Greek Island Adventure

​
​      Through the years we have often started or ended a cruise vacation in the Eastern Mediterranean in Athens. Each time those cruises stopped in Santorini and Mykonos, the most popular Greek Islands for cruise ships, those traveling with us would always say how much they loved those islands and how much they wished they could spend more time there than just a few hours on a cruise stop. After hearing this many times I decided a couple of years ago I should plan a land tour to Greece. After much planning I finally had the itinerary arranged and in October last year (2019) we took a great group of about 28 people with us on a fun filled 10 day trip to Greece. Our itinerary consisted of 2 nights in Athens, 2 nights on the island of Mykonos, 2 nights on the island of Naxos and 2 nights on the island of Santorini. 

​Athens is a wonderful city! Full of ancient history around every corner and great dining and shopping. On a short visit to Athens you must plan to stay in the area known as the Plaka or the old town. The Plaka is lots of narrow little streets full of shops and tavernas for dining. We have been there many times and every time we discover something we have not yet done. There are many hotels in the area. Two that I particularly like are the Royal Olympic Hotel and the Athens Gate Hotel. Both lay in the shadow of the Acropolis and are just a stone’s throw away from some of Athens major attractions such as the new, must see, Acropolis Museum. Both hotels are located on the edge of the Plaka so it is an easy stroll to many dining and shopping options. The best way to see the most important sights of Athens on a short visit is to pre-book a half day tour which should include a visit to Acropolis Hill topped with the famous Parthenon and home to some of the most classical Athens antiquities. The tour should also include a couple hours guided tour of the Acropolis Museum as well as a walking tour through the Plaka ending at the Parliament Building in Syntagma Square to watch the ceremonial changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

After our Athens visit we were on a morning flight to one of the most popular Greek islands, Mykonos.  Mykonos is beaches, shopping and sightseeing, the island has it all. I would highly recommend staying in one of the many hotels surrounding Mykonos Town as this is the best area for the most variety in dining,
Shopping and strolling the quaint, cobbled, narrow streets. We stayed at the Tharroe of Mykonos Hotel which offers very nice accommodations with breathtaking sunset views over the Aegean, the famous windmills of Mykonos and Mykonos town. The hotel is on the outskirts of the town so it is best to take a very short and inexpensive taxi when going to town. The hotel also has an excellent open air restaurant. Mykonos Town is a wonderful place to sit in one of the many waterfront restaurants for a break from shopping or a delicious lunch.
 

​I wanted to include a stop somewhere that was less known to American tourist and the perfect choice was the island of Naxos, the largest island in the group of islands known as the Cyclades. We boarded a morning ferry in Mykonos for the 40 minute crossing to Naxos. Although a popular tourist destination, Naxos maintains a feeling of what islands such as Mykonos and Santorini would have been like 25 years ago. In Naxos there are hotels in the small main town (also called Naxos) but it is more popular to stay in some of the many beach areas, mostly to the south of the town of Naxos. We stayed at the Lagos Mar Hotel which was located just a short walk into the village and the beautiful Agios Prokopios beach. The hotel is family run and has nice accommodations. The views from the hotel were not particularly great but everyone was happy with the “small town” feel of the area. You won’t find a great deal of shopping outside of the town of Naxos but the small beach communities have wonderful dining options and uncrowded beaches. Naxos is the place for relaxing, strolling and soaking up the local Greek island atmosphere. You can arrange a nice afternoon visit to the main town of Naxos and a half day tour of the island is worth the time for some very scenic Greek island rural scenery. ​

---

After our stay on Naxos we boarded a ferry for the 2 hour ride to the ever popular Greek island of Santorini. Actually, before I move on to Santorini, I should say a couple of words about Greek island ferries. This is, in most cases, the only way of getting from island to island. The ferry system is well maintained and the ferries run on time. They are popular with locals as well as tourists. They offer a range of seating options from basic “economy” to premium services with seating much like first class on many airplanes. They all have multiple dining options from snack bars to full service, sit down restaurants. The only thing that is a bit odd is the boarding process can only be described as a “free for all” scramble to board when the gangway is lowered. A gangway that also serves for the fast loading and unloading of cars and commercial vehicles. It is really just part of the adventure so don’t miss the experience!
 
So, on arrival at the iconic island of Santorini you are immediately in awe, even before you disembark the ferry. The ferry terminal is located in the very famous, ancient collapsed volcano caldera. As you enter the caldera you can see the white washed villages, hotels and villas all along the clifftop and spilling down the sides of the caldera. It is a beautiful sight! We stayed at a very nice hotel, the Astro Palace, which is located in Fira Town, one of the two most popular locations on the island. The hotel had large rooms with beautiful views towards the sea and was an easy 10 minute walk to the center of town. What everyone dreams of is staying in one of the many quaint, little hotels that cling to the caldera edge but as we were a group of 28 we were too large a group for any of the cliff side hotels. The two most popular places on Santorini are Fira Town and the town of Oia. Both locations are the typical white washed towns with magnificent views, and sunsets, looking out across the caldera to the sea beyond. As is the case with nearly any Greek island, there are many narrow, cobbled streets perfect for strolling and they are all loaded with shops and restaurants. Dinner on the open air terrace of a restaurant looking out over the caldera at sunset is guaranteed to be a lasting memory. If you like, you can take an island tour which will likely stop at one or two local wineries for tastings plus stop for a couple hours of free time in Oia (if you are not staying in that area). Having been to Santorini serval times I was pleasantly surprised to find that they have completed extensive renovations to the ancient Minoan Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri. This archeological sight was amazing and is now completely protected by a massive, new steel roof structure.  Set your clock back a few thousand years with a visit to Akrotiri, destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption around 1627 BCE. The volcanic ash buried the remains of many everyday objects used by the settlement's inhabitants, preserving for posterity the ancient way of life of a long-lost culture. Some historians suggest this archeological site, once an important port city on the Aegean, served as an inspiration for Plato's story of Atlantis, a supposedly fictional place mentioned in two of the philosopher's major works. To gain a better understanding of the lost community, take a guided tour around the excavation site. I have visited many archeological sights around the world and this is certainly one of the most impressive. 

​With our trip coming to an end, we boarded our flight from Santorini to Athens where we connected with our flight back to the U.S.
 
There is really so much more to a trip like this than what I can fit into a short travel blog. If you are interested in an amazing Greek Island experience make sure to contact me, Steve Briggs, or ​your favorite travel advisor at VIP World Travel. If the Greek islands are not on your bucket list, they should be!! OPA!!