We spent our first 4 nights in Andros during our 2 week trip to Greece this month. It was extremely windy and the water very choppy, but the weather was otherwise pleasant. We stayed in Chora, where there were only a handful of tourists around. Most of the activity in town was locals. Our hotel was Camara Suites (not to be confused with Camara homes), which I highly recommend.

Many restaurants were closed for the season, but there were enough open for us to enjoy. We got dinner in Batsi one night, which was completely dead. The restaurant we had hoped to try (Pomelo) was closed for the season, so we went elsewhere. Chora had much more life. We enjoyed Ta Skalakia, where we ate on our first and last nights. We loved the sweets at Laskari's Pastry (kalsounia and amygdalota) and brought some home with us. Our favourite morning coffee spot was Biriki.

Daytrips/sightseeing included: Andros Archeological Museum, Batsi, Panachrantou monastery, Episkopio village and The Bridge of Love, Tis Grias to Pidima beach, ancient Ypsili, the Paleopolis hike, and Menites village springs. We spent lots of time wandering around Chora and taking pictures of the lighthouse and castle ruins. We had a rental car and had fun driving around the island.

We loved Andros and hope to return. Staying in Chora was the right choice for a less-traveled island in the off-season. It was peaceful, but there were many locals around and it still felt alive. On a return trip, we will probably go closer to peak season so we can try some of the restaurants we missed out on.

I highly recommend Andros if you want to visit somewhere beautiful, but a little more peaceful.

Oxi Day is a day of remembrance and national pride in Greece. The celebrations are familiar to anyone who has spent time here on 28 October, but until this visit, I'd only imagined what happened through the pages of history books.

During a stay in Ioannina, my dear friends Epirus-traveller took me to Kalpaki, a beautiful spot in the Epirus landscape that you could easily drive through without realising the significance of what happened here.

On 28 October 1940, Mussolini demanded that Greece surrender to Italian forces. Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas refused. His answer became known as Oxi, meaning No, and Greece was at war.

Italian troops crossed from Albania that morning, advancing through Epirus towards Ioannina. Greek forces took up defensive positions around Kalpaki and the Kalamas River, where the main Italian assault began on 2 November.

For six days, Greek soldiers held their ground against infantry, artillery, aircraft and tanks, preventing the Italians from breaking through. By 8 November, the offensive had failed. On 14 November, the Greeks launched a counter-offensive, driving the Italians back into Albania.

Greece had achieved something remarkable. A small nation had stood up to the Axis powers and shown that they could be defeated. Its resistance boosted Allied morale and challenged the image of Axis invincibility.

Standing at the Monument to the Greek Soldier, looking out over the peaceful rural landscape, it's hard to imagine the fighting and suffering that took place here, all within my parents' lifetime.

On this day, every year, Greece remembers. And the rest of us say thank you.

The lighting during our visit to Delphi provided dramatic landscape views. The ruins are incredible and leave you amazed at how a steep mountainside could be turned into a vast place of great architecture and beauty. Kerameikos was also a worthy stop.

I’m going to be visiting Athens with my mother in November, and I am beyond excited! We have been wanting to go for years, and have finally saved up enough to take this trip!

I’m going to learn some basic Greek of course, however is there anything else I should keep in mind?

We visited Agios Nikitas during our last trip to Lefkada, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful little beaches we saw on the island. ❤️

Crystal-clear water, colourful houses and such a lovely little village right by the sea.

Have you been to Agios Nikitas? 🇬🇷

I'm looking at a couple of potentially nice accommodation for next year's summer vacation. I know it's too early, but there are a few that add a single day to the booking calendar every day, and currently I could book them for example until mid January. So if I wanted to travel in September I'd still have to wait 8 months, upon when I won't get good flights anymore. I asked whether I could book now already of course, but no: I need to wait. Are those places only open to locals, owners not wanting to plan too far ahead or another reason? Never seen this anywhere, and now I see several of those in Greece.

So I'm looking for the most beautiful views in mainland Greece during december. Meteora is my first guess, because when I saw it for the first time it took my breath away. But thats maybe everyones first guess.

Share your favorite location during mid december. We are ready for some small hiking if its in the nature, or maybe a beach?

Here's a photo of what kind of sight im looking for: (location: Agiannakis Beach - Παραλία Αγιαννάκη, its beautiful but please be careful in the turtle nesting season)

My route is Nafplio (4nights), Galaxidi (1-2?), Meteora (2), Athens (4)

Originally I was thinking of doing 1 night in Galaxidi and 1 in Arachova (after visiting Delphi), but now I’m thinking it might be nice to not have to switch hotels and drive back to Galaxidi instead after visiting Delphi for the day, then continue on to Meteora the next morning. The hotel I’m interested in in Galaxidi is also cheaper than the one I’m interested in in Arachova.

Would going back to Galaxidi after visiting Delphi and then continuing on to Meteora the next morning significantly increase my driving time in the “scary” mountain sections, or be relatively the same?

Today we visited the archeological site of Olympia where the first Olympics were held in 776 BC. The ruins and setting were stunning. We then traveled to Delphi and stopped at the quaint seaside village of Nafpaktos which has an iron and bronze sculpture of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes who fought as a young Spanish soldier in the historic Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Tomorrow, Delphi.

Hi! My 2 friends and I have a wedding on Corfu in August. We have to fly from the US so flying into Athens makes the most sense.

I was thinking a few days in Athens, fly to Corfu, and do the Albanian riviera, and then end with the wedding activities.

Any advice on how long and what to do on the Albanian Rivera? I was thinking 2days/1 night.

Possible itinerary:
8/20-8/23 Athens
8/24 fly to Corfu
8/25-8/26 Albania
8/27-8/29 wedding activities on Corfu
8/30 fly back to USA from Athens

Does the above look decent? I know my friends might want to see other islands I just don’t see how that’s possible if we need to fly to Corfu.

Hi, all, this group is great. Quick question: I am taking a KTEL bus from the Thessaloniki Macedonia station to the Volos station, arriving 30 minutes before the ferry leaves (we arrive at 1:30pm, the ferry leaves at 2pm). I have never been to the Volos station and I really don't want to miss my ferry in November in Greece, right? Right. You get it. Do you think that 30 minutes is cutting it too close? I'm used to cutting it close on small islands because it's what's appropriate (no need to be there earlier), but I haven't done this exchange in Volos before. Any insights are welcome!

I’m looking for recommendations on the best universal travel adapter to take to Greece. I want to make sure it’s safe to use with my hair straightener and blow dryer without damaging either appliance. Does anyone have recommendations for a reliable adapter or voltage converter?

Γεια σε όλους!

I live in Germany now and struggle deeply with the winter. At the end of winter, around February, I try to visit a warmer place to have something to look forward to. I've been a fan of the Greek language and culture for a while now, so I was wondering if Greece around this time is worth it. If you were to choose the warmest place in Greece to visit during February, where would it be?

Oh, and I'm also a solo traveller, in case that helps :D.

Ευχαριστώ!

We left Athens and traveled toward Olympia which we will visit tomorrow. These are the place we stopped at along the way. My favorite was the photogenic cat at the Acropolis.

Hey everyone! I've been to Greece a few times and absolutely loved it, my partner is desperate to go so I'm booking him a surprise holiday for his 30th birthday. My issue is: I've been looking for an all inclusive, luxury resort, but I want it to be somewhere central where we don't have to travel for ages to explore and experience Greece in all its beauty, and that just doesn't seem to exist?! I'm super happy to go half-board, but I need recommendations for beautiful, luxury hotels, near the beach and central to lots of places to travel! Can anyone recommend any please? His birthday is this weekend and I kid you not I've been trailing through holiday websites for like 2 straight weeks and I'm starting to run out of time 😭

Hello! Any suggestions for dinner reservations in Athens for the holidays. Also, advice or suggestions on attending religious services for the cultural experience (as a non practitioner?) The Greek Orthodox churches are so interesting. In US we sometimes attend midnight Xmas Eve services. Will there be similar in Athens?

For those who have never visited Pozar Thermal Baths but they are in the mainland and look for a picturesque, close to Thessaloniki destination, relaxing place, with amazing views and chill vibe, make sure to visit!

Pozar thermal baths are located close to Aridaia and Orma and it’s the perfect place for a relaxing spa day with a very good price, amazing views and a spot to make beautiful pictures!

FYI: sometimes it can get really crowded since the pools are limited in space!

Hi, we are a family of three, we will visit Rodos in the beginning of November (coming from Marmaris by ferry). We were thinking on staying in one of the bigger hotels in Ixia or Ialysos (haven't booked anything yet). We have some questions for more experienced travellers.

We opted for Ixia or Ialysos because of the proximity to the city of Rodos and because it is on the west coast (watching sunsets from the hotel balcony or from the beach). Also we lean towards bigger hotels to keep us occupied, since we imagine swimming in pools or in the sea is no longer possible? We will rent a car and drive around a bit.

What do you think? Are other areas on Rodos nicer? Are those big hotels just ghost towns now or are there some visitors still?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Hi, planning to travel in late April, with my family which includes teen girls 16 and 17 yrs old. We are thinking Athens (3-4) days and Corfu (3-4) days. The teens like checking out picturesque neighborhoods, thrift shopping, discovering tasty restaurants (not necessarily high end), just discovering a beautiful city or town. Does this sound like a good trip for this type of group?

Hi everyone, I'm looking to do a solo trip for 4-5 days soon, and I've found accommodation in the village of Xinovrysi, which seems to be near (but not in?) Mt. Pelion.

My objective is to take a breather and think about things while enjoying nature. I don't really want to be too near or too far from people: I want to be doing my own thing unbothered, but also have decent access to supermarkets, basic services, and cool scenic walks/trails/viewpoints where there should be enough human presence that I'm not risking being devoured by wildlife.

I'm particularly interested in recommendations for beautiful walks and trails where it is ideally likely that other hikers should be around, secluded beaches as well as cool monasteries and villages. Zero interest in food, I'll be cooking for myself since I'm on a budget. Zero interest in cultural events either. I'm open to driving 1-1.5h each way per day to explore, since I recognize Xinovrysi is kinda far.

Do you think my objective is viable? Any recommendations on where to go? Any things I should look out for? Thanks!

Kalispera!! Just wanted to come here and post my immense appreciation to Greece and the Greek people for giving me the trip of a lifetime. The hospitality I’ve experienced over the last week and a half is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.

Trip Report: 10 Nights in Greece in October (Athens, Naxos & Santorini). Two incredible islands for completely different reasons!

My partner and I are wrapping up an incredible trip to Greece (October 15–25), and I wanted to share our experience, especially for anyone considering visiting in October or deciding between Naxos and Santorini.

For some background, this trip was particularly special to me. After more than three years of treatment for leukemia, I finally finished treatment earlier this year. Treatment was brutal and almost killed me. A nurse told me that you need to have something big to look forward to, so this was our big celebration, and we’d been looking forward to it for months/years.

I can confidently say Greece exceeded our expectations in every way imaginable.

Athens (October 16–17) 🇬🇷
We only spent two nights in Athens, but managed to pack quite a bit into it! Stayed at the Athenaeum Intercontinental which was absolutely perfect after 14 hours of flying across two days. We visited the Acropolis, explored Monastiraki, enjoyed an enormous Greek lunch at Platanos, and grabbed some loukoumades. It was also my partner’s birthday, so we celebrated with rooftop drinks and dinner at Urban Attic overlooking the city.
Athens was amazing, especially seeing the Acropolis in person. The sheer size and population + small streets and packed squares reminded me a lot of my travels to Mexico City. The traffic and exhaust were a little overwhelming after a long travel day, but I’m really glad we spent some time there.

Naxos (October 17–21) 🏝️
What an absolutely incredible island.
We stayed at Liana Beach Hotel & Spa in Agios Prokopios, where we were unexpectedly upgraded to an amazing sea-view suite with a hot tub. We rented a tiny Citroën C1 for four days and set out to explore. I found it funny that probably 95% of visitors were also driving the tiny Citroëns. Amazing gas mileage, slightly questionable performance in the mountains 😅

Some highlights:
- The beaches: Agios Prokopios, Hawaii Beach, Mikri Vigla, Kastraki, and Glyfada. Absolutely beautiful, and many were practically deserted. We spent hours swimming, lounging in the sun, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
- The mountain villages: Apeiranthos, Filoti, and Halki were wonderful. We stopped for local cheeses, coffee, pastries (ironically enough at another restaurant called Platanos in Filoti), and kitron tasting. The mountain roads were occasionally terrifying, but the scenery definitely made it worthwhile
- Wine tasting: We visited Saint Anna Vineyard and had a fantastic experience. Emmanuel and Evangeline have created something very special, unlike any other winery tour I’ve ever done. So sweet. Go visit them.
- Naxos Town: We loved wandering around, enjoyed way too many cocktails at Rum Bar, and had a great finale dinner and drinks at Palomas.
- The food: Incredible gyros, local cheeses, pastries, and so much delicious Greek food. We had saganaki at every restaurant we went to and was so fun comparing the differences between all of them.
- We also met a lovely Canadian couple and ended up spending several days hanging out together, including a beach day, wine tasting, and dinner. Travel friends are the best.

What I loved most about Naxos was the freedom. We could wake up without an agenda, drive to a secluded beach, stop in a mountain village for lunch, and finish the evening with cocktails by the water.
It felt extremely relaxed, super welcoming, and wonderfully not rushed. I honestly could have stayed another week.

Santorini (October 21–24) 🌋
And then there was Santorini. WOW.

I know Santorini gets a lot of attention, and sometimes criticism for being touristy or expensive, but I have to say it absolutely lived up to the hype for us.

Arriving by ferry and seeing the enormous volcanic cliffs rising out of the sea with the whitewashed towns perched along the top was unforgettable. You see it in pictures obviously but the scale is impossible to understand unless you see it IRL.

We stayed in Oia at Katikies Santorini’s Gea House, and the entire experience felt like something out of a dream.
The architecture, winding pathways, endless caldera views, and spectacular sunsets were just breathtaking. There were so many moments when I stopped walking to look around because I couldn’t quite believe we were actually there. The hotel itself as well as its sister property at Pelagos house are just insanely beautiful and wonderfully appointed with all luxury needs being met. I lived out my fantasy as a seaside prince lol.

One of our highlights was a catamaran cruise around the caldera, seeing the island from the water and enjoying the sunset. It really gives you a different appreciation for how extraordinary Santorini’s landscape is. Crazy that this all used to be one big island?! I didn’t know that before coming.

We also ventured into Fira for dinner and nightlife, explored Oia, enjoyed fantastic restaurants and cocktails, and spent plenty of time simply soaking up the scenery.
Santorini definitely has a different atmosphere than Naxos. It’s more polished, dramatic, romantic, and yes, absolutely more expensive. Thankfully we were prepared for that.

After several days of casual beach hopping and exploring on Naxos, Santorini felt like the perfect grand finale to our trip.

I genuinely wouldn’t want to choose a favorite between the two islands. Naxos gave us adventure, beautiful beaches, charming villages, and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Santorini gave us scenery, the unforgettable and impossibly picturesque sunsets, beautiful accommodations, and that surreal feeling of being somewhere truly extraordinary. The last night at dinner right after the sunset in Oia felt like we were actually in heaven.

They were both my favorite, just in completely different ways.

A few thoughts about visiting in October:
- Weather: We got incredibly lucky! We enjoyed plenty of sunshine and temperatures generally in the 70s°F (low-to-mid 20s°C). We swam in the sea because our pool was the same temp lol, spent full afternoons at the beach, and enjoyed gorgeous sunsets. Evenings in Naxos were chilly, so bring a jacket. Obviously, October weather isn’t guaranteed, but we had a fantastic experience. Don’t do what I did and freak out about the forecast two weeks in advance because honestly it’s impossible to plan for and changes three times a day.

- Crowds: One of the biggest benefits of visiting this time of year. Naxos was especially peaceful, with some completely empty beaches. Santorini was def busier, especially around Oia, but we never felt that the crowds ruined our experience at all. All of this being said, it is shoulder season so some restaurants and beach clubs were closed. Nothing life ruining though.

- Getting around: We took Blue Star Ferries between the islands and really enjoyed the experience. I’d highly recommend renting a car on Naxos to explore beyond the main beaches and town. On Santorini, we relied primarily on arranged transfers from our hotel and Ubers. Both wildly expensive lol.

- How long to stay: Four nights in Naxos and three in Santorini felt like a great combination. I would happily have extended either stay though!

Would I visit in October again? Absolutely. Just know that some seasonal businesses begin closing, and weather conditions can be unpredictable both of which I noted above. For us, the quieter atmosphere was well worth it.

Final thoughts
This trip meant more to me than I can really put into words.

After spending over three years in cancer treatment, being able to travel across the world, swim in the Aegean, explore beautiful villages, watch the sunset over the Santorini caldera, and simply enjoy being alive was something I’ll never take for granted.

There were moments throughout the trip when I felt genuinely overwhelmed with gratitude that I was there experiencing all of it. We came to Greece to celebrate a new chapter of life, and I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to have done it.

Athens was fascinating. Naxos stole my heart. Santorini took my breath away. I’m nearly tearing up writing this all over again.

I loved every minute of this adventure, and I already know we’ll be back someday.

Happy to answer any questions about our hotels, ferries, rental cars, beaches, visiting in October, or anything else! 🇬🇷💙

Today's tour of Athens included a bus/walking tour of major sites, followed by a tour of the Acropolis Museum which houses original statues from the Acropolis. We then climbed the Acropolis, the highlight of which was the Parthenon, and a very old tortoise.

I loved the mini hike to see the complete view 💙