What to take on your trip to Greece

You are probably here because you are traveling to Greece and you are not sure what to pack for the trip. I assume that you have read the "Before you go" page and you have taken care of all the things on the checklist there.

Now it's time for the fun to begin: packing the suitcases!

As you go through the things you consider essential for your well being, also think about how much space they take in our luggage, and how much weight they add to your load (you will have to carry these luggage at some point).

Also consider that many items are readily available in Greece. Is it really worth carrying around five large bottles of sunscreen all the way from home, or is it worth spending a little extra money to buy them after your arrival? You are the best judge of such matters.

You can find all the modern amenities once you are in Greece. The "Supermarkets" are filled with goods imported from Europe and the United States, so you don't have to pack a year's worth of toothpaste or contact lens cleaners!

Here is a list that I have put together and is essential for my own preparation for the trip:

Electrical Adapter

Greek power outlets.

Keep in mind that you will need more than one, unless you want to charge your equipment one at a time. An adaptor like this simply allows your plugs to fit into the Greek electrical outlets, it does not ensure that your appliance would work in the 220V current of the wall outlets in Greece.

Many electrical appliances have a transformer that allows them to adjust to different voltage, and some must be switched manually from 120V to 220V electricity. Check your manual to see how your appliance can handle different voltage. Even if your appliance does not have the ability to adjust to different voltage, you can use your own transformer.

A transformer is a devise that reduces electrical current. If you do not use a transformer, you will damage your appliance if it is not designed to receive 220 volts.

Computer needs

Old Greek telephone outlet	Telephone adapter.	Old telephone jack plus the adaptor. Now you can connect your computer to a dial up service.

If you take a computer along and you plan to connect to the Internet, you might need a Modular Telephone Adaptor for Greece since many older Greek telephone plugs are almost certainly different than the ones you use in your country.

The new standard telephone jacks (RJ11) are installed for all new telephone connections, but many older homes and hotels still utilize the old jacks. You can buy an inexpensive adapter to connect your RJ11 telephone cable to the wall outlet. If your hotel has the newer outlets and offers the ability to dial out directly from your room, all you need to do is to unplug the telephone from the wall and to plug in your computer.

In addition, you can find plenty of cafeterias with Internet connection in almost every city in Greece, so you can always check your e-mail, or send messages to your friends for a small fee.

If you take your computer to Greece, make sure that your computer can handle 220V of electricity before you plug it in a Greek outlet, or you might do a great deal of damage to your system. Check with your computer manual to see if you need to manually switch to 220V.

You can connect to the internet with a pre-paid internet card.

Camera

If you don't have a camera, now is a good time to buy one. You will regret returning from your trip with no memorable photos from your experience.

If you have a digital camera you can find all the accessories you need in Greece, including batteries, storage cards, or cables but they might be more expensive. In most Greek cities you can take your card to one of the old 'One-Hour Photo' shops to have your photos printed on paper, and to burn them on a CD within a few hours.

Also see: Photographing in Greece and the Greek Landscapes Camera and Photo shop

Take a comfortable backpack

I always find myself away from home or the hotel for hours on end and even for the whole day when I am in Greece. Visits to museums, to archaeological sites, or the beach can occupy the better part of a day, so I always cary a Back Pack with all the essential items I anticipate needing for the day. In it I always pack my cameras, lots of extra film, a raincoat (which I use for padding at the bottom), a bottle of water, and all the other small items I usually need (pens, lens cleaners, a notepad, extra batteries). I pays dividends to invest in a quality backpack since you will be using it constantly.

Waterproof

Once in Greece during the summer chances are good that you will find yourself in a small boat for a period of time. This is a great experience, except when the waves jump over the speeding boat and land on our expensive photo equipment. It has happened to me and many others as I know, and now I always pack a handful of large Ziploc bags for such cases. Last summer I was riding my mountain bike and a freak rainstorm dropped a ton of water on top of me while I was miles from any shelter. The storm lasted only twenty minutes but dropped enough water to destroy my camera which was likely sheltered in my waterproof waist pouch. A Ziploc bag should be sufficient for such situations and they might be hard to find in a Greek SuperMarket, so pack some before you go.

Sunscreen

Pack lots of sun block lotion since it can be a major expense for anyone spending some time at the beach. Sunscreen in Greece during the summer is in high demand, and the prices reflect that. It cost you more than 10 Euro for a small bottle of 15 proof sunscreen, and you can go through it in two or three days if you stay at the beach for a long time.

Maps and Guides

I always make good use of the airplane time by reading Travel Guides and books about my destinations. It is a great way to kill some time during the trip there, and to be prepared upon arrival.
Maps are indispensable for navigating around Greece. I found that all travel guides have small maps that are adequate for initial trip planning, but on location they fail to provide enough detail. A large map is best. A map with 1:70.000 scale is best for specific locations (like single islands), or a map with 1:250.000 scale for a province, would provide excellent detail for effortless navigation. If you are planning to drive around Greece, don't even think of relying on map cutouts from books and guides, unless you prefer to be wandering around mountain roads lost for hours on end. For Greece, the "Road Edition" maps are the best by far.

Where to Buy Maps and Travel Guides

Greece Travel Guides
I collected here the best, and most up to date travel guides to Greece. Amazon.com still remains the best place to buy travel guides, and you can choose between the US, UK, DE, or FR store to save in shipping and handling.

Greek Maps
I found that Amazon.com has the good selection of Greece travel maps, and I usually order online to plan my trip. Once in Greece, I head for the nearest bookstore or kiosk and look for maps. Several times however, I found out that it's more dificult to find good maps once on location. In Rhodes for instance, I spend many hours looking for a good map of the island (published either Road editions, or Emvelia), and in the end I had to settle for a horrible map that everyone seemed to sell for seven euro, and had so little detail I ended up not even using it.

Clothing

For the Summer

Exclusive Gifts and apparel

You might also want to pack a sweatshirt or a long sleeve shirt. It comes in handy when I stay in an air conditioned environment for a long time (like in ferry boats), and in the evenings on the Greek islands where the temperature dips a bit bellow comfort levels when the "meltemia" winds blow over the Aegean sea.

Also keep in mind that although it rarely rains in Greece in the summer, but you can expect one major rain storm in this period of time. Usually such rain storms lust one or two days, but on rare occasions can last longer.

Many religious centers and monasteries do not allow men with shorts and women with trousers, mini skirts, or shorts, (or anything that reveals too much skin) to enter.

Where to Buy
The Greek Landscapes Marketplace offers now its own exclusive line of clothing (and other items) with snazzy Greek designs.

Also, Magellan's Travel Supplies. has an extensive selection of travel clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Clothing fore the Fall

Greek weather is mildly cool and a sweater is a necessity, especially at night. It is possible to swim until the first half of October in most places in Greece. The sea is warmer further south towards Crete and comfortable to swim even in October. During the Fall it rains more often, though not every day, and most days might be still warm. I would pack long trousers, a couple of sweaters or sweatshirts, an umbrella and a raincoat, but I would also bring along a bathing suit just in case.

Packing for the Greek Winter

It does get very cold in the winter which lasts from late November until early February. During this period in rains often and the wind is bone-chilling. Further north, and especially in the mountainous regions of Epirus and Macedonia snow is a usual occurrence. Heavy clothing is advised during this period. I would pack a heavy coat, long trousers, heavy socks, boots, an umbrella, and I would not pack a bathing suit.

Packing for the Spring

The period between February and May is unpredictable, with most days being very warm. Rainstorms are not unusual, but most days are dry and very pleasant. Light clothing is in advise, with a raincoat thrown in just in case. The sea is a bit too chilly for swimming during these months.