A few weeks ago, my husband, family and one my best friends embarked on a Greecian Adventure. I had been to Greece back in 2009 while I was back packing across Europe and ever since, I couldn't wait to go back and share it with my family! This trip was a long time coming with COVID and I couldn't be happier that it finally went off without a hitch. It was exactly what we all needed and I cant wait to share it with you! So lets get into it, shall we?
First off, shameless plug for Travel Credit Cards because we could never do all that we do without them! We booked this via Chase Sapphire points. Round trip from JFK to Athens. The cost was only 800 per person ( which is a steal for Summer in Greece) but we completely covered it with points! If you haven't got a travel credit card yet, now is certainly the time!
As I said, we flew directly to Athens, had a quick layover, then were off to Santorini. This was a recommendation from Stath's Aunt and Uncle who recently built a house in Naxos (we'll get to that later!) and it was a perfect recommendation. We were already at the airport, so it was easy to get right on another quick 45 min flight to Santorini. This is why that direct Athens flight was so clutch!
Before I knew it we were in paradise: Santorini. A place of dreams. Heaven on Earth. So lets break it down where we stayed, where we ate and what we did!
SANTORINI
Where We Stayed: As you can imagine, I did extensive research while planning this trip and our Santorini Hotel was an area that I spent a lot of time on. Given the traction and attention Santorini has gotten over the last few years with Instagram, it has become extremely expensive. Oia, which is the main town of Santorini, is not budget friendly whatsoever. Plus, it's not accessible either, with hotels built into cliffs with loads of stairs. I knew that wouldn't work for us and I set my sites on other parts of the island. I came across a hotel group called KD Hotels with many different affordable options across the island. I settled on Aqua Blue Hotel in Perissa Beach and I CANNOT say enough good things about this hotel! Aqua blue is located on the black sand beach, it was in a great locations, has two beautiful pools, ACCESSIBLE rooms and an extremely lovely and fun staff that made our time there so special! All of this was only 275 a night, a steal for a luxurious location like Santorini. The resort also has a Spa and a delicious restaurant located on site. If you are looking to stay on a reasonable budget, but still have all the amenities you would want on vacation, this is the place to stay!
What We Did:
Nikki Beach: If you read these blog posts, you know I'm a huge lover of beach clubs. To me, there is NOTHING better than a European beach club and Greece is known for some good ones! Stath and I are big Nikki Beach fans, which is a popular beach club company with locations around the world. We love to visit them in different places, as each one has a different Vibe. Our first day in Santorini we headed straight to Nikki Beach Club. The Staff was so accommodating and upgraded us to a more comfortable spot for the wheelchair with a nice big lounger and couch area. There was also a beautiful pool with swim up bar, beach access and a delicious sushi boat donned with a sparkler for a fun effect! For drinks , food and our beach spot, it was definitely reasonably priced
Cavo Tagoo- Cavo Tagoo is a very famous hotel that has gained immense popularity on Instagram for the jaw dropping view and slew of famous travel blogger visitors. I have been dyinggggg to visit, but the rooms are like 1500 a night! I did some research and found out you can book their "Drinks and Bites Pool Side Experience" to still take in the amazing view and experience this luxury hotel at a fraction of the price! I will say that the drinks and food were still expensive, but if you're wanting to experience this unbelievable place, I would definitely recommend. Book wayyy far in advance to be there at sunset during peak season!
Visit Oia-When people think Santorini, they think Oia. It's quintessential Santorini with the white cliffside homes and the blue church domes. It's gorgeous and one of the most famous places in the world to watch the sunset. Its definitely a must when visiting Santorini. I will say, go early. It was packed!! The streets were filled with tourists but it's gorgeous and definitely a bucket list place to wander. Do some shopping and have lunch at one of the many little restaurants with that killer view!
Visit Santo Wines- This was my favorite thing we did in Santorini and one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip!! Being a wine lover, obviously one of my favorite things to do anywhere I go is visit a local winery or two. Santo Wines is one of the most gorgeous wineries in the world. The views are something out of a dream and the wine was delicious! Definitely pre-pay for a flight and book dinner there as well! The food was my favorite meal we ate in Santorini. The staff was also so lovely. I cannot recommend this place enough!!
After two and a half glorious days in Santorini, we were off. Headed to Naxos to explore the next Island!
We took a ferry from the Santorini Port to Naxos. When it comes to ferries in Greece, book ahead of time. I used Ferry Scanner to book all of our ferries for this trip and for this ferry ride, we went on Sea Jet. Fair warning: The Santorini ferry sitch is a shit show. There are no signs, no staff to give information and you are stuck in a very hot building with LOTS of people. The ferries always run late and once they get there, it's literally a mad dash to the boat, with piles of luggage based on the location point. Given this, once your on, they're actually pretty nice but it makes for a hectic couple of hours hours. After roughly 45 min, we arrived in Naxos!
NAXOS
Where We Stayed: We were lucky enough to visit Naxos because Stath's Aunt and Uncle just built a gorgeous house there right on the beach! We couldn't wait to see it and explore their Island! Seeing as the house was not accessible, my family stayed in the house and we stayed next door at Liana Beach Hotel. Thea and Theo's house is absolutely gorgeous, with a beautiful boho design, three spacious bedrooms and a rooftop terrace with ocean views and a hot tub! Its available to book via VRBO and Airbnb and is a perfect spot for families or couples! (If you are interesting in booking this beautiful home, reach out to me and I will put you contact with Stath's Aunt and Uncle!)
As for Liana Beach Hotel, it was perfect for us. Right next door to the house, across the street from the beach and accessible! The staff was so accommodating, helping us get taxis, booking excursions and letting my family use the pool even though they weren't staying there! They also provided complimentary transport to and from the ferry and airport! The location was perfect, walking distance to tons of shops, restaurants and beach clubs and the restaurant and beach bar located on site were great!
What We Did
Noman Naxos Beach Club- Obviously, still obsessed with a good beach club! I didn't choose the beach club life, it chose me. Nomad Naxos was low key, relaxing with boho vibes and amazing food! They had great loungers and perfect beach access. It was very reasonably priced and a great spot to relax the day away. Get the tacos and the Sunset Spritz!
Santana Beach Club- Speaking of beach clubs, we also checked out Santana in Naxos for drinks one afternoon. This place was also vibes! I wish we spent more time there. Great cocktails, and from a far, we saw an awesome Sunday Beach party they throw each week! Cannot wait to check that out some day!
Rent ATVs- We learned pretty quickly that one of most popular ways to explore the island was by ATV and Vespa! The rental locations are everywhere! It was a perfect way to sightsee while getting a little adrenaline rush!
Explore The Naxos Port- Speaking of renting ATV's we took ours down to the port, where we strolled strolled around The Old Market! I was obsessed with this spot! It was such quintessential Greece, with the white and stone streets, blue doors and colorful flowers. We did some damage shopping and had a drink overlooking the water
Boat Day with Aliko Sea Tours- If there is ANYTHING you do in Greece, DO A BOAT DAY! And if you're gonna do it it Naxos, do it with Aliko Sea Tours! We actually had another boat booked, but they cancelled due to the wind and I'm so glad they did because then I went searching for another company and found these wonderful people! Aliko Sea Tours was cheaper, a much nicer and bigger boat and the staff was AMAZING!! Not only did they safely get Stath on to and off of the boat, but they also figured out a pulley system to get him into the Sea to actually swim with us! It was an experience we will never forget! A 4 hour private tour was only 500 euro total, and they provided snacks and drinks! One of the best experiences of the trip!
Day Trip to Mykonos- I couldn't go all the way to Greece and not experience the world famous party island of Mykonos! We were able to go for a day trip from Naxos via a ferry (booked ahead of time via Ferry Scanner). I will say, the ferry sitch was much more enjoyable in Naxos and in about an hour we were in Mykonos. Mykonos was gorgeous and If I were to do it all again, I would have planned more time there than just a day trip! Now I know for next time!
So I knew we wanted to have a true Mykonos day party beach club experience! When I tell you I researched extensively into beach clubs, I researched extensively!! Probably more than I researched any other aspect of the trip but I wanted this to be the best day ever and it was!
I chose Kalua Beach Club and did not disappoint! First of all, the vibes and decor were on point! The drinks and food, especially the sushi, were amazing and the party atmosphere was one for the books. The DJ was so good and they also had a live singer which broke things up a bit! We danced the day away and it was one of the best days of our lives. Also Scorpios, a very famous Mykonos beach club, is right next door so you can hop around a little bit if you're up for it! As far as price goes, Mykonos is a lot more expensive than Naxos. This beach club was the best bang for our buck in my opinion out of all the different ones I researched
Where We Ate in Naxos:
Liana Beach Hotel Restaurant: Symposium: Symposium is located right on the grounds of the Hotel across from the beach. This was actually one of our favorite meals of the trip! The wine list was great and the food was chefs kiss! Even if you don't stay at Liana, you can certainly dine here, and I'd definitely recommend!
Lefto's Souvlaki Kebab House- As a greek guy, my husband is somewhat of a gyro connoisseur. He asked his uncle what was the best gyro in Naxos was and he pointed us to Lefto's, and I gotta say, I thought I knew a good gyro from years of going Greek Fest, but boy was I wrong. These gyros and souvlaki were fantastic!! It's a cute little place to eat at or grab and go and take it to the beach!
Rotonda Naxos- Rontonda was a must visit per Stath's aunt and uncle and let me just say, its is more than just a restaurant and more of an experience. First of all, the drive up the mountain to the restaurant is an adventure with stunning mountain views and through charming little villages. Once you get up there, its breathtakingly beautiful! And the view isn't the only great thing about it, the food and cocktails were great! The steak was top notch and the Aperol Spritz went down like water! Fair warning: there are not a lot of taxis on Naxos and for a private car up to this restaurant it was very expensive! If you're renting a car, definitely drive yourself and if not, look into transport ahead of time so you're not arranging something last minute and paying top dollar!
Paradiso Taverna- Located under a huge gorgeous tree, right on the beach, is Paradiso Taverna. The ideal spot to take in the sunset while sipping some wine and eating traditional Greek cuisine! I loved eating right on the beach with the sand under my feet!
Overall, I cant even put into words how much I loved Naxos. It's a magical island. True authentic Greece, with less tourists than popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini, but all the beauty and charm anyone could ask for! We can't wait to go back!
After 5 perfect nights in Naxos, we headed to Athens! First off, let me say, I am fairly certain the Naxos Airport is the smallest airport in the entire world. I think it had a total of 5 seats inside and maybe 2 staff members. Us being our overly prepared selves and used to traveling with someone in a wheelchair, I wanted to get there 2 hours early, to plan for any problems (you know, travel right now is crazy right!?) Well its safe to say the people of Naxos were bewildered by this and once we got to the airport we saw why! So heads up, if you're traveling out of Naxos, no need to arrive early! We took a quick (1 hour) , very small, flight to Athens and we were off!
ATHENS
So let me start off by saying, if you haven't been to Athens, go for one day and get out to the Islands. If you have already been to Athens, you know to skip it. My brother and dad are big history guys and they really wanted to see the historical sites, so we did two nights here, but I have to say, next time, I'm heading right to Mykonos or Naxos! Athens is definitely a bit dirty, very urban and covered in graffiti. That being said, there are certainly some diamonds in the rough! Lets get into it!
Where We Stayed?
The Stanley Hotel- Because the islands were the main focus of our trip, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the accommodations in Athens. I knew where it was a big city, I would be able to find us a nice hotel at a good price. I found The Stanley on hotels.com and it was perfect! About 150 per night with a nice rooftop pool, gorgeous rooftop restaurant and bar with a view of the Acropolis and a good location, near important historical sites. It was accessible and perfect for what we needed for a few nights! If your stay there, or even if you don't , eat at the restaurant there, Sweet Basil, it was delicious!
What We Did:
Parthenon/Acropolis: Obviously we had to see the Parthenon and Acropolis! Its basically the reason we came to Athens! I will say, a lovely improvement compared to the last time I was there in 2009, was the fact that they built an elevator!! Perfect for visitors in wheelchairs! The elevator was literally on the side of a cliff and was a littleeee scary if you don't like heights, but so nice to see historical sites becoming accessible for all! I didn't book a formal tour here since my brother is a history teacher and provided us his own private tour, but you certainly are able to ahead of time or on the day you visit. The tickets were around 20 euro to get up the mountain to the site. There is also a gorgeous ancient theater up there that was my favorite! Its hot and a lot of walking if you're able bodied, so bring good shoes! Also, plan to get their early if you don't want tons of other tourists in all of your pictures!
Panatheniac Olympic stadium: Ok so if you know me, you know I am an Olympic FREAK! I love the Olympics and I have for as long as I can remember. I also visited this site back in 2009 but I couldn't wait to experience it again. This was the site of the first ancient Olympics Games! So cool! Now, they have added an Olympic Museum with the official posters and torches of each of the modern day games. I was in heaven! Obvi bought some merch!
MS Roof Garden- Our last night in Athens and the last night of our trip, we headed to MS rooftop. A gorgeous garden themed rooftop with a fantastic view of the Acropolis. It was a perfect place to recap our incredible trip, while eating delicious pasta and toasting to an unforgettable 10 days in Greece! Get the chocolate desert, it was out of this world!
Well that's all for this trip folks! I hope this inspired you to visit this gorgeous country and gave you some tips and tricks for when you start planning! So what are you waiting for, get packing!!
Thanks for reading,
xoxo -Elisa
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