Things You Should Know Before Traveling to The Greek Islands
It’s late May and my phone starts buzzing.
“Which Greek islands should I visit?”
“Can I taxi around?”
“What are the best ways to island hop?”
“Does Uber exist in Greece?”
“Is Mykonos worth it?”
Plenty of my friends ask as they prepare their itineraries. I have helped dozens of travelers prepare for their summer trips to Greece and now, I am going to help you!
There are things you should know before you travel to the Greek islands that will really help set your expectations straight and get you in that “Greek Summer” state of mind. These are actually things I wish someone prepared ME with when I first visited the islands back in 2012. Since most people only get to go to Greece once in their lifetimes, it’s best to plan carefully so you can have the most memorable experience possible. Let’s get to it:
1.Rent a car no matter what or risk using Donkeys as your mode of transportation:
Whenever my friends ask me if they can Uber around the Greek islands, I just want to pat their heads and be like “No sweetheart. No, you cannot”. There are no Ubers (and probably never will be) on the Greek islands and if there are taxis, they are extremely limited, extremely expensive and extremely unreliable. So yes, rent a car so you do not risk getting stranded. No matter what island you visit, you simply must rent a car. You can purchase ferry tickets that allow you to bring your car on board when planning to island hop. Most of the islands are spread out. You will need to use your car to do pretty much everything: go to the beach, the gym, the restaurants, the town centers and all the sights. Renting a car is an absolute, absolute must.
2. Renting quads in Mykonos is for douchebags
Driving around Mykonos can feel like a scene out of The Hunger Games and the odds are never in your favor. For some reason, the local tourism companies keep pushing quad rentals on tourists and for some reason, tourists think it’s cool. It’s not cool. It’s for douchebags. The roads in Mykonos are extremely dangerous and everyone is drunk, or high, or both. There is a lot of drunk driving and there are countless accidents, DAILY. I once asked a car rental shop owner how many accidents he sees per day on the island and his response was “30-50 per day”. So unless you want to become a piece of paved souvlaki, rent a car in Mykonos and sit inside some protected metal.
3. Do not pack a million islands into one trip
While every island is indeed different and the urge to cram it all in is strong, I do not recommend jam packing your itinerary. Transportation between the Greek islands isn’t as easy as you would think. During high season, there are almost always delays and sometimes even cancellations. I recommend spending at least one week per island or limiting the amount of islands you visit to a maximum of 3 per visit. Choose one large island like Rhodes or Zakynthos and visit the smaller islands off the coasts by doing mini day trips. There is so much to see and do on the larger main islands. Rushing off every couple of days might give you more anxiety than inspiration.
4. Breakfast consists of coffee and cigarettes
To the Greeks, breakfast means coffee and a cigarette. Unless you are in a hotel or in Mykonos or Santorini, most of the Greek islands don’t really do breakfast the way other European nations might. Meaning, they don’t take it seriously as an important meal of the day. That doesn’t mean you can’t find breakfast options anywhere you go, I am just warning you that it’s generally underwhelming and nothing to get excited about. Best to stick to your hotel or cook at your Airbnb. Lunch, dinner, snacks and just about any other meal however…will be heaven on earth. This is Greece folks, and they take their food seriously (as well as their coffee and cigarettes).
5. Cash is king
This is the story for most of the world, but especially in Greece. They love cash and will even discount things if you can pay for it in cash. Want to bargain? Pay cash. Bring cash to the town centers when shopping for souvenirs and presents. You can absolutely pay by card for anything, anywhere, but be prepared for fees to be added on top as the Greeks hate Uncle Sam. Cash rules all systems in Greece. They cringe at the sight of a credit card and will even pretend their card machines are “broken”. Truth is, you could save quite a bit of dough if you pay for things in cash as they love to give deals so they can avoid the tax man.
6.The Greeks eat dinner past 11pm. Get used to it.
Love eating dinner at 7pm and going to bed early? Then why the hell are you going to Greece? I am Mediterranean myself and I love that we practically eat dinner at midnight and stay up till silly o’clock to enjoy the summer breezes. This is a part of the culture you must embrace. Not to say that nobody will serve you earlier, just be prepared to sit by yourself. There is no vibe in the world like a late night Greek dinner with incredible music, seaside views, gorgeous people, and inspiring cuisine. Say bye bye to your early sleeps.
7. The Greeks will feed you free dessert and you will eat it.
Depending on what islands you visit, it is customary to be gifted with a free treat post-meal. It usually consists of a little cake, or baklava, or any baked goods they make in house. They might also pair it with some complimentary Ouzo or Raki. So go ahead and indulge in that sweet tooth and say “efharisto poli”. Don’t deny it. Your summer bod will survive. This is a custom, especially on the island of Crete, and can be expected at pretty much every single restaurant and Taverna. Sometimes they cut you fresh watermelon too. It’s just customary hospitality.
8. Better to book an Airbnb vs a hotel
In some countries, it’s the opposite, but in Greece, the Airbnb market is far better than the hotels. There are two hotel categories in Greece: Super 5 star luxury, or complete shit. (Lol sorry but it’s true). Even if they claim to be a 4 star, it’s still a stone hard bed and stale bread for breakfast. The hotels tend to be under maintained, poorly furnished, and not very clean, while Airbnbs in Greece have exploded. Most listings are completely new, super luxe and stunning. Your money will go further with an Airbnb. If you are staying for a short while and prefer a hotel, better up your budget to meet your needs. If you are staying longer than one week, I highly recommend an Airbnb.
9. The Ionian islands are a completely different vibe
When deciding which islands to visit, know the difference between the Ionian and the Aegean Sea. The Adriatique islands on the Aegean are far different than the Ionian and offer a completely different aesthetic, vibe and even culture. Most American tourists love the Aegean islands (also known as the Cyclades) like Mykonos and Santorini, while the English love to visit the Ionian islands like Zykynthos and Corfu. The Ionian offers lush green forests and crazy hues of green and blue, while the Aegean islands boast rocky, desert-like terrains with the classic blue and white architecture. For first time visitors, I recommend the classic islands of the Aegean. For 3rd or 4th time visitors, I recommend heading over to the Ionian for something new.
If you are headed to Greece this summer and need some inspiration, tips and some custom itinerary planning, hit me up! I offer unique travel planning as a little side service. Let’s chat!
