Digbydog

My husband, three children, and I will be visiting Greece for the first time in mid to late June. On previous trips to Europe, I have never worn shorts, but I am wondering whether the high temperatures in Greece make shorts appropriate. Are they okay on the islands and the mainland? How about in Athens? Also, must we wear long sleeved shirts in monasteries or are short sleeves (not sleeveless) okay? Thanks for any advice!

Maria_H

You have no problem wearing shorts in Greece, more or less wherever you go, other than churches or monasteries, where it is expected that your knees and shoulders are covered. You are OK with short sleeves, in these places, and sometimes you will see wrap around skirts at the entrance for those wearing shorts.

It will be very hot, we have had temperatures reach 40C in late June, more usually around 30C. Wear something loose and comfortable, take plenty or sunscreen and a sunhat and avoid the mid day sun, if you can.

Trish

I wear shorts all the time when I'm in Greece but that said I see very few if any Greek women wearing them. I wear shorts, skirts and sundresses because that is what I'm comfortable wearing and people never look at me strangely. In monastaries women should wear a skirt below the knee (not pants) and I do believe short sleeves are ok just not sleeveless. One odd thing I've noticed in Greece is that although the women don't tend to wear shorts the men often do. My husband has lots of family in Greece and even within the family I notice this. I wouldn't worry too much about the clothes, be comfortable that's what the Greek people would want anyway. Have Fun!

RobynFrance

Are women wearing the gauzy skirt with ballet flat look in Athens and throughout Greece--how about capris--is there a look which is particularly fashionable for going out to tavernas and cafes in the evening? I love to get into the spirit of things--we go in September.

Thanks,
Robyn France

tkp42

as little as possible!

greece is crazy hot in the summer. when i was there in 1998, i wore shorts and sleeveless shirts. no one seemed to care.

however, i brought along one of those flimsy sarong type thingies to wrap around me as a skirt when we went to Ossios Loukas on the way to Delphi. I think i wore a regular short sleeved blouse that day to cover my arms.

AD

Hi,
I will be traveling to Greece (Mykonos and Athens) beginning Oct 4. I would appreciate any tips on what type of clothing to pack for the climate and culture. Thanks a million
AD

jules4je7

It was late October 2003 when my husband and I arrived in Athens. It was in the 80s and MUGGY. I had packed for layering warmer clothes for Northern and Central Europe, and was not prepared for the hot weather. We headed towards the Plaka, and along the way found a nice gauze top with embroidery, and a black wrap-around skirt and sandals...all for about $30. I had an outfit for the warm evenings out, and now have a few souvenirs from Greece. I wore them as we progressed to Turkey, where it was warm at Ephasus.

Suffice to say, wear what makes you comfortable, but longer skirts and sundresses are less obvious than shorts but there will be plenty of people wearing them. In Athens, I would dare say the women I saw were less fashionistas than their Italian and French counterparts, and generally wore what was comfortable to them.

The heat will make many people practical before fashionable, that's for sure.

Jules

diddl_maus

A loose sundress will be much cooler than shorts. Anything with a waistband should be avoided. Take a sarong or scarf to cover your shoulders if needed to enter a church.
Drink lots of water.

cmt

Wear anything you want to wear, EXCEPT when planning to visit a monastery. I was surprised that the dress standard were so strict even to peak into a tiny chapel cut into the rock in a remote part of Crete along a steep rocky goat trail. The young monk sitting guarding the entrance was very very serious about drress standards. I was carrying a light multipurpose sarong (to use as a tent for changing into a bathing suit, as a towel, and to fashion into a skirt for monastery visits), but a long sarong over shorts, with hiking boots peaking out underneath, and a cotton scarf around my shoulders covering my short-sleeve top, were not acceptable for a visit. The only person who passed muster was a woman who was hiking in a skirt.

I personally would not wear shorts in a city, but I think it may be acceptable in cities that see a lot of foreigners.

I've never been to northern Greece, but I've heard tht the dress standards for Meteora and other monasteries in the area arre strict and strictly enforced. so long as you know ahead of time, you can be prepared.

RobynFrance

Hi--I've been counting on a sarong and sweater over tank top to visit the monasteries and understood that would do. Am I mistaken here, as long as knees and shoulders are covered? We leave this week so I would appreciate any feedback for Crete, Peleponnese and Meteora in particular--also churches and monasteries on Skopelos. Thanks so much

cmt

It didnb't work for me. i was on Country Walkers small group hiking trip in western Crete. This was not a major site--just a little chapel tucked into the rocks far from any town or road, so it wasn't taht important to us that we get it. Maybe the problem was that we looked so awful, with "skirts" made of beach sarongs, and dusty hiking boots underneath, and we were all hot and dusty and sweaty since we'd been hiking. For an important destination like Meteora, I wouldn't take a chance, since admission may be up to the whim of the monk on guard. I think I'd wear a longish skirt and if wearing a sleeveless top, maybe carry a very lightweight gauzy long-sleeved top to put over it. Where I think I'd have a problem is if I had to walk up a rocky trail to get to the monastery, in which case, I'd want to wear short and boots, not a skirt that i could trip over. Maybe the people who've been to Meteora can give the current info about standards (also on how you reach the site, i.e. whether you need hiking clothes or just causal clothes, in which case a skirt would be comfortable anyway.

cmt

My post is so full of typos, but I guess you can figure out what I meant to say, even if what I typed was a mess.

RobynFrance

Thanks cmt--I may post a separate request on what is acceptable dress at Meteora. Many thanks.

Eleni

Greek monastaries and churches are places of worship even if they are not "major sites" or are just "little chapels tucked into the rocks in remote parts of the country." You need to dress and act respectfully and you will not have a problem. CMT, I'm sure you were acting just fine, but I can see from your description how a monk could have been affronted by the whole situation.

Robyn if by a sarong, you mean that an observer would conclude you are wearing a skirt, tank top, and sweater, you will be just fine for any church or monastery you will come across.

cmt

Eleni: Yes, we really did not look very presentable, though we were quite well covered. It was just unavoidable, since we were hiking on rough terrain, it was hot, and we were dressing for safety and function, and actually most of us didn't even know that we were going to come upon this chapel. If I were strolling around towns, or if my primary destination for the day were a monastery, I'd just dress in an acceptable way in the first place.

Eleni

cmt, you definitely dressed right for hiking, as you should have!

Nikki

At Meteora there is no need for hiking clothing to reach the monasteries, at least the two that I visited in March. There are a lot of steps to climb, but people were dressed in casual clothes, with the exception of one lady in her Sunday best, including high heels, saying this is what she'd wear to church at home, so she would wear it here as a sign of respect.

There were long skirts handed out at the entrance for those wearing shorts or pants, and women were putting those on over their pants.

RobynFrance

Thanks Nikki and Eleni--I am really looking forward to visiting a lot of churches and monasteries, as I have recently taken a course in icons at our Divinity School here at the University. I am taking several skirts with me, although I am not sure if one of them will be long enough to gain entry, but will keep a chiffon wrap which I will also use for cover over a bathing suit, capris--it packs small and light (I am hoping DH will keep in his day pack)--I am a small person so it won't take too much to cover the critical areas. Your advice is so helpful--I can't wait