Insider's guide to visiting Greece
Ever since our return from Greece many people ask us about our
experience, especially as it relates to the economic crisis. As such we
thought our next blog should definitely be a recap of our tour of Greece and
our best advice for traveling there.
The biggest question we keep getting from those debating a trip
to Greece this summer is, “Should I still go even with all of the economic
chaos going on?” The answer is undoubtedly, yes! Whether it is a
war, a political vote, an economic crisis, or any other current event, the
media will always multiply the real effect by 10. Our best advice:
be mindful of what you hear, but take it with a grain of salt and don’t
be afraid to go see for yourself. Greece might be in quite a rut economically,
but Greece still remains safe, hospitable, and absolutely breathtakingly
gorgeous.
Athens
Based on reviews that we have heard, Athens seems to be quite
polarizing. We were quite skeptical of what to expect based on some
strong opinions we had heard expressed, but we are happy to report that we both
loved Athens. The city really has a sense of magic about it. The
historical monuments, structures, and art will blow your mind. The local
beach towns just outside of Athens like Nea Makri (where we stayed) are
reminiscent of small beach towns in Southern California with family run hotels
and delicious restaurants. Athens has a great sense of charm and beauty
to it, and if you go into it with an open mind, you’re sure to love it.
Where to stay:
We loved staying in New Makri. It's about 30 – 45 minutes by car
from the center of Athens, but we saw that as a bonus. The seaside here was
beautiful for sunset strolls and even better for watching the sunrise over the
water. You really get the small beach town vibe here and the locals are very
hospitable. Not to mention you’re only about 10 minutes from Rafina Port where
you can catch a ferry to the Cyclades Islands.
What to do:
Acropolis
Parthenon – The Parthenon, just like almost every
historical monument in Europe seems to be constantly under construction as
restoration is imperative in order to keep it looking as original as possible.
You’ll likely find a crane and a ton of steel rebar in the middle of the
Parthenon, but that doesn’t meet you won’t still be in awe.
Erecthion – Alex was ballsy enough to get on the steps
but had security guards blowing whistles and yelling at her literally within 1
or 2 seconds. Luckily Michael snapped a couple pictures quickly enough.
Be sure to be quick and sneaky if you plan on getting pictures like this!
Acropolis Museum – This museum has sculptures, paintings, and
many pieces of the structures and original artifacts from the Acropolis that
have either fallen off or been removed. Be sure to check out the Parthenon
exhibit on the 3rd floor
Where to eat:
Captain John’s
A movie we just watched not long ago called The Art of Travel
closed with a quote that we all ought to be mindful of. “The art of
travel is to deviate from one’s plans.” How often have you made plans,
gotten super stoked for a place, event, etc. and then been let down? Some
of our favorite travels and adventures have been spontaneous and many of our
best days traveling have resulted from deviating from our plans.
Our day in Athens is the epitome of this. After visiting
the Acropolis and the museum, we were walking around and planning to get some
food in a quite touristy area before heading to the Temple of Zeus. Well,
Zeus or “the weather” had other plans. It proceeding to start pouring
rain. We grabbed an umbrella from a stand nearby and proceeded to hop in
the first cab we could find. We told our cab driver to take us to his
favorite restaurant in Athens and what transpired ended up being far better than
our original plans. We are going to refer to our cab driver as our Greek
Grandpa because that is exactly what he was. He drove us to his favorite
restaurant, dropped us off and told the owners to treat us as his family, and
then told us that he would return and drive us home afterward. Michael
offered to pay him, but he refused to accept our money. “You’ll pay me
after I take you home,” he said. “For now, you go eat.”
The owners opened the waterfront patio for us and started
bringing us starters, samples, wine, etc. For about an hour we were wined
and dined until we looked up and saw that our Greek Grandpa/cab driver was
waiting for us outside. He drove us home, gave us his phone number and
told us to call him next time we are in town so that we can come over and have
his wife cook us a nice authentic Greek meal. Long story short – go to
Athens - eat at Captain John’s, but more importantly, deviate from your plans.
That is the true art of travel.
Mykonos
Where to stay:
Mama’s Pension – Christina and the rest of the family
running the restaurant are absolutely amazing. It is essentially a
hostel, but has the feel of a hotel or B&B. Christina will pick you
up and drop you off at the ferry station so you don’t have to spend money on a
cab. Every morning you can head down to the common area (which has an amazing
view) for free coffee and tea and she will even make you breakfast for 5 Euro.
The price is just right at about 50 EUR a night and the location is prime as it
is just about 3 KM from Mykonos town.
What to do:
Beach parties – What more needs to be said? Mykonos
is a party island. Although, to be quite honest, our best memories of
Mykonos will likely be tanning nude and relaxing on a private beach…not
partying at the bars.
Definitely be sure to start at Kalua Beach Bar in the afternoon.
If you want to get a free glass of wine, when the sun is getting low,
pretend like you’re about to leave and they will probably try to convince you
otherwise. Enjoy some time on the beach or out in the water, and
definitely swim out to the rocks in the middle of the sea if you please.
Rather than spend an hour waiting for a cab and wasting money,
get around the Couple’s Coordinates way and hike! There is a trail that
leads from Kalua Beach Bar to Paradise Beach where all of the major Mykonos
beach parties are. Most notable is Tropicana Beach Bar which features a
wild Italian MC in a banana hammock encouraging as much debauchery as possible.
From here you can continue on to Super Paradise as well, but that is a
bit more of a walk (2 hours) so make sure you have time and energy or wait for
a cab.
Rent ATVs – The best form of transportation in Mykonos
is ATV/quads. They rent for about 25 EUR a day and are awesomely fun.
It is a huge problem trying to get a cab in Mykonos and you can find
yourself waiting for over an hour even if your hotel calls one for you. Your
best bet is either renting a car or taking the ATV like we did.
Tan Nude – To quote a friend of ours named Nicole,
“It’s Greece…and tan lines are gross. Please tan nude.” Our favorite
beaches we found were Agios Sostis which is gorgeous and offers beach massages,
and a small private cove that is just over the mountain near Lia. If you
head to Lia Beach, climb the hill to your left and you’ll find a private cove
that will make you feel like you’re in the movie Cast Away.
Where to eat:
The Taverna right next to Mama’s was where we ate both nights
because the first meal blew our mind so much. This place has authentic
Greek food and is family owned. We even saw the owners at the table next
to us watching over the restaurant as they picked basil leaves and placed them
in a bowl. This family was incredibly hospitable and even gave us some
wine and dessert on the house! This is our only recommendation as it is
all you need. Best authentic food we had in Greece, hands down. Go
there. DO it.
Santorini
Where to stay:
Fira, Oia, or Akrotiri - If you’re looking to be right in the center
of nightlife, activity, shopping, and still in a gorgeous spot, Fira is for
you. If you’re looking to be directly in the center of tourism, but
arguably the most beautiful town on the island, stay in Oia. However, if
you’re looking for beauty and seclusion, stay in Akrotiri.
Our suggestion is Apanemo Hotel in Akrotiri. This family
owned hotel has a 3 level pool, 4 stars, and a 9.1 rating on Booking.com. And
guess what? It only runs about 150 EUR a night.
Akrotiri is great because it provides seclusion, relaxation,
proximity to Red Beach and the lighthouse, and an amazing view of the volcano,
Fira, and Oia.
What to do:
Hike! - Whether you’re looking for a quick hike or a rather arduous one,
Santorini has something for you. The hike up the volcano is an incredibly
popular choice and is on the shorter end. We chose the hike between Fira
and Oia which clocks in at about 10 KM (or just under 7 miles). The hike
passes through all of Fira, the whole of Imerovigli and the entirety of Oia.
It is probably one of the most beautiful hikes we’ve ever been on.
Definitely worth it in every way.
Swim - After a 10 KM hike in 90+ degree heat you’ll definitely want to
get wet. Amoudi Bay at the end of Oia offers a nice place to swim and a
nice cliff which, of course, Michael jumped from. Be careful though
because you have to walk down a very long staircase of slippery marble steps to
get there.
Ride a donkey - We were a bit exhausted after the hike and didn’t feel like hiking
back up the stairs from hell. As such, we opted to pay 5 EUR to ride
donkeys all the way up back into Oia! It’s a great bit of fun and rather
entertaining because the donkeys tend to think they’re racing one another.
Where to Eat:
Roka – For an affordable, authentic Greek meal be
sure to check out Roka in Oia! It is a bit off the beaten tourist path
and has a lovely sea view of the back side of Santorini. Aside from the
amazing food the best part has to be that it is an escape from the crazy
tourism in Oia. We started with a beetroot salad and then shared the veal
stew and the octopus in a sweet wine reduction, both were the best we have ever
had. Our waiter informed us that all of the ingredients were local and
that the fish and produce were delivered fresh every morning.
Chef’s Garden - A must try if in Fira! Chef’s Garden
offers some authentic Greek Cuisine as well as organic farm to table modern
style dishes. We both thought this was a restaurant that would have a
line out the door on a daily basis if it were located in Santa Monica! Be
sure to try a number of things because the prices are super affordable!
One thing you have to be sure to get is the fresh peach juice. You
actually feel as if you are biting into a fresh peach. Alex’s favorite
dish was fish with fresh veggies, and Michael loved the chicken and potatoes.
For breakfast order the Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts. It’s
enough for two people and absolutely mouthwatering. The fact that we ate at
Chef’s Garden 5 times in just 3 days is a testament to the quality of their
food. You’ll find anything from American style breakfast to lunch, and
specialty dinner entrees.
Rent ATVs - No different from Mykonos, ATVs are the
preferred transportation option on Santorini. The difference here is that
Santorini allows more powerful ATVs. In Mykonos the quads are all 50cc
while in Santorini you can rent 150cc, 200cc, 250cc, and even 300cc ATVs! Vroom
vroom!
Despite the economic crisis in Greece, the people and the country
still remain beautiful. We truly hope that they can find a way to resolve
these issues and that the country holds its sense of magic forever.
Greece will always have a piece of our hearts. And it will have a place
in yours after you see it all in person.
