Additional information

Question

IMPORTANT: Everyone must fill out a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) 24h before arriving in Greece

Answer

This is extremely important. If you do not do this, you won't be allowed into Greece. All travellers must complete their PLF one day before entering the country, providing detailed information on their point of departure, the duration of previous stays in other countries, and the address of their stay while in Greece. In case of multiple stays, they are required to provide the address for the first 24 hours at least. One PLF should be submitted per family. The PLF can be found on the Visit Greece app and at travel.gov.gr. It is strongly recommended that all visitors download the Visit Greece app (GDPR compliant) for free, prior their arrival in Greece. Go to this website for more info: https://travel.gov.gr/#/

Question

How will you manage COVID-related safety?

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Safety is our top priority. Greece is open to tourists with proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test. The best thing you can do to stay safe is get vaccinated. Studies continue to show all three American vaccines are extremely SAFE and EFFECTIVE at preventing severe illness against all strains of COVID-19. We are vaccinated and we hope that those traveling internationally will also be vaccinated. Greek islands have higher vaccination rates than the rest of the EU; they were prioritized in the vaccine rollout. All of our vendors have already been vaccinated, and any unvaccinated staff AND GUESTS will be given a rapid test on the day of the event. For those who are unvaccinated, we will provide rapid tests at the welcome dinner and at the door of the reception. Our vaccination rate at these events will be well over 90%, and they will also be entirely outdoor. If you have further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

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Are kids welcome?

Answer

Yes!

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How do we get to the wedding venue?

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We will provide shuttles to and from the ceremony and reception from several pickup locations. These locations are TBD based on which hotels you choose, but the main one will be from Chandris Hotel near the main port in Chios town.

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Are there any other events that I should know about around the wedding?

Answer

Yes! There will be a welcome dinner for those traveling to Chios, and an afterparty the day after the wedding. Reach out to us if you need advice/assistance.

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Are there public transportation options on Chios?

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Short answer: None that are very good. We highly recommend renting a car if you'd like to see a lot of the island. There are also taxi services available. See the "Travel" tab for additional details on this.

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Is there a dress code?

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We would like you to be comfortable, but we envision the wedding to be somewhat formal. Keep in mind it will be summer in Greece, and it may be warm during the ceremony and somewhat cooler when the sun sets. We will be dancing until late into the night, so please keep that in mind when choosing your footwear!

Question

How many days should I plan to spend in Chios?

Answer

Wedding events are August 5-7, but there is plenty to do in Chios! We recommend arriving at least the day before the welcome dinner, and leaving on Sunday at the earliest. We will be in Chios from July 26-August 10! If you'd like to spend some extra time with us, try to come to Chios a bit earlier than the welcome dinner- we will be around. As you can tell from the website, there are lots of things to see and do in Chios, so you won't get bored!

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Should we rent a car?

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We highly recommend you rent a car if you are planning on staying in Chios for more than a couple days. Renting a car is cheap if you drive stick, but can be a bit pricey if you don't. Google maps works well, so getting around is also straightforward (download your google maps in advance if you don't want to use cell data). Chios is a large island, and there are lots of things to do if you have a car. There are lots of gorgeous beaches and villages to visit, but are difficult without access to a car. For those nervous about driving in a foreign place, consider splitting a car with a group. If you don't get a car, we recommend taking down a cab driver's number, so you can always get a cab if you need one. We highlighted a few car rental options and taxi companies on the "Travel" page.

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Where should I travel in Greece before or after the wedding?

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We highly recommend checking out Crete! We have travelled extensively on this island, and find that it has something for everyone. You can also easily get to Santorini from Crete by ferry, if you wanted to do a day trip to that iconic (but overpriced) island. See below for Luke's recommendations about Crete!

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Crete, Basics

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Crete has an international airport in its capital city, Heraklion, so is easy to get to and from. There is lots to see in Crete, so depending on how much time you want to spend you could split time between Heraklion, Rethymnon, and Chania, or just pick one or two of the cities. I think no matter what you decide, you should rent a car, which means getting an international drivers license (apparently only takes 15 min at AAA – probably can do it online too).

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Chania, Crete (Part I)

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Chania is my favorite city in Crete. It’s all the way at the western end of of the island, about 2.5 hours of driving from the largest city, Heraklion. It was a Venetian colony during the Middle Ages and has a beautiful old port with old Venetian buildings and fortress walls. From Chania, you also have really easy access to the Samaria Gorge, which is Europe’s largest/deepest canyon. It’s a about a 2/3–3/4 day hike, but totally worth it. You can ask your hotel about it when you get in, but basically a bus will pick you up at or near your hotel very early in the morning (probably before sunrise) and take you to the top of the gorge. You spend the morning and early afternoon hiking down the mountain and through the gorge and end at a beach with restaurants and bars. From there a ferry will pick you up and take you back to your bus. It’s a full day commitment and you will be sore after, but you won't regret it. If you do want to go, make sure you pack sneakers, snacks, and water bottles.

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Chania, Crete (Part II)

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Food in Chania is also really good, but as anywhere there are lots of tourist traps, so do your research to find the best food. One place we went twice while we were there is called Thalassino Ageri. It’s on the water and has all fresh local seafood. You can get basically any fish you want, fried or grilled. Great sides and appetizers as well. Can’t remember other places we liked, but if you find a good travel guide or do some googling, I’m sure you can find some good places. There are also beautiful beaches at the west end, not too far from Chania. There is one that is a bit of a drive, called Elafonisi, that has pink sand and gorgeous deep blue water and sits on the Libyan Sea. On the drive over there was a small village called Topolia with several tavernas. We ate at one called Spilaraki that overlooks a valley and some tall mountains. The food was outstanding.

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Rethymno, Crete

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Rethymno is a nice, smaller city. There are good places to eat in the city, but a couple of really special places outside of the city. One is called Agreko Farms, which may require reservations in advance. It’s a working farm, definitely set up more for tourists, but it’s (no joke) some of the best food we’ve ever eaten; all traditional cretan cuisine. From Rethymno you also have a relatively short drive south to the Libyan Sea. There is a popular beach that has a fort called, Frangokastello. On the way is an amazing restaurant called Plateia Taverna in the town of Myrthios. This restaurant had unbelievably good food and has a view from the mountains down to the Libyan Sea. A closer beach that is also popular there is called Plakias.

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Heraklion, Crete

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We haven't spent as much time in Heraklion, but there is an archaeological museum there that has really amazing artifacts, and there is the Knossos Palace which is very cool as well.