Greece Packing List

The short version

Greece does not need specialist kit. It needs the right shoes, real sun protection, one modest layer, and a little care about two categories: medicines and anything that Greek law treats as a weapon.

Footwear, which is the whole game

Pack shoes with grip and support, and break them in before you come. Ancient marble that has been walked on for twenty-five centuries is polished, and it is often on a slope. The FCDO's guidance for walking in Greece asks for footwear appropriate to uneven terrain, and that applies as much to the Acropolis summit and the path up Delphi as it does to a mountain trail.

Bring a second pair. Wet steps at Meteora and a long hot day on rock are different problems, and one pair of shoes rarely solves both.

Sun, and taking it seriously

A hat, high-factor sunscreen and a refillable water bottle are not optional between spring and autumn. The official advice for being outdoors in Greece is to avoid the peak hours of sun and to carry a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water, and to expect trails and sites to lack shade. Add sunglasses and a light long-sleeved shirt, which beats sunscreen for a whole afternoon in the open.

One layer for the monasteries

Meteora's monasteries are working religious communities, and so are many of the churches you will want to see. Our travelers carry a long skirt or trousers and a scarf or light shawl for the shoulders, kept in the day bag rather than the hotel. It weighs nothing and it decides whether a door opens.

Medicines: pack them properly

Bring the prescription medicines you need rather than expecting to buy them. Keep them in the original container with the prescription label, carry a doctor's letter stating the quantity required for your stay, and make sure the name on the prescription matches the name on your passport. Dispensing rules for some medicines, including antibiotics, are strict. Controlled medicines need a separate conversation with the Greek drugs organization, OKANA, before you travel.

Add insect repellent. The CDC recommends a repellent containing 20 percent or more DEET for protection against both ticks and mosquitoes, and its Greece page lists tick-borne encephalitis and sand fly bites among the risks to avoid bites for.

Two things not to pack, and one to carry

Greek law lists offensive items such as pepper spray as weapons. A knife with a blade of 10 cm or more counts as a weapon, and any knife not made for domestic, professional, artistic or hunting use needs a special license. Leave both at home; neither is worth a conversation with an airport security officer who has excellent equipment and no discretion.

The thing to carry is your passport, on you, because police may ask for identification and may not accept a copy.

Electronics and the alerts

Bring a charger and a power bank, and set your phone up to receive Greek emergency alerts before you leave home: the instructions per handset are in our weather guide. For a walk, add a map, a means of navigating that does not depend on signal, and a fully charged phone.

Food you cannot bring

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries, so the sandwich in your bag is a customs matter rather than lunch. The exceptions are powdered baby milk, baby food, and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.

What to leave space for

Olive oil, thyme honey, mastiha, a bag of dried Greek oregano that will out-perform anything on a supermarket shelf at home. Buy it late in the trip, get a receipt, and remember that liquids belong in checked baggage.

Read this with the best time to visit and travel safety.

Sources

• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Greece safety and security: terrorism, strikes and demonstrations, theft on the Athens metro, water safety, road rules, wildfires and earthquakes. Accessed 15 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Greece health: the emergency numbers, vaccine timing, prescription medicine rules, and healthcare that is good on the mainland and limited on some islands. Accessed 15 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Greece entry requirements: Schengen area rules, visa-free stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, the two passport validity tests, and the 10,000 euro cash declaration. Accessed 15 September 2026.
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Travelers’ Health, Greece: routine vaccines, hepatitis A and B, measles, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis and insect bite prevention. Accessed 15 September 2026.