More pics and videos on Facebook page. You can view my first posts here at the BLOG page.
Some Final Thoughts About Traveling in Greece
1. If you are visiting Greek islands, you will be getting on and off ferries, you might want to consider Carry-On-Only. You have to be able to lift your things, but it makes travel easier and you don’t worry about the airline losing your baggage. Also, some hotels have no elevator, so you’ll be stuck lugging your giant suitcases upstairs.
2. Using Carry-on-only will likely require you get laundry done every week or two. We are in week 5 of our travels and having our laundry done by a service, but you can also find a newfangled laundromat in some towns and get it done cheaper and quicker.
3. Make a plan, but keep it sane. If you have two weeks to spend in Greece, pick one or two islands. If you’re changing islands and traveling every couple of days you won’t get a chance to relax. If you can’t figure out how to start, work with someone who likes to consult and plan trips, such as me.
4. Get a prescription for scopolamine patches from your doctor if you get car or seasick at all. This is especially important if you’re traveling by ferry during off seasons. Even in the summer the sea can get quite choppy.
5. Smoking is everywhere in Greece, perhaps in Europe. It’s so strange to me to see young attractive people smoking. I don’t smoke and find it irritating when I have to smell it. BUT I have to come to terms with it, since the smoking culture isn’t likely to change because I’m complaining about it. Nope, gotta live and let live, hold your breath and step away. Begin again.
6. Elevators are not required and some places don’t have them at all. This is true for most of Europe. If they do have elevators, they will be very small. The entry floor in most hotels is not the first floor, it’s floor zero.
7. Family run hotels are a better choice in Greece, since you will experiencing the world-renowned Greek Hospitality, of which they pride themselves. Besides, apartments and AirBNB will require you get your own food and typically have you clean up any foodstuffs you brought and usually clean the lodging as well. This is an excellent way to connect with people in Greece, too.
8. Good shoes are a must. You can get by with one pair of good sandals with arch support, a good quality sneaker ( you know, to climb castles). I also brought some ankle booties with me but I didn’t use them in Greece. Cobblestone, loose rocks, steps, and steep ramps are everywhere. Don’t even try heels, which are sure to cause discomfort and possibly end with a turned ankle or something.
9. Speaking of good shoes, break them in for a few months before your trip. This also applies to orthotic inserts, which I found out the hard way. Fortunately I found some great new shoes in Athens – OnCloud and went up a size.
10. Try the local Greek transportation on buses or the Athen’s Metro subway. You will definitely save money and will probably get to your destination quicker. An added bonus is getting to see the real city/town and people.
11. If you’re renting a car, be sure to take a video of the vehicle, focus on any dents/scratches. This can be a record for when you turn the car back in. This applies anywhere you might travel.
12. If you’re driving, the roads are in pretty good shape. Granted the local roads can be narrow but the toll roads are very good and, unbelievable to us, there was very little traffic. They have incredible tunnels, some 1 km or more in length.
13. Speaking of driving, be very careful if driving in Athens. It’s so congested, driving is crazy, and parking is a challenge.
14. Learn a couple words or phrases in Greek. Most Greeks speak at least some English, but “thank you” is always appreciated, even if mispronounced like me. Efaristo!
15. When dining, the merchant will not typically bring you the bill unless you ask. In Greece, a meal is meant to be savored and they expect you to sit for hours like they do (excepting the packed tourist spots). I always wanted to ask one of the hurried drivers “why are you in such a hurry to go sit for a 3 hour dinner?). Also, you will be charged for water, but they will often bring you a free dessert or drink. Go figure.
16. Say YES to meeting new people and trying new things while in Greece.
Helpful Apps & Websites for all travel:
Ferryhopper – buy ferry tickets and track your ferry
Booking – great for lodging
Google maps – navigation
iTranslate – speak or type words and get instant translation. (I paid extra to access other languages when out of cell and/or Wi-Fi range. This has proven very useful.)
Wise – A safe and less expensive method for wire transfer compared to US banks
Apple Pay – mostly we use our visa, but a couple times the merchant’s card reader didn’t work. ApplePay to the rescue.
Rome2Rio – shows how to get from point A to point B, anywhere.
Your airline’s app – We’ve used Alaska Airlines, Aegean Air, and soon Croatia Airlines.
TripIt or Wanderlog – great for consolidating all your travel info in one spot.
OMIO – for booking trains
Flush – Just what you’d expect. Free toilets are mapped out, although we haven’t needed this (yet).
Get Your Guide or Viator – great for finding guides pretty much anywhere. We used this for our Meteora excursion.