Packing essentials - help please!

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We are, for the first time ever, going on a 'normal' holiday this year. A few days in Athens followed by a week by the sea. In Athens we are staying in a serviced appartment do that should be fairly straightforward (although recommendations on what to do in Greece with 5, 8 and 10 yr old would be welcome). Then we go to the sea. We have a suite type thing in a smallish hotel: 2 bedrooms, bathroom and sitting room and a v mini kitchen area. We have paid for breakfast each morning in the hotel dining room and will eat out the rest of the time.

There is a smallish hotel pool and the sea on the doorstep. What I'm not sure about is the type of things we will need to take for that kind of holiday. Sorry to be dim but it's new to me! Will we need to take beach towels? Hair dryers? Beach chairs? Anything else essential?

Please help me out with your packing must haves. Thanks.

Most hotels provide a hairdryer and will have sun beds both round the pool and hopefully free for hotel guests if the beach is on its doorstep.

Some hotels will provide beach towels but I tend to take them if I have the space.

Sun tan lotion is expensive so raid boots before you go.

We just came back from Greece and the mosies were bad this year. We were told by locals that because of the austerity measures spraying hadn't been done, although we were quite near paddy fields so it might not be so bad elsewhere.
The jungle stuff didn't work as well as local repellent so maybe bear that in mind.

My 10 year old ds spent all week snorkelling, beautiful clear and warm water.

With the age of your dcs and the beach on your doorstep and after you have done the culture in Athens you just need several bikinis and a good book! I hope you have a lovely time.

We went to Athens last year and it really is an amazing city. Head to Plaka - the historic part of the city. We spent hours wandering around in the maze of old streets and cooing over everything! Like many tourist areas, there is a bit of tat, but if you wander away from the main part of Plaka it really is lovely. We also went to the Parthenon at the Acropolis. Be sure to go early - it gets unbelievably hot and it is quite a climb so sensible shoes are a must (unlike the dollies we saw tottering around in high heeled wedges...seriously). Take plenty of water with you. Also, it is very windy at the top so be sure to keep a tight hold of your 5 year old - DS1 (12) got properly "pushed" by the wind and staggered around a bit once or twice!! But mostly it was fine and it has to be one of the most awesome sights to behold. Really incredible.

Why not email the hotel and ask about towels etc. I have travelled around the mainland and islands many times but still ask each hotel individually about these things as they all take different approaches. I wouldn't bother with beach chairs. Just buy some cheap beach mats in resort and take a light cotton throw with you to sit on (saves having to sit on inevitably soggy towels when you've dried yourself off).

Am in a rush now (and yet still talk too much!!) but I will pop back tomorrow with my definitive Greek essentials packing list :)

I'd take a couple of really light cotton dresses, or vest/t-shirt dresses for when you're in Athens - perhaps ones that would pair nicely with some tan flat leather sandals - make sure they are comfortable for walking long distances in! I'd then take a couple of silk dresses for evenings, perhaps with a pair of wedges.

For the rest of the time, you'll need little more than some bikinis and a couple of light dresses to throw on over them, perhaps a pair or two of shorts, some camisoles and perhaps a couple of cotton skirts, flip flops. I usually take a sarong to sit on as it dries more quickly than a towel.

Thanks everyone, giving me lots to think about. I'm so excited its not true! Usually holidays involve manual labour, keeping in laws happy and dh working. Sometimes all 3.

Take beach towels if you already have them, or buy then from souvenir shops when you get there. Not many hotels provide beach towels, and the bath towels from your room aren't usually good enough.

I've never noticed whether hair dryers are provided. I have found the big one in the sky to be pretty good.

You shouldn't need to take beach chairs. I've never heard of anyone doing this when flying. You should be able to hire loungers (and they may even be free).

Your luggage should mostly be clothes. Shorts/tee shirts/swimwear for the daytime and a something more formal for the evenings.