During the past years, my memories of Greece have been pretty vague. I’ve visited the country twice when I was a kid, 15-20 years ago, and still had in mind the sandy beaches, the crystal clear sea, the small white houses, the imposing Acropolis and the Greek soldiers (called Evzones, I found out later), in their cool traditional uniforms. These are things that cannot be easily forgotten. But that was pretty much it.
Greece… an amazing land, considered the cradle of Western Civilization, alongside the Roman Empire. A country that gave the world so many gifts, starting with the first concepts of democracy, the Olympic games, the modern standards and ethics in medicine, continuing with drama, maps, philosophy, geometry, mathematics discoveries, and the list can go on and on. Sounds overwhelming. And it is.
My plan was to spend some days at the seaside, on one of the Greek islands, before the start of the peak season. Between the middle of June and start of September, Greece is buzzing with tourists, and the temperatures go beyond 40 degrees Celsius. So if you want to avoid that, the end of May would be a perfect time. The sea temperature is around 20 degrees, a bit chilly you might think, but you will get used to it in a few minutes.
Now, which island to go for? Greece has over 200 inhabited islands in total. One thing I knew: it had to be iconic. After a bit of online research, I decided that it has to be either Mykonos or Santorini. Both are part of the Cyclades islands, situated in the Aegean Sea. And both are stunning. How did I choose Mykonos in the end? Simple… it has a lot of beautiful sandy beaches, compared to Santorini, which is rockier and its beaches have a lot of pebbles. I went for comfort this time.
And since there was no direct flight to Mykonos, and the connection was Athens, you can imagine that spending some days in the capital city of Greece was a must. So I added two days to the itinerary, in order to explore one of the world’s oldest cities.
How to reach the city from the airport
Once you land at Athens International Airport, there are two options to reach the city center – that if you don’t wish to pay for a cab, which I do not recommend, if you don’t have too much luggage. First one is to take bus X95 to Syntagma, which is Athens’ central square. Tickets cost €6 per person and the trip lasts for about 50-60 minutes, depending on the traffic. They leave each 15-20 minutes, 24 hours a day. The second option is to take the metro (Line 3). It’s faster, reaching the city in 30 minutes, but it costs €10 and the trains are leaving not as often as the buses.
What to eat in Greece
Well, this is a topic that can be discussed for hours or days. The Greek food is absolutely delicious. My plan was to experiment as much as I could, during my stay. Pastries and pies are common for breakfast, along with Greek yogurt, and can be found at each street corner. I found a cool place in Athens, called Oven Sesame (Aiolou 17), which sold very tasty koulouri (traditional sesame bread rings) filled with different ingredients, from meat and vegetables to sweets. Tzatziki with pita is a common starter, followed by one of these: gyros/souvlaki (either pork, chicken or lamb), fresh fish/seafood, moussaka or Greek salad. Feta me meli (fried feta with honey and sesame) is also served as an appetizer, but since it’s pretty sweet, you might want to have it at dessert. Common desserts include baklava, kantaifi and amygdalota. Ice cream and frozen yogurt are also very popular on the streets. Tip: for a 100% Greek traditional experience, try The Grecos Project (Mitropoleos Niko 5) in Athens or Avli Tou Thodori in Platis Gialou, Mykonos.
Accommodation
Monastiraki neighborhood is definitely the place to stay, when in Athens. For the two nights stay, I found a great apartment on Airbnb, situated on the last floor of a six stories high building, with a huge terrace overlooking the Acropolis. Can’t ask for more. After I left my things in the apartment and took a few pictures of the Acropolis, from the roof terrace, I started discovering the city, step by step.
Guide to Athens
→ First stop: Monastiraki, the flea market neighborhood in the old town and one of the principal shopping districts. It’s a very lively area all day long, with many groups of people wandering its streets, with a lot of bars, restaurants and a colorful nightlife. Monastiraki Square is right in its center, and you’ll see the Church of the Pantanassa, built in the 10th century, the Tzistarakis Mosque and the starting point of the famous flea market. Plus a nice view of the Acropolis, specially during the evening.
→ Plaka, the old historical neighborhood of Athens, is at a stone’s throw from Monastiraki. Situated on the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, it impresses with the narrow streets, small traditional houses and architecture. It’s simply a joy to walk around this neighborhood! Here you will also find Anafiotika, one of the most scenic places in all of Athens, which resembles typical Cycladic architecture, common for many Greek islands. And if you’re lucky, you will also spot some street musicians and enjoy the beautiful sound of the bouzouki, one of their traditional instruments.
→ And since you’re already in Plaka, go and have a drink at Brettos (Kidathineon 41), one of the coolest bars you’ll ever see. Opened in 1909, it is nowadays the oldest distillery in Athens. Inside you’ll find nice music and enjoyable atmosphere. Plus over 100 types of different Greek wines and their own ouzo, tsipouro, rakomelo and liqueurs. My tip: try their ouzo, which has a strong, rich taste.
→ From Plaka you can enter to the famous Acropolis, which needs no introduction. It is a site you are not allowed to miss, an entry ticket will take out €20 of your pocket. Built in the fifth century BC, it is a city of temples dedicated to the Ancient Gods, and its main buildings are the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. From the top you can enjoy a spectacular 360 degrees view over Athens. Overall, it is one of the most memorable historical sites to visit.
→ Syntagma Square is the largest square in Athens, and it’s dominated by the Old Royal Palace, hosting the Greek Parliament. In front of the building you’ll spot the Evzones (Presidential Guards) in their traditional uniforms, and each hour a guard change ceremony takes place.
→ National Garden is also nearby, if you wish to enjoy some shade.
→ Panathenaic Stadium is the only stadium in the world made entirely out of marble. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896.
After two days spent in Athens, I found it to be very lively and modern, with many similarities to other Mediterranean cities I’ve visited before, but with its own unique spirit. People are friendly and helpful, and services are very good, overall.
It’s now time to speak about the Mykonian experience, which had a pretty unpleasant beginning. A few minutes after landing, it started raining. “Lucky me, always the same story”, I thought. But Fortuna was on my side this time, and after a few hours the sun started to shine, and I would not see a rain cloud until I left the island.
Accommodation
Mykonos is not a large island, and you can easily get from one point to the other by bus, taxi, scooter or water taxi. Its main town, Mykonos Town or Chora, is situated on the west part, and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. But there’s one catch: it has no beaches nearby. That’s why I opted for Platis Gialos, a resort situated 4 kilometers south of Chora. It has at least 4-5 beaches in its area, to which you can take a walk. My pick was Edem Garden Residence, a small hotel situated in a traditional Cycladic white house, with blue doors and shutters, 5 minutes away from the beach. Good value for the money, overall.
Guide to Mykonos
Mykonos Town is one of the most charming towns in Greece and a perfect example of local architecture. Although it is relatively small, you can wander its streets for hours and hours, without getting bored – maybe a bit tired. In its old quarter, you’ll find a lot of shops, boutiques, restaurants, cafes and small churches. Little Venice neighborhood is simply stunning, you’ll fall in love rapidly. Tip: have a drink at one of the bars in the area, watch the sunset and enjoy the sound of the waves, hitting the boardwalk.
On a small cliff, in the south of the town, you will spot Kato Milli, the famous Mykonos windmills. Tons of pictures of this attraction are all over the internet, it’s impossible not to have seen them before.
In terms of beaches, I’ve visited a few. Here is an overview, so that you know what to expect:
→ Platis Gialos is a busy beautiful sandy beach, packed with restaurants, bars and even supermarkets. Music is loud all the time. Too bad that there isn’t much space on the sand, if you’re not interested in renting a sunbed (prices in May are decent, around €10 per day).
→ Paraga is not as busy as Platis Gialos, and has a lot more room for people who want to stay directly on the sand. There are a few restaurants and bars and a supermarket nearby.
→ Psarou is busy all the time, hosting the well-known Nammos restaurant, one of the most expensive in all of Greece. It’s definitely not my type, I don’t like overspending, just for showing off. The sand is perfect, and the bay offers a spectacular view. But it comes at a cost: you have to endure seeing a lot of boats and private yachts.
That was it… my May Greek experience came to an end. Greece has proven me why more than 30 million tourists come here each year. The unique culture, long history and the beauty of the landscapes are enough to amaze anyone. The climate conditions are close to perfection, all year round. Almost everyone speaks English, so it is very easy to communicate and get information.
I hope this article is enough to convince you that Greece deserves a visit. I have plans to return in the future, there are other islands I would like to explore, plus the northern part of the country. Edit: and I have returned, four years later, check out the article about Northern Greece, Thessaloniki and Lefkada.
Antio File Mou, Ellada!
Author: Marian Bulacu
Live. Love. Travel. Make a difference.
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