Our two-week Tour of Greece almost didn’t seem enough. It was just enough time to hit some of the highlights along with a side trip to Crete. Our trip was immensely rewarding, peppered with history, culture, scenery and excellent food. Coming in at a price tag less than two thousand dollars per person, we managed to pack in great punch for the price point. Following I will explore the highlights of our trip.
One of our first stops after checking in to the Athenian Callirhoe Hotel was the Plaka. We arrived a day early for our guided tour, so we booked a foodie tour through Viator. This gave us a great head start on the foodie aspects of our trip. Our starting point was the Plaka, where we enjoyed coffee before heading out around the city to experience the flavors of Athens. Afterwards, we visited Syntagma Square, before returning to our hotel.
We met later that evening with our tour guide, Yanni, who provided us with insights into our upcoming trip. After getting acquainted with our guide, we retired for the evening for a full day of touring the next day. Our tour began at the Acropolis Museum, where we explored many of the exhibits and artifacts from the neighboring Parthenon. After exploring the museum, we ascended to the Parthenon. While partially covered in scaffolding, the immense scale of the structure still impressed. The views of Athens from the Decapolis were also amazing.
We departed the next morning en route to the ruins of Olympus. On the way, we stopped at the Corinth Canal to stretch our legs. The scale of the canal was impressive, with steep canyon walls dropping to the water below. The views from the footbridge and viewing platforms along the canal were fascinating. Our next stop on the journey was the ruins of Ancient Mycenae. We were able to walk through the pathways of the ruins, exploring the massive ancient village overlooking the nearby valleys. The location seemed ideal for defense against potential threats or invaders. We finished the day checking in to the Europa Hotel in Olympia to prepare for another full day of sightseeing.
We rose early the following day to get a head start on our exploration. Our day began by exploring the incredible ruins of Ancient Olympia. We were able to have a footrace on the original running track as well as visiting the various temples and landmarks. Our tour for the day finished at the Olympic Museum, where we were able to see additional exhibits from the ancient games. We were also able to relax at the nearby gift shop before heading back out on our adventure.
The foodie in me was excited by our next adventure…learning to cook at Touris Club! We had the opportunity to use fresh ingredients to prepare a variety of dishes before enjoying the buffet spread of traditional Greek food. The cooking and dining was followed by further cultural immersion in the form of dancing. Our dance instructors showed us some basic steps before pressing us into service to perform. It was a blast. And an excellent indoor way to avoid an otherwise rainy day (great timing).
After our amazing cultural experiences at Touris Club, we departed towards Delphi. On the way, we stopped at sunset in the amazing town of Nafpaktos. This seaside town is not only scenic, but full of rich history. We took our time exploring the town, enjoying refreshments and watching the sunset on the amazing waterfront. As the sun went down, we resumed our journey toward Delphi. Our day ended with our check-in at the V Hotel in Delphi. We explored the nearby town before settling in for the evening.
We started another adventurous day by heading to the ancient ruins at Delphi. As we ascended the hillside, we were amazed at many of the well-preserved structures, like the ancient treasury building. The foundation of the temple was also amazingly intact (although there may have been some reconstruction in the past). It was easy to get a sense of the size and scale of the area. As we descended back down the hill, we took time to stop at the Delphi Archaeological Museum to see additional artifacts and history of the site.
Our journey around the Greek mainland returned us to Athens, where we checked back into the Athenian Callirhoe Hotel. My wife and I went for a nice dinner at an Indian Restaurant nearby before settling in to prepare for our flight to Crete the following day. I didn’t review the restaurant, but I remember our visit to Namaste Indian Restaurant as having been a great experience. Maybe I should have taken some photos of our meal there!
The following morning, we packed up for the airport for our Aegean Airlines flight to Heraklion. Upon arrival, we checked into the Galaxy Hotel. We then spent the afternoon on a foot tour of Heraklion. We were able to visit quite a few sites, to include the fountain, where we watched in amusement as a local busker used a puppet to perform traditional Cretan music. A classic Cretan meal was also on our radar for dinner. Our recommended dinner spot was Peskesi Restaurant, where we enjoyed an amazing meal. The portions were enormous, the flavors exceptional and the price affordable. For classic Cretan food, this would be our first recommendation in Heraklion.
The following day, we set out to visit some of the sites in Crete. We started by learning about traditional Cretan pottery at Keramion Pottery. After making a couple of purchases, we continued on to explore the Palace of Knossos. Known in popular culture for the minotaur and labyrinth, we were able to see a great deal of the partially restored ruins. The ruins themselves were stretched out across a massive complex. It was as relaxing as it was informative. We returned to Heraklion later that evening in time to take in another massively portioned dinner at Ligo Krasi, Ligo Thalassi Restaurant.
The following morning included another journey away from Heraklion to explore Crete. This included a visit to the Monastery of Arkadi, where Cretans fought valiantly against Ottoman occupation. After exploring the monastery, we continued to the quaint seaside town of Rethymno. Our visit to Rethymno was highlighted by an amazing demonstration from a master of baklava. We enjoyed a local lunch as well as incredible views of the water from the sleepy harbor.
Before saying goodbye to Crete, we spent some time exploring Heraklion and buying local souvenirs. We also stopped down by the seawall to visit the Monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. It was interesting to see the various layers of excavation revealing centuries of past building and destruction. We spent the night in Heraklion before heading back to Athens for a couple of days on our own before returning home.
I am a huge fan of Marriott. I will usually book Marriott properties if I am not booking through an organized tour. Because we had a couple of more nights on our own, I booked at the Moxy Hotel for our final two nights in Athens. I booked partially based on price and partially based on location. I was unfamiliar with the Moxy brand by Marriott. The funky hotel is geared toward a younger demographic but was comfortable and reliable based on my experience with Marriott standards for their hotels.
Our final day in Athens was spent exploring different historic sites we missed on the organized tour. We were able to do some last minute shopping and also make a return trip to Mars Hill, also known as the Aeropagus. Our first visit was brief, as we were more focused on the Parthenon at that beginning of our tour.
Our return visit allowed us time to walk down the hillside from the peak and explore some of the remaining structures from past eras. We were able to see the outlines of former buildings, stairs and other structures throughout the site. We were also treated to some amazing views overlooking Athens. It was a fun and relaxing way to spend our final day in Athens before returning to our hotel to prepare for our trip home.
The following morning, we headed back to the Athens airport for our journey home. With that in mind, I count 25 links that share our experiences in Greece. Enjoy reading about our experiences in greater depth! If you are thinking about a trip to Greece, there are plenty of ideas here to draw from. Feel free to share your own experiences as well.