Travel Guide & Thoughts: Greece
Yeah I'm still talking about Greece. Who's counting?
My sister made fun of me for posting the "eighth" (it was the third) photo of me by the infinity pool at the
in Santorini -- Just let me live!
I couldn't not do a travel guide and roundup of some thoughts from my trip to Greece, and I've had tons of people ask about the country, food, culture, hotels, etc.
For starters, yes, Greece is the most beautiful place in the world that I've seen. It's so picturesque and beautiful that it doesn't feel real. And it's almost impossible to take a bad picture there when everything around you is so stunning.
OK, let's talk expenses. Getting to Greece can be expensive AF, but it doesn't have to be.
How did I get to Greece?
I flew from Israel to Greece, so it cut out a lot of the cost that would usually be associated with the trip. From there, I used travel miles (read
about the
if you haven't...yes, I'm obsessed), and I paid
nothing
. Nothing. I saved my miles throughout the year to use towards this trip, and I have a handful to spare even after my redeeming some for my Greece flights.
Where did I go?
I flew into Athens, spent a full day there to explore, then flew from Athens to Santorini. I then took a ferry to Mykonos (highly recommend
) and back, and then flew from Santorini back to Athens.
How did you know where to stay?
I didn't! I spent hours browsing through Yelp, TripAdvisor, and travel websites to find places that caught my eye, and my budget. I asked around and found villages that seemed best to stay in and would narrow my search from there. Here's a roundup of hotels -- I loved them all.
Athens:
-- Seriously my favorite hotel of all-time. I also stayed here after a crazy travel day and showering in a hostel, so being here felt unreal. The staff was incredible, breakfast was AMAZING (and the view), and the rooms were
insane
.
Santorini
:
and
. Agnadi was a cute villa near restaurants and shops.
was the cream of the crop...Read more about it here.
Mykonos
:
-- Again, amazing. The hotel was right on the beach, had a huge bathroom with a walk-in shower, comfortable bed, and a patio overlooking the sea. We also befriended the bartender and everyone at the restaurant which is always a plus.
What's the culture like?
This one's tricky for me. Athens was incredible in terms of culture. There's so much history nestled in the city, and everywhere you go you meet new, friendly people. I loved walking around, getting coffee, and seeing the city. People here work their ass off.
In Santorini, the culture felt almost nonexistent. The island is 100% for tourism, honeymoons, and relaxation. Very few people actually live on the island -- Most people live in Athens and work their ass off in Santorini during the travel season to make a living. I talked to everyone I came in contact with and they all told me the same thing. Everything in Santorini feels slightly "fake" like it's just there for rich people to enjoy, which is fine, but not much culture. Same goes for Mykonos.
How's the food?
Overall pretty damn good. Some places were overpriced and a little foofoo for me, but others were bomb. The meat is good, salads are fresh, but many times I wasn't sure if I was eating lamb or meat. Also, they don't use lettuce in Greek salads -- Just cucumber for the base. Interesting.
What activities do you recommend?
100% rent ATVs, head to Fira in Santorini for shopping and dinner, take a boat to different islands in Mykonos, do a boat cruise in Santorini, and talk to everybody.
Let me know if there's any other questions or info you'd want to know about a trip to Greece!
Now, take me back!
xx