Although it is no longer mandated to wear masks on airplanes, we do advise wearing them throughout the duration of your flight on your way to Greece. For the safety of all of our guests, please also do your best to minimize your exposure the week prior to your departure. We want everyone healthy and ready to party!! This is HUGE! The US is no longer requiring air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. This is regardless of vaccination status. For those of you who recently had COVID, that means no doctor's note is required as you will not need to test to re-enter the US.
The island of Spetses is designed with walking in mind. From end-to-end, it is about a 35 - 40 minute walk, and is well worth it! With that in mind, there are no personal vehicles allowed on the island, but you can use enchanting horse drawn carriages, a limited number of car taxis or water taxis to get you around. There is also a bus that stops at all of the major beaches. If you are able and have past experience, we recommend renting an ATV or Scooter to explore Spetses. Note, you must have an international driver's license to rent a motorized vehicle. We recommend going to AAA to get one. Just understand that the roads are narrow and you need to be very careful when driving. You can make it around the whole circumference of the island on the main road in about an hour without stops, but of course, stopping to enjoy the beaches is highly encouraged! Please be mindful of these travel logistics as we want to clearly set expectations to make you have the best vacation experience as possible.
Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift of all. We understand that we are having a destination wedding, so please know that if you’re attending, we have no expectations for gifts. Please do whatever you feel comfortable with. If you are unable to make it and want to send a gift, please reference our registry. For those able to make it, we want you to enjoy your vacation, celebrate this next chapter in our lives and enjoy the Greek Islands! We appreciate each and every single one of you for being such significant people in our lives. Travel, exploring and new adventures are sacred to us, so we hope we leave you with the gift of a once in a lifetime experience with old & new friends. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain
Yep! Greece has a whopping 227 islands to choose from. When choosing it's best to go by geographic area and ferry accessibility. We would suggest the following: If you have just a few days: Spetses ---> Piraeus / Athens Spetses ---> Hydra ---> Poros ---> Piraeus / Athens Spetses ---> Peloponnese ---> Piraeus / Athens If you have longer: -Spetses ---> Piraeus ---> Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros (ferries or flights) If you have TONS of time: -Try to check out Crete; the largest of the Greek Islands. Its remote beaches are top notch. -Take your time and drive around the Peloponnese (where Alexis's family is from), it is literally the place of legends. Gorgeous & historic. -Venture to the Ionian Islands: Lefkada, Kefalonia & Zakynthos, which are less traveled as they are slightly more difficult to get to, but absolutely stunning. -Embark on a Mediterranean cruise from Piraeus to the various Greek Islands and even a cruise to Italy.
Yes! Athens is a pretty cool city and has a lot to offer. Can't go wrong with staying a night or two and exploring the ancient ruins. It is a major metropolis, from shopping to dining, so expect this to be the most urban experience of your vacation. Everyone speaks English, and the signs are in both Greek & English, so you should have no problems finding your way! - https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/attica/athens - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/greece/athens - https://www.touropia.com/tourist-attractions-in-athens/
There is a limit to withdrawing 500 EURO per day from the ATMs. Our recommendation is to always have enough cash on you just in case. Some restaurants may be cash only, as may some cabs / taxis. Just like the US, credit / debit cards are widely accepted. Each credit card company has their own travel fees / benefits, so if you have questions please reach out to your respective company directly. Make sure you call them about your travel plans and dates to avoid fraud alerts. Waitstaff in Europe are paid a better wage than in the US, so tipping is not mandatory, it is truly to express additional satisfaction with service. The range of tipping is still a personal preference. If you need a percentage guideline you can do 10 - 15%, or up to the American 20% for exceptional service (and maybe more expected in the high trafficked islands of Santorini & Mykonos since it's mostly tourists there).
We touched on our preference of SIM cards in a previous email. However, that was just to inform you that it is a viable option should you not want to use your carrier plan. If you are on the fence, try your carrier plan for a day or two, and then buy a SIM card from any kiosk / telcom store if you're not satisfied with your service. You can find the SIM cards at any Kiosk in the airport, convenience stores or actual mobile phone stores. Note, if you have an iPhone, you'll need an earring back (or something small) to pop out your SIM card located on the side of your phone. DO NOT MISPLACE YOUR US SIM CARD THAT COMES WITH YOUR PHONE. Please, please keep it in a safe place. You will not be able to replace that until you're back in the US and your phone will not work outside of Greece. The choice is yours!
The outlets in Southern Europe are different. Please ensure you bring a Southern European converter to ensure you always have a fully charged phone to capture the stunning landscape that is Greece! Note, converters are different from adapters. Converters are more protective against power surges and potential damage to the electronic device you have plugged in. We do not have recommendations on which brand or type is the best, but do advise you read reviews, use your best judgement and just make sure they are for Greece / Southern Europe.