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Trip Report
Greece - Athens, Mykonos and Santorini
Greece 9 days vacation itinerary. Filled with lots of historical sights in Athens and a well deserved break in the Greek Islands of Mykonos and Santorini.
+ 19
EuropeGreece9 days / May 2023
Highs & Lows
Amazing food and lovely people
Santorini is totally overpriced and very crowded
Itinerary Overview
We started our trip in Athens and later explored Mykonos and Santorini. We spent 3 nights in each place and moved between the capital and the islands by plane and then by speedboat.
Athens History, art, great city vibes
5+There is so much to see in Athens. I'd say 3 days is definitely not enough time to see everything but long enough to see the most important sites. If you plan do to some sightseeing I recommend to buy your tickets online. We bought a combined ticket for Acropolis and Slopes, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Olympieion, Kerameikos, Aristotle's School (Lykeion) for 30EUR. The ticket is valid for 5 days after the first entrance. It lets you skip many lines and is very convenient.
Apart from the usual suspects I recommend to visit:
- Lycabettus Hill - great viewpoint! You can either climb it or take a cable car (one way or a round trip, it's 4EUR for a single ticket). At the top you can chill, wait for the sunset, buy some drinks, etc.
- Anatofika - a lovely neighbourhood of Athens with a very unique architecture, it's a great place for a walk. As it became more popular in recent years, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can people watch and enjoy a break
- Panathenaic Stadium - site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896. Great place to visit and totally worth paying 10EUR and getting inside to explore it for yourself. Don't forget to take the audiobook (included in the price of the ticket) to listen to while you explore the stadium and to hear plenty of interesting information. Also great place for taking some good pics!
- The Parliament - go for the change of guards, it's a great spectacle! The most spectacular is on Sunday at 11 but we went on a weekday at an even hour and it was also wonderful. Be there at least 10 minutes earlier
Mykonos Island vibes
5+Mykonos has a great vibe! It's a bit of a party island but of course it has a lot more to offer than just parties. If you want to avoid the crowds, I recommend to go for a walk before 9AM, you will get to wander the lovely little streets without crowds. Also, I totally recommend to go to one of the beaches as it's a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
There are plenty of restaurants and cafes in the Old Port where you can rest and people watch. From the Old Port you can take a water taxi (2EUR) to the New Port. Most of the speedboats to other islands depart from the New Port.
Santorini The famous sunsets
3+Santorini is lovely but it's very crowded. We stayed in the very center of Oia and it was a great choice as we could just go to the balcony and enjoy the beautiful view of the Caldera. Oia is quite small, there's not a lot to see and you can easily see most of the town in one day. If you want to explore the island there's a possibility for hikes, visiting some vineries or going on a boat cruise to explore some small islands off Santorini.
Santorini was the last stop on our trip and we wanted to get some rest and be lazy so it was perfect for us and we didn't feel like we're missing out on not exploring every single day.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I wish I had time to explore more Greek islands.Restaurant recommendations?
Mykonos - Captain's Food for Sharing - in the Old Port, great seafood - To Maereio - great Greek Taverna, we went there twice and the food was so good - Gioras Wood Medieval Mykonian Bakery - lovely bakery near the windmills, plenty of space inside or you can take something to go and eat it at a nearby beach Athens - Atlantikos - TOP plac for seafood and fish, prices are very pleasant and the food is absolutely top notch! - Kalamakia O Elvis - best place for souvlaki in Athens, very local place, it's very casual but by all means, give it a go as you will not regret it - Diporto - very local place, it's a Greek Taverna with an unbeatable atmosphere and delicious food Santorini - Skala - pleasant restaurant, good food and a nice view (if you manage to get the table close to the Caldera) - Niko's Place - casual place for souvlaki, a bargain for Santorini - Passaris Bakery - nice little bakery, there's not much seating available but you can get a yummy Spanakopita to goPacking tips?
If you go on May, bring a jackets as evening on the islands can get a bit chilly.Transportation Tips?
The boat between Mykonos and Santorini is fast and comfy. We booked our speedboat with Ferryhopper (https://www.ferryhopper.com) a few weeks prior to the trip.
Lodging
Airbnb in Plaka. I recommend Plaka as it's very centrally located and most of the archeological sites can be easily reached on foot. If you search well, you will find apartments with a view over The Acropolis. That's the view the had from our terrace and it was lovely!
Airbnb - our apartment was very close to Boni's Windmill and it was a great location. A few steps to the center of the town with a wonderful view of the sea and the sunset.
Airbnb. If you can, look for an Airbnb in Oia on the caldera. The view is unbeatable and you will get it all to yourself whenever you want and without having to fight for it with other tourists.