Greece is the stuff of travelers’ dreams, with postcard views around every corner, warm hospitality everywhere you go and mouth-watering locally specialties at each meal. Even better? For a huge part of the year the weather will likely cooperate enough for you to have the trip of a lifetime.
It’s not all beach days in paradise, though: if you’re planning a trip in spring, what to pack for Greece will depend on the range of temperatures and activities – good planning will allow you to make the most of your trip. Check out these tips for what to wear in Greece in spring and your general Greece packing list for spring.
Weather in Greece in spring
When is “spring” in Greece? As with the rest of Europe, you’ll start to find lovely (albeit variable) weather in Greece in April, with warmer beach-friendly conditions in May. Greece has many microclimates associated with different island groups, individual islands and even parts of a single island.
| Athens | Santorini | Crete | |
| April | 68 F high 1.22″ rain (6 days) | 64 F high 0.63″ rain (4 days) | 68 F high 1.57″ rain (6 days) |
| May | 77 F high 0.90″ rain (4 days) | 73 F high 0.43″ rain (3 days) | 73 F high 0.79″ rain (4 days) |
Book a photoshoot
We always love to book a photoshoot when we’re traveling. As a mom, it’s tough to get in the photos since I’m always behind the camera. We use Flytographer to capture our memories. You can get $25 off your shoot by booking with this link or using code FAMILYVOYAGE.
What to wear in Greece in spring
Shoes to wear in Greece in spring
The good news about visiting Greece in spring is that you can (probably) bring minimal footwear! The most important pair of shoes for Greece in spring is comfortable but stylish sandals. These are my absolute favorite and are extremely comfortable for walking. They even have enough traction to handle the steps at ancient ruins, as you can see in the photo above!
After wearing through those sandals, I recently moved to a style like this one and it’s been serving my (now older) feet well through many trips.
Speaking of ruin… I prefer not to bring my nice sandals to the beach, as the sand and water are sure to age them prematurely. Instead I always throw in a compact, lightweight pair of flip flops. But flip flops don’t have to be synonymous with cheap and uncomfortable! I’ve been a devotee of Teva Olowahu flip flops for over a decade. They provide awesome support, wear well, and some of the more neutral styles can pair equally with a casual dress or a swimsuit and cover up.
If you plan on doing any hiking during your spring trip to Greece, you’ll need to throw in some appropriate hiking shoes. Some walks just need a cute closed-toe sneaker, but for others you’ll want a shoe with more substantial traction. I particularly like these for warm-weather hiking thanks to the ventilation.
Clothes for your Greece in spring packing list
For daytime in Greece, dresses are a great choice! I recommend bringing three of different styles for variety, but consider at least one that can double as a swim cover-up and one that can look a little nicer if you decide to have a special dinner out. The dress I’m wearing above in Athens got tons of use during our visit because it’s extremely comfortable and cool but also looks nice – check out Athleta and this Prana dress (which I now own in two colors) for similar styles.
It’s worth bringing one pair of lightweight jeans or capris and two tops (one short sleeve and one long sleeve) in case that variable weather rears its ugly head and gives you chilly temperatures or even – if you’re really unlucky like we were (twice) – rain.
By the same token, evenings can be cool and breezy in many parts of Greece. Make sure to bring a light sweater or jacket to keep warm on the patio of the taverna as you enjoy your spanakopita. A packable rain jacket can also come in handy if there’s a big downpour.
If you like to wear shorts, throw in a comfortable pair along with one or two more warm-weather tops. Shorts are also perfect as a beach cover-up and great for hiking.
Of course, no visit to Greece is complete without some time frolicking in the Aegean and other nearby seas. Pack two swimsuits to alternate (since it’s no fun putting on a wet swimsuit).
One of my most important travel accessories is a great pair of sunglasses. Between the bright Mediterranean sun and the reflections off whitewashed buildings, your eyes will thank you for wearing high-quality polarized sunglasses.
Want to be protected from the sun and look insta-ready all the time? Make sure to pack a stylish hat for travel! It’s worth considering a “packable” hat like this one so you don’t have to carry it around (or lose it, as I once did at the airport) or one that has a cord you can attach to your carry-on to get it safely through your travels.
Read more Greece articles or get Europe travel inspiration
Greece packing list beyond the clothing
Greece plug adapter/power strip
What power adapter do you need for Greece? If your needs are simple, you might be able to get by with these cheap Europe plug adapters.
After bringing tons of them with us for years, we’ve come up with a better strategy! These days we have this high-quality global power adapter. It accepts plugs from anywhere and converts them to plugs for any destination. To meet modern needs, it has two USB-A plugs and three USB-C plugs in addition to a traditional three-prong outlet. It’s even my daily power adapter at home since it can simultaneously charge two phones, two smart watches, my extra USB power pack and my laptop! I can’t recommend it enough.
European SIM card
If you want to use your cell phone overseas, you have a few options. First, you can get on T-mobile to get unlimited overseas data and texting. Second, with other carriers you can expect to pay around $10 per day for global roaming. Third, you can buy a local SIM card.
A SIM card will come loaded with data, texting and voice credit all associated with a local phone number. Make sure your phone is unlocked by your carrier a few days in advance. When you arrive at your destination, just pop it in (check YouTube for directions for your phone and make sure to have a paper clip handy) and go through the activation process.
We had a great experience with the Orange Holiday SIM card. It offers 10GB of data, 1000 texts and 120 minutes of talk time. The best part? If you’re traveling around Europe it comes with you to more than 30 countries! The stated lifetime is two weeks, but you can extend that by registering the card online. Check the latest prices here.
A great travel camera
You’ll definitely want to capture great pictures of those glorious turquoise waters and stunning sunsets! If you want something more powerful than your phone, check out a great “bridge camera”. It offers great flexibility and plenty of zoom to let you take amazing photos, but doesn’t require swapping lenses like a mirrorless camera or SLR. Don’t forget a big memory card and a spare battery!
Beach bag/carry-on
If you’re going to Greece in spring, you’ll definitely want to spend (at least) a little time at the beach! We love the bags from Logan & Lenora because they can double as beach bags and airplane carry-ons! What’s so special? Plenty of pockets for organization and the huge center pockets are waterproof. On the flight there you can store your electronics and personal items in there, and on the ground you can use it as a Swiss Army knife day bag. Check out some of the fun patterns here, or browse their website for the full selection.
Travel towel
Speaking of beach, there are plenty of hotels that won’t let you bring their towels to the beach with you. We totally get it, because no one wants their stuff to be all sandy! Throw a compact travel towel in your bag to make sure you’re covered.
Sunscreen
The “lobster look” is very popular with Europeans on holiday in Greece. Don’t be like them. Keep your skin safe and healthy with a great sunscreen. You can buy a range of European sunscreens locally, but they can be expensive and you probably don’t want to spend your vacation going from one shop to another looking for the right one.
SPF lip balm
What’s just as uncomfortable as sunburned skin? Sunburned lips. It’s happened to me more times than I can remember unfortunately. To avoid that massive pain, make sure that you wear an SPF lip balm all the time.
Kindle Oasis + unlimited subscription
There’s nothing better than spending a day at the beach engrossed in a good book, and chances are you’ll also have a long flight to get to and from Greece (and maybe a long ferry ride too). But isn’t a Kindle too fragile to take to the beach? Not the new Kindle Oasis! This waterproof e-reader looks amazing for the beach and the pool! You can read with confidence that a little water or sand won’t hose your device. Even better, you can stock it up with a free trial of Kindle Unlimited before your trip!
Plan your trip to Greece
Check out these helpful articles to plan your upcoming trip to Greece:
–Why you need a travel capsule wardrobe (and how to build one)
–Hands-on reviews of the best women’s travel backpacks
–Awesome daypacks for female travelers
–How to visit Greece on a budget
–A Local Guide’s Perfect Greece Island Hopping Itinerary
–The best places in Greece for families
–One day in Athens
–Visiting Naxos with kids
–Visiting Crete with kids
Prefer to have a paper guide book? Check out these great options:
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This was such a helpful article! Thank you for the great tips – I especially appreciated the links to your favorite products!
Happy to help!