Before you go

The pre-trip checklist.

Everything that needs to happen in the eight weeks before departure — paperwork, communications, packing, etiquette. Don't trip on the boring stuff.

01

Right now — paperwork

60+ days out

These have multi-week processing windows. Start them today.
- ETIAS — EU travel authorization
  A new requirement for non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area (Greece, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, France, Spain). Launches as required in late 2026 — check status the week before. Costs €7, valid 3 years.
  travel-europe.europa.eu ↗
- Passport — at least 6 months validity after return date
  Schengen rule: passport must be issued within the last 10 years AND valid at least 3 months past the date you leave the Schengen Area. Aim for 6+ months to be safe.
  Renew via travel.state.gov ↗
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation
  For a 2-person, 4-week trip with hotels in the €2-5K/night range, prioritize plans with high medical evacuation limits, "cancel for any reason" (CFAR), and pre-existing condition waivers if applicable.
  World Nomads · IMG · Allianz ↗
- International Driving Permit (IDP)
  Required in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia for renting a car. Issued same-day at any AAA branch for $20. Bring 2 passport photos.
  AAA IDP page ↗
- Notify your bank of travel dates
  For each card you intend to use. Avoid a fraud-flag freeze in Positano. Also confirm: no foreign-transaction fees (Chase Sapphire, Capital One Venture, Amex Platinum all qualify).
02

Connectivity & money

30 days out
- eSIM — Airalo or Saily
  Buy a multi-country Europe eSIM that activates on arrival. ~$30 for 10 GB / 30 days across all destinations. Saves €100+ vs. roaming.
  Airalo "Eurolink" ↗
- WhatsApp & Google Translate offline packs
  Pre-download Greek, Italian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Catalan in Google Translate. WhatsApp is universally used for hotel concierge — install + log in on both phones before departure.
- Wise or Revolut for EUR cash
  Order €300-500 in EUR for arrival (taxis, tips, small towns). Mid-market rate, no airport-FX gouging. Also useful to send wire to a hotel if asked.
  wise.com ↗
- Cash for tipping
  €5-10 per bag for porter; €20-50 for concierge favors; €10-20 per spa treatment. Smaller bills are gold — bring or break €50s for €10s/€20s on day one.
03

Hotel & restaurant communications

21 days out

For honeymoon-grade service, hotels need to KNOW you're on a honeymoon. Email each one.
- Email every hotel: honeymoon + arrival time + transfer
  Subject: "Honeymoon arrival – Mr. & Mrs. [Surname], [date]". State: it's your honeymoon, your arrival flight/train, whether you want their transfer or are arranging your own. Ask for a quiet room, a high-floor view if it exists, and (politely) for an in-room welcome.
- Confirm every Michelin reservation
  Re-confirm via email 14 days, then 48 hours before. Note dietary requirements. For Le Louis XV (Monaco) — JACKETS REQUIRED for men, no jeans. For La Sponda candle dinner — request a table on the terrace (not the inner room).
- Pre-book hard-to-get experiences
  Alhambra night ticket (Spain) — sells out 60 days out. Vatican / Uffizi tour (Italy) — same. Gondola at sunset (Venice) — book through Aman Venice or directly with the gondoliers' co-op. Hellenic Seaplanes ATH→Costa Navarino — needs 7 days notice and weather window.
- Anniversary card / room amenity request
  Most luxury hotels will set up a chilled champagne + petals on bed turndown if you ask. Ask via email before arrival; it sets the tone.
04

Health & medications

14 days out
- Vaccines — routine only
  No special vaccines required for any of the 7 plan destinations (CDC: routine TDaP, MMR, influenza). Bring a copy of your COVID record in case any hotel still asks (rare in 2026).
  CDC Travel Health ↗
- Prescriptions + 1 week buffer
  Bring all daily meds in original bottles with the prescription label visible. Carry-on only. Pack 1 extra week of supply in case of trip extension. For controlled substances, carry your doctor's letter.
- Honeymoon medicine kit
  Diosmectite (for sudden GI), antihistamine (jasmine season in Spain is brutal), melatonin (red-eye flights), sunscreen SPF 50, after-sun aloe, motion-sickness tablets for boat days (Croatia/Hvar speedboat day, Aegean ferries).
05

Packing — clothing

7 days out

Climate March-May 2026 across these destinations: 16°C – 24°C daytime, 8°C – 15°C night. Pack layers.
- Smart-casual dinner outfits
  At minimum 3 dinner outfits each — Le Louis XV requires jacket. Hytra, Spondi, Belcanto, Alma, Vila Joya, Ocean (all 2-3★) expect smart-casual minimum. Bring at least one outfit you would be photographed in.
- A "candle dinner" outfit
  For La Sponda (Le Sirenuse) on April 14 if doing Greece+Amalfi-revised: linen or light wool, breathable, no heels you can't walk Positano steps in.
- Daytime walking shoes — broken in
  Dubrovnik walls, Plaka (Athens), Ravello stairs, Èze hilltop, Alhambra, Pampelonne dunes, Comporta beach — all involve 5-10K steps of cobblestone or sand.
- Swim attire + beach cover-ups
  Even March in Algarve / late April in Croatia includes pool time. Pack 2 swimsuits each (one always drying).
- Light rain jacket
  Spring in Greece, Italy, Croatia, France includes 30% rain probability per day. A packable Patagonia Houdini or similar.
06

Packing — gear

7 days out
- Plug adapters — Type C/F (universal EU)
  All 7 destinations use Type C / Type F (Europlug) — same adapter works everywhere. Bring 2 per person + 1 USB-C multi-port wall charger.
- Portable charger (10,000 mAh)
  For long day-trips, flight delays, gondola rides where you take 300 photos. One per person.
- Polarized sunglasses + spare
  Bring spares. Lose one in Spetses, you'll squint your way through 13 more days.
- Camera or phone with 256GB+ free
  Two weeks of golden-hour photos = 30-50GB. Free up phone storage before departure.
- AirTag in each checked bag
  Italian/Greek/Spanish baggage handling has improved but is not infallible. €30 in AirTags is cheap insurance.
07

Day-of departure

Day -1 and Day 0
- Check-in 24h before; pick exit-row / window pair
  For 8h+ transatlantic, paying for premium economy or biz upgrade is worth it on Day 1 — sets the tone. Sit together.
- Print boarding passes + first hotel address
  Print 2 copies of each, kept in different bags. The first hotel's address on paper saves 10 minutes at customs when asked "where are you staying".
- Final house lock-up
  Heat to vacation setting, water shut-off, plants timer, mail hold confirmed, neighbor has key. Critical for a 4-week trip.
- Hydrate + light meal pre-flight
  Eat at the airport, not on the plane — airline food is dehydrating. Bring an empty water bottle through security and refill at the gate.
08

On the ground — etiquette + tips

In-trip
- Greek Easter — Anastasi service etiquette
  If choosing Greek Mainland: bring a candle to the midnight service in Pylos. Dress modestly (shoulders covered). The service begins at 23:00 and runs past 01:00. Stand for "Christós Anésti" at midnight, kiss neighbors on cheeks.
- Italian aperitivo timing
  In Lake Como / Venice / Florence: aperitivo is 18:30-20:00. Dinner starts no earlier than 20:00. Adjust your jetlag accordingly.
- Spanish dinner timing
  In Andalusia: lunch is 14:00-16:00, dinner is 21:00-23:00. Restaurants are empty at 19:00 — wait, or eat tapas at a bar.
- French dress code (Monaco / Cannes)
  Smart-casual minimum at any restaurant on the Côte. The Hotel Negresco in Nice will not seat shorts at dinner.
- Tipping — Europe is NOT America
  5-10% in restaurants is generous (service is typically included; check the bill for "servizio" or "service compris"). €5-10 per bag for porters. Round up taxi fares.
- Photography — quiet hours
  No flash inside the Alhambra Nasrid Palaces. No drones in any of the 7 destinations without permit. Always ask before photographing locals — especially fishermen at Carrasqueira.

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