We finally made it to Greece! This was one of the trips we had booked at least twice during Covid but it continued to get canceled. We’re so excited to have finally made it!
Our Greek tour started with a stop in Athens. We arrived midday, dropped our bags off at the Airbnb (the same one we had booked 4 years ago!) and set off through the bustling Plaka neighborhood to the Acropolis Museum. We read that it’s beneficial to go to the museum before visiting the Acropolis to learn about what we’ll be looking at, and we’re definitely glad we did! We started on the top floor at the Parthenon Gallery which houses a display of the metopes (stories from Greek mythology), the entire frieze including the Panathenaic procession that celebrates Athena, and the pediments at the entrances of the temple depicting the birth of the goddess Athena and the contest between Athena and Poseidon to see who would become the city’s patron (spoiler, Athena won the battle due to her creation of the first olive tree, and thus Athens was created). It reminded us of the history we learned back in the day and made for a better visit the following morning.
This was the view from our room!
Following our acropolis introduction, we went below the museum to tour the ancient Athenian neighborhood that is currently being excavated. The area provides a peek at life from 4000 BC to 1200 AD. The site includes roads, houses, baths, workshops, and tombs. Our favorite part was seeing the water pipes, which are quite similar to ours today. It’s amazing to think about life back then and surprising how many similarities there are after 6000 years.
Next up was a walk around Ancient Agora with a brief detour to devour our first sampling of Greek food. I’ve been waiting for this! We ordered the chicken and lamb souvlaki this time and can’t wait for more! It was delicious!
We strolled through the quiet neighborhoods on our way to the Ancient Agora, passing by random ruins and a movie being filmed at a little cafe. Jeff was almost an extra as he accidentally attempted to cross through the set.
Back in the day, the Agora was the heart of ancient Athens. Its oldest houses and cemeteries date back to 3000 BC and later became a gathering place and a center for their government in the 6th century BC. This place is old! Here people gathered to shop, watch performers, and listen to philosophers.
As we wandered this ancient site, we tried to imagine the space filled with beautiful buildings and bustling crowds. A few structures remain or have been reconstructed like the Temple of Hephaestus, the Church of the Holy Apostle, and the Stoa of Attalos.
We continued our neighborhood stroll, landing at Meat the Greek for a late dinner and went with gyros and a fresh Greek salad. It was another winner of a meal!
We woke early on Tuesday to beat the crowds (and heat) to the top of the Acropolis. Once the gates opened, it was a mad dash to the top! We were rewarded with a few minutes of solitude before the hordes of other excited tourists joined.
It was incredible to see the sheer size of the Parthenon (even though it was in the middle of a facelift), the Korai (aka maidens) holding up the Erechtheion, and the views of the city. It never gets old walking through these ancient sites.
We made our way back down the hill, stopping to admire a few of the ruins we hurried by on our way up including the Theater of Dionysius and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus which is still used today.
There is just so much history here!
We stopped for a little break at one of the local cafes, and while sipping on our Greek coffees and nibbling on a fruit plate, we watched as the city around us woke up.
We casually made our way to Syntagma Square and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, arriving with a few extra minutes before the changing of the guards. We’ve seen a handful of these events during our travels and it’s always interesting to see how each country is unique. Here, the guards did a slow dance-like march which was quite entertaining. They’d slowly lift one leg, swing it back and then straighten it out and down before switching to their other leg. When they went to turn, they kept their toe on the ground, sweeping their foot around similar to a ballerina.
Continuing on, we stopped for lunch at Avocado for a sampling of a cucumber coconut cold soup, a delicious rice bowl, and vegan keylime pie! It was all so yummy!
With full bellies, we made our way to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Zappeion Hall, and the Panathenaic Stadium, the sight of the first Olympic Games in 1896.
We wandered back to the city via the National Gardens and strolled through the Plaka neighborhood and down Dionysian Areopagitou street, popping in and out of the little shops and enjoying all of the different architecture. We ended the day back where we began with a climb up Areopagus Hill taking in the 360 views of the city and all of the sites we enjoyed during our brief time in this ancient city.
There were SO many turtles in this little pond!
The purpose of our island hopping was to sample three different vibes of Greek island life. We planned a stop in Milos, an up and coming but not yet fully discovered island, Folegandros, a quiet, more local island, and Santorini, the iconic, busy island. By the end of the trip we had a favorite and are looking forward to returning in the future!
We arrived at Milo’s, our first Greek island, on Wednesday morning! It was a little chaotic as hordes of people joined us in boarding the ferry, but once we settled into our seats, the journey was quite relaxing and we enjoyed the views of water, islands, and boats passing by. As the ferry cruised to the dock, the doors began to open and we caught our first glimpse of the picture perfect Cycladic white houses that define Greece. It was just as magical as we imagined and only got better from there!
We arrived at our dreamy little Greek cottage, yet again feeling like we were entering a movie set.
We took off to explore this new destination, first catching the bus up to Plaka. Because it was the middle of the afternoon and peak temperatures, we had the place to ourselves. Only a few shops were open, but that made for a memorable, quiet walk around this adorable neighborhood. There were tiny churches scattered all around and traditional white houses with their colored doors and shutters behind every turn. There were so many different shades of blue! It was a great introduction to our Greek island adventures.
We stopped for lunch at one of the open restaurants, sampling another delicious plate of Souvlaki with homemade tzatziki and fresh pita bread. We carried on with a walk along a little path down to Trypiti. We passed a few more tiny churches, stopped to admire the aged windmills, and peeked in the larger Greek Orthodox Church.
We caught the bus back to the port, grabbed charcuterie fixings and bottle of wine for dinner, and enjoyed a picnic on our adorable patio. It was the perfect evening!
They have the best bus stops here! These were two stops we waited at.
We spent our second day in Milos, and 4th of July, sailing around the island! Nikolas and Marion are a local couple who run their own sailing trips during the summer and they were fantastic! Our itinerary changed due to the windy weather, but the new plan seemed just as picturesque as the original.
We left from Pollonia and sailed to Papafragas Caves where Nikolas gave us a tour of the area. We swam through a narrow tunnel and small hole in the rock and were rewarded with an isolated swimming cove. We were surrounded by huge rocks that looked like toasted marshmallows dipped in cool blue Gatorade.
Climbing up the rocks, we took our turn cliff jumping into the water with Jeff and Nikolas showing us up by jumping from the higher rocks.
We enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast on the boat with a delicious local delicacy of watermelon pie (more like a flat bread than traditional pie) and set off for our second stop of the day near Kimolos.
This time, instead of taking the dingy out, we jumped straight off the boat into the inviting blue water and leisurely swam our way to the shore. We took our snorkel gear with us, and although there weren’t many fish to look at, there were remnants of an ancient, sunken city, complete with old tombs.
We continued to our third stop, taking a break for a homemade Greek lunch on the boat that was absolutely delicious with fresh seafood and veggie salads.
We held an impromptu diving contest with the other guests with everyone showing off their moves as we jumped from the bow of the boat. We spent the next while freely floating in the open waters, mesmerized by the clarity and beauty of the sea.
Our last stop of the day was to see the Greek elephant and the colorful fishermen houses tucked into the rocks. We enjoyed our final swim here before sailing back to Pollonia, sad to leave these beautiful waters and this perfect day behind. As we approached the harbor, we spotted a pod of dolphins popping out of the water right as Marion handed out shots of ouzo, the local liquor. What a way to end the day!
We took Nikolas’ recommendation and headed to Zygo for dinner, sampling the local pancetta (crispy pork belly), kontosouvli (meat skewers), and tiropita (like cheese empanadas). Yet again, it was all delicious!
We spent our final day on Milos at the beach. We ended up renting a car and quickly learned just how narrow the neighborhood streets really are. Our car was tiny yet there were still points where we had to back up just to make a turn.
We arrived at Firiplaka, our first beach of the day, and followed the path through the water, around the cliffs, and over to the beach. We found a shady spot near the rocks and enjoyed our picnic lunch while gazing at the colorful red and orange rocks around us.
We dipped in the water to cool off shortly before the wind picked up, at which point, we decided to head out and try a different beach. We made the right choice, because the white rocks at Sarakiniko were stunning and the hallmark of Milos.
We found the perfect flat, secluded perch above the water and other beach goers and set up camp. The water was refreshing and, thanks to the rocks, there wasn’t any wind. We strolled around the rocks and were constantly in awe of nature's art with the mix of white rocks, dark blue water and light blue sky. It was beautiful.
Eventually, we packed up our belongings and drove back to the house to change before heading to Klima to see the colorful fishermen houses up close. These two story houses, or syrmata, are houses built into the rocks and were originally created by fishermen to store their boat beneath their living space. It’s said that the color of each house came from the leftover paint the fishermen used on their boats, in turn creating a multicolored line of houses. We ended the night back in Plaka for our final Milos dinner and sunset.
Plaka was much busier in the evening as compared to our earlier afternoon visit, but we managed to find a secret overlook next to the well known church were we settled in to watch the sunset. We had the spot to ourselves for quite some time, but once it was discovered, we were suddenly surrounded by twenty-something instagramers… it was fascinating to watch them capturing “the best shot”, unaware of everyone else around them.
On Saturday, we packed our bags, grabbed breakfast at the port and ferried to our second island Folegandros. Our adorable B&B host greeted us at the house, welcoming us with a bottle of ouzo and giving us a tour of our new place. We settled in, grabbed our beach gear, and headed to the beautiful blue waters. How can you stay away from it?!
We found the perfect shady space, and although it was a little windy, the water was still refreshing and the beach was relaxing.
As evening approached, we headed back to the room and dressed for dinner. We caught the bus up to Chora and were awestruck by another adorable little Greek town. We strolled through the neighborhoods, looked out over the water, and found the perfect patio seat at Chic for dinner. While sitting at dinner we were once again in awe of this trip and all of the memories we were making.
We spent Sunday lounging on the beach, reading our books, and dipping into the clear blue water. We started the day with a delicious breakfast at Pounta, a picturesque local cafe with a million dollar garden. We caught the bus to Agkali Beach and walked along the hillside to the “hidden” Paralia Agios Nikolaos. We set up our towels beneath the little trees and cooled off in the water. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
We enjoyed one last dinner and sunset up in Chora before calling it a night.
We woke early on Monday to enjoy another delicious breakfast at Pounta. While traveling, we usually avoid eating at the same place twice because we like to try new things, but the food and atmosphere at this little cafe was too good to pass up. We’ll be dreaming of Takos (toasted homemade bread with olive oil, tomatoes, oregano, fresh local goat cheese, and a fried egg), ham and cheese crepes, and fancy oats with fresh fruit, local honey, and bits of cocoa once we’re back in our regular routine.
We took one last stroll around the adorable little town and hiked up to the Church of Panagia on the hill to say goodbye to this picturesque little island. We’re so glad we kept this stop on the itinerary!
We caught the ferry to Santorini, the last island on our Greek tour. We were excited to see this famous, picturesque place we’ve heard so much about. We didn’t waste any time, checking into our little family run hotel that we had booked in 2020, and then setting off to explore the area. Our hotel had a private gate that opened directly to the pedestrian street which made getting around so easy.
We wandered up to Imerovigli (the balcony of the Aegean) and snapped the iconic photos of whitewashed buildings, rounded rooftops, and blue domes peeking through. We hiked up and down through the narrow, winding lanes, eventually popping out at Skaros Rock and the old Venetian ruins. We gazed out over the water admiring the enormous cruise ships and several much smaller sailboats passing around the caldera.
We meandered back down the pedestrian path past our hotel and over to Fira where we found the other tourists and a few donkeys. We continued our stroll through the narrow streets while popping in and out of the churches and shops.
As sunset approached, we headed to our private patio to enjoy the view without the crowds. We climbed through the window and settled in. Piano music played in the background with a light mix of conversation and laughter from the nearby restaurants. The orange hues covered the sky, and as the sun disappeared and the moon came out, the city lights began to twinkle. It was dreamy! But the best part was when a little owl decided to join us, landing on the nearby telephone wires.
Day two in Santorini started with a trip to the legendary Oia. Here, we continued our wandering through the little streets, checking out the castle, windmills, blue domes, and insane views. We stopped at a tiny little cafe for a refreshing iced coffee and another beautiful view.
We tossed around the idea of doing another sailing cruise or heading to a beach, but as the day progressed, we decided to keep it easy and instead visited Akrotiri Archaeological Site for a history lesson. This ancient site is similar to Pompeii in that it’s a city preserved by volcanic ash. However, Akrotiri was inhabited around 3000 BC and the volcanic eruption that covered this city occurred in 1613 BC (versus 79 BC for Pompeii). Also, unlike Pompeii, no human remains have been found, leading to beliefs that the habitants departed the city in response to a series of strong earthquakes that occurred prior to the eruption.
The site wasn’t quite what we were expecting, but it was still fascinating to see. The uncovered structures conveyed a modern and prosperous city. The ornate vases, bed frames, multi story houses, and bathrooms with clay pipes leading outdoors to the city’s sewer are just a few examples of the city’s avant-garde. There’s still quite a bit left to uncover under the hardened ash, and it will be interesting to see what else the archaeologists discover!
We took our hotel’s recommendation and landed at a local tavern for dinner. Jeff sampled the Moussaka and I went with the lamb that fell right off the bone. We finished dinner right before sunset and headed back up to our private viewing platform, finishing our bottle of wine and soaking in the tranquility.
We began our last day in Greece with breakfast on the patio before taking one last stroll around the town. We stopped for second breakfast/early lunch at a local cafe soaking in the caldera and sea views one last time.
After checking out of the hotel, we caught a taxi to Gaia Winery, a winery close to the airport, to kill a few hours before catching our flight to Scotland. It was here we learned that the bushes we had seen all around the island were actually grape vines! These vines grow in small coiled bushes on the ground in order to soak up the water and minerals from the sea, giving the wine a unique flavor. Fun fact, the coiled bushes are called “stefani” which means “crown”, referencing the shape of the vines.
Greece was everything we hoped it would be! The white houses, blue domes, and incredible views never got old. The food was delicious and the people were just as friendly as we’ve heard. It’s another destination that we are so happy to have visited!
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