Before May, I had never been on a plane before and I’d never left Canada (except for one trip in 2017 to California). I’ve dreamed of going on an international trip for years. All throughout university, I’d spend hours browsing Contiki and EF Ultimate Break, dreaming of the trips I could go on and the experiences I’d have.
My best friend, Talia, and I always talked about going to Greece together. We love the Mamma Mia movies, and it’s been our dream to have a Mamma Mia summer together. Last November, we took the leap. We booked EF Ultimate Break’s popular Greek Islands trip and were bound to spend 11 days island hopping in May. Neither of us had done a group tour before, so this was a first for us. Keep reading for my honest review of traveling with EF Ultimate Break and some helpful tips if you’re planning to book a trip!
Booking
I knew from looking at EF Ultimate Break trips in the past that there’s always a huge Black Friday sale. The Greek Islands trip is almost always included in promotions because of how popular it is, so Talia and I knew that Black Friday was when we’d book.
We booked our trip for May 8-18 for $3099. This included the Cliffside Wine Tasting & Village Tour ($90) and the Mykonos Boat Ride ($80) excursions. Because May is considered “off-season,” it had the highest discount you could get with the Black Friday sale, which was $600 off. We also used an influencer promo code to get another $100 off. The trip before the promotions and the excursions was $3629, so the savings make a huge difference!
I highly recommend waiting for a sale to book your trip because EF Ultimate Break always does different promotions throughout the year. In my opinion, the Black Friday one is the best, so wait it out if you can. Also, always look for an influencer code because any savings are great (p.s. You can use my code at the bottom of this post if you’re looking to book a trip!)
Planning & Packing
Your flights include one checked bag, a carry on and a personal bag. EF Ultimate Break recommends that you just use a carry on if you can because it’s easier to transport, however, if you’re like me and need many outfit changes then I highly recommend bringing a checked bag, as well.
I took planning this trip very seriously. A month or so before your trip, your tour director will get in touch with you. I’m not sure if all tour directors do this, but ours sent over an extremely detailed itinerary (more detailed than the one EF Ultimate Break provides), which I used to plan all of my outfits.
I went day-by-day and put together outfits for each activity, whether it was a travel day, beach day or dinner in the town so that I wasn’t packing too much and I knew exactly what outfits to wear. To make it easier on myself, on each island, I’d put the outfits I knew I’d be wearing in my carry on so that they were easily accessible because the hotel rooms are pretty tiny and it’s a hassle to constantly open and search through your suitcase.
I also made a lengthy list of everything I needed, from clothes, accessories and toiletries and then colour coded it based on what I already owned and what I needed to buy. This eased my mind and also made it easy to pack because I could cross everything off the list. I also highly recommend buying packing cubes. You can organize your suitcase based on types of clothing and you’ll be able to fit so much more in your suitcase.
What to Pack
So, what do you pack for the EF Ultimate Break Greek Islands trip? Great question.
You go from island to island by ferry, which are one to five hour trips so you’ll want comfy and casual travel clothes. There’s also a lot of walking and mild hikes, so you’ll want at least one athletic outfit. I opted for biker shorts and a sports bra. You’ll also want comfortable walking shoes because you’ll do a lot of walking on this trip.
Bring 1-3 nice outfits for dinner or for walking around when you know you want nice photos and also some nicer pairs of shoes. Stay away from heels, unless they’re comfortable and you know you can walk in them, because the streets are pretty uneven, and like I said, there’s a lot of walking. I brought a few different pairs of shoes, but I honestly wore my white sneakers and a comfy pair of sandals the entire trip.
Here’s my packing list that you can use as guidance:
Clothing & Shoes:
- Underwear
- Socks
- Bathing suits (including one dark one for the mud baths)
- Pajamas
- Biker shorts
- Leggings
- Hoodie/ sweatshirt
- Light rain jacket
- Denim shorts
- Swim coverup
- 3-4 t-shirts
- 1-3 nice outfits for dinner
- Comfortable sandals
- Comfortable walking shoes
- One pair of nice shoes
Accessories & Other
- Fanny pack
- Small purse & wallet
- Sunglasses
- Jewelry
- Baseball cap
- Adaptor
- Disposable camera
- Medicine
Tips for Having a Great Time
Be Open and Talk to Everyone
EF Ultimate Break trips are all about making friends, so be open and talk to as many people as you can. You’re having a shared experience with these people, and you’re going to be around them for many days so you might as well get close to them. I am so thankful for the friendships that I made on this trip and they are what truly made the trip more fun. There are also lots of solo travelers, so always invite and accept people to tag along with you.
Do As Many Excursions As You Can
EF Ultimate Break offers excursions for its trips, but your tour director might also plan optional excursions. My advice is do as many as you can. The planned excursions were incredible and were some of my favourite parts of the trip. You’re also there, so why not make the most out of it and do as much as you can?
That being said, know when to take breaks. We had an optional excursion planned by our tour director in Mykonos for a boat cruise, but a few of us who already paid for it decided not to go and spent the day on the beach instead. We didn’t get a refund, but we had already been on so many boats and decided that we needed some time to relax.
Try New Things
You’re in a new place, so why not try new things? It might seem scary at first, but it’ll be worth it and you’ll be so proud of yourself. A girl I met on the trip went cliff diving for the first time. She was so scared and almost didn’t do it, but it was on her bucket list so she went for it and was so happy with herself. Before this trip, I had never been on a boat before and had never jumped off something into water. I thought it’s now or never, so I jumped off the boat and it was horrifying, but I was so glad I did it.
Stay in Groups
Always stay with a group, especially when out at night. Like any place, there are dangerous places and it’s better to be safe than sorry. When we were in Paros, one group of girls was being followed by a stranger and they eventually called for reinforcements to come help, but it’s just a reminder to stay aware of your surroundings.
Bring Things to Do on the Ferry’s
You’ll travel from island to island on ferries, and the trips can be long, so make sure you pack things to keep you occupied. I ended up reading an entire book just from reading on the ferries.
Eat and Stay Hydrated
Make sure to eat and drink lots of water. Greece is very hot, especially in June to August and you do not want to get dehydrated. My friend Talia ended up feeling unwell from not eating enough, not drinking enough water and all the sun exposure, and had to sit out on an excursion to rest. Make sure to take care of yourself, even though your body may feel out of whack and off schedule.
Don’t Overpack
Plan every outfit out beforehand and make sure each clothing item you bring has a purpose. I also made sure I could mix and match pieces. You’re going to most likely do some souvenir shopping on the islands, so you’ll want to have room in your suitcase. Most of the hotels we stayed in did not have elevators and carrying a 50-pound suitcase up multiple flights of stairs is not fun. Pack as lightly as you can so you don’t have to deal with heavy lifting.
Things Might Go Wrong, and It’s Ok!
Things are probably going to go wrong and it’s ok. In Santorini, Talia and I ended up getting separated in our room assignments even though we requested to be roommates. It happened to other pairings on the trip as well. It wasn’t ideal, but it ended up being ok and everyone is so nice, so you’re going to come out of it closer with other travelers. You just have to take everything as it is.
Overall Thoughts
I was so sad to leave and I actually cried on the plane home. I immediately started planning my next trips. I haven’t booked any yet, but I have them in the back of my mind and I plan on doing my next one solo. There were a lot of solo travelers on the trip and it just made me feel comfortable knowing that you can go solo and you’ll immediately be accepted by everyone and have friends.
Is it worth it? One hundred per cent. I know a lot of people say EF Ultimate Break is expensive, but it’s honestly not that expensive if you book a trip on promotion. If you’re an experienced traveler, it might be cheaper doing it on your own, but EF Ultimate Break is great for new travelers and people who don’t want to plan. It also gives you the comfort and ease of traveling in a group with an experienced tour director.
Are you ready for an adventure? Book a trip through EF Ultimate Break and use my code UAKatrina100 for $100 off your next trip!
Girls trips are the very best! My best friend and I take a big trip every 5 years on our milestone birthday years. Next year we go to Hawaii! Will do some research on this and check it out!