Greece travel checklist: what to do before you go

Greece is a ferry country, and ferries are the constraint. On the busy Cyclades routes in July and August, seats and vehicle spots go first, and island beds follow. If your dates are fixed, book the long-haul flight, then the ferries, then the hotels. If you are flexible, pick May, June, September or October: prices drop, the meltemi wind is gentler and you can book most of it a month out.

Check the paperwork before you pay for anything non-refundable. Passport validity, Schengen day counting and any visa question are the items that cancel trips, so settle them first.

With the skeleton booked, fill in the details. Timed entry to the Acropolis and several other Greek sites is now the norm in summer, so reserve a slot rather than queue in the sun. Confirm every ferry against the operator's own timetable: island schedules change in June and again in September, and a 20-minute shift can break a same-day connection.

Money and health are the other two. Order some euros so you land with cash for a taxi or a taverna, and check your routine vaccinations are current. Nothing is mandatory for Greece from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland, but hepatitis A and tetanus are commonly recommended — ask a travel clinic about your own itinerary.

Pack for heat, wind and stone. Greek island streets and archaeological sites are uneven marble and gravel, so broken-in shoes matter more than a fourth swimsuit. Add a light layer for ferry decks and air-conditioned museums, high-factor sunscreen, a hat and a refillable bottle. If you are heading to Meteora, shoulders and knees need covering to enter the monasteries.

Download offline maps for the islands, screenshot your ferry tickets and note the port names: Piraeus and Rafina are different ports, and some islands have two. Tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires it, and print the insurance policy number.

Arrive at Piraeus or Rafina at least 30 minutes before a foot-passenger ferry and an hour with a car; gates close early and boats leave on time. Keep your passport, insurance and ferry tickets in one place you can reach without unpacking. On arrival, buy or top up a Greek SIM or eSIM if you need data, and take the fixed-price taxi or the metro from Athens airport rather than an unmarked car.

For the first afternoon, do less than you planned. Jet lag plus 35 °C heat is a bad combination, and a short walk, a long lunch and an early night will make the next three days better.

Greece is in the Schengen area, so the 90-days-in-any-180 rule applies to visa-free visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area and should have been issued within the last 10 years — confirm both against your own government's current advice before booking.

Carry printed or offline copies of your passport page, insurance policy and first few nights of accommodation; border officers rarely ask, but ferry and hotel check-ins sometimes do. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, look at the digital nomad route rather than overstaying.

Greece uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Athens, Thessaloniki and the bigger islands, but small tavernas, island taxis, buses and some beach bars still prefer cash. Carry €50–100 in small notes as a buffer, and use bank ATMs rather than standalone machines that charge high fees.

Tipping is not required. Rounding up is normal, and 5–10% is a fair signal for good service. Tell your bank you are travelling if it still asks, and check whether your card adds a foreign transaction fee before you rely on it for everything.

No vaccinations are mandatory for Greece from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland, but routine shots should be current and hepatitis A and tetanus are commonly recommended — ask a travel clinic what fits your route. Pharmacies are widespread and staff speak English; for anything serious, 166 is the ambulance number and 112 works across the EU.

Summer heat is the real risk. Plan sights before 11:00 and after 18:00, drink more water than you think you need, and treat the meltemi wind as a sun trap: it keeps you cool while you burn. Bring enough of any prescription medicine for the whole trip in its original packaging, plus a copy of the prescription.

Pack for a hot, windy, stony country with air-conditioned interiors. Two pairs of broken-in walking shoes, light long trousers or a skirt for monasteries and churches, a light layer for ferries and evenings, swimwear, a hat, high-factor sunscreen and a refillable bottle cover almost every Greek trip from May to October.

Leave room for the return: olive oil, honey and ceramics are heavy. A small day bag for island hops beats a suitcase you have to drag onto a ferry ramp.