What to pack for The Greek Islands in February

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Some islands fine you for the regular stuff.

UV index of 4.7 reflects off the sea even on cloudy February days.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Island clinics have limited stock and ferries run infrequently in winter.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Short daylight hours and ferry schedules demand a charged phone all day.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 6:55pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Ferry overhead bins are tight and checked bags cost extra per island.

Day trips between islands mean carrying layers and water for hours.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.

Wind gusts to 28 km/h chill exposed skin on the water and between villages.

For temples, mosques, and churches that check at the door.

Tap water is safe but carrying a bottle beats finding a fountain.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Tourist areas see pickpockets year-round, ferries included.

Island-hopping means bags move between boats, ferries, and small rooms.

Guesthouses have minimal storage and laundry happens once weekly.

Laundry service runs once or twice a month on smaller islands.

Ferry engines are loud and shared rooms have thin walls.

Reefs and clear water make snorkeling the main activity between villages.

Seven rain days flood narrow island paths and boat decks.

Doubles as a towel, a scarf, and a cover-up where one's expected.

Ten hours of daylight means squinting into low-angle sun across white stone.

Lips crack and burn from the combination of wind and moderate UV.

Shared guesthouses and ferries concentrate winter germs in close quarters.

Multiple devices need power and outlets at island guesthouses are scarce.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Ferry tickets and hotel checks require your passport on islands.

Shared dorms and ferry luggage holds need locked bags.

Bathrooms in older island buildings have no storage shelves.

Ferry cabins are cramped and guesthouse beds are often firm.