I just returned from a fun girls trip to Greece with my friends Linda and MJ. We did a lot of traveling, island-hopping, eating, picture-taking, laughing and memory-making in 10 days. We started and ended in Athens and also visited the islands of Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. Here are ten of my favorite sights we saw.
1. Ornos Beach, Mykonos
Ornos Beach is a small, family-friendly beach a short bus ride away. It’s lined with restaurants. The beach felt a little crowded because of its size but the water wasn’t crowded at all.
2. Knossos Palace; Heraklion, Crete
We ended up spending less than 24 hours on Crete! (Poor planning, oops.) We went to their famous sight – Knossos Palace. The palace, now an archaeological site, is the setting of the Minotaur’s labyrinth in Greek mythology. It was hot walking around, so we didn’t see the whole thing, but it was interesting to see. Pictured above is the throne room.
3. National Archaeological Museum; Athens
Most of Greece’s artifacts can be seen in this museum. This was the first thing we saw in Greece and it was a good introduction to all the history we would see.
4. Animals of Greece
Everyday we saw cats and dogs wandering the streets of Greece. While MJ and Linda were enthusiastic about taking photos of them, I took the above photos.
5. Atlantis Books; Oia, Santorini
This enchanting bookshop was a great memory in Santorini. We had read about it in a “best bookstores” article and added it to our must-see list. We spent time talking with one of the owners, browsing the shelves and each picking out a new book.
6. Kamari Beach; Santorini
This black “sand” beach is about a 20-minute bus ride from Fira. Though the rocks on the beach make it tedious to get in, the water felt great.
7. Santorini Brewing Company; Santorini
After a suggestion from a friend, we put this brewery on our to-see list. It didn’t disappoint. It’s a small shop but well on their way to big things. We tasted their three beers: Yellow Donkey, Red Donkey and Crazy Donkey. We had a short tour of the brewery and admired their branding.
8. Sunset and view in Santorini (particularly Oia)
The sunset and view from Santorini was what made the trip. The predominantly white-building city is built on top and on the side of the island, making it a beautiful part of the view. We admired several sunsets and wanted to stay and enjoy the calmness and beauty.
9. Acropolis Museum; Athens
Opened in 2009, the Acropolis Museum is a good starting point before walking up the Acropolis. It contains many artifacts from the Acropolis and a good view from the bottom.
10. Acropolis; Athens
The Acropolis, the remnants of Athen’s Golden Age days are high above the city and about a 20-minute hike to the summit. The Acropolis monuments include the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, Propylaea, and Temple of Athena Nike. The history and grandeur of the structures were inspiring and though it was hot, it was worth the visit.
Also check out: the memorable dishes and drinks we had in Greece!
You might also like
