Traveling to Greece this spring? There’s a few essential things to take along when packing for your trip! And you’ll probably be surprised at what those essentials are… here’s my advice on what to pack for Greece in the spring and how to not make the idiotic packing mistakes I did!
A few years ago, I had the great opportunity to visit Greece for 6 days during Spring Break.
I was so flippin’ excited. I was going to sun tan and get my beach on; swim in the big, beautiful ocean; wander around the temples in a cute spring dress; take fashionable Instagram-worthy pics on gorgeous Greek islands…
Man, was I in for a reality check. 😂
I made some pretty huge mistakes when preparing for my trip. Keep on readin’ below to make sure you don’t make the same ones as me when figuring out what to pack for Greece.
Psst, need some Greece trip inspiration? Check out my blogs on exploring the island of Crete, spending four days on Corfu, five ridiculously fun things to do in Athens, and everything you need to know BEFORE you visit Greece!
PACKING FOR GREECE IN THE SPRING
4 Personal Mistakes I Made
Before we get into what I packed and what YOU should pack for your Greece trip, let’s first talk about what major mistakes I made that essentially ruined a majority of my spring break.
(So you can do the opposite of what I did to have a much more memorable — and comfortable — experience.)
Mistake #1: Not doing my research.
Before leaving, I didn’t really do any research on what the weather was going to be like in Greece while I was there. I’m from the coldest city in the continental US, so I figured I would relish in the sunny 65° weather and be warmer than ever.
I was dead wrong.
When we landed, the weather forecast was mid to low-60s and party cloudy. With wind.
Mistake #2: Only bringing with me short-sleeved tops and spring dresses.
It was not fun choosing my outfits each day when all I brought with me was an array of spring dresses and short-sleeved tops.
I was lucky enough to bring a leather jacket last minute that kept me sort of warm but I desperately dreamed of having my flannel shirts and light fall jackets while walking around Athens.
Mistake #3: I only focused on bringing things to look cute in rather than dressing like a sane person.
While packing, I seriously only thought about what I was going to take pictures in.
How. Dumb. Of. Me.
I’ve officially fallen into the Instagram trap of comparing myself to others.
Major note to others: stop focusing on what you’re going to look like and focus on the experience and how awesome of a time you’re going to have. It’s absolutely not worth your time comparing yourself to others.
Mistake #4: Severely overpacking.
When people tell you to only pack what you need and leave the “just-in-case” items at home, please – please! – take their advice.
I seriously cannot stress this enough. When we were walking around Athens trying to find our AirBnB, my entire back felt like it wanted to fall off. It hurt so much. My backpack was waaay to heavy and put so much stress on my body. By the time I arrived back home, I could barely walk.
So, clearly I had no idea what to pack for Greece. And it really put a damper on my trip. Most of the time I was freezing, uncomfortable, and cranky because of the coldness.
Hence, I’m now going to try help others in figuring out what to pack for Greece in the spring (because holy moly, I seriously f*cked up).
Psst, is this going to be your first adventure to Europe? Make sure to read my post on 11 essentials to pack for your first Euro trip before you jet off! Check it out HERE.
Spring in Greece Packing List
Packing for Greece was quite the endeavor. Here’s a list of exactly what I packed (clothing-wise only) so you don’t make the same mistakes I did:
Tops
- 3 t-shirts (one dark grey, a deep green for St. Patty’s Day, and a soft, loose t-shirt for sleeping)
- 6 tank tops (navy, white, black, maroon, light grey and dark grey)
- 2 casual long-sleeve button-ups (a checkered flannel and a slate grey)
- 1 long-sleeve sweater
- 1 semi-nice light green button-up blouse
- 6 dresses (this is where I made my enormous mistake – the only decently warm dress I brought with me was a mid-length jean dress with sleeves; all the others were dresses that were exclusively made for summer)
In total, I brought with me 12 tops and 6 dresses. I now realize this was way to much; I was only going to be gone for 10 days. 😑
Bottoms
- 3 pairs of jeans (one dark pair, capris, and a light tan pair)
- 1 pair of black Under Armour leggings
- 1 black maxi skirt
- 1 pair of black shorts
- 1 pair of sleeping shorts
- 1 pair of flannel pajama pants
Once again, absolutely way too much for how long I was going to be gone. I didn’t even wear like half the stuff I brought.
(Shorts for Greece in the chilly spring weather? Yeah right. Good joke, Soph.)
Check this out next for more Greece inspiration: Wandering the Ancient Ruins of Athens, Greece
So, mid-March, the weather in Greece is fairly chilly. It hovers around low to mid-60s. Although, if it’s cloudy, then it’s even colder. In April, you’ll find that the weather in Greece is around the upper 60s or low 70s. Still not warm enough for super summery clothes!
Even though you may be walking around most of the time, you’re going to want to bring a semi-warm jacket and pants to cover your legs. (Like the outfit in the photo above!) Don’t bring a plethora of dresses like I did — literally only wore one of them.
Also, the locals looked at my friends and me like we were craaaaazy. Most people were wearing long pants and jackets — some even heavy looking jackets — while we were wearing summer outfits.
That said, even though I packed horribly for the weather, there are still some items I’d bring with me again.
Things I would Pack Again for Greece in the Spring
- 2 casual long sleeved shirts – the flannel shirt I brought was a favorite of mine to wear. It was comfy (in other words, warm) and looked cute under a jacket. I also really loved wearing the one sweater I packed.
- 1 tank top (maybe 2 – probably a black one and a colored one)
- 2 t-shirts (definitely the one I slept in and my dark grey t-shirt)
- Long sleeve jean dress – it was a great thing to wear to the island of Aegina in Greece; it kept me pretty warm and it was really cute.
- 1 pair of jeans (probably dark blue ones)
- 1 pair of black leggings
- Long pajama pants (the flannel ones kept me nice and warm while sleeping, as it got pretty chilly at night)
- Cute leather jacket
There are some items I’d definitely pack more of if I were to visit Greece again in the spring. Reflecting on how cold it was, packing warmer items like long-sleeved shirts and flannel lined tops would be in a visitor’s best interest.
For me, I struggled to stay warm and it really put a damper on my overall trip. When you’re cold, all you can focus on is that you are cold! So, again, don’t be like me. Be better — pack temperature- and weather-appropriate clothing!
Anyways, I really hope this helps you when planning your visit Greece in the spring! Figuring out what to pack for this gorgeous country in Europe shouldn’t be difficult, just don’t make the mistakes I did and have an awesome time.
Sophie xx
P.S. If you’re from this area or have been to Greece in the spring, please don’t give me any shit for my ignorance. I now take full responsibility for being extremely naïve. 😅
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April
March 15, 2019 11:13 amBless you for this. I leave for Athens on Monday, looks like I was going to make all of your mistakes! Seriously. I live in Minneapolis where 60’s is heavenly. I’m so glad I read this now. THANK YOU!
The Wanderful Me
March 17, 2019 2:57 amOMG April! You have no idea how happy I am to hear that! I’m so glad you stumbled across this post to learn from my unfortunate mistakes 😂 But I totally get it — I’m also from MN so 60 for me is also luxurious! Haha. Hope you have a fantastic time in Greece though! If you have any questions, feel free to message me 🙂
Jessica
March 4, 2020 1:28 amMy kiddo is going to Greece over spring break and u have saved me! I was trying to find summer clothes in Illinois, in early March! An impossible task. I will be rethinking our choices. Thank you
The Wanderful Me
March 6, 2020 6:41 amThank you for stopping by and reading Jessica! I’m SO happy you got some value from this post! It can be difficult figuring out the Greece spring weather, especially when you’re from the midwest! Hope you’re kiddo has a fantastic time in Greece 🙂
Jean
March 30, 2023 4:18 pmThanks Sophie. Going to Greece 29/April to 8 May. Luckily I was packing only dresses thinking it would be very hot. And was not thinking about longs for the night. Thanks
Elizabeth
February 3, 2022 11:21 amThanks for this! Heading to Greece the end of March and not ever been a light packer or been overseas so this helps a ton!!!
Sophie
February 14, 2022 7:48 amHey Elizabeth! Yay! I’m so glad you found this blog helpful. I wish I would have had it when I went to Greece (clearly!). Where are you visiting in Greece? Would love to hear about your upcoming trip!
Debbie
February 20, 2023 12:09 pmI am going on a cruise leaving end of May back 1st week in June. Weather thoughts? Clothes packing..Thanks
Sophie
March 2, 2023 4:47 amHi Debbie! The weather should be very comfortable during that time (mid-70s to low 80s in the day), though the evenings and nights can get a bit chilly (low 60s). With that in mind, I’d recommend bringing mostly summery clothes (shorts, dresses, t-shirts) with a few pairs of long pants, couple of long-sleeved t-shirts and a jacket or two for the evenings. I hope you have a great time!
Anne
March 19, 2023 5:30 pmGreetings from Ireland 🌺Arriving in Santorini Greece on The 26th March , Thank you so much for the info on packing the proper items for my trip , I too would have made the mistakes ,many thanks for all your tips ,much Appreciated Kind Regards Anne
Jasmine
March 5, 2023 4:34 pmHi Sophie, thank you for this blog! We’ll be leaving for Greece mid March and this is exactly what I needed. Did you also travel to other countries? We’ll be in Rome and Venice as well in our 2 week spam. I wonder if clothing choices would still remain about the same.
Diana
March 21, 2023 8:17 amThank you!!! Going to Greece 3/25/23 I was so worried about what to pack!!! I literally thought I would be coming home with a tan lol 😂
Kathryn
March 1, 2024 10:58 amThank you for your advice! Very helpful!
Sophie
March 7, 2024 8:18 amI’m so glad you liked this blog, Kathryn! Thanks for reading and have an amazing trip to Greece!