Greece Pre-Trip Checklist: Everything I Do Before I Fly
Planning a trip to Greece? Here's my complete pre-trip checklist, from travel insurance and passport checks to restaurant bookings, eSIMs, airport transfers and everything I do before every flight to Greece.
With just a few of days until I fly to Greece, I thought I'd share everything I do before every trip.
Once my flights, accommodation and ferries are booked, I start working my way through the same checklist every year. Some things are practical, some are probably a little obsessive, but by the time I get on the plane I know everything is organised and I can relax.
If you're planning your own trip to Greece, I hope this helps.
1. Book my travel insurance
Once my flights, accommodation and ferries are booked, the first thing I do is organise my travel insurance.
I always pay for my trip with my credit card, but I still take out a separate policy. For me, it's another layer of security and gives me peace of mind.
2. Check my passport
A few weeks before I fly, I always check my passport expiry date.
I make sure I have at least six months left before it expires. I definitely don't want to find out at the airport that my passport isn't valid for travel. It's a two minute job that can save you a lot of stress.
3. Plan my wardrobe
I know... I know.
Yes, I actually take every piece of clothing I think I want to pack, hang it up and start putting outfits together.
I work out what I'll wear sightseeing, for lunches, dinners, beach days and travel days. I even plan based on location, for instance you dress different in Mykonos say than you do in Amorgos. It also shows me what's missing, what needs washing, ironing or dry cleaning and stops me packing clothes I'll never wear.
I keep things pretty simple. Shorts, tees, tops, everyday dresses and a few outfits for the evenings.
I also pack plenty of swimwear. I practically live in it once I get to the islands.
As for fabrics, I avoid synthetics. Linen, cotton and silk are always my first choice for a Greek summer, it’s too hot for anything else.
4. Start making restaurant bookings
This is one of my favourite jobs.
Throughout the year I'm constantly researching and saving restaurants, bars and beach clubs I want to visit. A few weeks before I leave, I start locking them in.
Some need to be booked months ahead. Others only open their bookings a certain number of weeks before. I actually have reminders in my calendar so I don't miss out.
Every restaurant in my guides is somewhere I'd happily go back to myself, so I always use them when I'm planning my own trips too.
5. Organise my airport transfers and transport
About a week before I leave, I organise my transport.
Over the years I've only had two bad experiences getting from Athens Airport into the city, but they were enough to make me change the way I travel.
Now I pre-book my airport transfer. I like using Welcome Pickups because I know someone will be waiting for me after a long flight. It's one less thing to think about when all I want to do is get to my hotel.
I also organise transfers on the islands if I know taxis are limited (which they are in most islands!).
6. Looking at Athens Airport Fast Track
This is something new for me.
Like many travellers, I've been keeping an eye on the changes coming with the EES (Entry/Exit System) for non-EU passport holders. It's a new European border system that's expected to increase processing times at passport control, particularly as it's being rolled out.
This trip I have a domestic flight just four hours after I land in Athens, so every minute counts.
I've been looking into the VIP Fast Track service at Athens Airport. You're met at the gate, fast tracked through passport control, helped with your luggage and escorted straight to your waiting transport or gate.
It certainly isn't cheap at around €150 (about AUD $245), and I still haven't decided if I'll do it. But if there's one thing I don't enjoy after a long-haul flight, it's standing around in long queues.
If I decide to use it, I'll report back after my trip and let you know if I think it's worth the money.
7. Get some euros
I never leave this until the last minute.
I always travel with some euros in cash and I like having money loaded onto a couple of travel cards before I leave Australia.
That way I'm not scrambling for cash as soon as I land.
If you're lucky enough to have Greek citizenship and a Greek bank account, even better. Having a local debit card makes life incredibly easy.
8. Beauty and toiletries
This is where my suitcase starts getting heavy.
I go really light on makeup. Concealer, eyeliner, a brown eyeshadow, bronzer, mascara and a lipstick or lip gloss are about all I take.
My hair is another story. For some reason, every time I'm in Europe, my hair dries out. It doesn't matter if I'm in Greece, France, Italy or anywhere else, it always happens.
So I always pack plenty of shampoo, conditioner and hair treatments. I use Olaplex and Kérastase and I'd much rather bring them with me than spend my first day shopping for them.
9. Download everything before you leave
This is one of those jobs that's easy to forget, but it makes life so much easier.
Before I leave, I make sure everything I might need is downloaded to my phone. Boarding passes, ferry tickets, hotel confirmations, restaurant bookings and offline Google Maps.
I also make sure my Greece travel guides are downloaded and ready to go. Mobile reception can be patchy on some islands, and the last thing I want is to be standing on a street corner trying to load a map or find the name of a taverna.
Having everything ready means I can simply open my phone and get on with enjoying my trip.
10. The day before I fly
The suitcase is only half packed, I'm still deciding which shoes to bring and, once again, I'm having the same conversation with myself about high heels. Every single year I pack a high pair. Every single year they come home exactly as they left. I don't think they've ever even moved from the suitcase.
This year I'm not even going to pretend. They're staying home.
Today is also when I organise my eSIM, charge every battery I own, make sure all my camera gear is ready to go, download anything else I'll need offline and double check that every charger has made it into my suitcase.
And that's pretty much my pre-trip routine. Once everything's ticked off, all that's left to do is head to the airport and start counting down the hours until I'm back in Greece.
One thing I haven't covered is what I pack in my carry-on. That's a whole blog post on its own because, yes, I have a system for that too.
Planning your trip to Greece?
If you're still putting your itinerary together, I've already done a lot of the research for you.
My digital Greece travel guides are filled with the restaurants I'd happily go back to, boutique stays I love, beaches worth visiting and practical tips I've picked up over years of travelling around Greece.
If you're heading to Athens, Sifnos,Naxos, Milos or Folegandros, you'll find everything you need to help plan your trip with confidence.
