January 27, 2016

Island life

Chiara Di EUROPE, TRAVEL Europe, Greece, Greek Islands, Summer, Travel, Wanderlust 0 Comments

One of my most favourite holiday destinations is the Greek Islands. Mykonos and Santorini are the most well known islands, however there are more than 6000 islands, of which approximately 220 are inhabited.

On my first trip to the Greek Islands, I did a four night cruise as part of my Contiki tour which took me to Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, Patmos and Kusadasi in Turkey. On some of the islands the stays were only a few hours, while on others we had a full day to explore.

The following year I returned with eight girlfriends on a Busabout tour island hopping between Mykonos, Paros, Santorini and Ios. On this occasion we travelled by ferry between the islands.

I instantly fell in love with Mykonos town…. The white buildings with blue doors, the boutiques, the cafes and bars of Little Venice, the windmills and Paradise Beach parties.

Santorini is the most picturesque island and my favourite. The cliff side island has so much charm with its alfresco dining overlooking amazing sunsets, stylish boutiques and bars.

In Santorini you can go on a day tour exploring its volcano and swim in the hot springs. We also enjoyed a picnic in the hilltop village Oia whilst watching the sunset with a swarm of other tourists.

Crete is the largest Greek Island and has a long history which is evident through its palaces, Venetian towns, castles, mosques and monasteries. All I remember is the street markets where I purchased a pair of sandals, which became my favourites for a number of years… literally until they broke.

The ancient city of Rhodes is home to the Palace of the Grand Master. My brother and I explored the sights and then took a taxi to the beach and went parasailing on the back of a boat, which was one of the highlights of our holiday.

In Patmos we walked up to the castle-like Monastery of St John Orthodox church, which offered a nice view over the island. We rewarded ourselves with a swim at the pebble beach on our return to the town.

Paros was a nice break between Mykonos, Santorini and Ios. We went on a boat trip around the island, which included a Greek picnic, sun baking, swimming and snorkelling. Paros had a nice alfresco dining area near the port.

Ios was like Mykonos’ little brother when it came to partying. More bar focused than club, it had something happening every night. We stayed at Far Out Club where there were daily pool parties. We also enjoyed four wheel riding around the island, where I faintly remember almost driving into a cliff side.

And let’s not forget the food. Greek salad, moussaka, haloumi and spinach and feta pastries became my daily life. Delicious.

The Greek Islands are a perfect summer holiday destination no matter your age or interests. And even though I have already been twice, I can’t wait to return.