One of my favourite places/regions in the world is the Mediterranean. And Greece is one of my most beloved places there.

What is so special about Greece?

Greece is easily one of my favourite countries to visit. Yes, in the world. The whole country is such an incredible mix of ancient history, unbelievable natural beauty, and such proudly passionate people. It’s like there are stunning hidden surprises everywhere!

But really, my favourite things about Greece are the hot sunny weather, and the ridiculously laid-back atmosphere. The whole Mediterranean vibe where you sit down in the sun and sip a cup of coffee and chit chat for hours, which then rolls in to dinnertime, and you have nice cheap wine and make new friends with the waiters while still lounging around… Yeah, I dig it.

Where we visited in Greece

We visited some mainland cities: Athens, Monemvasia and stopped by Corinth Canal.
We visited four islands: Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and Paros.

So let’s get to it!

Athens, Greece

Athens is the capital of Greece, in the mainland.

If I had to describe it, I would say it was a large urban hub, very modern, very safe,

The vibe: exciting, artsy, bustling, urban.

Athens does not have the ornate architecture that other European cities like Brussels, Barcelona, and Rome have. Of course, it has some architectural landmarks like the Acropolis. But it does not have the grand ornate architecture that other European cities have, because of its unique history.

But what it lacks in grandiosity, it makes up for in atmosphere and vibe.

Where we stayed in Athens

There are several hotel options in Athens. But we stayed at the Grand Bretagne. As a luxury 5-star hotel in Greece, we highly enjoyed it. The location was fabulous, at Syntagma Square. Walkable to most places including the Plaka. The hotel was also right across from the Unknown Soldier Memorial building, so you could see the changing of the guards as well. But the BEST part of the hotel was that you could get a view of the Acropolis from the rooftop restaurant.

Now, let’s go to the Islands…

Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos has been known as the party island for decades.

And maybe it is so, but I am past my “24/7 partying with strangers” stage in life. So I would describe Mykonos as a sleek, modern vibrant island. The white-washed architecture against the blue waters is to die for.

The vibe: sleek, modern, vibrant.

We roamed the white-washed alleyways, got lost in the sun, went to a few amazing bars, and just explored. We loved it.

Crete, Greece

Island 2: Crete! It was completely different from Mykonos. One of the largest islands in Greece, Crete has everything in it. Historic towns, AMAZING beaches, wineries, goats, castles, nightlife – you name it, Crete’s got it.

The vibe: Magnificent, otherworldly, stunning at every turn.

The mix of city and sea fulfilled all my travel cravings. Crete was probably my favourite island in Greece.

We stayed in Rethymno at an airbnb that was two stories and had its own private pool. Such indulgence!

Places to check out:

Rethymno town, Chania town, Balos Beach

Santorini, Greece

Island 3 was Santorini. As one of the most well-known Greek islands, it was packed with tourists. That is to be expected. Oia - a part of Santorini – also had one of the nicest views of the islands because it was so high up. It was also likely an area with the most luxurious hotels.

Once again, the white-washed architecture against the blue waters is to die for.

The Santorini vibe: Luxurious, dream-like.

Santorini also has a very interesting wine museum! Highly recommend checking it out.

Paros, Greece

Our last island: Paros.

Sleepy little island with a prominent hippie vibe. Very relaxing, very cute and a small tourist scene.

Paros vibe: Artsy, chic, relaxed

Wine and Food

Greece makes terrific wine. Many of us in north america is not exposed to great Greek wines because apparently they dont export them enough. I think the wine industry oeprates a bit like a cartel – wineries who have been ‘in’ for hundreds of generations have the privilege of being exported, while others dont get as much airtime.

We went to a terrific winery called Domaine Skouras. It was probably one of the biggest wineries in Greece – but since it is not a high export country, it was not like the mega wineries in Napa/Sonoma.

The wine tasting was delicious and we bought a number of bottles to bring home!

We also went to Dourakis Winery in Crete which was smaller, and slightly less hospitable. But equally delicious wines.

My least favourite thing about Greece unfortunately was the food. It was quite average and repetitive for the most part, which is a real shame since everything else was so fantastic. Near the end of the trip I was craving some flavour/spice in my food and it was impossible to find!

Would I recommend Greece?

Wholeheartedly yes! I would absolutely recommend Greece for travellers of all ages and interests. The country has a mix of sea, nature, cities, arts culture, bustling feel as well as a laid-back vibe.

I would *especially* recommend Greece to travellers who enjoy a laid back yet interesting vibe, who enjoy the beaches as well as cities, and like to travel at a more relaxed pace.