My Big Fat Greek Girls Trip

There’s an undeniable agreement among Percy Jackson lovers that Greek mythology suddenly became cool after reading the beloved book series. These books are my childhood favorite, and the new show on Disney+ is not falling short of expectation. If you never got into the books, don’t fret (you only missed out on a critical childhood experience). You’ll still have a chance to fall in love with Greece and the culture that has fascinated the world for centuries.

Here are Dani, Addie, and my top highlights and recommendations for your next vacation to these gems of the Mediterranean: Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos.

DISTRACTIONS IN ATHENS

The cosmopolitan metropolis of Athens is the capital of Greece and home to the beautiful Acropolis. While it’s recommended to stay 1-2 days in Athens, we felt one full day was enough to get a feel for the dynamic city.

The Acropolis is the biggest tourist attraction in Athens and greets approximately 20,000 visitors a day. If you’re visiting Greece in the summer, going to the Acropolis in the early morning is best if you want to avoid the scorching heat while trekking up the mountain (although SF folks will have no problem with the hills). Because we visited in September (technically the off season), the heat and the crowds were endurable.

The Acropolis is said to be a testament to the rivalry between Athena and Poseidon, who fought to get the city dedicated to them by winning over the city’s people. Because of its cultural significance, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Property in 1987. Some fantastic structures dotting the Acropolis include the Temple of Athena, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and the Erechtheion.

Note: Consider booking a guided tour or purchasing an audio guide beforehand so you can get a good understanding of the history associated with the Acropolis. A valid ID or passport is also essential to access the Acropolis.

After our visit to the rocky outcrop, we got lunch at Gaya, a trendy restaurant located near the Agia Irini Square. We enjoyed the elegant and gastronomic atmosphere and indulged in beef carpaccio, an energy bowl, a chicken caesar (like the Emperor), and strawberry pavlova for dessert.

There’s also plenty of shopping available in the area, featuring European exclusives like Flying Tiger Copenhagen, local antique and tapestry shops, and all your favorite American brands. The square is full of tourists most times of the year and has live musicians filling the streets with music.

We walked around the famous Plaka, the oldest region of Athens. Plaka is located under the Acropolis and stretches to Syntagma Square. There are two main pedestrian streets that intersect at Kydathineon and Adrianou, which is considered the heart of Plaka. This area draws in tourists with its bars and restaurants, souvenir shops, and many jewelry shops (and when I say many, I mean Addie went into 58 stores searching for her gold spiral necklace).

Our last stop that afternoon was the Acropolis Museum. While the Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum, it differs from the National Archaeological Museum, because it highlights artifacts specifically found on the Acropolis. The Acropolis has a more modern exhibit and features vases, statues, pottery, and jewelry. At the base of the building, there are even extensive ruins of the ancient Athenian neighborhoods that were excavated.

*Excavated ruins in the Acropolis Museum*

The Acropolis Museum boasts more visitors than the Archaeological Museum annually (approximately 1.5 million a year), but they’re equally educational and enjoyable.

On our last night, we had dinner at Thea Terrace, a rooftop dinner spot inside the Central Hotel. With a gorgeous view of the sun setting behind the Acropolis, we shared plates of grilled octopus, beet* carpaccio (oooh vegan twist), and lamb chops. While the food was rather subpar imo, you can definitely find that ideal lookout spot and sip on delicious Greek wine. Assyrtiko is the most popular white wine grape and is native to Santorini (our next stop!). The wine created from this grape would bring the world's attention to Greek wine…clink.

Our time in Athens ended with a notable Greek Comedy called “Madea and other friends I made in Athens.” This hilariously ironic show was performed in English by 4 male Greek actors who played impressive roles varying from 70 year old hags to heroic male figures in ancient history.

The show took place on a rooftop that had a backdrop of the actual Acropolis shining in the moonlight. We drank our complimentary white wine and laughed at the comedic performance which gave an entertaining twist on modern politics, feminism, and comedic tales of the past.

BIKINIS IN SANTORINI

The perfect honeymoon doesn’t ex-

There’s truly nowhere more breathtaking than Santorini island. This island holds the reputation for being the most romantic, and its opportune for boating, swimming, sunsets, and delicious seafood. We stayed at the Terra Blanca Suites in Imerovigli which has stunning yet simple scape, cave-inspired rooms, a pool overlooking the ocean, and beautiful views of the horizon.

Our biggest tip for visiting Santorini is to rent an ATV or car because Santorini has steep hills and long roads connecting the main towns. The vast island has 20 villages, but the two most popular neighborhoods are Oia (ee-ya) and Fira (fear-a).

Oia is a beautiful coastal town on the northwestern tip of the island. It’s a romantic and scenic spot with white houses carved into the cliff sides, and it overlooks a caldera filled with glistening blue water. The blue domes in Nikoleou Nomikou, the Church of Panagia, and Amoudi Bay are some of the top highlights of Oia. It’s gorgeous, relaxing, and quiet - the perfect getaway.

Fira, the capital of Santorini, is uniquely known for nightlife, art, and shopping. It’s located closer to the center of the island, not far from Imerovigli. This vibrant and bustling side of town caters more to younger crowds and makes for a great home base since it’s close to many attractions. The Karavolades Stairs, Museum of Prehistoric Thira (aka Fira), and Santorini Cable Car Overlook. If you’re looking to get active, another popular activity is the renowned Walk from Fira to Oia, a 6.5 mile hike with panoramic views of Santorini.

On our first day, we headed to Oia to see the blue domes. The main blue domes are the Churches of Saint Spyridon and the Church of the Resurrection. Both are built at the edge of the cliffs right next to one another and stand out with a sharp color contrast that represents the Greek flag colors.

*Classic Cycladic architecture of the Santorini domes*

We explored the maze of corridors and weaved between shops and houses in the neighborhood, taking in the scenery from scattered viewpoints. We stopped into plenty of shops selling authentic olive oil, hand crafted ceramic bowls, and wooden cookware carved from olive trees.

We sat for dinner at Thalami, one of my favorite restaurants of the trip, where we enjoyed the gastronomic atmosphere and view of the volcano and caldera. From their selection of traditional Greek dishes, we split grilled octopus, greek salad, pita bread and olives, and a racks of lambs.

*Grilled octopus and rack of lambs from Thalami Restaurant*

After the sun went down and stars peeked out, the streets became less crowded as visitors dissipated with the night. We took one last look at the view as lights lit up the hillside.

Our second day in Santorini was by far my favorite memory of the trip. We booked a afternoon boat ride through Santorini Oia: Caldera Classic Day Shared Cruise and it did not fall short of expectation. Behold: the Carpe Diem.

We were picked up from our hotel in Imerovigli and shuttled to Amoudi Bay, a captivating bay set in the high volcanic cliffs of Santorini just below the town of Oia. Our boat was a gorgeous catamaran manned by a friendly crew of five.

We sailed the glistening blue waters while enjoying the all inclusive bottomless wine and skewers of meat and vegetables that were grilled on the boat. During lunch, we sat at a dinner table with new friends from Johannesburg, South Africa and Paris, France, oohing and ahhing to the sights.

*Addie and Dani floating on in the shimmering Aegean*

The Carpe Diem made 5 stops during our excursion. During our stops at Thirassia and Nea Kameni, we respectively had an hour to snorkel, swim, and dive off the boat. Nea Kameni is near the volcano Palea Kameni, but don’t worry, this volcano hasn’t erupted since 1600 BCE. You might notice the waters near Palea Kameni have a slightly darker tint and sulfuric smell from the volcanic ashes that float in it’s waters. On the birght side, the sulfur is rumored to leave your skin feeling extra glowy and hydrated.

Santorini Old Harbor and Armeni Bay were the last two stops of the afternoon. In Santorini Old Harbor, you’ll have the chance to view the scenery and take memorable pictures from the oldest ports located at the heart of the island. Then at Armeni Bay, those onboard will additionally have the chance to witness the oldest port of Santorini.

We concluded our trip with a drive by of the best cliff jumping spot on the island: Amoudi Beach. Despite it’s popularity, this spot is not well known because it’s hard to get to!

Although we didn’t disembark to Amoudi Beach ourselves, it’s always crawling with so many people that you couldn’t miss it. Colorful bathing suits dotted the rocks and bodies hurled themselves off a jumping point and into the water. Just a short swim from the shore is the famed Rock of St. Nicholas. It’s a rough formation that rises out of the water with a tiny white church built on the eastern side of the rock.

Be warned, Santorini can get ridiculously overcrowded. The ideal time to visit is in early fall, although the water will be just warming up in spring. Consider visiting in the off-season for the best experience!

OH MY MYKONOS

Just a quick 3 hour ferry can take you from Santorini to Mykonos. Our next stop is party island, which is full of tourists looking to dance their precious PTO away. Despite it’s rowdy reputation, Mykonos offers gorgeous nature, interesting architecture, relaxing beaches (and not-so relaxing beach clubs), and superb food at oceanside restaurants.

Upon our arrival, we got off our ferry and took a cab to our stay in Little Venice. Walk along the cobblestone paths in any direction, and you’ll see the most charming white houses with colorful doors, bakeries and bars, and eateries with the waters as a backyard. But watch your step, or you might walk straight into the tides.

Around lunch, our hunger led us to Rouvera, and oceanside eatery with great cocktails. The restaurant had a warm atmosphere and turquoise plates that matched the water. We were served excellent plates of fish-roe dip and hummus, spinach pie, and greek salad. After lunch, we walked to the unique windmills located at the landmark hill in Chora and took a bevy break at Negrita. The bar is decorated beautifully and had seating where we could literally hang our feet over the water.

This was my favorite bar, although Dani and Addie would not recommend the piña coladas (reportedly the worst they’d had on our trip). A little girls trip and a lot of piña coladas will leave you with a lighter wallet but a fuller heart.

If you’re looking for more affordable food options, there are many casual spots for gyros and other Greek specialties. We got dinner at Saki’s Grillhouse, a dining spot with a variety souvlaki, gyros, salads, and fries. You’ll get more bang for your buck here than the other upscale restaurants on the island.

Our night started at Queen of Mykonos, a $$$ bar with fancy cocktails but complimentary fruit. The drinks on Mykonos are insanely expensive, ranging anywhere from 18-25 euros. If you want to short cut the night, stop at a corner store to buy your liquor for less.

We danced into town and made our way to the Skandanavian Disco Bar, a two floor bar with a spunky dance room upstairs. It was clear there were nothing but tourists here, but it was a great vibe with great hits playing.

On our last morning, I enjoyed a quiet walk to Soulmates Cafe. It had a cute courtyard where you can sit and enjoy a nice oat latte and pastries. There are plenty of bakeries around town, too. We later dropped by il forno di Gerasimo for a hefty and affordable selection of pastries, sweet treats, savory items including pizza and sandwiches!

For those with cat allergies, beware: there are countless cats roaming around the island. While this is prevalent in other parts of Greece too, we saw numerous felines in Mykonos specifically. If I’d actually kept count, it’d probably be around 20-30 cats on this island.

We ended the trip with an afternoon at Scorpios Beach Club, which I can only describe as the movie Dune with a tropical twist. The Scorpios staff sported their earthy linens and barefoot uniforms, serving watermelon juices and freshly shucked oysters. While Scorpios is nothing short of quiet and peaceful during the day, the live DJ music and crowds will flood the venue at 7 pm. It’s actually best known for it’s “sunset rituals” and parties after dark.

SantAana Beach Club is another great option and it’s right next door to Scorpios. If you want to hit two in a day, we’d advise spending the day at SantAana then going to Scorpios at night. These beach clubs are located near Paraga Beach, a short ride from Little Venice.

Dani and Addie rented an ATV from Rizos for only 60 euros for the entire day! Undoubtedly the best way to get to the beach clubs and 100% worth the picture:

The TLDR: go to Greece. Athens - culturally rich city with a number of historical sites and quaint streets worth exploring. Santorini - the romantic honeymoon spot with breathtaking sunsets and gorgeous waters. Mykonos - a vibrant party island with fun beach clubs and tropical cocktails at your disposal. Not a bad combination to balance out our week.

Whether you’re going to Greece with the girls, your family, or on a romantic getaway, there’s a place in Greece for everything and everyone.

My Big Fat Greek Girls Trip

Olive you, and I love Spain too

Kaja Girl