Greece
Even with all the travel I have been lucky enough to do in my life, I had not yet made it to Greece. Surprising, since one of our best friends from college is Greek, and as an art history student, I was always mesmerized by both its ancient civilizations and enamored by philosophy as a subject at university. When friends suggested we meet them there, it was the perfect reason to make it happen.
First stop was Athens.
What a great city. Though our visit was short and sweet, it was the perfect, vibrant start to our time there. You could feel vacation in the air, as summer and arid landscape lulled us in with incredible views straight to the Acropolis from our hotel room balcony. Dotted with restaurants, quietly humming with locals, the food was just the right introduction to this aged land.
Stay.
Perianth Hotel. With direct views to the Acropolis, this gem of a hotel feels personal and delicious.
Eat.
Aiolou 68 – Fresh fish hidden in the little streets, with great outdoor seating and very personal service.
Do.
Explore Plaka and visit the major sites. Take a guided tour. You won’t be disappointed.
Shop.
Just Brazil – a locally owned shop where the owner self-designed pieces straight from her other home, Brazil.
Then to the islands we go.
Naxos is not the first island that would come to my mind, but this is happily where we landed. Part of the Cyclades, it is the chosen vacation spot for many Greeks, which I love. Because it sits in the Aegean Sea, its landscape is mostly arid and dry, but it’s gorgeous blue waters provide incredible kite and windsurfing – some would say among of the best in the world. As a larger island, Naxos offers a lot to explore. Mountains with little villages and beautiful secluded beaches where you can find yourself as the only one there. The port area is vibrant and always lively, with lots of little bohemian cafes and independently owned shops.
My favorite thing about Naxos, however was how local it felt. While on the island, I felt more like a resident than anything else. Each beach option I tried gave me something new and every person I came into contact with was connective and friendly and ready to share. Though I might tend to prefer more verdant environment, I will now always have a soft spot for Naxos, because it just feels like what I imagine the friendly Greek islands to feel like.
Eat.
Taverna Kastro – with a stunning view, this farm to table restaurant sits at the top of town, overlooking the marina. Petrino – fantastic and diverse offerings with a wonderfully familial level of service.
Do.
Windsurfing / kitesurfing at Mikri Vigla. The village of Chalki for delicious native coffee and Kitron, a locally distilled liqueur. Apiranthosi – a marble village, high in the mountains. Our favorite beaches: Plaka – calm and cool with delicious restaurants. Agia Prokopios – close to town and easy for fun.
Heading to the Mediterranean…
Greece is lucky in that it has the Ionian Sea to its left, the Mediterranean below it, and the Aegean to its right. Not bad for one country to be bordered by three seas. Where Naxos sits in the Aegean, Crete finds itself in the Mediterranean.
Crete.
Within Crete, Heraklion is where we found ourselves, drawn in to see old friends from university.
Eat.
Peskesi – difficult to get reservations, but very worth the wait. Almost all of their lovingly cooked fare comes from their own farm. For something sweet, Da Vinci in downtown Heraklion for delicious hand-made gelato in every flavor imaginable.
Stay.
Biased of course, but we love our friend’s hotel Amounda Bay. Reserve the double floor suites with private pool; they’re secluded and give you access to a variety of other larger swim options too.
Do.
Plaka – a great neighborhood with Greece’s oldest school, namely The Academy. This school, founded by Plato in c. 387BC, was also the place where Aristotle studied for twenty years. The area around it is friendly, and filled with local shops, restaurants, and churches.
HIGHLIGHT
A beautiful Greek salad became part of every single meal. And while that might seem obvious, until you’ve tried and tasted the full brimming flavor of each vegetable…I mean, I have never had a better tomato, cucumber or caper in my life.
And do not even get me started on the Feta. Each meal became a fun test to taste the Feta. Ultimately unique to each region, some played firmer in texture or sweeter in taste. Others were full of brine and others still, felt soft and creamy, like a Greek yogurt. Deeply flavorful olive oil and fresh oregano and you have yourself a bit of fresh wonder at each and every feast.
A wonderful way to compare and contrast, providing a much wider understanding of how varied this very simple dish can be.
MUSINGS
Greece is a place to help you remember where we humans come from. There is something that pulls you back, as if when looking at any given vista, you feel as though you are viewing the old Polaroid photos from your childhood. All the colors seem just a little washed out and you can tell, in almost any spot you visit, that it is a country that has been lovingly used by the daily evolution of man. Things are a little less shiny. That softness leaves one feeling very content.
To me, Greece is a place that takes the edge off this very focused life, with zero pretension. As though, as a country, it is too old to care, and I loved that aspect about it. In life, I’ve long been focused on what’s straight ahead, so I enjoyed the skew of seeing what’s to my left and right. Greece offers a good reminder that it’s important to roll your sightline to all sides of the room, because in the end, it makes our straight ahead gaze much more multi-faceted.
GO BACK TO →