It all started with a flight deal. Last August, Emirates airline had a deal for a nonstop flight from Newark to Athens for $389. (If you follow us on Instagram you may have seen it our story) Usually, I don't like to travel from airports outside the DC area but this was too good of a deal to pass up. The same deal came up last year but we missed it. This year we weren't passing on a trip to Greece. Myself along with a few other friends hopped on the deal. We booked the latest possible dates for the deal to make sure we had some good weather. The best time to visit is Greece is late spring, early summer or fall. Avoid August at all costs, prices are high and there are hordes of tourists. At the time Derria was moving so booking a flight wasn't on her radar. But she has the ability to fly standby so we knew she would make it.
We knew we weren't staying in Athens and that we wanted to island hop. So we decided on Santorini and Mykonos. The good thing is that flying within Europe is relatively cheap. We flew Olympic Air from Athens to Santorini for $48 on Tuesday evening, Friday afternoon we took the SeaJets ferry to Mykonos for $61, then we flew back to Athens on Sunday afternoon for $90. Prices would have been better had we booked earlier but I kind of procrastinated with the planning.
Things To Know Before You Go
- If you are traveling in the off season make sure to bring a light jacket. It gets pretty cool at night.
- Pack comfortable shoes. There's a ton of walking uphill and on cobblestone so you need to make sure that your footwear is up to par. Especially in Athens, I regret not wearing sneakers.
- There is no Uber in Mykonos and Santorini. So if you are traveling in groups bigger than 3 have your Airbnb host or hotel arrange transportation to and from the airport or ferry.
- Be mindful of the 2 rules in Greece. 1. Don't drink the tap water. 2. Don't throw paper or sanitary products in the toilet. You have to throw it in the trash.
Santorini
When visiting Santorini you should stay in one of the main towns, Fira (nightlife), Oia (romantic), or Imerovigli (quiet and romantic). We got an Airbnb in Fira cause we wanted to be near the nightlife. I found a very cute and affordable Airbnb for $168 per night. The place was newly renovated and it even has a rooftop terrace with a hot tub (that can be used as a mini pool) and cabana. It was perfect in the center of the city and was walking distance from everything in Fira. We arrived on Tuesday evening and got straight to the action. The area has tons of shops, restaurants, and bars within a short walk from our Airbnb. I would absolutely stay there again. I definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to stay in Fira.
Since we weren't staying that long in Santorini spending big bucks on a hotel with an infinity pool wasn't really necessary. Unless you are on a baecation or staying for a longer period of time and will be lounging by the pool daily I don't recommend it. You can easily go to a pool bar at a local hotel for free or by meeting a food and beverage minimum from the bar. Wednesday, we spent the majority of it by the pool at the Belvedere Suites. The weather was perfect not a cloud in a sky. We ate, drank and drank some more. The food was good and the drinks were great. I had one of the best mojitos ever here. There was no F&B minimum but we easily spent 50€ each. I found a couple other pool bars that allow guests, Buddha-Bar Beach in Imerovigli and Astarte Suites (F&B minimum 50€). Before you go to any of the pools make sure to call or email to ensure they can accommodate you.
On the walk to the Belvedere, we discovered a bunch of cute bars and restaurants. One that was recommended by several people was Argo Resturant. We ate there Wednesday night and it did not disappoint. Prices were affordable and the food was great. If you are in Santorini you have to eat here. Before or after dinner get drinks and watch the sunset at PK Cocktail Bar. The view is amazing. For good cheap eats, there was a 24-hour pizza shop right near our Airbnb called The Family. We ate there every night after the club. Pizza slices were 2.50€
Thursday while strolling through town we made a stop to get a fish pedicure. Stick your toes inside the tank and the tiny Garra Rufa fish will gently suck away the dead skin. It cost 10€ for 20 minutes. It felt a little funny but we enjoyed it. After that, we did a sailing tour around the volcano, red and white beaches, and hot springs. The tour cost 85€ per person and included drinks and dinner. We had the opportunity of getting off and snorkeling and swimming to the hot springs but it was too cold. It was the sunset tour so the tour ended with the beautiful Santorini sunset. To be honest we could have passed on this. It was very nice but the weather wasn't hot enough to thoroughly enjoy it. Maybe the morning cruise would have been a better idea. I wouldn't recommend unless it's super hot outside or you have extra days to spare.
Club hopping is something we did every night. If you are looking for R&B/Hip-Hop music head to Town Club and Two Brothers. The clubs don't close until 6 or 7 am so there is no need to go early. Two Brothers was the group favorite. Drinks were pretty cheap and the music on point. 4€ shots and 5€ drinks were consumed in abundance. If you can't tell by now, we drinks!
Friday before we headed to the next destination we took the city bus to Oia. The bus is very easy to navigate and cheap, only 1.80€ each way. Whereas a taxi can cost 20-30€. Oia is a very beautiful town. No wonder its a popular honeymoon spot. The views are beautiful and we got to see the popular Blue Domes. After that Derria headed to the airport to fly back home and we go on the ferry to Mykonos.
Mykonos
The best place to stay in Mykonos is Mykonos Town. Buses run regularly from the main beaches to and from Mykonos Town, so it’s easy to stay in one spot and enjoy the other. I found an Airbnb right in the middle of Mykonos Town for $156 per night. We were close to everything including the bakery that was right under us. It was good for the 2 nights we stayed there. Idk If I would recommend for people staying a longer period of time. There are a number of steps getting into the apartment and inside, so if you have a lot of luggage beware. Plus the shower in the bathroom is super small and might be annoying after a few days.
Once we got to Mykonos we settled in and then went to find food. Our host told us about Sakis Grill, a popular spot for cheap gyro spot. Don't leave Greece without having a couple gyros. After that, we got lost in town, which was the perfect way to explore and find the best picturesque spots. After we found our way back to familiar territory we went to a couple cocktail bars. There are so many cute bars on the waterfront, stop at any of them and enjoy the view. We stopped at Bao's Cocktail Bar and watched the sunset and then to Caprice. Both were super cute and had good cocktails. I love a good craft cocktail. After walking and drinking we were hungry. Our host told us about Casa di Giorgio, the best pasta and pizza place in Mykonos. We went there 2 nights in a row. It's a must-have, try anything with truffle you won't be disappointed.
Mykonos is a party island. The city never sleeps. Every corner you turn there is a bar but by night they turn into clubs. We stumbled across a number of spots but we settled at Semeli the Bar both nights. They play Top 40 and R&B/Hip-Hop music. My GG Mayne and I spent a good chunk of money here but we had a good time! There is a good gyro spot at the end of the street perfect for drunken nights.
Saturday was a beach day! It was hot and sunny, the perfect day for the beach. Everyone told us that Paradise Beach was the place to go for beach clubs. We caught the bus from Fabrika (bus station), 1.80€ each way. The Paradise Beach bus runs every 30 mins and drops you off right in front of Paradise Beach and Tropicana Beach Club. Both clubs are right next to each other. Paradise has better drink specials but Tropicana has a better vibe plus they give out plenty of free shots. We ended up lounging on the Tropicana side but once the parties started around 4pm we hopped back and forth until it was dark outside. We had a ball!!
Athens
Before we left Mykonos we booked the Athens Tiare Hotel on the Hotel Tonight app for $51. The app is clutch for deals on last-minute hotels. Use code CHAMILTON135 for $25 off your first booking when you spend $135+. The hotel was nice and clean plus it was right next to a metro stop which is how we got around.
We only had 24 hours in Athens but it was enough time to see everything we wanted to. We purchased the multi-site pass that allows entry to the 7 historic sites for 30€. It is valid for 5 days but only once per site. The Acropolis only pass is 20€. (Students bring your ID for 50% off). Sunday we visited the Acropolis and Slopes, Olympieion, and Panathenaic Stadium (5€ entry fee, not included in the pass). Getting to the Acropolis is a nice little hike, so wear comfortable shoes.
That night we had dinner at the Skyfall Cocktail & Food Bar. It has a nice view of the Acropolis, good food and drinks but the service was meh however they made it up with free appetizers and shots.
Monday we did some souvenir shopping at Monastiraki Flea Market of Athens and visited Hadrian's Library which was in the same vicinity before heading to the airport.
Overall, we had a great trip. Around $800 was spent on the flights, ferry, Airbnbs, and hotel. I'd say that is a steal. If you are planning a trip to Greece I would suggest staying a minimum of 7 days. That's if you plan on visiting more that one island, 3 days per island is perfect. Hope you enjoyed this Greece overview and that this post makes you want to go.
