Lena's Traveler's Talk

Greece Part 2 (written in 2025)

Now that I have been to Greece 8 times (SO lucky), I feel that I have properly earned the right to be the country’s unofficial spokesperson for tourism. Perhaps one day, it can become official but in the meantime, please allow me to share my thoughts.

The most common question that I get is “Where should we go?”. Of course I have my opinions but to answer the question, I have to ask a few questions back. How much time do you have? Will you be returning to Greece or is this the ONE trip? Will you have major FOMO if you don’t see Santorini? Are you into history and ancient spots? Do you like remote beaches or larger ones with beach clubs? The list of questions goes on as I typically interrogate my innocent subjects. The common theme among my answers to everyone is, if you have the time, do not miss Nafplio. So let’s break it down with list of the places I’ve been and the thoughts I have around each one.

Athens: It is absolutely worth seeing and I have found it to be more charming the more times I visit, albeit I don’t feel the need to ever spend a lot of time there. In our last trip in 2025, we skipped it altogether. This is usually dictated by the time of our flight out of Greece and whether we need to be in Athens the night before. The past 3-4 times we’ve been there, we stayed in Glyfada, just on the water at one of the low key hotels where we can walk to the great restaurant and shopping area. The most memorable meal is at To Drami. Read more about Athens in Post 1 below.

Crete: George’s best friend from childhood lives here and its a huge and gorgeous island. There are quite a few resorts and the island is mostly known for its capital Iraklio and the beautiful Venetian city of Chania. To me, Crete is absolutely beautiful and we’ve had great times there but it is on the bigger side and so it doesn’t have the same intimate island feel of let’s say Spetses (spoiler alert, this one is my favorite). I have some specifics in Post 1 about where to go but can’t say that I’ve fully explored the island enough. One thing is for sure, many Greeks agree that the food in Crete is some of the best Greek food you’ll ever have.

Corfu: Corfu wasn’t really on my radar but we visited in 2022 with a very large group of family and friends. Upon arriving at Kerkyra Blue Louis, we were all very pleasantly surprised to learn that it was all inclusive. I can’t say that the local beach there too special but the grounds, food, views and proximity to Corfu Town were all spectacular. The most memorable dinner was at Etrusco – this is a fine dining, multi course experience and I would not recommend bringing kids here. We were able to leave ours with the grandparents while getting away with our friends.

Mykonos: I have only been once in 2005 when backpacking through Europe and I really loved it. I stayed at a budget friendly resort (sadly don’t have the name). Apart from hanging out with the sons of international diplomats and going to a few clubs, I don’t recall much so do not consider myself qualified to offer much advice. From everyone I talk to that has gone in recent years, the common theme is that it is gorgeous, crowded, iconic and worth it.

Nafplio: I have said it before and I will say it again, although bias because this is George’s hometown, Nafplio is a GEM most traveled by local Greeks and Europeans. Apart from my personal experiences that make visiting Nafplio so special (i.e. the loving cousins, aunts and uncles who always show us a great time and feed us with the best food), I will attempt to provide you with a relatively objective overview. Nafplio is about an hour and a half driving from Athens airport. As you drive in, about 30 minutes from the town, is the Nemea region which is famous for its production of wine. We have visited several but Skouras remains our favorite and amazingly their most popular wines can be found at Binny’s in Chicago. The Saint George is our “house” wine; Agiorgitiko is the Greek name of the grape . Once in town, you can stay at the luxurious Nafplia Palace and have a view of the Nafplio port or at Hotel 3Sixty for a charming, centrally located boutique vibe. We’ve also been happy with numerous airbnb options. For a more secluded and serene experience, consider staying at Hotel Perivoli (which happens to be in George’s mom’s village of Pirgiotika) or rent out the private Villa Konstantina in the village next door. Both of these villages are 10-12 minutes from town.

What makes Nafplio so special (and yes, we are getting into a second paragraph unlike the other locations), is that it is a port town, yachts parked, plazas overflowing with children running around, cafes facing the port and the old prison Bourtzi, small interior streets lined with bougainvillea purple flowers and shops. It is lively yet charming, rich in history with the Palamidi (ancient fortress) lit up at night watching over Nafplio. There are dozens of beaches within driving distance, our favorites in order are Tolo, Karathona, Kantia (with the fish restaurant Tzavaras on the beach) and Arvanitia (rocky but in town with a killer view and great cafe on top).

I could go on for much longer on why I (and everyone) loves Nafplio so much but I also want to leave some of it for you to explore on your own. I will leave you with this thought, when Greeks in America or even in other parts of Greece ask me where George’s family is from and I answer with Nafplio, there is a 99% change that they tilt their head slightly to the left with a smile and say the words “Oh Nafplio, Poli Orea (very beautiful)”.

Naxos: We visited Naxos on this most recent trip and are really enjoyed it. We spent 3 nights there after flying directly from Athens and stayed at Studio Panos near Agios Georgios Beach (are you catching the theme that a lot of places have the name George in it). We loved the location as it was around the corner from the beach, from a fresh market and a souvlaki / home cooking style restaurant. It was about 10 minutes walking to the main town with all of the night life. Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. The most popular time to visit the Temple of Apollo (in the main town) is at dusk and I can see why. It was an indescribable site to see the sun setting over the majestic gate. We opted for a half a day guided tour where we visited the Ancient Temple of Demeter along with a stop in Filoti. It was cool to explore and get a taste of the size of the island but I wouldn’t say that it’s a must. We loved Santana Beach Club & Restaurant (make reservations ahead if you can) for a gorgeous beach, great service, music and food. This was at the beach Agios Prokopios and was about a 20 minute taxi ride from our hotel. Our favorite meal in Naxos also happens to be our first which was at Nissaki Restaurant overlooking the sunset. The greek salad, truffle potatoes, octopus and fish were all outstanding. Naxos is known for their cheese so don’s miss the opportunities to try their fresh yogurt (served in many local cafes/markets) as well as other hard and soft cheeses.

Santorini: This is arguably the most famous and “bucket list” worthy of the Greek Islands. It really is something to see (my specific recs in below first Greece post). However, I have spoken to many people who have gone in recent years and while they agree it is stunning and they are glad they went because of how famous it is, they found the island to be way too touristy which made it hard to really decompress. If you are going to Greece and you think this is the one and only time, you may feel that you have missed out if you don’t visit Santorini. By the same token, you can have a more serene and special experience elsewhere (ok yes, there i said it).

Spetes: I listed the locations in alphabetical order but it so happens that I have saved the best (island) for last. I have been to Spetses 3 times and have sent many friends there. The conclusion, charming and gorgeous is an understatement. Located just 10 minutes by ferry from Porto Heli, Spetses is a small island where many Athenians have second homes. Amanzoe (the famous Aman property) is located at Porto Heli and the movie “Glass Onion” was taped there and in Spetses. To be clear, I haven’t stayed at Amanzoe but if you want to spend some real money, this is the spot. Back to Spetses, very few cars are permitted so the island is full of horses, scooters and ATV’s. I find this to be one of the island’s most appealing qualities along with the fact that the sunsets hit the main exterior road and buildings in the most magical way deeming it in my eyes an even more stunning sunset than in Oia in Santorini. We enjoying staying at an Airbnb about 10 minutes walking from the main port but if you are looking for a nicer hotel on the island, Hotel Poseidon is where it’s at. If you don’t stay there, make sure you stop for a late afternoon snack/drink at the hotel’s outdoor restaurant.

 

Greece Post 1 (written in 2015) has a very special meaning to me and as you might guess it’s because of my husband, George. You don’t get the last name Eliopoulos without having some ties to the land of Greece. Its an incredibly fun culture to be a part of and the perks include unlimited feta and trips to Greece. I should also mention how incredibly welcoming and friendly the Greeks are. They are a culture of people who love to celebrate life on a daily basis, particularly over food, coffee and wine/raki. Its been a remarkable experiencing getting immersed into the culture and now raising my own little half Greek boys!

I’ve been there 3 times (once with my friend as part of a post college Europe trips in 2005, once with George in 2010, and most recently in 2015 with George, our older son, mother in law and our friends). This post will focus primarily on this latest trip but I will reference the others as well.

I’ve put the below together on the places I have visited; Athens, Nafplio and Crete. You can take a look at a “few” of my favorite pictures and enjoy the journey to Greece.

ATHENS

So here are my two cents on the capital, Athens. The general consensus that I’ve heard over the years is that Athens isn’t great and not worth spending a lot of time in. I would mostly agree, but I do feel strongly that you should at least see it for a day. It’s not a charming and aesthetically beautiful typical European city. It’s much older, noisier, dirtier and less enchanting than lets say Paris, London or Barcelona. However, for what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in rich history and culture. As George likes to remind me, regularly, it is where Democracy was founded.

Acropolis – Worth the hike. It gets a little hot, especially without anywhere to really catch a shade, and especially sweaty if you are carrying a toddler, but it doesn’t take too long to  get up to the top, where the Parthenon sits. It took us approximately 40 minutes from street level to wind up the hilly road, buy the tickets, drop off the stroller at the check point, and hike up the short distance to the top. The view of the city is spectacular because you see just how big, flat and how short the buildings are in Athens.

If you plan on bringing a flag of TuPac to the top of the Acropolis and plan on taking a picture with it, please be warned that the staff will promptly run towards you and force you to delete the photos. Why would I know this, you might be asking yourself. Well, I know this because we did this, not once, but twice. When George was in Greece in 2008, he bought a beach towel at one of the cheap stands that naturally had the famous rapper TuPac on it. Well, Yiayia (grandmother) “accidentally” threw it out so when we returned in 2010, George was very disappointed that it was missing. As luck would have it, on our way up to the Acropolis, we found a flag of TuPac and like a kid in a candy store, George was elated to replace his beloved item. So, by the time we got to the top and started snapping pictures of him with it, two very angry guards sprinted towards us and watched us delete all the pictures. The fear is that waiving a flag, any flag other than the Greek flag, would be unpatriotic and offensive in the country’s most famous historic site. Lucky us, 2 Australian young ladies snapped a few shots and emailed them to us. Of course, Australians to the rescue. Attempt 2 in 2015, we arrive with our son and friends and again get caught.

Let’s start by talking about the best time of the year to visit Greece. September! Summer months tend to be too hot but September is perfection.

Things to Do

• Acropolis & Acropolis Museum.  So, at the bottom of the Acropolis is a “newly” built Acropolis Museum. It’s very well done so I would recommend checking it out if you have the time. If you can see other ruins, then do so, but this is the minimum.
• Syntagma square in the center of town and the changing of the guard at parliament are a must.  Syntagma/parliament/ruins are all within walking distance of each other.  You can also take the subway, which is cheap and efficient because it is run by a German company and not Greeks (quote from a Greek!).
• Eat a crepe and Greek-style Gyros in the restaurant district near the Acropolis. The Greeks claim the invented crepes. If you are french and reading this, you are rolling your eyes and I don’t blame you.
• Plaka is the area near the Acropolis and has a lot of outdoor seated restaurants. Lots of people will hackle you to sit down at their restaurant for the “best souvlaki” in town. Frankly, I think they are all the same and any ole place should do.
• Try not to drive from the airport.  Parking is horribly expensive and there are no real street signs or addresses in Athens.
• Kolonaki is a nicer area with shops and restaurants.
• Shopping between Syntagma square and the ruins is quite good. All of your typical designers condensed in a few blocks with some good sales (especially end of August).

NAFPLIO(N) – Former capital of Greece, this Venetian influenced sea side town is just marvelous. Sure, I am bias since George’s mom was born there and I’ve spent a fair amount of time strolling the streets, lounging in the cafes at the pier and visiting unique small beaches nuzzled in between mountains with varying colors. If this description sounds like its based on bias and unappealing, feel free to stop reading:) Ok good, for those of you that decided to trust me, just know that this is a treasure. As with some other places I’ve written about, not many Americans make their way to Nafplio. The Germans, however, are ALL over this spectacular city. I admit the my experience is unique because we stay in the village at a family home and have plenty of relatives to spend time with, which always makes for a more authentic experience. However, if you were to stay in a hotel, Hotel Perivoli is stunning in Pirgiotika, the small village up on a hill just 10 minutes from the center of Nafplio. Staying here would require you to get in your car every time you want to go anywhere but it’s about as peaceful and remote as it gets. I can’t comment on hotels in the center of Nafplio since I’ve never stayed there but I can tell you that as long as its in the center near the water, you are walking distance to all the good stuff.

Things to do

• Epidaurus – About an hour drive from Nafplio, this is an incredible ampatheare. We had the luxury of calling out to a fellow Cubs fan when we spotted him in the stands while we were down below. You don’t need more than 2 hours here.
• Palimidi – 913 steps to get up to this fortress in Nafplio. If you aren’t up for a hike, you can also drive and the views of the city from the top are worth it.
• Nemea wine region – Skouras was our favorite and probably easiest to find. Gaia Wines was a little less commercial and had an incredible view out the back. If you can fit two in, these were both gems and very delicious. Funny story about Skouras is that just after our trip, our friends went to a top rated restaurant in Chicago, called Alinea, and they served wine from Skouras for their Mediterranean themed night. They probably sounded so pretensions when they told the waiter that they had just visited the winery the week before!
• Club Hotel Casino Loutraki – If you’d like to see how the Greeks throw down, this might be a fun spot. We actually found the view overlooking the infinity pool and sea at sunset to be quite magical. Look up their dress-code! Luckily George had pants in the car because they were not permitting shorts.
• Sweet House is the best bakery that I’ve been to in Greece. The Kadaifi are my favorite, but everything is so decedent and incredible.

Beaches in or near Nafplio. We typically go to a different beach every day and then return to some of our favorites several times. I’ve marked those with an *.

• Tolo* – This one is quite “touristy” but gorgeous. There are a strip of hotels and restaurants along the beach so you could easily spend an entire day (or spend the night) here.
• Karathona* – Just a few minutes from downtown Nafplio, Karathona beach is nestled on the side of a mountain and offers a cafe and some good Euro Dance music.
• Arvanitia – In the center of Nafplio, its very rocky so be prepared. There is a fantastic bar/lounge called BlueBlanc that has an incredible view.
• Kandia – About 15 minutes from Nafplio center, its a peaceful, remote town with an amazing fish restaurant owned by George’s family.

SANTORINI

This is the place that most people visualize when someone says Greece. It’s the white houses and blue shutters that are so iconic in Santorini (and several other Greek Islands) that fill us with such joy. Fun fact, George and I started dating right after a trip he took to Greece and he won me over by bringing me pictures of white houses and blue shutters from Santorini. There’s obviously more to it and I am not so vain that the proposition of lifetime trips to Greece was enough to lock me down; but it all sure did help! So back to Santorini, this island is a MUST. Ask no questions, just go, and don’t short yourself with 1 night there. A proper 3-4 days is what you will want.

Things to Do

• I highly suggest staying in Firastefani, it’s next door to Fira (the main town), but not as busy with tourists. The best way to walk to dinner is not on the main street but rather through the narrow paths along the hotels on the overlooking the caldera.
• We stayed at “Vila Ilias, Caldera Hotel in Firostefani, room #6.” Its not a big room but the view is spectacular with a balcony overlooking the pool and the caldera, making for a sensational view of the sunsets with a glass of wine and delicious green grapes.
• See as many sunsets in Santorini as you can.  Oia (pronounced Eee-ya) town is a great vantage point, but you’ll be amongst 1000’s of others on the small streets unless you stay there and get a view from a private balcony.
• There are wineries, and we are told they are good, but I’ve never visited.  George has been to a couple and they have unique and tasty wines.  Just don’t expect a Napa-like experience with huge vineyards.
• Visit the red beach and black beach.  There is a white beach, but it isn’t as nice.  The red and white are serviced by a boat upon which nobody speaks English.  They’ll float past the red and then the white before they ask you which one you want to visit.  You may freak out because it feels like they are taking you back to town instead of dropping you off at a beach, but all will be Ok. Also, if their pronunciation of the word “beach” sounds an awful lot like something else, don’t be alarmed as you’ve been properly warned.
• Nea Kameni, the main island in the middle of the Santorini islands, is a great place to visit.  We hiked the caldera (volcano) and visited natural springs bath on a boat tour. You can visit any of the tourist offices in Fira to book a tour. Be warned regarding the Spring Bath that my bathing suit was ruined because of the minerals, so be prepared that it will stain your clothes in a slightly orangey/brown clay color.
• Loukoumadopolis in Fira where you can find a sophisticated machine that injects small fried Greek donut holes (Loukoumades) with NUTELLA and other fillings of your choice.
• The busses are great in Santorini.  If you have to rent a car, try to keep it to a day and get all of the driving in on that day. Otherwise you can rent a scooter or ATV.
• The Tomato Keftedes at any restaurant are a native appetizer you must try. Something about the Santorini sun soaked tomatoes makes the flavor extra special. I cannot find these anywhere in Chicago so its truly just a local gem

CRETE

The largest island of Greece, Crete spans 6 hours by car and has a lot of diversity to offer. It also happens to house George’s best friend and his family. We’ve been lucky enough to see the island from a natives perspective getting to visit all the best beaches and eating exceptionally well. Below is a brief list of some of those spots.

Things to Do

• City of Sitia – One of the 3 major cities on Crete, it’s on the east coast and they recently got their own airport making it a lot easier to travel to. This is where we spend most of our time. It’s a beautiful and relatively smaller city with a lot less tourists then the other cities, making it that much better. Tons of restaurants, bars, clubs and coffee shops along the water to enjoy. I have never had a bad meal there, so you really can’t go wrong.
• Some of the top beaches there are below. You’ll need a car as all but 1 are walking distance from the city center.
  • Xerokampos
  • Kato Zakros
  • Kouremenos
  • Xiona
  • Vai Beach
  • Kali Nero
  • Sitia Beach
  • Makro Gialo
• City of Chania – On the opposite end of the island, on the west coast and 6 hours away is an old venetian city. It is also beautiful and filled with quite a bit more tourists. Mainland Greeks really enjoy vacationing here. About an hour away is a beach called, Elafonisi Beach. It’s known for its pink sand. The picture above was taken on the 2010 trip, however Ive heard that there is less pink sand now as people have been taking it over time, which is quite disappointing.

I’ve been to Mykonos but frankly it was so long ago that all I can tell you is that Paradise Beach Resort is great for post college travelers on a budget and the clubs are fantastic. That’s literally all I can remember from 12 years ago.

Thanks for stopping by the Greece page. As always, you can never quite describe the beauty with words or pictures. Greece is on most people’s bucket list and its absolutely worthy of being there.