Hi everyone! Maggie and I spent a wonderful 10 days in Greece, and we highly recommend adding Greece to your summer destination list! In this post we are sharing 10 things to know before visiting the Greek Islands – summer edition! These are our best tips and pieces of advice that we wish we would have known before our trip to Greece.
We had an amazing time on our trip and we can’t wait to travel back to Greece to visit more islands that we were unable to work into our itinerary this summer. On our trip we visited Santorini, Paros, Mykonos and Athens, and we really enjoyed each location. All of the islands, and Athens, are completely different and each have their own aspects that make them special. Check out our posts about each of the islands, linked above, for food, tour and activity recommendations!
10 things to know before visiting the Greek Islands
1: Bring cash!
Before leaving the U.S. I ordered 300 euros from my bank (Citi Bank) so that I would have cash upon my arrival in Greece. This was super important so that we could pay for our taxi from the airport in Santorini to our hotel. Having cash upon arrival was also great so that we could buy food and coffee from small shops that did not take credit cards. You can also take out money at the airport from an ATM, but I was hoping to avoid ATM fees as well as high conversion rates.
2: Alert your bank that you are traveling!
This is important for every international trip you take. In order to use your debit/credit card without it being declined, and also be able to take money out of ATMS, be sure you notify your bank that you’ll be out of the country.
3: Don’t expect to use your American Express
American Express is my credit card of choice, especially abroad as there are no foreign transaction fees. However, in Greece, especially on the islands, we were not able to use the card as the fees are super high for the local shop/restaurant owners. We were able to use our AmEx in major retail stores and restaurants in Athens (Starbucks, H&M, etc), however most small restaurants would only accept Visa and MasterCard.
4: Use imovetaxi to book taxi rides!
imovetaxi is basically the Greek version of Uber and Lyft, and it works super well! We only used imovetaxi while in Mykonos, but the process was super easy. You book the taxi on your phone, from an agreed on pick up point (as taxis are not allowed in Mykonos Town), and you will be provided with a countdown clock for when your car will arrive. Just like other car service apps, imovetaxi includes the make, model and color of the car as well as the driver’s name. You also have the option to pay in cash for your ride, and you are provided with the cost of the ride prior to booking. imovetaxi is a great option, especially as taxis can be a bit more difficult to find on the islands.
5: Book your ferries in advance with ferryhopper.com
Ferryhopper.com is great! We were able to compare times and prices of multiple ferry lines and book our tickets online. You can also buy your tickets at the ferry terminal, but the closer you get to the departure date the more expensive the tickets can get. We booked our tickets about a month in advance and they were all pretty reasonable.
Our tickets from Santorini to Paros were $30 each, from Paros to Mykonos $30 each, and from Mykonos to Athens $40 each. We definitely recommend taking ferries instead of flying. For us, the process was quite easy and much less stressful than navigating an airport and airport security.
6: Don’t expect the ferries to arrive on time
This, for me, was a little bit frustrating as I am a very timely person. We would always arrive at least fifteen minutes early for our ferry, and the ferries were always upwards of half an hour late. Additionally, one ferry never arrived at all. Luckily, in this instance, we were transferred to another ferry departing to the same location. We still recommend ferry travel, but be prepared to wait.
7: Pack in a carry-on, especially if you’re going to Mykonos
Maggie and I always try to pack only in a carry-on. On this trip, having only a carry-on bag to deal with was super important, especially in Mykonos. Taxis cannot drive in Mykonos Town. This means that they will leave you on the outskirts of the town and most often you will need to walk down a bunch of stairs to reach your hotel or AirBnb. The walk is only about 5-10 minutes, but with a full size suitcase it would be a more difficult trek. You will also need to walk back up the stairs with your suitcase when you are leaving Mykonos. Make it easier for yourself and just bring a carry-on!
8: Pack a light jacket or sweater for the evenings
The Greek islands are hot during the summer, but it does get chilly at night! I was happy that I had pants and my jean jacket, as once the sun goes down it can be a little cold to be out in just a sundress or shorts
9: Visit the “less-touristy” islands as well!
Don’t get me wrong, Santorini and Mykonos are amazing, but they are super crowded with tourists. Paros was my favorite stop on the trip because of the more relaxed vibes. Although Paros is also a tourist destination, it was not nearly as crowded as Mykonos and Santorini. For me, this was a huge plus. On my next trip to Greece I plan to visit some of the smaller islands in the northern Aegean Sea, closer to Turkey. Since it takes a little longer to get to these islands they tend to be less touristy. I’m super excited to check them out!
10: Don’t skip Athens!
When we were planning our trip to Greece quite a few of our well-traveled friends told us to skip Athens. However, despite their recommendations we had booked our flights in and out of Athens, as it was the cheapest and easiest airport to fly into. After booking our flights, we decided that we needed at least a full day in the city to explore and to decide for ourselves whether or not if was worth visiting. Maggie, Leyla and I all agree that if you are in Greece you should definitely visit Athens, even if it’s just for a day. The Acropolis is reason enough to visit the city, as visiting these ruins and learning the history made for an incredible morning. We did not find amazing food in Athens, but we also only had 36 hours to check out the restaurant scene. Book your flights in and out of Athens and also take at least 24 hours to explore the city!
Thanks so much for reading our 10 things to know before visiting the Greek Islands! I hope these tips will help you prepare for your vacation to Greece. For more posts about Greece, including island itineraries, packing guides and tips, click here!
Lastly, if you found this post helpful, we super appreciate you sharing it with others! Thanks so much!
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