A GREECE travel expert has revealed the key mistake all tourists make when they visit the Greek islands.
Sophie Jensen, a 31-year-old Greek travel expert from the Netherlands has shared why tourists should never bring a suitcase when they are island hopping.
Originally from the Netherlands, Sophie has more than 780,000 followers on TikTok where she shares her Greece travel tips.
In her latest TikTok video, Sophie said: “Large suitcase and over packing are a huge mistake when going to Greece.
“The streets of Greece are basically one big collection of stones, stairs and car-free centre of towns.”
Sophie, who went on a 81 day Greece tour said she was a “very experienced traveller”.
She added: “Even though I had a smaller bag with me to pack a few days of clothes for these situations, I wasn’t thinking clearly and for some reason I brought my suitcase.
“Big mistake. Avoid it all costs.”
She told the Mail Online: “Sure, if you’re staying in the same hotel for two weeks and are being transferred to it from the airport – bring your heavy suitcase. “
The Greece expert said her “simple rule” for inaccessible places was “do not bring what you can’t carry yourself”.
The 31-year-old travel expert has shared other travelling opinions on how to make the most out of a trip to the Greek islands, including checking the ferry timetable, booking hotels and the best time to shop.
Sophie told MailOnline Travel: ”Research if it is the right place for the month you’re going in, the amount of days you want to stay, the mode of transportation you’re looking at, the type of activities you want to do and, of course, your budget.
“Not every island is budget or child-friendly and some islands are less suitable if you can’t rent a car.”
She added: “Don’t book your hotels before you have looked at the ferry timetables and schedules.
“Not all the islands have a connection with each other.
“So make sure you do not have a non-refundable hotel booking before figuring out how to get from A to B.”
Another mistake tourists should avoid according to Sophie is not checking shop opening hours.
She said: “Tourist shops are open every day, all day, till late at night. The same applies to supermarkets and mini markets, although larger supermarkets are closed on Sundays.”
She added that some shops may close from 2-3pm until 5-6pm.
She said: “In general, it is polite to stay quiet during the “siesta” hours in residential areas, as many Greeks are actually sleeping at that time.
“In the evening they come out again and eat late (around 9-10pm).”
The travel advice comes after a video on TikTok showed hordes of tourists arriving on Santorini.
Lines of tourists could be seen squeezing down the narrow laneways, with their suitcases in tow as they wait for vehicles to take them to their accommodation.
It came days after footage showed hundreds of tourists clashing for sunset selfies in Santorini.
Footage shows the tourists crammed up in a little space as they struggle to find decent spots for snapping pictures.
Hundreds were seen queuing up in narrow walkways to reach the clifftop of the village – a short walk that can now take more than 20 minutes because of overcrowding.
One picture even showed a tourist climbing on a restricted wall with a “do not sit” sign and posing for Instagram.
Whitewashed terraces and balconies that overlook its incredible surroundings are often littered with selfie-taking Instagrammers desperate for the perfect sunset shot.
Tourism currently accounts for around a quarter of its economic output, while the country has smashed records for tourist visits and spending in the post-Covid era.
Greece welcomed 32.7 million tourists in 2023, 18% more than the year before, while the first quarter of 2024 has seen a nearly 25% rise in visitors.
By Tom Malley, Foreign News Reporter
Santorini and Mykonos are two of Greece’s most popular islands thanks to their stunning scenery, sandy beaches and idyllic locations.
Party lovers from across the globe also love flocking to the islands to spend a vacation filled with memorable nightlife experiences.
Social media influencers also play a big part in the number of visitors to Santorini and Mykonos.
By showing off the islands best bits to their thousands of followers, they encourage others to visit themselves.
Cheap flights can also be found to bothb locations, providing more incentive for Brits and others to travel to the luxury locations.
Averaging daily temperatures of around 29 degrees during the summer, it’s the perfect location to escape the miserable weather back home.
