This is it! You’ve just booked your ticket to Greece! Now what? You’re most likely online studying as many travel guides as possible despite having weeks or months before you get there. This list isn’t going to tell you exactly what to do in Greece but my/ 15 Greece Travel Tips are something I’d tell any friend that texted me asking for my “advice for going to Greece”. This isn’t a packing list but I do want to start with reminding you that you’ll need a plug adapter as electrical outlets in Greece are 220 AC electricity.
Avoid Peak Season late July to August
My biggest Greece Travel tip is this one. We went in August and I would not recommend it. It is the busiest time of the year. It is also the HOTTEST time of the year. The heat is dry heat. I’d recommend May, June, or September if you want to go in the summer. It’ll still be busy but less busy then July & August. August is also when the Greeks take their vacation so there are even more people visiting the islands.
Tipping isnt expected but-
If you’re from America you’re probably use to tipping 15-20% for restaurant service. In Greece a minimum 5% tip on a restaurant bill is highly encouraged. My Greek friends I consulted prior to our trip told me they know American tipping culture is much different but at least 2-3 euros on a meal is appropriate. I want to say we tipped about 10% at all the restaurants we went to. We definitely still tip our guides, at least $5 and about 10% of the cost of the excursion.
Be extremely careful while driving
If you plan on driving you should know that 90% of the cars in Greece are manual. If you don’t know how to drive a manual then you should learn because you could possibly book an automatic and get stuck with a manual. It happened to us in Crete and we had to take it in stride.
You should know that Greeks drive rather aggressively, especially in Athens. If you are planning on renting a car, always be careful. Motorcycles don’t stay in their own lane and definitely will not stay behind you. They weave through traffic quite a bit so be vigilant when driving around them. Always stay to the right, drivers will pass you even if there’s only one lane. You shouldn’t need a car in Athens if you’re staying in the city for a day or two before going to the islands. On the islands if you really want to drive I’d consider renting an ATV over a car. ATV’s are a lot easier to park as they’re smaller and the roads on the islands are quite tight so you’ll have an easier time with oncoming traffic on the one lane roads.
Bring Cash
Another Greece Travel tip is to bring enough cash! There are still a lot of places in the islands that only accept cash – taxis, shops, and even some smaller restaurants. If you plan on using your card be sure it doesn’t have foreign transactions fees otherwise every transaction is going to have an extra fee associated with it. My best suggestion is to find a bank that will exchange your US Dollars or whatever currency you bring. The banks have the best exchange rates. The exchanges at the airport are an option but they aren’t the best option. Avoid the ATM’s if at all possible, they come with fee’s all the way from 8% up to 13% fee’s – yes 13% fees! For example the rate on xe.com when I was in Greece last time was 1 Euro to 1.15 USD. My card gave me a rate of 1.19 USD:1 Euro, the banks gave me a rate of 1.23 to 1.25:1 and the ATM gave me rate of 1.31:1. Its a huge difference as you exchange hundreds or thousands! The more you exchange the better rate you can negotiate.
Plan Ahead
If you’re planning on taking ferries then be ready for it to not be perfect. We had 4 ferries on our last trip and 2 of them were perfectly on time, one was an hour late due to wind and the last was over NINE hours late making us miss the last leg of our trip. You can actually read my full Greece itinerary for Athens – Mykonos – Santorini & the modifications I recommend making to it for a perfect trip. You should have a second plan in your back pocket on the chance that your ferry doesn’t arrive on schedule. Alternatively there are planes that go from island to island too that could be another option. If you get stuck on an island find something to do and enjoy your extra time on that island.
Book Early
From mid July through all of August its VERY busy in Greece. Especially August as that’s the time most greeks go on vacation. During high season the earlier you book the better off you are. This goes for hotels, ferry tickets, flights, rental cars, ATV’s, Scooters, Dinner reservations, beach club lounge chairs and excursions.
The earlier you book the more you’ll save on your hotel. My favorite place to book hotels is on Booking.com – they always have the best rates and there are a ton of ways to sort including “breakfast included” and “refundable” which are both options I like to look at. I personally recommend going either May-June or September-October to avoid the crowds. May & October are definitely more enjoyable months. I book all my ferries on Ferryhopper, they show all the options and let you book island hopping, round trip, or single ferry tickets. Their app is superior so you don’t have to worry about losing 3 sets of ferry tickets if you are island hopping. Ferries are very packed during high season and ATV, Scooter, Car rentals are nearly impossible to get if you don’t book 4+ months in advance. This is one of my Greece Travel Tips that comes from real life experience, I’d skip August if you can.
Be ready to Relax
I am the type of person who is go go go on vacation – this is not the mentality in Greece. Want to sit down for a meal? Expect to be there for quite some time, they wont rush you. If you want your check at the restaurant, they dont bring it unless you ask for it.
Bottled Water is King on the Islands
On the mainland of Greece its definitely okay to drink water from the tap in Athens and virtually all cities on the mainland. On the islands its best to stick to bottled water though. THe great thing about Greece Bottled water is its cheap, YOu can get the large 1.5L bottles for under 2 euros almost everywhere. The water on the Greek lslands is sufficient for showering and laundry but not drinking.
Dont Flush the Toilet Paper in Greece
This is an essential Travel Tip for Greece – especially on the Islands! You’ll see signs everywhere “don’t flush papers” and you might think “Oh they only mean women’s sanitary products and baby wipes”, No. They mean ALL toilet paper. There is a waste basket in the bathroom for a reason. They ask you to use the waste bin because the Greek sewage pipes are only 50 millimeters in diameter, for reference typical pipes in the US are 3 inches or 76mm. The pipes in Greece clog was easier with toilet paper then in the states. Greece is an ancient civilization, and even though the pipes aren’t THAT only they don’t support the quantity of flushed toilet paper. You don’t want to be the one that clogs the toilet so use that bin!
Dont be afraid to ask for the Wifi Password
You might have sprung for a monthly data plan that gives you a certain amount of data for your whole trip so if that’s the case the WIFI password is gold. Its pretty common place for most places to have a free Wi-Fi that’s password protected that you can join. If you’re sitting down at a restaurant its not at all rude to ask for the Wi-Fi password as you place your drink order. The expect it and understand you’re a tourist with limited access to the internet while on vacation in a different country. If you’re the type to use your phone a lot on vacation I definitely recommend packing a spare battery pack in your bag. I really like this battery pack it has an indicator telling you what % is left & it charges my phone 3-4 times before dying.
Don’t be shocked if someone #FreesTheNipple
The Greek beaches are pretty well-known for those searching to let loose. This is actually pretty common in Greece on the beach, whether its an established beach club or at a less established rocky beach. This isn’t exclusive for the young either, you’ll see all ages doing away with bikini tan-lines. There are also several full naturist beaches catering to those that really want to let it all hang out. Which also means Greece is a place for you to try topless sunbathing if you want. There will be topless women tanning at many beaches. If you do intend to do this be conscious of your surroundings, it typically should be done at the outer edges of beaches or at the much less crowded ones away from children & families. If you’re feeling comfortable, enjoy yourself!
Bonus Greece Travel Tip: My Packing List
There are a million packing lists out there for what to bring to Greece and I dont plan on making a whole post dedicated to packing since everyone travels differently. I cant pack your suitcase but I can leave you with this list of things I’d ABSOLUTELY be sure are in your bag so you have a great trip.
- Sunscreen: This is my all time go to sunscreen combo for my face & body. I love Supergoop because its one of the few sunscreens that does its job, doesn’t melt off my face, doesn’t cause my eyes to tear up when I sweat and doesn’t make me break out.
- A Hat! I hate hats, but as a Florida girl who spends her time in the sun I even broke down and bought a hat in Greece, the sun was too intense. So either pack one or be prepared to buy one while you’re there.
- A Battery Pack: If you are like me, you love photos while on vacation so you’re going to run your battery down and wont want to go back to the hotel to charge & there aren’t outlets readily available for a boost. This battery pack a favorite of mine because of the battery level indicator.
- An everyday bag that prevents pick pocketers: Whether its a fanny pack or a purse with a double zipper, something that keeps your valuables secure
