The Dream vs. Reality (and How to Bridge the Gap)

Greece is known as the typical dream vacation from the beautiful beaches, amazing food, and gorgeous architecture. It’s easy to be swept away in the romantic views. However, before traveling to Greece, there are a few things that I experienced that I wish I had known way before landing in the country.

These tips would’ve made my trip much smoother and will ensure that you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime! This blog post is a candid look into my trip to Greece, and may include some affiliate links!

The Unpredictability of Traveling the Greek Islands via Ferries

When traveling to Greece, of course you’ll want to spend a few days in Athens but the biggest attraction is visiting the Greek Islands. In my previous post I spoke about how to decide which islands to visit during your planning process, but what I didn’t consider is how unpredictable it can be going from island to island.

The Greek islands are subject to very strong winds particularly in islands like Mykonos. These strong winds and dangerous choppy waters can cause cancellations of ferries particularly the smaller and faster ferries (e.g., SeaJets) and when you’re only in the country for a short amount of time it can be hard to reschedule and get on a new ferry (because everyone else is trying to reschedule too!).

Funny Story About My Greek Ferry (SeaJets) Being Cancelled 🙀

So after a long day of walking around the Acropolis, shopping, and eating amazing Greek food, my friends and I found out around midnight that our ferry from Athens to Mykonos was CANCELLED. And for the rest of the day pretty much every single ferry was cancelled regardless of the company due to 40 mph winds.

We checked every company and the boats were either sold out or not going at all. They told us we’d get an update at 7 am but we were scared to wait that long. So we looked at flights and the prices were honestly nuts (like 300 euros). The only reasonable flight for about 100 euros was at 4 am. Mind you, at this point it was around 1 or 2 am. We had already showered, put on PJs and we were ready for bed.

But we were not about to be behind schedule so we had to move in about 30 mins to pack up everything, put on clothes, and GO! It was probably the most chaotic thing I’ve every experienced in my life. And somehow we made it :).

Pro Tip #1: Consider flights instead of ferries. Some of the flights can be about the same price as the ferries and they’re more likely to leave as opposed to the ferries.

Pro Tip #2: Build buffer days into your schedule as best as you can! Don’t want to miss out on visiting an island because of delays or cancellations.

Pro Tip #3: If you’re sensitive to motion sickness then I would suggest the larger boats given that you won’t feel the waves as much. Those boats are slower, but if you prefer the faster boats then pack motion sickness medication!

Is traveling to Greece expensive?

Short answer? Yes and no. When I decided to travel to Greece, I expected to spend a lot, however I quickly learned that Greece is as expensive as you make it. If you want to visit the restaurants with the best views (post coming soon!) then of course you’ll be spending around 50 euros for a plate, but there are cheaper options if you look for them! (e.g., Smash Tag in Mykonos has one of the best smash burgers I’ve ever had!).

Where to buy souvenirs in Greece

One thing I noticed pretty quickly is that the same jewerly, souvenirs, clothes, etc. that we saw in Athens are definitely the same on the islands. The only difference is the products are definitely more expensive on the islands.

Make sure you do all of your shopping in Athens (the neighborhood Plaka has a lot of options) and try not to get too much on the islands. It’ll be hard because theres SO MUCH jewelry and you’ll want everything. Of course if you see something locally made (especially on the less touristy islands) definitely support them!

Other Essential Tips for a Smoother Trip to Greece

• Use a Travel Itinerary Template to Stay Organized
  • When it comes to staying organized we used an itinerary template to make sure our entire trip was organized. Traveling to Greece is more complicated to plan because of the logistics and needing to move from place to place. My simple itinerary template simplified that process and kept us on track even when things got dicey!
• Tipping Culture:
  • Tipping isn’t super necessary in Greece, but I noticed that it is expected at the more expensive restaurants!
• Don’t flush toilet paper!:
  • Bigger hotels, especially in Athens, it may be fine but on the islands definitely avoid flushing toiler paper. The plumbing is way too small to flush toilet paper
• Sun Protection is Non-Negotiable:
  • It can get HOT especially in Athens. The heat was really unbearable especially in the Acropolis. So make sure to bring hats, sunglasses, and SPF.
• Pack comfortable shoes:
  • Even though we wanted to wear our cute platforms to dinner it was kinda rough given the cobblestone and insane heels. Particularly in Santorini! We ate at Ammoudi Fish Tavern and that may have been the worst hike to do in platforms. (there is a donkey option!)
• A Little Greek Goes a Long Way:
  • To be honest I didn’t learn any Greek before going! But we met some locals who taught us a few words and it’s always nice to greet people in their native language. We’d get lots of smiles (and some corrections) which made for a more positive experience.

Enjoy Traveling to Greece

There’s tons of things to consider when you’re planning a trip to Greece. It can be difficult to manage and ensure that you’re staying on track, which is why one option could be booking your trip through a travel advisor! An advisor like myself has years of travel experience, and has been planning trips for other for a long time.

If you’re looking for products to pack for your Euro trip I’ve also compiled a list of essentials to bring that’ll ensure that you have the best time abroad!