The top of this post is about our experience house sitting in Greece and getting started as one (if you’re interested). If you want house-sitting opportunities in Greece, please head to the bottom of this post or click the button below.
Greece was the final destination on our European house-sitting road trip. We started in the UK, purchased a camper van and drove/house-sat through France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania to Greece.
This post shares our experiences of house-sitting in Greece. We hope it inspires you to start a house-sitting adventure of your own!
We had both always wanted to live in Greece as digital nomads, and it’s safe to say this was the most exciting leg of our trip. After comparing different house-sitting sites, we found two house sits in Greece that lasted two and a half months using Trusted House Sitters.
The first was in a small seaside town called Porto Rafti, and the second was in Athens—right under the Parthenon. We had a three-week gap between these house-sitting assignments, so we decided to take a few weeks off and visit the Greek Islands!
Table of Contents
Getting to Our First House Sitting Job in Greece
We had purchased a camper van in the UK to drive to Greece. What would we do with it once we got there? Would we drive it the whole way back to the UK? Sell it for scrap? Luck out and sell it to other foreign campers? Leave it at the airport.
However, on our way from our house in Montenegro to Greece, our camper van answered that question for us. One very long story short (about which I will write a post one day): Our camper van broke down while driving through Albania.
We ended up selling it to a local mechanic, spending a weekend in Albania, and then catching a bus from Korce, Albania, to Athens (this is an incredible story I will write about at some point, but you can enjoy the picture below of us with our new Albanian friends).
Arriving at Our First House Sit in Porto Rafti, Greece
Due to the bus, we arrived at our house sit a day late at around 2:30 am – which was no problem with the homeowner as we had been in touch throughout our car and bus troubles.
The owners had arranged for a friend to meet us at the home and introduce us to the cat, dogs, and home. It had been a very long and stressful 50-odd hours, and we were knackered. So we thanked the homeowner’s friend and hit the pillow… finally.
The next morning, we woke to a glorious day. We got up, made coffee, and headed upstairs to the balcony. A fantastic view over the ocean and a local fishing harbor greeted us.
The homeowners knew that we loved food, which excited them. As Greeks, they were very proud of their local food and had a huge list of foods, shops, and even some local wine and honey for us to try.
The little town of Porto Rafti is an old fishing village about 45 minutes from Athens. It has some great local restaurants serving up local fish, several bakeries, a local market, and one of the best Gyros we have ever had!
Sometimes Things Don’t Always Go To Plan
Sometimes, homeowners’ plans change, which can mean trips are extended or cut short. The homeowners’ trip was cut short by around two weeks on this house-sitting assignment.
They advised us they would be coming home for a few days but returning on another trip, and the dates would remain the same. This had never happened to us before, but we were happy for the homeowners to return while we were looking after their home.
They arrived home on Saturday, and we instantly got along with them. They said they were very sorry for the change of plans, but it was out of their hands. They would love to thank us for being okay with them coming home early for a traditional Sunday lunch.
We were soooooo excited!
We spent the rest of the afternoon with the homeowners chatting, learning about Greece, the local area and life in Greece. Sunday morning rolled around, and we woke around 8 am to hear the sound of a busy kitchen.
The homeowner loved to cook and saw how excited we were about traditional Greek food, so she wanted to go all out for us!
We spent the whole morning in the kitchen with her learning how to prepare moussaka, stuffed tomatoes and capsicums, Greek salad and 2 desserts.
Once all the food was ready, we headed off to the basement, where they had a whole floor of their house dedicated to Sunday lunches. Many friends and family of the homeowners joined us.
The husband quickly poured us his homemade tsipouro and started the fire to cook the Greek lamb! We spent the afternoon drinking and eating the fantastic feast with our new Greek family.
We ate and drank well into the early hours of Monday morning.
The homeowners left a couple of days later and continued their planned trip. This was a blessing in disguise—we had the opportunity to hang out, experience authentic Greek culture, and learn a lot about the local area.
We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our stay in Porto Rafti and even got treated to a second round of Sunday lunch when the homeowners arrived back home again!
Our Greek Island Holiday
We had a few weeks free between house-sitting assignments in Greece, so we decided to visit the Greek islands.
We went to Karpathos Island. Karpathos island is a relatively small Greek island near the island of Crete. We found a fabulous little homestay (which, funnily enough, was jam-packed full of cats), which was right on the beach, and settled in for a few weeks of eating more Greek food, hanging out at the beach, and exploring the island.
House Sitting in Athens, Greece
Our ‘holiday’ came to an end very quickly. Before we knew it, we were flying back to Athens to meet our next house-sitting assignment. This was another assignment we were very excited about; the house was located right at the base of the Parthenon.
Although it was located in a fairly touristy spot, it was within walking distance of some cool local neighborhoods. While house-sitting in Porto Rafti, we had visited Athens on several occasions, so we had our bearings for the city already.
The homeowner was an American ex-pat who ran a Yoga studio. She would take yoga classes on her rooftop, with an incredible view of the Parthenon in the background. We were very excited to have this rooftop for the next few weeks—the view was one of the best in the entire city!
On this sit, we looked after two ginger cats and one dog. The dog needed to be walked twice daily, which was great! Athens is one of those places where you can walk around daily and find something new to marvel at! While walking her, we had a great time checking out the local parks, walkways, and neighborhoods.
Do You Want To House Sit in Greece?
To lock in our two house-sitting assignments in Greece, we used Trusted House Sitters. If you want to join Trusted House Sitters, you can get an EPIC 25% off your membership!
To get your EPIC discount, click here or the button below. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout!
Need Help Getting Started With House Sitting
Have we got you excited about house-sitting in Spain? We love sharing our experiences and teaching others how to become house-sitters and start their journeys.
So, if you need help starting your house-sitting journey, see my resources here, and don’t hesitate to contact me and ask me any questions.
Author: Britt
I am Britt. I have been house-sitting and pet-sitting for the past seven years. I have cared for 25 dogs, 35 cats, one turtle, and one rabbit over 80+ houses in 15 countries.
The opportunity to experience different homes, cultures, and communities has been extraordinary.
I’ve connected with homeowners seeking reliable sitters through house-sitting platforms like Aussie House Sitters and Trusted House Sitters. This unique way of living has allowed me to save money on accommodation, explore new cultures, and meet new people.
Being a member of these platforms has broadened my horizons and opened doors to short- and long-term house-sitting jobs. I’ve found joy in providing excellent pet care and ensuring the home is well-maintained.
I get many questions about how to start as a housesitter, so please reach out if you have any questions! I want everyone to enjoy this incredible lifestyle as well!
You can read more about Jay and me here!
Or connect with me on Facebook or in our house-sitting community on Facebook.
