5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Greece
I’ve always loved Greece. After watching Hercules as a kid, I fell in love with their mythology. Around the age of seven, I saw Mamma Mia! (my favorite musical) on broadway for the first time and I started associating ABBA’s music with Greece. Every August, my hometown had a Greek Feast where we ate gyros and baklava and listened to (actual) Greek music with family and friends. The Greek culture and motifs have always been apparent in my life so it was no surprise to anyone who knew me that visiting Greece was a top bucket list country for me.
In the fall of 2021, I was able to do just that. I packed my bags, went to MCO alone, and went on my second tour with EF Ultimate Break (big fan, more on that in another post) to Italy and Greece. This was my second time in Italy, but my first time in Greece. It was absolutely everything I dreamed it would be and more. I listened to ABBA on a boat in Paros, ate gyros in Athens, and partied in Santorini. Truly a dream come true. While I wouldn’t have changed a thing about my trip, here are 5 tips that I wish I knew before going to Greece:
1. Wear Comfortable Shoes
It was a dream of mine to walk in the same temples that the ancient Greeks did. The one thing I didn’t think about was the ancient Greek infrastructure… While the ancient architecture is absolutely amazing, the steps and sidewalks aren’t the easiest to walk on. Not just that, but the Acropolis is at the highest point in the city and many of the other temples are on hills as well. the easiest way to reach them is still by foot. If you’re like me, you might have thought that all the temples were close together. That however is not the case. While we walked from the Temple of Zeus to the Acropolis, we had to take a bus ride to visit the Temple of Poseidon. I love shoes, but for some reason, I chose to wear Vans most of my trip and they were fine in almost every city until Athens. My ankles doubled in size because of the amount of walking we were doing.
2. How to Order a Gyro
Growing up in New York, I had access to Greek food pretty often. We’d order gyros (JIE-rows) at least once a month and of course at the Greek Feast. The gyro I knew here in the states was lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki in a pita wrapped in aluminum foil. I thought I was pretty ~cultured~ for being exposed to Greek food my whole life. Little did I know, “gyro” is actually pronounced like “hero” but with a g in front (Ghero). But that’s not the big issue when ordering a gyro in Greece. The big issue when ordering a gyro in Greece is that if you don’t specify you want your gyro wrapped, your gyro will come to your table deconstructed on a platter. So when ordering your first gyro in Greece, make sure you say you want a WRAPPED gyro.
3. A Little Greek Language
Greece was the first country I’ve traveled to where I knew absolutely none of their native language. To this day I only remember “Yamas!” which is the Greek version of our “Cheers!”
While I was there, I was able to pick up basic words like “yes,” “no,” and “bathroom?” But it’s very disorienting being in a foreign country and not knowing how to communicate with the people who live there.
4. There’s Little to No Phone Service (and When There is, It’s No Bueno)
Let’s BeReal, traveling to a foreign country, your phone is glued to your hand. The obvious reason is to take pictures of literally everything, but it’s also for safety and comfort. One of the most terrifying travel moments I ever had was chasing after a girl in my group was who way past drunk in Paris with a dead phone. I learned early that having a working phone is essential while traveling. I’m not sure if my international plan just ran out, but I had a really hard time connecting my phone to the network in Greece and WiFi was really hard to come by. I tried to stay with people with working phones and not stray too far from areas we were familiar with.
5. Paros is Stunning.
When you think of Greece, you think of the history of Athens and Olympus, the blue-roofed white buildings in Santorini, or even the party scene in Mykonos. I didn’t know much about Paros before I visited, but it was the most beautiful island we visited. The water was crystal clear and the beaches were beautiful. I literally felt like I was swimming in a stock photo. Some of my favorite travel moments come from places that are popular among locals. My tour guide and the locals were just excited to see our experience and enjoy their home for the first time. I went on my trip most excited to visit Santorini, but I left in love with Paros.
