Typical Dress Code in Greece? And Are Flip Flops Sufficient for Walking Around?

Funny story. I was on a bus in Germany. Two guys were speaking in English about picking up women, making out with women, etc. I was kind of surprised they were being so open about it.

When we were close to the stop, one of them asked me a question (he was from Greece). I responded in perfect English (American accent) and he said he thought I was European. I asked why and he said, "Because you aren't wearing flip flops."

Just a thought.

I'm sure you can get by with flip flops. The islands are casual and people wear sandals. Be prepared for cobbles and dirt and sand and rocky paths.

That said, permit me this brief minute to sound like your mom and tell you that sooner or later you'll be posting here (or somewhere) asking for a cure for plantar fascitis. And man, it's painful! Invest in some sandals with good arch support.

With the exception of Mykonos we visited all the destinations u mention and we dressed very casually. It was hot, so lightweight comfortable clothes were best. At some of the churhces and other religious sites they gave the woman clothes to drape over them before entering the site.
Re flip flop -- there are defintniely cobblestones and rocky areas. I wore flip flops sometimes, but generally wore more substantial walking sandals for more stability.
Have a great trip

Yes, dress is casual, but definitely take something sturdier than flip-flops! Especially if you plan to visit any ruins (the Acropolis in Athens, perhaps?), or hike the Samaria Gorge. I took boots, but I needed the ankle support for the gorge, decent sneakers or proper walking sandals should be fine.

take one pair of flip flops to wear around the pools or at your hotel. But take real sandals for everything/everywhere else. And I don't mean slides/wedges, but sandals w/ good support, good, secure straps that buckle or velcro around the ankle/instep. The ruins, rocky beaches, cobble stoned streets, slippery boat decks + flip flops = a recipe for disaster.

Walking shoes would be even better - but getting a flip flop girl into "real" shoes might be a stretch

Hi

I visited Athens pre Olympics. The pavement was a disgrace! You had to constantly watch where you were walking. One of the oddities is that every second shop seemed to sell hardware . Good walking sandals is recommended as a minimum.

Hi Imavolio, the city I live in (Northern CA) is so casual that most of the women wear flipflops 8 months or more out of the year. All of mine are the Clarke brand so they have more support than the typical flipflops.

I wore flipflops around Charleston as it was warm and my friend and I wore casual pant outfits. Between the bad sidewalks, cracks, cobblestones etc., I think I almost fell every hour, lol. Thankfully neither one of us did. But it was a lesson learned. Wearing flipflops when walking in known areas is one thing but I would never again NOT bring a good pair of walking sandals or shoes as janisj described when on a trip and sightseeing. But as janisj mentioned I too always tuck a pair in my luggage as I use them as slippers, going to a cafe for morning coffee that sort of thing.

Flip flops, at the beach, are fine as long as you have beautiful feet.

Otherwise, no.

And then there is this.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2007-07-01-flip-flops-trouble_N.htm

Your feet will thank you for not wearing flip flops for sightseeing in Athens and the islands. Believe me, I live in flip flops, too, but I learned the hard way after nearly missing a step on my way back from the Acropolis.

I still wear flip flops for the beach and pool of course, but now always pack a pair of sturdy, unfashionable walking sandals ( the kind my 20-year-old daughter laughs at-Naots!) when we go to Greece.

We're going back to Athens on Friday. Regarding dress code, people do dress casually but nicely in Athens ( very few shorts, except on tourists), especially when going out for dinner.

On the islands, you'll find everything from shorts to bathing suits to capris during the day, but most people tend to dress up a bit for dinner, unless they're going somewhere really casual.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!! I was afraid of the answer I might get on the flip flops I know I will regret it one day, but I definitely tend to lean toward fashion over comfort. I guess I will need to rethink this for Greece!!

If anyone has any good links to good, comfy walking sandals/shoes that look cute too, say the word!!

Thanks again everyone! Much appreciated...

One more thing - will Crocs do?? (for those of you that are familar with them??)

The walking on cobblestone and ruins present some challenges. I bought two pairs of comfy walking shoes from Teva.com, I would suggest that these shoes will be more comfortable. I would only do flip flops for the beach etc. Dress is casual, and you will have a great time-your need to take of

If you're just doing a beach they're fine. If you're doing any city, cobblestone areas or ruins - where walking may be rough/uneven - I would definitely also have something sturdier that will stay on your feet when climbing.

Imavolio: Now is the time to become an adult

Get some REAL shoes - not crocs, not flip flops -- shoes. (crocs fill the same niche as the flip flops - beach/hotel -- not for walking long distances sightseeing),

flip flops are OK. take a couple pair even. for short distance, near your hotel, going out to dinner in the evenings.

but for daytimes, where you'll be walking way more than you likely do each day at home, get something sturdier. Lots of the comfort brands are making an effort at better style. I recently bought a couple pair of Rieker and Naot's that are reasonably fashionable. Mephisto has a whole line this summer that's more stylish.

It's not about "casual" or "dress code" it's that flip flops are simply too flimsy for rough walking conditions for hours at a time.

Even in Tevas, the end of my toes ended up very "beat up" and sore because of the uneven stones. Glad I had bandaids. Take the flip flops for evening, not walking. You will need a pedicure the moment you return no matter what you wear. Greece is hard on tootsies.

Imavolio-don't listen to those posters who don't know what they're talking about, like JanisJ- re flip-flops-they are always fashionable, and always comfortable. I have traveled all over Italy in just flip-flops-and I have worn my flip-flops into the opera houses in Vienna and Budapest, and in ritzy hotels in London-I have black sequin flip-flops for dress, and others with cushy footbeds for pure comfort. So the answer is, of course you can wear flip-flops, but just get those that have at least one or two inches of foam footbed-that will really cushion your feet-and you'll be just fine.

Good grief, I can just hear the comments from my Italian friends in Italy seeing a grown woman wear flipflops to an opera or upscale places, black sequins or not. And yes of course, flipflops are just perfect on rocky cliffs off the beaten path..NOT. Too funny!

"I can just hear the comments from my Italian friends in Italy seeing a grown woman wear flipflops to an opera "

But LoveItaly - we aren't talking about a grown woman here - it is girlspytravel

Imavolio,

Pay no heed to the rude poster who lurks at Fodors. You've gotten great advice from some very well-traveled people who absolutely know what they're talking about. The flip-flop decision is yours, and I hope that you have a great time!

I knew flip flops were an indication of the decline of civilization, but flip flops at the opera is a sure sign of armageddon.

One of the Fox contributing doctors was talking about this very subject this weekend, interviewed some foot specialist, they are comfortable and fun but with that are many problems with fallen arches, the support is not there for long walks on uneven ground. I would maybe consider them for evening after the day of sightseeing is over. Have a wonderful holiday

Well, if they are a sure sign of civilization ending, Apre, you better tell the haute couturiers in Paris, Milan, London and New York, because they always feature flip-flops in their collections. There's a couture shop along the Canal St. Martin in Paris who will make you a hand-tooled pair of flip-flops to your specifications in leather, for a quite expensive price. So don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em. I know my feet felt fine at the end of a long day of tramping up and down the hills of Rome in my two inch cushy flip-flops-I couldn't have done it without them.

GST wrote: "Well, if they are a sure sign of civilization ending, Apre, you better tell the haute couturiers in Paris, Milan, London and New York, because they always feature flip-flops in their collections."

Are we take our idea of civilisation from the perpetrators of that greatest of crimes against style, haute couture? The end of civilisation is nigher than we think.

Imavolio, I don't know how fashionable you will think they are but Teva and Keen make nice supportive sandles. I agree with Grasshopper. Plantar fascitis is painful. I will be in some of those areas next month too. I will look for the New Yorker with flip flops on. Have a gr8 time.

Here lies a tale. I have just been diagnosed with plantar fascitis after wearing flip flops (or thongs in my country) practically every day for two months this summer. I now cant even wear sandals with pain. I wish Grasshopper had mentioned it earlier! Having said that, most of the islands are pretty casual and I wore them most days even to pebbly beaches, but not in the night time.

Having recently returned from Greece
and several days in Athens I'd suggest shoes a little more sturdy.

Athens has varying types of paving on sidewalks... lots of uneven stone everywhere. Up the steep slippery steps of the Acropolis and to walk around it's rough stony plateau I'd want something more substantial on my feet than flip flops. The same is true for many archaeological sites... this isn't a manicured Disneyland... there are sharp stones, uneven footing and lots of gravel.

So I'd add a pair of walking shoes to my bag if I were you.

Rob

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Sounds like I have some shopping to do for some supportive (and hopefully cute!) sandals before I leave next week...The problem is finding a pair that will match with all the little summer dresses and capri pants I have for Greece! All in the name of fashion

I do love my flip flops and I personally find them very comfortable...I'll still bring a pair or 2 with me for the beach and walking around the hotel area, for dinner, etc.

Thanks all!!

I just got back from Greece and I can assure that people were wearing flip flops everywhere -- we even saw some girls wearing them while trekking up the volcano in Santorini!! Hugely impractical, but there you go. (We also saw two girls wearing high heels on Delos!)

I would agree with the other comments above that you would be better off with at least one pair of good walking shoes for serious hiking and trekking around the Acropolis and other ruins (definitely for Delos and the volcano). But you will see plenty of people wearing flip flops around town in Fira/Oia and Mykonos.

why on earth would you listen to americans trying to teach you how to dress in europe. likely your answers are as silly as if you asked a chinese person how people in the US dress.

dress for comfort. if you can walk all day in flip flops or 'thongs' (i love that) then go for it. there is no reason to dress differently from how you would at home.

"no reason to dress differently from how you would at home" - depends entirely on whether you're going to do the same things in the same environment you do at home. Visiting the ruins in Greece requires different footware to nice flat pavement.

Flip flops recall always hyperhydrosis and bromohydrosis.
G.

"if you can walk all day in flip flops or 'thongs' (i love that) then go for it. there is no reason to dress differently from how you would at home."

That would be true -- IF at home, one climbs volcanoes, walks through ruined temples/villas, has cobbled streets, etc.

Most likely that is not the case.

When we first started traveling to Europe over 30 years ago, I had no idea how to pack or what to wear.

The other day, we were looking at some old photos of our first trip to London. There I am, in a pair of cheap, crummy sandals, standing next to a post rubbing my foot!

That photo says it all! Buy something with good support -- your feet will thank you.

I recently was in Belize and Guatemala walking, hiking and climbing ruins. I wore hiking shoes some of the time, but I absolutely loved my (closed toe) Keens. They were cool like a sandal, casual, but have great support and protect your toes from the stones, etc. I always thought they were sort of a religion-I've seen whole families that wear nothing else all year-but I'm now a believer.

I'm also a believer in my closed-toe Keens.

I wore the Keen Venice sandal when trekking all over the ruins of Greece and they were perfect. I saw many others wearing them also (or the similar Newport model). It was very helpful that they were washable. They got covered in dust after hiking up the volcano and I just hosed them down afterwards and they were dry the next day.

I'd wear flip flops before I'd be caught dead in Keens.

Seems Keens makes a flip flop, lol: www.keenfootwear.com/product_detail.aspx?sku=5255

I suggest everyone wear SAS shoes in Greece and Italy. Then you could look like a nun.

Or Sarouchi shoes.
G.

suze, I feel the same way about Crocs.

I wore flip flops everywhere (usually with a skirt or dress), all day in Greece - Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes. Sure, by the end of the day my feet were tired, but it was fine. Wasn't so different than at the end of a day of walking all around Manhattan in flip flops. At night I brought a pair of cute cork wedges that were really light and weren't too high. Saw plenty of people in stilletos but I think it would have been a problem for me on the cobblestones.

Imavolio - I have these Merrill sandals and they are really cute and I can easily wear them with capris, shorts, skirts, and pants. They are very comfortable and the ankle strap is velcro so you can adjust it as needed.

I have the brown pair and they are much cuter in person - the browns are much closer to the same shade than the photo suggests.

http://tinyurl.com/59bxhm

These Merrill's are really cute! I may order a pair, but not sure I can get them in time since I leave next week!! Thanks for all of the advice. Glad I sparked such a lively debate about flip-flops on Fodors

Appreciate everyone's feedback!

My parents live in Skiathos and I have visited Athens. You are fine to dress casually, if going out to dinner you can go smart casual, no need to get fancy. However if you are going walking on rough ground or hiking I would recommend some good walking sandals such as Ecco's or Keens. If you watch the people getting off the ferry that are island hopping they are all wearing that kind of sandal.

Hope you have a great time.

Order them from Zappos.com. they come in 2 days with regular shipping you can pay extra for overnight delvery.

oops left out a word --Should be "with regular shipping OR you can pay extra for overnight delvery."

I would be afraid that in a crowd some joker would step on my toes.

No flippers for me. Besides your feet can get filthy from all the dirt.

If you wear socks, they get pretty bad. If you don't, your toenails will seem like they are growing dirt.

I might add that on cobblestones, flippers are trouble. For that surface I want hiking boots!! Besides they offer more foot protection from other people's big feet!

I guess it depends on how you define and measure comfort.

You've had a lot of responses, but I really hope you can stand one more. Get some cute sandals with arch support that are washable, such as Chacos. They are sexy and give some space between the broken glass, rocks, spikey weeds, etc that you will encounter. You can wear them out at night with a cute sundress. Don't pack too much, because there are little shops galore with sundresses, sarongs, etc.

Do take a those shorts that look like a skirt for visiting religious sites, or else a sarong to throw over your shorts. Take a pretty scarf for your shoulders, and you should be good to go! Have a blast!

I didn't read every single post to this thread, but as a flip-flop girl myself I'd say I'd have had some trouble in Greece last year had I only brought flip-flops. I decided to get a pair of Naots, which was the best decision. They're now my favorite pair of comfort sandals for all travels. They're cute, but incredibly comfortable. I've never had a pair of shoes feel so good on my feet straight out of the box. It was like wearing little clouds on my feet, and after a day of hard core walking through Athens my feet were thanking me. They served me well up and down the narrow, steep streets of Santorini too. They have many different styles, but these are the ones I have (just found this website, but you can get them many places, google it)
http://www.planetshoes.com/itemmatrix.asp?groupcode=2560&Item=Naot-Paris&Brand=Naot

Imavolio - the Merrill sandals are part of their "Spire" line. I can't say enough good things about that line. I also have the maryjane style "Emme" (http://tinyurl.com/6zxy7w). They are the only shoe I've found that I can stand in (and walk in) for over 6 hours straight without my heels hurting - their cushioning is intense and it doesn't flatten out over time like other shoes.

Actually, Zappo's will get them to you super fast.
I once oredered at 4pm Thursday and they were at my door 10am Friday.
They have free shipping both ways, so you can order more than one pair and just send back the ones you don't want with their prepaid label.

Oh, and my Naots came from Zappo's too, and I've told my daughter I want to be buried in them, I love them so much!

Flip flops are so, so tacky--of course that's just one guy's opinion. Went to the annual closing ceremony for my wife's school yesterday. Some parents were wearing flip flops--it just looked like they had given up and don't care how they look any more. Maybe it's a generational thing, but they just look grundgy to me. I know I wouldn't hire anyone who came to a job interview wearing them (we deal with the public).

Rufus - I don't know that it's generational because I see people of all ages wearing flips...They can be very stylish and cute, although I would agree, I doubt anyone would wear them to an interview. I work in the corporate world and would never wear them in a business setting. Greece is a different story

We are also visiting Greece this year...how do you think these sandals would work?
http://tinyurl.com/43fo5h
Do you think there would be a problem with stones etc. getting caught under the straps?

My family just returned from Greece on 5/28/08. My teenage children all wore flip flops and I asked them if their feet were hurting. All 3 said no.. but I don't think they will admit to anything. When we visited the Acropolis 2 women fell and had to be taken to the hospital. The marble is very slippery. Marble is everywhere. Mykonos is easier for flip flops. Santorini in my opinion should not be done in flip flops. The cobble stones are hard to walk on. If you take the boat trip to the Volcano,(Santorini) definintely wear walking shoes. I wore Lands End water/walking shoes that were all purpose and they worked out great for me. The Black Beach at Santorini is all pebbles. Very hot stones. I would recommend the same type of water/walking shoe for the beach there. Dress is casual. Sundresses, shorts. We only needed sweaters a few nights. We were in Athens,Mykonos,Paros & Santorini

i think flip flops are cute too
look after your feet...make sure theyre well pedicured and away you go

feet always feel fresh - not like your sandshoes!

flip flops or thongs have taken over our land and if open sandals were good enough for the dear sweet Jesus Lord then
theyre just fine for me