Packing list for Greece, travel insurance for Greece, and taking your belongings

To take or not to take to Greece, leave at home or arrange locally?

Sufficiently insured or not for your activities in Greece?

Sufficiently insured or not for your trip to Greece?

What to bring to Greece: highlighted

Highlighted items:

• Documents: passport or European ID card that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival. An online and/or offline copy of your passport or ID is always useful.
• Money: cash euros are useful on the small islands and in the villages. And bring your debit card!
• Care: sunscreen and aftersun. This is not readily (cheaply) available on all islands.
• Outdoor and conveniences: cap or hat and sunglasses.
• Clothing: light clothing. In winter, an extra layer can also be sensible. If you are going into the mountains, bring something warmer.
• Shoes: flip-flops for the beach and good shoes for walking in the city or through the mountains.
• Medicines and travel pharmacy: your favourite menstrual products, because not everything is available everywhere.

What else can you bring:

• Towel or shawl for the beach.
• Driving licence if you want to rent a car. Water shoes for the pebbly and rocky beaches.
• Covering clothing for visiting temples and monasteries.
• Mosquito repellent.

What knowledge is useful when you go to Greece?

• The neighborhoods in Athens that you should avoid if you don't want to be pickpocketed.
• A few words of Greek are guaranteed to make people smile!

Are there mosquitoes in Greece?

• Yes, certainly in the summer and especially near water and in the evening.
• They are usually not dangerous, but there have been cases of West Nile virus, so protection is not an unnecessary luxury.

Are there sand flies in Greece?

• They are found in the south and on some islands (such as Crete and Rhodes), especially around dusk.
• They are annoying, but not dangerous.

Can you buy DEET or other mosquito repellents in Greece?

• Yes, at pharmacies and larger supermarkets - but often more expensive brands and sometimes low concentrations.
• So be sure to bring your favorite repellent yourself.

Where can you get your food and drinks in Greece?

• Supermarkets: AB, Lidl, Sklavenitis – good selection, but island prices can be higher.
• Street food: gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita – cheap and fantastic.
• Restaurants: often cheap and good quality. Vegetarians are fine, vegans a little less.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Greece, or take it with you to Greece?

• No. Soft drugs are illegal in Greece. So you can’t take them with you!
• Vaping is legal, but there are places where it’s not allowed.