To put it out there, Dan and I are not luxury travellers, but we definitely are up for trying anything/everything - from hiking to just simply sitting in a (literal hole in a wall) to draw.
Before travelling to Greece, my view on it was the stereotypical white cliffs you see of Santorini or ancient relics like the Parthenon. After roaming the country for 12 days, I conclude that it's a multifaceted country with so much to offer for every kind of traveller.
I'm starting with Santorini first because... don't we all just love it.
Santorini is a beach paradise. There are beaches that are accessible by bus, and some where you have to rent an ATV to get to. Unless you're a crazy beach buff, I personally feel that beaches like Kamari is good enough. We didn't get to enjoy much of the beach because of how cold it was, but I'd definitely recommend Santorini during summer.
Check out Amoudi Bay in Oia - the water is crystal clear. Taking these steps down to the bay was an ordeal because there was donkey poop everywhere on the floor.
Amoudi Bay has really fresh seafood - the seafood pastas are delicious.
Also, you HAVE to try Lolita's gelato. The place has such great yogurt, strawberry and coconut gelato. It's slightly pricey but so worth it on a hot summer's day.
We stayed in Fira because accommodations are much cheaper there. Getting to Fira from Oia is a 3.5-4hr hike (it's a 25min bus ride too). We did this hike and had no regrets. It's a pretty simple hike to follow because there are signs. We followed this girl's blog which had clear instructions.
Each step you turn gives you different sceneries - one moment you can be on gravel, the next you can be overlooking the whole island of Santorini.
My only tip is to clear your bladder before leaving because boy did I suffer through 2 hours of no-pee-break.
Back in Fira, we had crepes almost every day. My favourite was Crepe De La Crepe Creperie. The nutella + strawberries were good.
All in all, you can't miss Santorini when you're in Greece. Although it's one of the most commercialised spots there, the scenery was to die for.
Kalambaka is beautiful, but not for the faint-hearted. Before I go on, I have to tell you that if you have the time during your trip, visiting Kalambaka is totally worth it. This little town on the outskirts of Athens is a gem. If you like hiking and exploring monasteries, this is for you.
The journey there alone is a 4 hour train ride. Bring food and water.
The train is so filthy that I noticed my white shoes turned black after the ride. The toilets don't have functional locks on them and the reek - bring your own tissue paper.
I'm personally afraid of the trains in Greece. On our first train ride from the airport, this family of beggers came onto the train. The kid came up to Dan and begged for money. Dan shook his head and the kid, out of anger, kicked his luggage and stomped away. Agro much. Ever since then, we were very careful on trains.
Kalambaka's train station is out in the open - it's the last stop.
We did multiple hikes there - some walking down from the monasteries, others walking up to points to watch sunset (check it out on the city map).
I call this the sleepy town. Population = 650. Dan says it's his favourite.
Besides both of us, there were only around 4 other tourist families there. We felt so at peace - it's so zen that we could perpetually hear the wind howling, leaves rustling and birds chirping.
There were little nooks and crannies which we found to chill (with more crepes).
Also, so unpopulated that I can take ridiculous ootds like this.
This was the only Greek island we visited. Wish we visited more!
I saved this for last because you have to go to Athens to get to the other places anyway. For the record, Athens is not my favourite. I honestly was so disappointed with it because I wanted to hear all about the history of Greece having studied it in school. Nup, not impressed. Athens = Gotham.
Under restoration. (Parthenon)
Almost got pickpocketed.
Not bad sesame bagel thing.
Day trip to Delphi.
Go for the tours. At least you'll get some history outta it.
Hit me up if you have any questions! My next post will be on our accomodations.
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