peak tourist season, but I never felt overwhelmed by the amount of people around us (except maybe in Fira). Keep in mind if you go during the summer months reservations are required in advance for most activities and dinner if you want to eat at specific restaurants. Overall, it was perfect summer weather during the day, but there were a few days in August near the end of our trip that were hotter than I’d like. The next time we go to Greece we’ll probably aim for June/July for that reason. If you prefer to avoid the crowds and the heat altogether, I recommend visiting Greece during the shoulder seasons May/June or September/October.

What to Pack

*NOTE: These recommendations are for a trip to Greece during the summer, if you go during the spring/fall I would probably pack more pants/jeans/cardigans/long sleeves as it does get cooler at night

Girls

Daytime: Sundresses, rompers, cotton/linen shorts, denim shorts & tank tops/crop tops to mix & match. Color wise I opted for a lot of blue & white (colors of Greece) & pastels. I would avoid dark colors/black simply because it attracts the sun more and pastels/light colored clothing is more the vibe in Greece.

Night: Dresses, flowy pants & tops, cardigans. (While most nights were warm, the islands of Greece can get VERY windy depending on what side of the island you’re on, so I recommend 1-2 pants and a cardigan/sweater/light jacket if you get cold easily)

Shoes:
– Cute casual sandals that are comfortable to walk in for miles (we averaged +10k steps a day in Greece) . I packed my Tommy Hilfiger sandals in brown and white. These sandals are SO cute and comfy that I have 2 pairs
– I highly recommend getting waterproof sandals for the beach as a lot of the beaches in Greece are rocky. I wore Reef Water Vista Sandals every time we went to the beach ; they are super comfy & cute, and replaced my need for regular flip flops.
– Athletic Sneakers for hiking/biking/outdoor activities. I packed my AllBirds Tree Dasher 1 sneakers which were comfy and breathable for hiking and doubled as my airport shoes so I could save room in my suitcase
–Ditch your heels & wedges!!! The cobblestone streets & steps in Greece will make it very difficult to walk in heels. Most girls just wore dressy flat sandals, and the few that did have heels on ended up carrying them at the end of the night. I packed 1 pair of sandals with a small heel/platform and never wore them.

Accessories: a back pack or string bag is great for day trips, cute scrunchies or claw clips to tie your hair back for those windy days/nights

Guys

Daytime: t-shirts, linen shirts, shorts, swim trunks
Night: Button down t-shirt, linen shirt, shorts, nice jeans, chinos/nice pants/trousers
Shoes: flip flops/water shoes, running/athletic shoes for hiking, stylish casual sneakers/boat shoes

Getting Around

Island Hopping: I highly recommend using Ferryhopper. We booked all of our ferries through this site and each destination gives you multiple options based on time, duration, and price. In general ferries cost $25-50. We chose the fastest option and the time that worked best for us. Local tip: Book a ferry before 12pm – the later the ferry, the higher chance it gets delayed. Luckily our latest ferry was for 11:45am and it was only delayed by 30 mins.

Getting Around the Island: Depending on where and how long you stay on each island, will affect your decision on renting your own vehicle. Uber and Lyft is not an option unless you’re in Athens or Santorini, but there are local cabs you can call so if you prefer not to drive or rent a car in Greece. In general, the best method of transportation is by motorbike (averages 30-40 euro/day), but you need your motorcycle license. If renting a bike isn’t an option, you can rent an ATV or car which is more expensive, but worth it for the days that you want to venture around the island. **Be sure to bring a towel with you, if you rent a bike or ATV because the black seats can get very HOT in the summer!

Driving in Greece is the same as in the US, but be advised some of the roads are extremely narrow and because of this traffic can be an issue, especially during the summer. That being said, most of the port towns in Greece are VERY walkable. My recommendation is to map out your trip and determine which days you’ll venture outside of the area you’re staying in to reduce the number of days that you need a car. We only rented a bike for the full days that we stayed on each island in Greece, not half/days or travel days.

Dining & Nightlife in Greece

Breakfast (Before 12pm): Most hotels serve an excellent complimentary breakfast. If you’re staying at an AirBNB definitely check out a Greek cafe – they are known for their frappes (greek iced coffee), and Greek pastries like Spanakopita (cheese + spinach pie), Tiropita (cheese pie).

Lunch (12-3pm): In general you don’t need a reservation for lunch & we didn’t make any during our trip to Greece. If you can’t get a dinner reservation to one of your top restaurant choices, then lunchtime might be the opportune time to check it out.

Mesimeri: the Greek version of a siesta. The Greeks do enjoy their post-lunch/afternoon nap, so a lot of restaurants will close down in between lunch & dinner time (4-7pm).

Dinner (8-11pm): While prime dinnertime for locals start at 9/10pm, some restaurants in more touristy areas may open as early as 7pm. We started our trip with dinner reservations at 8/8:30pm, and by the end were having dinner at 9pm like the locals. If you want to dine at a specific restaurant you DEFINITELY should make a reservation in advance. I emailed restaurants about a month in advance and it was totally worth it or we wouldn’t have been able to experience some of our top cuisine spots on this trip!

NightClubs open at 11pm, but the party doesn’t really get started until after midnight. The locals will party until 6am, which is incredible (the latest we stayed out was 4am). There are usually Gyro places or 1-2 late night food spots near the bars/clubs that are open 24/7 for a late night bite before heading home to sleep.

Some of my favorite classic Greek dishes to try: Dolmades (rice rolled in fresh grape leaves), Moussaka (Greek version of eggplant parm), Pastisio (Greek lasagna), octopus, frappe (Greek iced coffee), Naxian cheese or any Greek cheese, calamari stuffed with feta, Gyro, Rooster (it’s tastier than chicken) , Saganaki (fried cheese), anything with Kaitafi dough is delicious, Spanakopita (spinach & feta pie), Tiropita (cheese pie) , Loukoumades (fried dough, similar to Zeppoles)

Drinks: Greece produces excellent white & Rosé wine. I highly recommend doing a wine tour early in your trip, so you know which wines/regions you enjoy best. My favorite Greek liquor is Mastika (or Mastiha), a very unique and refreshing flavor. My favorite brand is Skinos Mastiha, and some restaurants offer it as a mixed drink/cocktail, you can enjoy it on the rocks (my favorite), or order a shot to try. You can’t leave Greece without trying Mastiha! Fun fact: Mastica is only produced on the island of Chios, also where my fiancé Stelios is from.

Beach Etiquette

Organized beaches means that lounge chairs and umbrellas are provided for a fee ($20-40 for 2 chairs), and food/drink service is available with servers walking around to take your order. Depending on the beach, there may not be room for you to just lay out on your towel for free, so come prepared to pay the chair fee. Also, if you are going during peak season you may want to make a chair reservation if you prefer to be closer to the water (Reservations recommended for Monastiri beach & Yazoo beach club ). It’s also beach etiquette to lay a towel down on top of the chairs. I recommend buying a beach towel for $12-15 in town, because if you purchase them from the beach club they’ll charge you 2x as much.

Unorganized beaches means that nothing is provided and going to the beach is free! You can layout your towel, pack some snacks & water, and enjoy the day.

10 Greek phrases to know before you go

Yásas = hello / goodbye
Ti kanis = how are you ?
Polí kala = very good
Ef Haristo = thank you
Parakaló = please / you’re welcome
Nóstimo = delicious
Ohí = no
Né = yes
Kaliméra = good morning
Yámas = cheers !

If you want to learn more Greek phrases before your trip, download the Greek by Nemo app for free!

Greek Island Guides

Paros

The island that has a little something for everyone: delicious food, beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife. Overall, this was my favorite island that we visited.
Click here to read my guide to Paros.