In 2023, I traveled to my top bucket list destination – Greece. It exceeded my expectations. We visited 3 locations on this trip - Athens, Santorini and Crete, with its remnants of ancient civilizations, beautiful beaches and impressive mountainscapes.
We flew into Athens and spent 2 nights at the Hotel Polis Grand in the historic
center of Athens. The hotel featured a rooftop restaurant with views of the Acropolis. Visiting the Acropolis, which features the Parthenon, is a must when visiting Athens. At the Acropolis we toured the museum, which houses an unmatched collection of architectural sculptures, including sculptural decorations of the Parthenon. Following our visit to the museum, we made our way to the Acropolis, where we experienced the Parthenon, Erechtium, Herodes Atticus Odeon, Ancient theater of Dionysus, Propylaia Gates, and the Temple of Nike.
From Athens, we traveled by plane to Santorini, described as the supermodel of the Greek Islands, and it truly is that! Part of the Cyclades island group, Santorini sits in the Aegean sea, about halfway between Athens and Greece. The alluring views are like none I’ve ever seen, with the deep blue of the Aegean Sea as the backdrop to the white and blue buildings on the cliffs of the island.
Fira is the island’s capital and features restaurants, hotels and shops all along the cliffs looking out over the sea. Oia (pronounced E-a) is the crown jewel of the area, the most beautiful, and the most visited village on the island.
Our guide Duke took us all around the island, and we went to The Monastery of Prophet Elias, one of the highest points of the island, to see the sunset. There is a bell tower surrounded by 4 other churches and chapels. The views of the sunset were magnificent.
Following our 2-nights stay in Santorini at the El Greco Hotel, we traveled by ferry to Heraklion, Crete, the largest city on the island. The city has an abundance of Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman structures with alleys and pathways through shops, coffee shops and restaurants to explore.
From Heraklion we took a private tour of Crete with a local guide who tailored our tour based on our personal preferences. We drove to Chania, the capital city, with stops in Argyroupoli, Crete, an ancient town once known as Lappa, and Rethymno, a city of many faces built by the sea. We dined at Avli Restaurant, in the heart of the historical center of the city. It is in a gorgeous Cretan mansion dating back to the 15th century. This private tour went above and beyond what we had hoped for and one I would highly recommend to anyone traveling to Crete.
Greece has so much to offer, with its many islands and ancient civilizations to explore. If you plan a trip Greece, I recommend only choosing 3 locations to explore, and plan for a return trip at a later date. I know I will be back, and I would love to plan a Greece trip for you!
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