What I’m Packing for Athens, Greece

Today is the day! We are officially on our way to Athens, a moment I’ve been waiting for since we booked our trip in April – if not since we got home from Paris in early March. It really doesn’t matter where I was born, or where I live most of the time. Europe will always feel like home and when I’m not there, some part of me will always be counting down until I can go back again. (I still have not figured out a permanent solution to this problem, but I am still diligently working on it. My desperation is increasing with my age, as the number of youth visas available to me dwindles, but I am convinced I will get there someday.)

When I started making my Athens packing list months ago, I realised that I was falling into the Greek cliche of packing all white to wear in a place where most of the buildings are white. Think back on any photo of Santorini and I promise, you will find it features a woman wearing a white dress while she wanders among the white and blue houses. But it’s so hot and sunny in the Greek capital that in the end, I decided my plan was more practical than cliche – so I ran with it. My favourite colour – black – is notably almost absent from these photos, and from my suitcase, but I admit that is probably a sensible choice.

So, here’s what’s in my suitcase for Athens…

Tops
Sezane white silk and lace blouse
Uniqlo white Oxford shirt
Sezane white silk tank
Zara black racerback tank
Zara white racerback tank
Lorna Luxe x In the Style blouse
Zara linen blazer

Bottoms
Mavi grey cropped jeans
Zara black denim shorts
H&M beige wide leg trousers
& Other Stories beige midi skirt
Zara beige paperbag waist shorts

Dresses
Mango write ribbed knit dress
Aritzia black button down midi dress
Sezane white silk dress

Shoes
Le Chateau platform sandals
J. Crew rattan-style sandals
Diego’s espadrilles
Zara strappy block heel sandals
Flattered suede slides
Birkenstock sandals

Accessories
Mango straw shoulder bag
Ellen James rattan bag
Mango straw hat
Vintage brown leather belt
Amazon net bag
Zara tortoise shell sunglasses
RayBan Wayfarer sunglasses
Celine Audrey sunglasses

Essentials
Mango white siwmsuit
NastyGal knit travel coord set
Summersalt black swimsuit

I won’t lie – since it’s Athens and the forecast calls for sun, sun, sun, I’ll probably throw in at least two more pairs of sunglasses. You know, for the sake of variety. And because I get bored constantly easily. But I am admittedly proud that I am only taking six pairs of shoes, which is less than one pair for every day of our stay. Small victories are still victories, after all. (Although I think we all know by now that I likely threw in a seventh “emergency” pair right before departure. Because who hasn’t had a shoe-related emergency on vacation? They happen.)

I’m fully packed for this trip, unlike when we went to Paris, because while Athens offers all the standard shopping, it’s not likely I’ll be buying too much while we’re there. There are many reasons for that, among them the fact that we go to NYC in November, that I want to spend my money on all the Greek olive oil instead of clothes and that my parents, who have a unique way of reminding me that I technically won’t need a new piece of clothing as long as I live at this rate, will be travelling with us for part of our stay.

But I’m writing this ahead of departure, so everything I’ve said could change. That’s the funny thing about travel – even the most mundane aspects of it, like packing (which I really loathe just as much as I love travelling,) can prove to be full of surprises.