Over the past year, Greece has been the subject of numerous discussions and news stories, usually in a negative manner. All of this negativity piqued my interest; was Greece as awful as the news story claimed?
It turns out that it was not at all like reality. As was to be expected, Greece was breathtakingly gorgeous to me and largely undisturbed by the unrest in Athens. The bright side of all this drama? the falling costs for travelers. Numerous experts concur that now may be the ideal time of year to travel to the Hellenic Republic because of the fantastic discounts currently available for vacations to Greece.
Still not persuaded? Then maybe this picture essay may help.
Athens
Athens was just as I had expected, even though I only had a quick, all-too-brief 24-hour stay before sailing to the Cyclades. vibrant, deep, gritty at times, and occasionally edgy, which wonderfully balances the historical sites. The only thing I regret is that I was unable to take advantage of terrace culture!
The Acropolis and the Parthenon
Looking from the Acropolis at Athens
In Plaka’s streets
Viewing the Acropolis at sunset from the roofs of Athens
At the Parliament Building, the guard changes
The city of Athens is open air!
The Naxos
Without a question, my favorite place in Greece was Naxos. The island provides a genuine, honest glimpse of what life is like for Greeks in the Cyclades and isn’t quite as touristy as its more well-known equivalents, such as Mykonos, Crete, and Santorini. I actually thought about omitting Naxos from this post entirely because of concern that it would be ruined, but that would be unfair because it is simply too amazing not to share.
The charming tiny harbor of Naxos
Wonderful Naxos beaches
Apollo’s temple at sunset, one of Naxos’ main attractions
Scenes from the mainland every day The Naxos
Santorini
After a few days on peaceful, relaxed Naxos, Santorini was a real jolt to the system. Although Oia is home to immaculate luxury stores and hotels, I believe I would be correct in stating that the well-known Greek island—possibly the most well-known of all—has suffered from the effects of its fame; in many places, the glitz has faded. In most ways, I didn’t feel like Santorini was real.
Having said that, there’s a good reason why cruise ship passengers and tourists alike love this half-moon crescent-shaped island: it’s breathtaking.
Venetsanos Winery overlooking the Santorini bay
Mykonos
It is referred to be the Greek party capital by some and the most picturesque place on Earth by others, and neither would be inaccurate. Even if I’m a little too elderly to take advantage of the supposedly famed nightlife, I still have a functioning eye, and the breathtaking view in front of me astounded me. For the most of my stay in Mykonos, I kept uttering “woahhh” as I went about, occasionally raising my mouth to the ground.
Alefkandra Harbor on Mykonos
The fabled 16 Mykonos windmills
