Not wasting my time with travel sites, I know BBI can pretty much handle it.
We're planning on going to Greece in June/July for our Honeymoon. We do understand that is peak season. As of right now we're looking at 9 days(ish). We are likely going to split time between Santorini, Crete, and Milos. Other islands are certainly a possibility, nothing is set in stone.
Please share any recommendations (food, hotel/bnb, experiences), advice etc. It would be greatly appreciated!
Go Giants!
I would recommend reading some of the Greek classics or a history of ancient Greece before you go. Someone gave me that advice and I'm glad I listened.
If you are not a reader, there are a bunch of videos on youtube about Ancient Greece. Plus all the films The 300, Alexander etc . .
Do not miss the local mountain wines.
When renting mopeds....be mindful of roads covered in crushed olives.
Nothing is rushed....so do not expect it....assume you will be late, if you get pressed for time.
Henry Miller - ( New Window )
Santorini is an absolute must!! Most beautiful plave I have ever seen. I am sure so much has changed in thirty years, but the island is simply magnificent. We also went to Rhodes, which is a much larger island but worth the trip.
We were scheduled to go to Mykonos but we decided to stay in Santorini longer because we loved it so much.
Congratulations and enjoy your honeymoon. Post pictures when you return.
For food recs - enjoy the off the beaten path places. Greece is meant to be experienced as a non-tourist from a food perspective, which is tricky to do. Lean on the Internet when you get there, you'd be surprised what Yelp can help you out with. Every time I go, I enjoy the street food the most. Souvlaki from the corner shops, roasted pigs in glass cases, etc.
And by all means, spend a day in Athens - the museums and the trip to the Acropolis alone are worth it.
The magazine's own rating system gives scores on a 20 point scale like Michelin's main rival publication, the Gault Millau guide does.
I've used Gault Millau ratings throughout France and Italy; a rating of 14/20 indicates an EXCELLENT restaurant. Anything above that is in the clouds, and usually priced accordingly.
There are a few mentions on Santorini, which in my experience (been 3 times) has tons of places from decent to good to excellent.
Take the boat trip to the thermal springs in the sea in Santorini, it's magnificent.
Avoid Heraklion on Crete, you may have to embark/disembark from Heraklion, but it's a dump. I haven't spent much time on Crete, but if I were to return there I'd check out Agrotourismo options. Crete is covered in olive orchards...
Award winning restaurants in Greece - ( New Window )
We rented a car and started in Agia Marina, which is close to Chania (10m bus ride), and is easy access with the car in any direction. Stayed in the Giannoulis - Santa Marina Beach Hotel. Service was excellent, amenities like dinner on the beach was a plus. Reasonably priced for how squared-away the facilities were and quality of the staff and the breakfast/lunch/bar.
Day trip highlights were Balos Beach, Chania, Rethymno, hiking the Kissano gorge to Preveli beach, and the German WW2 cemetery overlooking what used to be Malame airfield – centerpoint of the battle for Crete in ‘41
We blew it out for 3 nights in Elounda at the Royal Marmin Bay Hotel to finish up. Spectacular view of the bay and a 5-star spot. Spent a night in Agios Nikolaus and did a ½ day trip to Spinalonga fortress, but took advantage of the hotel to rest from all the running around at the beginning of the trip. Definitely a honeymoon spot.
I 100% recommend spending some time in Athens. The Acropolis is stunning.
Milos is a cool place too.
Drink the wine, eat the clay pot lamb. Mmmmm
mainland greece is beautiful too. Chalkidiki, the first leg has some amazing beaches. pretty much any where you go is beautiful. also keep in mind afternoons are sometimes dead so don't rush to go to bed! us Greeks stay up late drinking and eating. look for "Tsipouradika" you can order a small bottle of Grappa and they'll just start feeding you delicious foods!
Melitini in Oia was probably my favorite restaurant. Casual. Athenian House in Imerovigli was spectacular as well, but more of a fine dining thing.
Spend 2-3 days in Rhodes. Butterfly reservation, Rhodes Acropolis and cafe districts
Spend 3+ days in hidden gem Karpathos island, best beaches in Dodecanese, a HIDDEN GEM.
All three islands are close to each other.
Fly to Athens, puddle jump to Mykonos. Stayed 5 nights. Speed boat shuttle to santorini, stayed 5 days. Flew back to Athens for our last day/night which is all you need (acropolis is a must). Flew home.
Santorini is a must for your honeymoon. After that it’s up to you. Mykonos is known for partying but we had fun relaxing and exploring the old port. If you are skipping Mykonos go to Crete instead which I would have done if I had a few more days.
Highly recommend doing a booze cruise. We did that last summer and it was worth the $180 per person. Lasted all afternoon and they cooked an awesome dinner right on the sailboat.
As far as restaurants are concerned, it is hard to get a bad meal. They all give you their home made moonshine, free desert, etc. Best and cheapest meals you will find
Unless you really want to see the Acropolis, don't waste your time in Athens. Go to Kalamata instead.
Then 3 days in Rhodes
And 4 days in Santorini
Then off to Italy
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions and keep them coming
Spend 2-3 days in Rhodes. Butterfly reservation, Rhodes Acropolis and cafe districts
Spend 3+ days in hidden gem Karpathos island, best beaches in Dodecanese, a HIDDEN GEM.
All three islands are close to each other.
I'm gonna save this one...
Quote:
Spend 5 days in Santorini and do everything there, the beach is the least beautiful part. The sites are breath taking.
Spend 2-3 days in Rhodes. Butterfly reservation, Rhodes Acropolis and cafe districts
Spend 3+ days in hidden gem Karpathos island, best beaches in Dodecanese, a HIDDEN GEM.
All three islands are close to each other.
I'm gonna save this one...
Seconded. Rhodes and Karpathos sound awesome.
Quote:
Spend 5 days in Santorini and do everything there, the beach is the least beautiful part. The sites are breath taking.
Spend 2-3 days in Rhodes. Butterfly reservation, Rhodes Acropolis and cafe districts
Spend 3+ days in hidden gem Karpathos island, best beaches in Dodecanese, a HIDDEN GEM.
All three islands are close to each other.
I'm gonna save this one...
This, plus 1 day in Athens. Athens is just a city IMO, but if you're there you have to see the historical ruins.
Athens is the not just the capital, it's the cultural center of the country. I could find a week to spend there easily - the food is great, the museums and archaeological sites are amazing. Hell, even the Metro stations have small museums in them (yet sadly, no antiperspirant dispensers).
The recommendation to hit Monastiraki is a great one - just remember you're basically in a middle eastern style bazaar at that point, everything is negotiable and never pay what someone asks for.
The off the beaten path islands are sometimes best - Leros, Naxos, Paros. My grandmother was from Zakynthos, home to Navagio Beach (aka Shipwreck Beach), it's a great island too but the further you get from the more touristy islands, the more you have to DIY it as far as lodging and transportation goes.
One place I've been meaning to get is of great archaeological significance, Delos. It's just for sightseeing, but it's supposed to be fantastic, a ferry ride away from Mykonos.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delos - ( New Window )