I visited Greece in Autumn, 2017, along with my dad, who was visiting me in The Netherlands.
Initial Plan:
The initial plan was to stay in Athens, and visit the adjacent Peliponnesse, Cape Sounion, Delphi and Meteora. However, after noting that Athens, the city in itself offers enough historical and natural sites to keep an enthusiastic tourist busy for 2-3 days, we decided to skip these, and travel to Santorini for the second half our trip.
How to go:
Athens International Airport - Eleftherios Venizelos, is the largest airport in the country. It is located about 20-25 kilometers from the center itself. If one is traveling by car; tolls and mountains increase the distance to an estimated 35 kilometers from Athens center. One can get to the center by purchasing a 5 EUR metro ticket, at the airport itself. The ride itself is very beautiful if you travel to the city during the day. It takes about 45 minutes to reach central Athens.
What to Eat?
Once in Athens, one should treat himself to traditional Greek delicacies. Travelling is never fun on an empty stomach, and sea air from the nearby Aegean, only makes one more hungry.
A complete full meal can cost one up to 15 EUR per person. One can also try Souvlaki, a dish prepared with meat, peas and herbs. Other-wise, one may choose to dig into rice in teriyaki sauce with soup and chicken.
What to do:
The next day we went around the city.
Our first port of call was The National Museum of Greece. The museum gave a deep purview into ancient lifestyles and how affairs were conducted in the ancient Greek society. It is worthwhile to mention that Greece, Italy along with India, China, Egypt and Mesopotamia offer the best insights into what early human civilized society looked like. As a passionate follower of history, this visit nevertheless gave me immense satisfaction on seeing how our modern societies have shaped themselves from their early origins.
We next walked towards the Acropolis of Athens. We were fortunate to have an express entry and were greeted by music themes from the musician Yanni. The hills beyond the ancient structures of Acropolis, a cloudy skyline and greens adjacent to the architectural marvels added a surreal theme to the environment.
The next day we walked to the The Olympian Temple of Zeus. The once mammoth and glorious structure is today reduced to a handful of pillars glaring at the skies. It shows how time (and nature) is stronger than even the most magnificent of structures that were once believed to last eternity.
Athens also boasts of a modern downtown and a shopping arcade, the Plaka.
Plaka is the oldest part of Athens. The area is out of bounds for traffic. It boasted of many nightclubs but numbers have come down, when the government banned amplified music in the neighborhood in the seventies. Today, jewelry stores, tourist shops, and cafes have cropped up and Plaka is arguably the best neighborhood in central Athens.
After a memorable couple of days in Athens, we started off towards the island of Santorini. Blue Star Ferry prices start from as inexpensive as 15 EUR if booked in advance from Athens Piraeus port and the journey is as ethereal as it is comfortable. The sunrise over the Aegean Sea looked mesmerizing.
The ferry arrived at Santorini port approximately after four - five hours after we had boarded it. It has two stops at the Port of Mykonos and Corfu.
Santorini, is one of the most popular Greek islands in the Aegean. The north part of the island-Oia, is frequently flocked by tourists.
However, we first stayed at the southern part of the island. This side was much less frequented and to my amazement, I saw the "black beach" of Perissa.
We stayed at a resort close to the beach, run by an elderly couple.
They were friendly, and even organized a small scooter to traverse the lengths and breadths of the island.
One can also see various arts and crafts along the coastline, made from various discarded and used articles.
The most lively area of Santorini is undoubtedly Oia, in the north. It is a hotbed of shopping centers, musicians, tourists and fancy restaurants.
Conclusion:
Overall, Greece has so much on offer that even a week is not enough. Its islands provide immense natural and man-made attraction that make for touristy vibes.
And as the sun set, I bid Greece a good-bye for that time.
