ABD Greece Questions

[DisMom456]

Hi! Headed out on our first ABD this summer to Greece and have a few questions for past and current travelers!

• Was there an opportunity to do laundry? Did you use it/wish you had?
• How many and what kind of shoes did you really pack? Saw the packing list includes sturdy strap sandals, did you bring those?
• Anything you packed for cooling purposes - neck towels, tiny fans?
• Trip reports look a few years old, so any other tips welcome

Thanks!

 

[sayhello]

Hello! You are going to love Greece, and you are going to love ABD! The Greece ABD is still one of my favorites!

• I can't help you with the laundry thing, as the only time I've ever had laundry done while on an ABD was the Danube River Cruise, and that was mostly because it was SO easy and SO cheap and it was SO hot in July!!
• I brought tennis shoes, which I wore most of the time. I did have a pair of Keens that I wore for the kayaking that they used to do to Spinalonga. It was nice to have them to give my feet a rest around the hotels, etc. But you don't really *need* sandals.
• I did the trip 11 years ago, so I can't help you with anything more recent.

Enjoy!
Sayhello

 

[abdgeek]

Hi! Headed out on our first ABD this summer to Greece and have a few questions for past and current travelers!

• Was there an opportunity to do laundry? Did you use it/wish you had?
• How many and what kind of shoes did you really pack? Saw the packing list includes sturdy strap sandals, did you bring those?
• Anything you packed for cooling purposes - neck towels, tiny fans?
• Trip reports look a few years old, so any other tips welcome

Thanks!

It’s been a while since I did the Greece ABD, but here’s what I remember from my trip:

• There weren’t any self serve laundry’s at the hotels. I always travel with tide travel soap packets that I can put in the sink and wash the activewear quick dry shirts or other things that I wear during the day if I run out of them—I can go about 7 days before I have to wash. You can also pay for the hotel to do your laundry.
• I wore my keen sandals and sneakers the entire time. You’ll have to decide what shoes will go with your dinner outfits. The only mistake I made was in wearing my keen sandals on the volcano hike. I thought the volcano would be dirt and it was all pebbles. Needless to say, I wound up with lots of pebbles in my sandals the whole time I was trying to climb the volcano.
• Back then, I didn’t worry about packing anything for cooling purposes. Now I always pack a hat and a chinese fan. Cooling items aren’t something I use at home, so not something I would pack. If there’s something you think you will need, I would suggest bringing it with you.
• The ferry crossing from Santorini to Crete can be very rough. If you’re prone to sea sickness, definitely make sure you take something before you board. I don’t know if my ferry ride was the exception, but many people were sick during the crossing due to the rough seas.
• If you plan to see any sites during the OYO time, try to make those reservations ahead of time. Same for any dinner reservations you want. ABD can give you an approximate time for the OYO time so that you know how to plan. I do remember needing a reservation for the Crete hotel for the OYO dinner.

 

[sayhello]

It’s been a while since I did the Greece ABD, but here’s what I remember from my trip:

• There weren’t any self serve laundry’s at the hotels. I always travel with tide travel soap packets that I can put in the sink and wash the activewear quick dry shirts or other things that I wear during the day if I run out of them—I can go about 7 days before I have to wash. You can also pay for the hotel to do your laundry.
• I wore my keen sandals and sneakers the entire time. You’ll have to decide what shoes will go with your dinner outfits. The only mistake I made was in wearing my keen sandals on the volcano hike. I thought the volcano would be dirt and it was all pebbles. Needless to say, I wound up with lots of pebbles in my sandals the whole time I was trying to climb the volcano.
• Back then, I didn’t worry about packing anything for cooling purposes. Now I always pack a hat and a chinese fan. Cooling items aren’t something I use at home, so not something I would pack. If there’s something you think you will need, I would suggest bringing it with you.
• The ferry crossing from Santorini to Crete can be very rough. If you’re prone to sea sickness, definitely make sure you take something before you board. I don’t know if my ferry ride was the exception, but many people were sick during the crossing due to the rough seas.
• If you plan to see any sites during the OYO time, try to make those reservations ahead of time. Same for any dinner reservations you want. ABD can give you an approximate time for the OYO time so that you know how to plan. I do remember needing a reservation for the Crete hotel for the OYO dinner.

Good point about the ferry crossing to Crete. It was not just your crossing. Ours was VERY windy and VERY rough, and a lot of people got sick on mine, too. I was glad I'd brought the patch!

For the OYO dinner in Crete, I actually ordered room service and ate dinner out on my balcony overlooking the gorgeous Aegean Sea. It was a bit pricey, but so worth it!



Sayhello

 

[SonnyEclipseFan]

Hi! Headed out on our first ABD this summer to Greece and have a few questions for past and current travelers!

• Was there an opportunity to do laundry? Did you use it/wish you had?
• How many and what kind of shoes did you really pack? Saw the packing list includes sturdy strap sandals, did you bring those?
• Anything you packed for cooling purposes - neck towels, tiny fans?
• Trip reports look a few years old, so any other tips welcome

Thanks!

Here is a video from August 2023

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

We did the Greece ABD last summer (2023).

- There was no self-service laundry available at any of the hotels. I asked the front desk staff at the hotel in Santorini and they suggested a laundromat, but I don't recall the name. I know it wasn't the closest. I didn't end up going because I didn't want to drag a suitcase of laundry down the road (there are a lot of areas with no sidewalks). I do know several of the others on our trip washed clothes in the sink in Crete (the bathrooms were large and had room to hang dry).

- We've been very glad that we've taken rechargeable electric fans to Greece and Italy the past two summers. It's been crazy hot.

- I only wore sandals. I have messed up feet though and cannot wear tennis shoes. Some people did do canoeing on Crete and went barefoot.

 

[IzzyBella]

Here is a video from August 2023

Thank you for sharing! We are taking this trip in July and are also going to London for several days first.

 

[DisMom456]

We did the Greece ABD last summer (2023).

- There was no self-service laundry available at any of the hotels. I asked the front desk staff at the hotel in Santorini and they suggested a laundromat, but I don't recall the name. I know it wasn't the closest. I didn't end up going because I didn't want to drag a suitcase of laundry down the road (there are a lot of areas with no sidewalks). I do know several of the others on our trip washed clothes in the sink in Crete (the bathrooms were large and had room to hang dry).

- We've been very glad that we've taken rechargeable electric fans to Greece and Italy the past two summers. It's been crazy hot.

- I only wore sandals. I have messed up feet though and cannot wear tennis shoes. Some people did do canoeing on Crete and went barefoot.

Thanks for this info! When you say electric fans, do you mean small bedside ones (summer camp style) or handheld during the day? Or a secret third option

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Thanks for this info! When you say electric fans, do you mean small bedside ones (summer camp style) or handheld during the day? Or a secret third option

Handheld. But I would also put one on my nightstand for sleeping if the rooms were too hot. (The handle folds down and can be used to prop the fan up on a table.)