A Greek Isles Honeymoon
Greek Isles Honeymoon
Approximately three years ago, Elijah and Mary Beth asked me to plan their honeymoon to the Greek Isles. While they knew their general destination, we had to narrow down exactly where they wanted to visit and how to divide up their time in each location.
As they are both interested in art, architecture and history, we decided that a few days in Athens would definitely be included in their itinerary. Given the length of their trip, approximately 12 days, it seemed that they would have time to include two of the islands.
As honeymooners, they wanted to start off with something slightly quieter and less touristy to enjoy some down time after the excitement of the wedding so we chose Santorini as their first stop. After several nights in Santorini, they hopped a flight to Mykonos, which is livelier and more popular with tourists. Their final stop was Athens, allowing them time to wander the city and enjoy the local museums, markets and historical sites.
Transportation in and around Greece can be a challenge - especially for a couple looking to relax on their honeymoon. To maximize their time, they decided to fly between stops rather than take the ferry (a slightly less yet more time intensive option).
Once on land, getting to the hotels is also tricky given the difficulty that vehicles have climbing the steep hills. I contacted the hotels directly, since they know their location and transportation options best, and they were able to reserve taxis ahead of time to bring Eli and Mary Beth to and from the airport on each island. In Santorini, we learned that the taxi could only take them up most of the way and they then had to walk the rest, due to the narrowness of the roads – a good thing to know in advance and take into consideration when packing!
All in all, Eli and Mary Beth had a wonderful trip! Their transfers worked out perfectly, their hotels were everything they had hoped for and they experienced a nice mix of relaxation and activity. They got to see two of Greece’s incredibly scenic islands and get their fill of history, art, architecture and local culture in Athens. Below are some of their chosen highlights from each location:
Santorini:
The town of Oi
Narrow streets and Markets of Fira (the capital of the island)
The beaches (they visited the black sand beach)
The seafood
Mykonos:
Day trop to Delos by boat
Exploring the town
The pelicans
The seafood
Athens
The Acropolis (a must see though crowded)
The ancient site surrounding the Acropolis (far less crowded and fascinating)
Flea markets
Fish markets
National History Museum (one of the best in the world)
Variety of great little museums
Very walkable city with a lot to see
