I am travelling through Greece for 16 days (Santorini, Naxos, Paros and Athens (day trip to Nafplio) in late May/early June. I am taking a backpack with me (no other luggage) and I wanted to get some suggestions for what to pack but most importantly, what to leave and buy there instead.

I've gone on the internet and looked at a few sites that have suggestions but I find them to be somewhat vague. I have a general idea of what I'll be needing (good pair of walking shoes, sandals, some tank tops, shorts, toiletries etc) but maybe for those of you have gone year after year you've developed some tips. I also know that going into Churches I'll need to have my thighs and uppder arms covered. I've heard sarongs work well? Please feel free to share! Thank you.

Donna, I am assuming that your "backpack" is the somewhat larger size, that has shoulder AND waist strap, and you also have a daybag. Still, you will have a bit less room than my 20" rollaboard. And also, it depends on one's age, a bit. What I pack/wear includes:

2 LIGHT-weight cotton cardigans black/white
4-5 tops, mainly knit t-shirts
1 LS cotton shirt
2 trousers (not jeans); blends that shed wrinkles
2 Crop pants (I find I use them more than shorts anymore)
1 knit shorts (use as cover-up taking bus to beach).
only 2 pr shoes: laced walking shoes & Sturdy sandals
water shoes!! (look at Modells, etc). not flip-flops .. rubber soles mesh tops ... vital! for pebbly rocky beaches ... Nafplio town beach, some East Paros beaches, Santorini, etc.
1 rayon patterned skirt ... Note: u can go into most churches if u wear trousers or crop pants and not sleeveless... a Few require skirts (Paros church of 100 doors) but have sarongs on racks by door to borrow. Don't worry, they're not "germy" .

Beach Towel... handy but don't take! You can buy one for about 4€ in a Naxos grocery.
... take one of those little Travel Smart nylon bags w. shoulder strap that zip into themselves about 4 x 4 (google) for about $6. Use for stuff you pick up along the way.

Conditioner-- even the cheapest hotels seem to supply shampoo but not conditioner.
Sun Screen!! -- VERY expensive in Greece, and hard to find any above UVF 15.
Ziplock Plastic bags, -- quart to Jumbo. Terrific for organizing when living out of suitcase
Duct Tape! -- wind som around old thread spool Mends everything!

Hi Donna, GREAT list from Travelerjan! The things people seem to leave behind are on her list. The lightweight cardigans for one. I was in Greece last May and we had some WINDY, cool days/nights on Santorini. I was very glad to have my cardigan that I could throw on with anything, especially at night. Also, those shoes for the pebbly beaches. Very important! And, as she said, not flipflops, those are impossible to walk in the water with and some of the beaches you'll want to have those shoes on when you're in the water. Also, conditioner and sunscreen.

The only thing I don't see on her list is a hat. I always bring a hat that can pack easily.

It seems we pack much the same Travelerjan!

Thank you ma'am, wug! No I didn't include a hat because I was thinking outfits ... I assume she knows to take hat, sunglasses, bathing suit, etc. Incidentally I usually take a sun-visor w. adjustable velcro band, fits better in my Day Bag, than a hat (tho I pack my Trip Advisor Destination Expert ball-cap in my bag if I want to check out a hotel someone's mentioned).

I don't take the cardigans, but include a cotton or linen shirt that can double as an extra layer and always bring a large scarf that works as a shawl, a wrap, or a myriad of other uses. I bring one pair of light capris and two pairs of shorts. I can't go anywhere without flip-flops and a pair of leather strapped walking sandals.I also like to throw on a shift or similar coverup.
Excellent tip on the sunscreen as it is very expensive there.

How about some suggestions from a man? I would imagine a sarong would be very useful to you. I bring one with me to Greece, not to wear, but as a lightweight beach towel — it takes practically no room at all in the bag.

I use to stuff my suitcase or backpack with books, but now bring an e-reader preloaded with all my holiday reading (and a selection of free classics). For the last few years I have also brought a netbook computer, and this year instead will bring my new iPad. Wi-fi hotspots abound on the islands these days, and it's nice to be able to check the weather forecasts, keep up with the news, and send emails to friends and relatives.

spot on Heimdall! a sarong is my one "unmissable" item for Greece - fine as a really light "cover up" over a bikini on the way to the beach, perfect for throwing over shorts if you want to visit a church, dries in an instant...

Also mosquito repellent, those little plug-in ones for night time... you can buy it there but i'm never convinced how long it has been on the shelves / in the sun so i bring my own

Jan is right on the conditioner, i tend to bring that too

I LIVE in flip flops in greece (sporty ones) - to each their own...

I'm not against flip-flops at all! if you have the room, it's just that they do NOT do the job on beaches with sharp rocks that continue right INTO the water until swim-depth. And also, shouldn't be the shoe of choice on a day you're doing a lot of hiking or scaling some steep hills. I have seen some people in real pain, on the Acropolis and Palamidi, who chose flip-flops that day.

Any problems with taking conditioner or sunscreen in carry-on luggage? Or do you just make sure that you take it in bottles of no more than 4 ounces? (I think that's what's allowed these days - is that right?)

Yes, bottles of no more than 3.5 ounces, I believe. And, you can only take the amount that fits in one quart ziploc.

I thought that 3 oz was the limit. NOTE: if you have ointments, sprays or liquids that are medical -- whether they are prescription OR over the counter, they can be in a separate ziploc and are not counted.

Straight from the TSA website (Wug is almost right - off by .1 ounce!)
------------
With certain exceptions for prescription and over-the-counter medicines, baby formula, breast milk, and juice, and other essential liquids, gels, and aerosols, the following rules apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you want to carry through a security checkpoint.

-All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in 3.4 ounce (100ml) or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller.

-All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

-Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

WOW thanks for all the suggestions. I knew this would be helpful... since there a few things I wouldn't even think of taking with me i.e. sunscreen. Most of you probably have a lot more luggage space than I will have so I have to pick and choose wisely. However, your ideas and suggestions have really helped me with prioritizing what to bring versus buy there.

So far on my list:
Sturdy walking shoes
Couple pair of shorts
1 pair light weight Capris
Couple t shirts
Sunscreen
Zip lock bags
First Aid kit (mini)
Zip lock bags
Small sewing kit
I'm also thinking of getting a convertible dress (you can change it into 20 different designs, thinking it would be good for nice restaurants, beach etc)
Conditioner
Bug spray
Light weight cardigan

Things I'm getting there: Sarong, sandals, beach towel

I am also looking into the water shoes/sandals, great idea!

I can manage the 3 oz limit for shampoo and conditioner for a that long of a trip, but sunscreen is a problem. I always have to buy it on arrival.

Oh, I forgot to mention the sarong and Heimdall beat me to it.
It is very handy with multiple uses.
One of those convertible dresses could be useful too.
I wish I was packing....

If you are going for 16 days I certainly would take more than 2 SS shirts, knit or otherwise.. I normally take about 5, rolled rather than folded (no wrinkles). about "nice" restaurants, well, aside from a few very posh Athens places, in the summer greece is SO very casual ...

I find it hard to buy the long sarongs in Greece - short ones are everywhere but I like the long ones you can tie up around your neck to make a short dress, round your waist to make a long skirt to protect legs from the sun etc. Convertible dress sounds good...