If you’ve followed my travels then you know how much I love camping…and yet when my husband suggested we camp a few nights in Greece I wasn’t having it. I had already agreed to pack two weeks’ worth of clothing into my carry on-sized backpack. The thought of squeezing in camp gear as well sounded crazy. I gave the idea two thumbs firmly down.
Weeks passed, costs for the trip grew and my husband kept wearing me down. I’m happy to report that I caved and camping on Antiparos turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip.
First of all, camping on a beach is very different than in the mountains. The near constant breeze keeps insects away and the temperatures down. Greece in late August is surprisingly dry and temperate, so we never felt in need of air conditioning. Moreover, the nights were warm enough that we only needed thin sleeping bag liners. We didn’t even pack our sleeping bags.
Second, Greece has some lovely, full-catering campsites that don’t feel like “roughing it.” Grocery stores, sit-down restaurants, pools, private beaches–even bungalows to rent, if you didn’t bring a tent. I maintain that the best beach on Antiparos was the campsite’s beach (it was bathing suit optional, but that is another story for another time…)
As opposed to previous camping trips where we would build a fire and cook dinner, in Greece we would go out to nice dinners in town (just a five minute walk from our tent) and then stare up at the stars on the beach before falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing. It was magical.
There is something so fulfilling about living with less stuff. Less noise. Fewer distractions.
Although our Milos campsite was much more upscale, I only managed to take photos of our beloved, hippie Antiparos campsite. I’d recommend both.
I hope you are enjoying simple pleasures this weekend…but for now, a few links:
- Living with Less (The Atlantic)
- How Living With Less Can Give You More (Success)
- Camping 101: Packing for an Overnight (Bakersfield Blonde)
Bakersfield Blonde 
You may be persuading me to give camping another go. I haven’t been since middle school—a run-in with a raccoon has left me mildly scarred for life—but maybe I should give it another shot!