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Beach wear in Greece

What does the "typical" Greek wear to the beach? Should I take my very American style swimsuit shorts or perhaps purchase a swimsuit once I get there?

Any suggestions or things I should know?

Posted by
3115 posts

The only thing to know in that regard is that 'anything goes'. Wear what makes you feel good.

Posted by
389 posts

Europeans tend to wear shorter, form-fitting swim trunks, and Speedos are common. However Greeks are well used to seeing foreigners from all over the world on their beaches, and no one will bat an eye at American-style board shorts.

Posted by
7453 posts

Probably worth mentioning, i suppose a bit dependent where you are going in Greece, that you will likely be sharing the beach with mainly French, German, Russian (well maybe a few less of them) and other non-Greeks. As for beach wear, most Europeans do wear shorter, tighter fitting swimwear. I also noticed that the further you trekked from town on an island, the less was worn, with both topless and full nude being not that uncommon. The Greeks themselves leave nudity to the tourists. In the end, wear what you want, if you get there and want something different, then lots of places will sell you something.

Posted by
2788 posts

When I go to Europe every summer, one of the clothing items I take is a pair of pants that have legs that can be zipped off making them shorts and a swimming suit. I use them in Greece last summer.

Posted by
3312 posts

Ahem, those zip-off shorts make you a rip-off target ... really really really Charlie Tourist from the US of A. No Europeans wear them, not even any Canadians. Same with those big sun-hats with the chin strap ("My wife made me buy it because my bald spot gets all sunburny"). Just sayin.

Posted by
32520 posts

plenty of Brits wear them in Britain - the zipoffs.

All depends.

That is a few hundred km west though, and one or two north.

Posted by
5678 posts

Hah, the first thing that went through my mind when I saw this post, was well, to wear nothing if you really want to fit in. :) Of course, that is not true for all beaches, but to second what everyone is saying, it's definitely a place for skimpy suits. My friend and I had one piece black suits and oh boy were we in the minority! At least we didn't burn certain unmentionable areas like all the English girls did!

Pam

Posted by
1152 posts

While I'm not a real beach goer or lay-on-the-beach type I have gone to some beaches. All I can say is, yes, anything goes including nothing! Having said that I've seen people wearing swimsuits that they shouldn't!

Posted by
255 posts

I was in Greece in June and it was very difficult finding a nude beach that was easy to get to on the mainland. Nudity just isn't that common on the beaches in Greece, the islands maybe but not the mainland. If you know of the locations of the popular nude beaches on the mainland, I'd love to know!