Greek Island Hopping 101

Greece, two words: MUST DO!

July 2019, my 10-day Greek adventure owes me nothing! Like most ancient civilizations, Greece is truly like a time capsule! Home of the Gods and Goddesses, the first Olympic games, and known for their unique architecture and innovative creations, the Greek islands set themselves apart from many! My journey consisted of the first stop in Athens for two days, then to Mykonos for three days, Santorini for three days, and the final stop in Crete for two days. The hospitality was unmatched (Top 3 out of all my adventures, thus far!).

All about the stay:

Athens

We stayed at the Electra Palace Hotel, a modern, high rise hotel in the city center. This hotel had a rooftop bar and restaurant, with amazing views of the city, including the Acropolis! The breakfast was a traditional, European buffet breakfast with fresh fruits, pastries, eggs, yogurt, bacon, sausages, etc. We spent a short amount of time at this hotel, as we only had two days, and spent them exploring the city.

Mykonos

We stayed at Katikies Mykonos, and was hands down my favorite stay throughout the entire trip. This was a cute, boutique hotel, a few miles away from the main town. We had our own private pool that overlooked the sea. The staff was phenomenal and friendly. The hotel provided us with a cellphone with GPS service to take with us whenever we left for the town. Although the town was not walking distance, the amenities and experience made up for the distance! Breakfast was buffet style, with certain items made to order.

Santorini

We stayed at Sun Rocks Hotel, in the heart of Fira, Santorini. The boutique was walking distance to many restaurants, bars, and clubs. Upon arrival, our room was upgraded to a honeymoon suite, with retractable windows overlooking the sea. The room service was unmatched, with breakfast served on a silver platter, and unlimited glasses of Prosecco. Our experience at this hotel was amazing.

Crete

We stayed at the Porto Elounda Golf and Spa Resort. This segment of our trip we spent relaxing at the resort. The room was spacious, and we had our own private pool. The resort had a nice, beach side service for food and cocktails, but the items were pricey. The breakfast and dinner buffet had an array of foods (ranging from chicken to rabbit). This resort was family friendly, and there were a lot of kids doing their own thing.

Getting Around Greece

Since island hopping is extremely popular, high-speed ferry tickets were included in our package. We had transportation arranged to pick us up from our hotels and take us to the docks to catch our ferry to the next island. This system was completely organized, and the ferries were punctual (if you were not there, you would seriously get left). Our first time waiting on the ferry to go from Athens to Mykonos, we were amateurs. The locals knew as soon as the ferry doors opened, to pull their luggage and run to get their preferred seats. It did not take us long to learn, and by the time we caught the ferry from Mykonos to Santorini, we were pros! The ferry also carried cars, motorcycles, and large packages. As someone who gets motion sickness, I was not too badly affected. The total time between islands was about a 1.5-2.5-hour ride. Light refreshments were made available for purchase. We flew on a small jet from Santorini to Crete via Sky Express, which was only an hour flight. Our baggage was deemed as “overweight” since their luggage restrictions were different than other major airlines (the excess baggage fee was 100 Euros per bag!)

Athens and Santorini had multiple taxi services available. However, there were only a total of 20 verified taxis on the whole island of Mykonos. Just like Uber or Lyft, Mykonos has an app named “iMove Taxi” which was cheaper than the verified taxis and had more cars available. Each taxi required us to sign a disclosure that we understand their services were not a “verified” taxi, and that we consented to the ride share. There was never a time that we did not feel safe. As far as transportation in Crete, we did not leave the resort, however, we had a private transfer to and from the resort to the airport. The resort was a 45-minute drive to the airport.

What to do

Athens

· Dinner in the Sky

· Acropolis

· Parthenon Temple

· Temple of Poseidon

· Shop, Shop, Shop!

Mykonos

Mykonos is PARTY Central! Highly recommend for a Bach or Birthday trip. We did not do any excursions during this segment, instead, we turned up every day! There are beach parties every day beginning at noon until 9:00 pm. From 9:00 pm until 1:00 am, everyone spent time recharging and getting ready for the nightly festivities. Bars and nightclubs in the town had no cover charge and was welcoming of all types of people. My favorite club was Cinderella, a LGBTQ+ friendly club, with a lot of dancing and drinking. We left the town around 5:00 am, and the party was still jumping! Mykonos truly doesn’t sleep.

Santorini

We did most of our excursions in Santorini. This island is truly romanticized and known for their impeccable sunsets. The time of sunset is calculated each day, and everyone travels to the crowded cliffs in Oia to witness the breathtaking views. The sunset caldera cruise is a must. An 8-10 passenger yacht ride with an unlimited BBQ Greek lunch, wine and beer, snorkeling, and swimming to the hot springs. At the end of the cruise, the yacht docked in Oia and we watched the sunset while on the water (Life changing!) We also visited three vineyards and enjoyed an evening filled with wine tasting. We learned about the different grapes that grow in Greece, and their techniques for growing their grapes since there is a lack of rain year-round. We ended up buying bottles of wine to take home of course! Cooking classes are also a great highlight of Santorini. Bar and nightlife is active! The best place to party is in Fira!

Must Try Food

- Gyros (Pronounced Euros) with Tzatziki

- Souvlaki

- Sea bass (caught locally, made fresh, and is BOMB!)

- Lamb

- Moussaka (yum!)

- Dolmas (My absolute fave)

- Spanakopita

- Baklava

Tips:

- Greece is not for the weak! The towns are built on hills and cobblestone. Please DO NOT wear heels Sis!

- Most hotels, especially boutique hotels do not have an elevator. Hotel staff will carry your luggage up and down flights of steps (please tip!)

- Have cash handy, tipping for services is appreciated!

- Most Greeks speak English, however, learn some general Greek words (i.e hello, good morning, thank you, etc.)

- The Italian restaurants were great (I know, who comes to Greece to eat Italian food? Italy is literally “around the corner.”

- There are many touristic, neighboring countries to Greece (i.e. Italy, Egypt, Turkey, etc.) Make your trip a multi-city adventure (it really is cheaper)

- When doing multi-city traveling, be sure to check with the airline regarding baggage restrictions. Smaller airlines have more strict guidelines regarding weight limits

- Greece is hot year-round, April-October is tourist season, with peak months in July and August

- Do not wear a white or light colored bathing suits to the hot springs. The iron in the water will change the color and rust your swimwear

- For my fellow Greek Lettered brothers and sisters, reading and understandings words and signs were easier than expected!

- Nudity at beaches are the norm