Greece - Athens, Mykonos and Santorini
History, Parties and Romance!

 Happy is the man, I thought, who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean Sea.
– Nikos Kazantzakis

 Athens– The hub of Greek history. 

Chances are that if you travel to Greece from an international location, you will probably arrive in Athens. It’s Greece’s busiest airport and it serves as the hub and main base of Aegean Airlines as well as other Greek airlines. It’s also one of the cities (in my opinion) that contains the most absurd amounts of history, with a close second being Rome. Learn more about my trip to Rome here.

So, it’s no wonder that Athens is known as “The eye of Greece, the mother of arts and eloquence.” If you have never been to Greece before, make sure to add Athens to your list. All you need is a couple of days to experience its beauty, food and history. 

This is how we did it. We arrived Athens early in the morning to make the most of the day. So we skipped the nap to balance out the jet lag and headed out into the city to start our city tour. I highly recommend walking tours because you see so much more than in a bus or car. I’ve mentioned before how wonderful Rick Steves app is, and on this trip we used it as well. His audio playlist includes three tours of Athens. One of the City, the Acropolis and Ancient Agora, all free and includes detailed maps too. Save your money and download the app!

Here are some highlights on the tour:

This is the Greek Parliament building, also known as the old royal palace..In front of it against the wall, [the square with the figure laying down], is The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. it’s a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens. It is…

This is the Greek Parliament building, also known as the old royal palace..

In front of it against the wall, [the square with the figure laying down], is The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. it’s a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930-32 by sculptor Fokion Rok. The tomb is guarded by the Evzones of the Presidential Guard. you can watch the changing of the Evzones guards here. to learn more, you can visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier_(Athens)

the plaka neighborhood. Great for long walks, restaurants, bars and shopping.

the plaka neighborhood. Great for long walks, restaurants, bars and shopping.

spotting of the parthenon from different spots of the city

spotting of the parthenon from different spots of the city

Beauty around the city of athens. this is part of the oldest sections of the city near the acropolis.

Beauty around the city of athens. this is part of the oldest sections of the city near the acropolis.

The Arch of Hadrian, most commonly known in Greek as Hadrian's Gate, is a monumental gateway resembling – in some respects – a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens, Greece, to the complex of structures on the ea…

The Arch of Hadrian, most commonly known in Greek as Hadrian's Gate, is a monumental gateway resembling – in some respects – a Roman triumphal arch. It spanned an ancient road from the center of Athens, Greece, to the complex of structures on the eastern side of the city that included the Temple of Olympian Zeus. It has been proposed that the arch was built to celebrate the adventus (arrival) of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and to honor him for his many benefactions to the city. You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Hadrian_(Athens)

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, is a former colossal temple at the centre of the Greek capital Athens. It was dedicated to "Olympian" Zeus, a name originating from his position as head of th…

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, is a former colossal temple at the centre of the Greek capital Athens. It was dedicated to "Olympian" Zeus, a name originating from his position as head of the Olympian gods. You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Olympian_Zeus,_Athens

On our second day we focused on the Acropolis and Ancient Agora. All that we needed to purchase was the entrance to the Acropolis and used the walking tour from Rick Steve’s app. 

part of the entrance to the acropolis: you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens

part of the entrance to the acropolis: you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens

The Erechtheion or Erechtheum, is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon. it’s famous for the "Porch of the Maidens", it’s six draped female figures (also known …

The Erechtheion or Erechtheum, is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon. it’s famous for the "Porch of the Maidens", it’s six draped female figures (also known as caryatids). these are sculpted female figures serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erechtheion

The Parthenon, is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered the zenith…

The Parthenon, is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered the zenith of the Doric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, Athenian democracy and Western civilization and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenon

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word a…

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis is from the Greek words "highest point, extremity" and "city". You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_of_Athens

the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The building was completed in 161 AD and then renovated in 1950. you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/w…

the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The building was completed in 161 AD and then renovated in 1950. you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeon_of_Herodes_Atticus

After being immersed in Greece’s history, we ended our stay in Athens at a traditional Greek restaurant with live music and amazing wine. This is highly recommended!

awesome wine and food at stamatopoulos old tavern 1882

awesome wine and food at stamatopoulos old tavern 1882

Mykonos– There’s so much more than parties! 

After a full immersion of Greek history in Athens, we took a ferry to Mykonos. Unfortunately, our ferry broke half way there and we spent an additional 4 hours in the middle of the Aegean Sea instead of seeing Mykonos, so we accommodated our plans. 

When we finally arrived Mykonos, tired, sweaty and hungry, we decided to just hang out at the pool. Our amazing hotel provided exactly what we needed, food, drinks and relaxation! If we had arrived as planned, we would have rented a car or scooter and driven around the island since it’s not very big. Instead, we decided to skip that and leave it for our next trip there.

beautiful walkaways in our amazing hotel: the Myconian Ambassador Relais & Chateaux Hotel

beautiful walkaways in our amazing hotel: the Myconian Ambassador Relais & Chateaux Hotel

the view from our hotel room

the view from our hotel room

finally enjoying the pool

finally enjoying the pool

In our second day in Mykonos, we woke up early and headed to the beach. There are amazing walking trails you can enjoy as well as plenty of restaurants and bars alongside the beach catering to your every need. We did just that! 

walking trails along the beach in mykonos

walking trails along the beach in mykonos

our beach in mykonos - Platis Gialos Beach

our beach in mykonos - Platis Gialos Beach

one of the many bar and restaurants along the beach

one of the many bar and restaurants along the beach

enjoying a well deserved greek beer, mythos!

enjoying a well deserved greek beer, mythos!

enjoying mykonos the greek way, sun, drinks and beach!

enjoying mykonos the greek way, sun, drinks and beach!

After enjoying a day on the beach, we headed to Mykonos town to party and have dinner. Mykonos town does not disappoint. We had an amazing dinner facing the ocean and partied like rock-stars, or at least, that’s how we felt.

on the way to mykonos town

on the way to mykonos town

mykonos has plenty of clubs and bars along the beach front.. just pick one and enjoy a drink!

mykonos has plenty of clubs and bars along the beach front.. just pick one and enjoy a drink!

mykonos is also know for it’s windmills. There are currently 16 windmills on Mykonos of which seven are positioned on the landmark hill in Chora (the islands principle village). Most of them were built by the Venetians in the 16th century, but their…

mykonos is also know for it’s windmills. There are currently 16 windmills on Mykonos of which seven are positioned on the landmark hill in Chora (the islands principle village). Most of them were built by the Venetians in the 16th century, but their construction continued into the early 20th century. They were primarily used to mill wheat.

The next day we took a ferry to Santorini. Luckily our ferry didn’t break down this time and we arrived as planned!

Santorini – it’s not just a place for honeymooners, it’s also a place for solo travelers and wine lovers!

In ancient times, Santorini Island was known as Stongili, which means round in Greek. Strongili was the victim of an enormous volcano eruption in 1,500 BC. The eruption was so huge that many consider it to be the main cause of the destruction of the great Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, situated 70 nautical miles away. The specialists believe that the explosion was so strong that it created gigantic waves that reached the shores of the surrounding islands and Crete. After the explosion, the centre of Santorini sank, and the many earthquakes that followed destroyed a big part of the rest of the island. Many studies and researches have been presented in our days about the volcano of Santorini, including a series of documentaries in National Geographic. Watch it, it’s really good! Also, in some ancient myths, the destruction of the island is closely associated to the legend of the lost city of Atlantis. Source: www.greeka.com

After all of these destructions, the caldera was formed. It’s a large volcanic crater, typically one formed by a major eruption leading to the collapse of the mouth of the volcano. Visible above water is the circular Santorini island group, consisting of Santorini (aka Thera), the main island, Therasia and Aspronisi at the periphery, and the Kameni islands at the center.

Over the years, Santorini has developed as a wedding and honeymoon destination. And yes, we were on our honeymoon when we were there. We were one of those annoying couples that said, “We’re on our honeymoon” and then received 2-3 responses of “So are we!” So in true fashion, we found the most romantic hotel, with the best views of the caldera, that we could find (and afford).

Our amazing hotel, the abyssanto suites and spa. it’s so high up you feel like you’re in the clowds! it was very cloudy when this picture was taken but on a clear day, you get a perfect view of the entire caldera.

Our amazing hotel, the abyssanto suites and spa. it’s so high up you feel like you’re in the clowds! it was very cloudy when this picture was taken but on a clear day, you get a perfect view of the entire caldera.

the view of the caldera from our hotel room

the view of the caldera from our hotel room

panoramic view of the caldera from our hotel

panoramic view of the caldera from our hotel

enjoying the view from our hot tub

enjoying the view from our hot tub

Santorini is just what you’ve imagined. It’s magical, romantic and fruitful. It’s one of those places where it’s hard to take a bad picture. Almost every location is picturesque, but that, we expected. What really surprised us about Santorini was its wine. Locals have been growing, producing and distributing wine in Santorini since ancient times. There are various wineries around Santorini, which have some of the best views of the caldera! One of the best things we did in Santorini was take the wine tasting tour, visiting two different wineries and the Wine Museum, which is a winery as well. This is a must do when in Santorini! 

this is venetsanos winery with amazing views of the caldera. can you see the zig zag road?

this is venetsanos winery with amazing views of the caldera. can you see the zig zag road?

this is santo winery, also highly recommended!

this is santo winery, also highly recommended!

the wine tasting at santo winery. one tasting consists of 18 glasses, yes, that’s just one tasting… don’t worry, you can share!

the wine tasting at santo winery. one tasting consists of 18 glasses, yes, that’s just one tasting… don’t worry, you can share!

entrance to wine museum

entrance to wine museum

the story of the wine making process is told by live scenes in the museum

the story of the wine making process is told by live scenes in the museum

huge barrels where the popular vin santo wines are kept

huge barrels where the popular vin santo wines are kept

 You can read more about the history of Santorini’s wine here.

Another must do in Santorini is see the island from the sea. The catamaran and yacht tours are popular for this reason. They provide spectacular views of the island and you can appreciate the caldera and rock formations like no other place in the island. We chose the 5-hour daytime cruise that included dinner, drinks and visits to the Red and White beaches.  But don’t be fooled, Santorini is made up of volcanic rock, so you won’t find powder like sand there. Instead, expect multi-color rocks, which is still cool to see, but not as comfortable as lying in powder sand beaches. 

the towns in santorini are located at the top of clifs

the towns in santorini are located at the top of clifs

This is the red beach, can you see the red sand?

This is the red beach, can you see the red sand?

the amazing food we had on our boat ride

the amazing food we had on our boat ride

You can’t leave Santorini without visiting its two most popular towns, Oia and Fira. Our hotel was conveniently located in between them in a small town called Imerovigli, which was perfectly located for us because we were close to the action, yet far enough to enjoy quiet, romantic evenings from our hot tub. 

Oia is a village that is best known for its sunset because it’s located in one of the highest points in Santorini on the caldera cliffs. The sunset in Santorini is considered one of the most famous sunsets worldwide and people from all over the world travel here to photograph it. Oia is a lovely village with charming white-washed houses, blue-domed churches, old brick roads and breathtaking views of the Sea. It has a festive feeling with crowds of people gathering on streets and rooftops to experience the sunset. The shopping is pretty amazing there also.  

enjoying the beautiful sunset of santorini

enjoying the beautiful sunset of santorini

on our way down the cliff to eat

on our way down the cliff to eat

the long lines and crowd of people waiting to see the sunset

the long lines and crowd of people waiting to see the sunset

beautiful views and rooftops in santorini

beautiful views and rooftops in santorini

ammoudi fish tavern - one of our favorite sea food restaurants along the sea in oia, absolutely amazing!

ammoudi fish tavern - one of our favorite sea food restaurants along the sea in oia, absolutely amazing!

Fira is the capital of Santorini offering bars, restaurants, cafes and a variety of activities. It has a slightly larger town feeling and is often crowded because of cruise ships. It’s also a great place to get one of the best views of the caldera. When you visit, walk around the town and try to find hidden restaurants on the cliff facing the sea. Those are where the locals dine and offer some of the best traditional Greek food and views. 

You have probably also heard of the donkey rides. Those are offered to people to get them from the bottom of the cliff to the top where the cities are located. Feel free to skip this, take the cable car up, or if you dare, walk up the stairs. 

“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.”
— Socrates

Go to Greece, eat, drink and and be happy!

Below is a recap of 8 day trip in Greece: 
Sun, 4/29: Day 1: – Arrive Athens - City walking tour
Mon, 4/30: Day 2: Acroplis, Ancient Agora and Dinner Show
Tues, 5/1: Day 3: Ferry to Mykonos
2 nights in Athens
Wed, 5/2: Day 4: Hang at Mykonos hotel
Th, 5/3: Day 5: Party at beach in Mykonos
2 nights in Mykonos
Fri, 5/4: Day 6: Ferry to Santorini, Hang out at hotel
Sat, 5/5: Day 7: Caldera Cruise
Sun, 5/6: Day 8: Sunset in Oia
3 nights in Santorini

If you’re wondering how easily this can be done, how much it costs and who I used to book travel and tours, I can send you my full itinerary. Just email me for the details. 

My itinerary includes: 

  • Tour company used for catamaran tour and ferry

  • More activity options and excursions

  • Tips for getting around, to and from, Athens, Mykonos and Santorini

  • Travel visa requirements – who needs what and where to get it

  • Hotel and restaurant recommendations in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini

  • Currency tips

  • Best time of year to visit 

  • What to pack and wear

  • Unlimited amount of questions you can ask me for your travel

If you loved this post, please don't forget to share and comment on the Reaching Wonders Facebook Page, just click on the "f" below. Your comments are truly appreciated!