What to pack for Greece

Sitting on the shores of the Mediterranean, basking in the sunshine, you can while away your days in Greece eating slow-roasted lamb, feta, olives, tzatziki and many more mouth-watering delights. Pull up a sun lounge on a sandy Mykonos beach and settle in for the day. Or hit Athens for the 4,000 years of history there, much of it still standing!

Greece is a picturesque combination of culture, history, sunshine and food. No wonder Western civilisation thought it would be a fab spot to start up!

Below you will find all you need to know to make packing for Greece easy (click to jump to the section you need) –

• When is the best time to visit Greece?
• Things to do in Athens with kids
• Things to do in Mykonos with kids
• What to pack for Greece
• Packing list for a week in Greece
• Mix and match travel wardrobe
• Super light travel wardrobe
• What to wear in Greece
• What to wear in Athens
• What to wear in Mykonos
• 7 day outfit plan

When is the best time to visit Greece?

June and September are the ideal months to travel to Greece.

Peak summer season is July and August when locals, other Europeans and the US are in full travel mode. Not only is it super crowded at this time, but also super hot (33-34˚c daytime average in Athens).

By avoiding the height of summer your trip will still be warm and sunny, but cheaper AND less crowded. Double win!

In June and September the average daytime temperature is 29-30˚c in Athens and 27˚c in Mykonos, with overnight temperatures of 18-20˚c. And the sun is sure to be shining, because there are only 1-4 rainy days a month!

Things to do in Athens with kids

It’s all about the tangible history in Athens. Impressive remnants of ancient Greece are a history classroom brought to life. Which definitely helps if you need permission to take the kids out of school! (Use this guide to decide whether you should be taking a holiday in term time.)

The most popular sights in Athens are centred around the Acropolis, the ancient city in the sky that feels as though it has been carved out of the rock that it sits on –

• Acropolis – the remains of the ancient city
• Parthenon – the temple in the Acropolis with columns on all sides that you probably imagine when you think of the Acropolis
• Acropolis Museum – securely housing artifacts found in the Acropolis
• Theatre of Dionysus – a 15,000 seat theatre where Greek tragedy was born
• Plaka – the picturesque old town on the slopes of the Acropolis
• Panathenaic Stadium – site of the first Olympics
• Syntagma Square – the central square and also a prominent location in the most recent Bourne movie. If only Matt Damon would be there!

Things to do in Mykonos with kids

Mykonos and the myriad of other postcard-perfect Greek Islands are less about sightseeing and more about relaxing and soaking up the glorious sunshine. Most visitors spend their time on the beaches or wandering the cobbled streets in town.

Mykonos is where you will find buildings whitewashed to within an inch of their lives, with blue doors and window frames and perhaps a vibrant pink bougainvillea spilling over a low wall. There are windmills on hilltops and the freshest of seafood available at every restaurant.

It’s a perfect spot to have a few lazy days in the sun.

What to pack for Greece

With highs of 27-30˚c and lows of 18-20˚c you can be fairly sure of being warm during the day in a t-shirt and shorts or summer dress. And a light jumper or jacket or two will be sufficient for the odd cool day, evenings and air-conditioned spaces like the plane.

So you don’t need to take anything too bulky, but with such warm days I recommend taking a fresh top/dress for each day. This eliminates the need to wash clothes while you’re on holiday. But don’t take more than a week’s worth of clothes. If you’re away for longer, then you need to ensure you have access to washing facilities.

For extra comfort in the air-conditioning of the plane, you might want to add some leggings under your stretchy summer dress. Find more comfortable plane outfits here.

Packing list for a week in Greece

The core of your Greece travel wardrobe is –

• 3 dresses
• 4 tops
• 2 bottoms
• 2 jackets/warm tops
• 2 shoes

Just add sunglasses, sunhat and bathers to be ready for the beautiful warm weather and you’re set to go!

Try to take a mix of sleeveless and sleeved tops and dresses. A light cotton blouse or dress that covers your shoulders will give you more sun protection when you’re exploring for hours on foot.

Ensure your shoes are flat and comfortable. Sturdy even. Wandering around the uneven ground of the Acropolis or the cobbled streets of Mykonos needs practical shoes. And flat metallic sandals give enough glitz to wear when you want to look a bit more dressed up.

Mix and match travel wardrobe

If you would prefer more of a mix and match wardrobe without the dresses, then this is the combination I recommend –

• 7 tops
• 4 bottoms
• 2 jackets/warm tops
• 2 shoes

Super light travel wardrobe

Of course you could pack much lighter than this if you are happy to rinse out tops/dresses after you wear them. Theoretically you could wear the same outfit every day!

I still recommend taking 2 pairs of shoes (wear 1, pack 1), because any shoes, no matter how comfortable, can rub if you wear them every single day. But by almost halving the number of clothes items you take, then by the time you wear 1 outfit on the plane, there’s not much left to put in your suitcase.

• 2 dresses
• 2 tops
• 1 bottom
• 1 jackets/warm tops
• 2 shoes

What to wear in Greece

Wouldn’t this be a fabulous wardrobe to be heading away with? Or try this navy and grey capsule wardrobe.

1   Sussan Woven tank
2   Decjuba Danica tee
3   Country Road Swiss dot shirt
4   Bohemian Traders Belle blouse
5   Decjuba Sofia bomber
6   Bassike T-shirt dress
7   Bohemian Traders Boheme maxi skirt
8   Boden Summer wrap dress
9   Witchery Lella sunglasses
10  Wittner Ramsay sandals
11  Country Road Spaced stripe knit
12  Tigerlily Matano maxi dress
13  Decjuba Positano shorts
14  Superga sneakers
15  Milea Spice Islands maillot

What to wear in Athens

There’s no doubt you will stand out as a tourist if you’re very casually dressed in Athens. Smart casual is normal for locals. My first priority is always comfort and practicality for seeing what we’ve come to see, but if you prefer to blend in then I would steer clear of shorts and t-shirts in favour of skirts and blouses.

Day 1 – Flight to Athens – Comfort is always key when flying long distances, so make sure you use plenty of stretch fabrics and have a warmer layer and perhaps leggings to feel cosy in the plane’s air-conditioning. A light woollen scarf can be a handy extra layer to pop in your carry-on bag.

Day 2 – Athens – Get out into the sunshine to ditch the jet-lag and get familiar with your surroundings. Have a wander through Plaka, get into the delicious Greek food and find some open space for the kids to have a run.

Day 3 – Athens – Now that you’re settled in, get up early and hit the Acropolis and surrounding attractions.

Day 4 – Athens – Are you up for some more sightseeing? There’s plenty more to see, but this is a holiday too, so relaxing at a cafe or park, enjoying the sound of the language around you while people-watching is awesome too.

What to wear in Mykonos

For Mykonos or any of the Greek islands casual resort wear is the go. The vibe is relaxed and fun, so no need to dress up.

Day 5 – It’s a short flight to Mykonos, but make sure you’re comfortable enough to be carrying suitcases (and possibly children!).

Day 6 – Head to the beach for some family down time.

Day 7 – More of the above, but make time for a special family meal at a lovely restaurant before you go home.

Day 8 – Sadly it’s time to go, so get your comfy flight outfit on and start planning your next trip!

7 day outfit plan

Popping over to Greece for a week? Excellent! Your capsule wardrobe will have you sorted with a new outfit for every day.

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Where would you head first? Acropolis or beach?

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