FAQs

Question

Where in Greece am I going?

Answer

The wedding will be held in the Halkidiki (halk-ee-dee-kee) region of Greece. Halkidiki is about 1 hour drive from Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki. This is on the mainland in Northeastern Greece. Halkidiki is known for its pine trees, which makes it more green than any other area of Greece, sandy beaches, shallow turquoise-emerald waters, and (of course) olive trees and honey. There are three peninsulas in Halkidiki: Kassandra, Sithonia, and Mount Athos (from left-to-right). All are surrounded by the Aegean Sea. Kassandra is the most popular tourist destination, and has an abundance of resorts and beach bars. Mount Athos is autonomous to the Greek republic, and is occupied exclusively by monks. Women are not allowed on that peninsula to this day, though there are boat trips that take you on a by-sea tour of the monasteries from all over the world, and its namesake mountain, Mount Athos. See this Guide: http://www.visit-halkidiki.gr/files/FullGuide_Halkidiki_2016.pdf

Question

Where the wedding ceremony will take place?

Answer

Bryn’s family’s home is on the Sithonia “leg.” The coastal village, Bryn’s family’s hometown, is Nikiti (nee-kee-tee). Throughout our wedding week, we will travel mostly around Sithonia. The wedding ceremony itself will be in a neighboring town to Nikiti, called Vourvourou (voo-vor-rou). Vourvourou is a quick trip to the opposite side of the peninsula, and has amazing beach coves surrounded by rolling green mountains and winding roads.

Question

Where should I stay?

Answer

We have listed a variety of recommended hotels at different price points on the Travel page of the website. We do recommend staying in or close to Nikiti, as most of the events are centered around that area. AirBnB/VRBO have some great, affordable options as well for those that want to rent an apartment, or even a house for a larger group! When searching AirBnB/VRBO, search "Nikiti, Greece," "Halkidiki, Greece," or "Vourvourou, Greece" and should search anywhere down to "Elia Nikiti."

Question

When should I book travel and accommodations?

Answer

We recommend booking your travel, rental car, and accommodations as soon as possible. Please be sure that you check cancellation policies so that you are covered if your plans change. Check your passports to make sure you are up to date! Please contact our recommended travel agent on the Travel page if you need any assistance.

Question

How long should I stay?

Answer

We have a four-day itinerary for our guests, starting with a welcome party on Monday, September 6, 2021 and ending with the wedding celebration on Thursday, September 9. Everyone is invited to every event! We encourage you to come to Halkidiki and stay for at least four or five days, but you may make the trip as short or long as you want! We will be in the area from around September 1-11. All are welcome to come early or extend their stay and spend some more time with us! If you wish to explore other areas of Greece on your own time, you could spend some time in Thessaloniki or Athens, or visit islands such as Lefkada, Skopelos, Skiathos, Mykonos, and Santorini (to name a few). These islands can be accessed by plane or ferry from Thessaloniki, Athens, and Volos. Thessaloniki is also an international airport and you can search local airlines (such as RyanAir or EasyJet) for quick flights around Europe.

Question

How do I get there?

Answer

The closest airport to Halkidiki is the Thessaloniki International Airport (SKG). You also can search flights to Athens and look for a short flight to Thessaloniki. There are currently a few airlines servicing direct flights from NY to Athens, and flights from Boston to Thessaloniki with international layovers. Once you arrive at the airport, there are several options to get to Nikiti. If you are staying with a hotel, the hotel might have a shuttle service to and from the airport that you can book through them. There are also private taxis, which can carry up to three people at a time, and will drive you directly to Nikiti for about 100 Euros. If you rent a car, the drive from the airport to Nikiti is pretty simple. There is one main highway that takes you all the way there. We recommend downloading the directions or a Google map of the area so that you can access a map without phone data once you arrive.

Question

How do I get around?

Answer

In our opinion, the best option is to rent a car for your stay. The price of a round-trip taxi from the airport is almost the price of renting a small car for a week and you will need a car to get around locally and to different beaches. The car rental that we use is Cosmorent (http://www.kriopigicars.eu; mention you are part of the Ryan & Bryn Lagoy wedding, as they have offered a discount for our guests!). This car rental is the best, most flexible and one of the least expensive options we have found. They will arrange to pick you up at the airport with the car and send you on your way. When you are leaving, they will pick the car back up from you at the airport. For the wedding, we plan to arrange for a shuttle to and from one of the hotels in Nikiti, and will follow up with more details about this closer to the date.

Question

What should I know about renting a car?

Answer

Important to note if you plan on renting a car: 1) you need an international driver's license. You can get one on the spot by visiting your local AAA, for around $30, and it's good for one year; 2) cars are very small in Greece! If you are traveling with a group and renting one car, remember that the luggage space is limited. You can rent a larger car, but it will be more expensive; and 3) most car rentals are manual. Automatic cars are available, but because they are harder to find, are more expensive.

Question

What should I pack?

Answer

September in Greece is still considered their summer season, with temperatures ranging from 85-90 degrees during the day to 65 degrees at night. Pack for a beach vacation! The nights can get a little cooler, and so some light layers should work well. For the wedding day: look nice, but be comfortable! The ceremony will be in the sand (stilettos beware!).

Question

How do I pay for things?

Answer

Most places in Nikiti, and especially in the airport/cities, accept credit cards. However, a lot of places do prefer cash, and some smaller shops may only accept cash. Greece uses the Euro. The exchange rate is about $1 US Dollar to 0.90 Euro. We recommend exchanging some cash at your American bank prior to the trip, to cover you a couple of days while you get situated, and then you can take out up to 300 euros at a time from the local ATMs. The ATM exchange rate is pretty good and they charge a small fee (though it varies depending on your bank/card). We use the ATM at Masoutis (the main grocery store), but there are many other ATMs located at the banks off the main roads and throughout the village.

Question

How can we communicate in Greece?

Answer

There are a few options for using your cell phone and the internet in Greece, depending on your phone and phone plan. If you have an international phone plan as an add-on option, you can sometimes pay about $10/day for international use and data. A cheaper option, which we typically use, is to purchase a tourist SIM card from a local phone provider, such as Vodafone.This provides you with a prepaid card for about 10GB of data and voice/text for around 30-50 euros (you must be able to change your phone’s SIM card for this option). We find this is adequate for a week or two. There is a Vodafone located on the main road in Nikiti, and all you need is a passport to purchase a SIM card. We suggest you go in the morning hours (between 8am-1pm) to avoid store closures during the Greek nap/quiet hours (around 3pm to 6pm).

Question

How do I get in touch with you?

Answer

Most restaurants and public places will have public wi-fi (or will give you the password if you ask) for you to connect to, but could be spotty. Your hotel or AirBnB will likely have wi-fi or some sort of internet access as well, or even a telephone for local calls. We will both have Greek cell phone numbers and will have data to contact us via iMessage, email, etc.

Question

Where do I go to buy essentials (water, groceries)?

Answer

There are many newspaper kiosks (periptero) off the road that sell water, drinks, and snacks. Drinking tap water is not recommended. For larger items and packages of bottled water, visit Masoutis grocery store, on the main road in Nikiti.

Question

What if I do not know any Greek?

Answer

Halkidiki gets many tourists from all over the world, particularly from Eastern Europe. English, especially for the younger generations, is a second language. You should not have any issues communicating in English in restaurants, stores, and bars. Many signs, road-signs, and menus are in English as well as Greek. If you want to learn some Greek words, we suggest Duolingo (if you want to get serious) or this very quick guide for basics: https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/basic-greek-words-and-phrases-travel. Greeks love it when you try to at least say a few words in their language and are always eager to help you learn! You should know at least “yah-sue” (hello!), "eff-har-ee-stow" (thank you), and “yah-mas” (cheers!).

Question

Are you registered for gifts?

Answer

Your presence is our present! We know that many of you will be making a huge commitment and sacrifice to travel this far to celebrate our wedding with us. We are so grateful to have so many of you joining us. For guests that would like to give something, we set up a Honeymoon fund on the Registry tab of our website through Zola.

Question

How do I RSVP?

Answer

We ask that all RSVPs are sent in by June 30, 2021, so that we can have an accurate guest count to our vendors. You can go to the RSVP tab of our website to send in RSVP's for you and the rest of your party. Please do not send RSVP cards by mail. You must use the primary name addressed on your invitation envelope to unlock the online RSVP (Ex. John Smith for "Mr. John Smith and Mrs. Sallie Smith"). If you have any problems accessing the online RSVP, please let us know. There are three events for which we require an RSVP for an accurate headcount: our welcome party, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding. All other events are more casual and do not require a formal RSVP. In addition to your RSVP, we have asked you to please provide information about your arrival date/time to Greece and where you are staying. This can be added or updated at any time by visiting the RSVP page, even after your RSVP is submitted.

Question

What are the COVID restrictions for traveling?

Answer

All travelers into Greece will require either proof of full vaccination 14 days prior to travel; a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours; or a negative rapid or self-test no older than 24 hours. Returning to the United States currently requires a negative test no older than 72 hours, but this may change based on vaccination status. Please see the US consulate website for up to date information: https://gr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/