My soul was set on fire when I went to Greece in July 2024. I was inspired to take a trip to Greece after becoming friends with a Greek native who came to stay next door to me in Manhattan Beach, California. He was a traveler who filmed videos of his travels who came to stay for a summer from somewhere in the world. When his stay came to an end, he continued his travels with the intent of returning to our beloved place, leaving a few bags behind, intending to get them when he returned. Unfortunately the universe had another plan for him and he was not able to come back to get them. He not only left his bags behind but he left me with an inspiration to pursue a passion of filming food through travel. And so, as that inspiration called, I decided to take my first ever solo trip to Greece, to visit my friend and to bring him his bag, to study their food culture, and to celebrate my 42nd birthday by visiting a new place in the world.
I was scared and excited all at the same time. I had never traveled for an extended period of time by myself, I had done a few days in Singapore and Australia on my own, but this time would be different as I would go for a full week all on my own! I literally thought of cancelling so many times, like why was I traveling to the other side of the world all by myself? About a month before my trip, I visited with a medium and as I asked her whether I should cancel my trip or not, she urged me to go. She told me that I would feel like I was coming home in Greece and that although I was traveling alone, that I would not be alone, that I would be surrounded by people. And so, I took her advice and I went to Greece.
I booked my flight from LAX to London because it’s an easy nonstop flight and normally a cheaper option to get to Europe from LA. I also have a friend who lives in London so it also makes it easy on logistics. I decided to start my Greece travels with the islands first, ending in Athens to see my friend. To be most efficient on time, I booked an EasyJet flight from London Gatwick to Santorini. I had no idea that they allow the boarding of flights in London without pilots but that is what happened on our flight. We boarded and took our seats, only to find out that there was an accident on the runway and that flight staff was disrupted to all flights, leaving us without a pilot. And so, as everyone would do in that situation, we started making friends with each other on the flight. I discovered that the woman sitting in the aisle seat next to me was also headed on her first solo trip to Santorini for her birthday. What a coincidence and my first sign that maybe the medium was right!
After sitting for 2 hours on the runway, the flight staff announced that they found us pilots and that we would be on our way to Santorini! Unfortunately we were going to arrive right around midnight, so it would be too late to enjoy a nice dinner but we would still get there, thankfully! I booked a car to pick me up from the airport to my hotel in Oia. I am so thankful that there was a porter to carry my bag down all of those stone steps to the hotel! I arrived with just enough time to grab a gyro from the village’s only open-all-night stand and have a drink at the village bar Hassapiko before settling in for a few hours of sleep.
Day 1
I recommend booking a stay on the cliffs of Oia so that you can actually enjoy the famous views without the crowds if you find yourself in that part of Santorini. I stayed at Vogue Suites which had beautiful cave-like rooms, typical Cycladic architecture, where the front door opens up right into the famous cliff views of Oia. I did not want to waste the few hours I had in Santorini sleeping, so I started my 42nd birthday bright and early at sunrise, having the view all to myself, journaling as the island woke up. It was a beautiful way to start the day.
I would have sat out on that cliff overlooking the view all day but I wanted to venture into the village to see a little bit of the town before I had to leave. As I walked around, I found so many people crammed into the narrow streets leading to the cliffs, trying to get that perfect picture of the white buildings with the blue dome tops. I thought there was a day club everyone was waiting in line to get into at first! I did not love Oia for this reason, it just felt so overcrowded. Most of the shops were also very touristy, but I did find a small gem tucked into the hillside near my hotel. I followed a sign that I noticed on a wall for handmade bags and it led me to a small shop where Iota was sitting, hand sewing a leather bag. I started to chat with her and she told me how her passion of owning and running the shop came to be. It was the highlight of my visit to Santorini.
Due to the extreme heat and heavy crowds, I left Oia early with plenty of time to make my ferry. I could not get to the ferry terminal fast enough as I think I had gotten heat stroke walking around. The heat was heavy and the sun was baking with barely any wind and no beach access to cool off at. That and the many tourists to push through along with my jet lag and I could not wait to get on the boat. I booked my ferry in advance on ferry hopper and opted for the early afternoon ferry so that I could spend a few hours in Santorini. I did not know that I would be rushing to get out of there! When I got to the terminal, I lined up with the other passengers and noticed two girls looking at me in line. I overheard their conversation and realized that they were American. So I started to chat with them and found out that they were booked on the high speed ferry earlier in the day and it got cancelled due to the high winds. Luck was on my side again! My schedule was so packed that I had no time for any delays or cancellations in my schedule and I was happy that I would get to go to Naxos on time.
My new American friends invited for me to sit with them during the 2 hour ferry ride to Naxos. When we arrived, the winds were blowing and the water was choppy. They invited me to join them at dinner the following evening and I realized that once again I was surrounded by people, just as the medium had said. As I collected my luggage at the bottom of the boat and started onto the gangplank, the wind was so strong, it felt like hurricane force and it was blowing water all over the driveway! I walked the very long driveway to the taxi circle at the port entrance and picked up my rental car from Hertz which was located right in the circle. I felt thankful to get into a car and away from the wind! I highly recommend renting a car in Naxos, the island is the largest of the Cyclades and there is so much to see and discover on this island that you will miss too much by not having a car. It is a very drivable island and easy to navigate on your own. If I can do it, you can do it!
I rented an Airbnb in Chora, the main town in Naxos. My airbnb, along with being an adorable Cycladic architectural studio, was also walkable to the port and to the town’s restaurants and shops. Since I had a car, it was challenging to find parking in that area and to navigate the very narrow streets of the village. If you rent a car, I would recommend staying in another part of Naxos to really get a feel for the island. I wandered the village after checking into my Airbnb and I found the village very walkable and quaint, with a variety of shops from shoe makers to jewelry. If you venture into town, stop at Naxos Cheese Koufopoulos, where you can buy local food products as well as sample locally produced cheeses from the family’s farm.
Day 2
Naxos is known for farming and I knew that I wanted to book a cooking class there to really study the food culture. I found one at Perivoli Naxian Farm. I absolutely loved the experience of visiting their family farm and experiencing a true farm to table cooking experience with the native foods from the island. You can see the video of our cooking experience on my you tube channel. There are a few farm to table cooking experiences to explore on Naxos as well as olive oil making classes so I highly recommend booking an experience during your visit. And as you drive up into the hills, you can also see these adorable mailboxes along the road, how cute are these?
Nikos, the farm owner and cooking class host, recommended that I check out an area on the island called Cedar Forest of Alyko since I had some time before I was meeting my new American friends for dinner in that same area. I am so grateful for his recommendation! I drove through the hills of Naxos to Cedar Forest which led me to a road hugged by seagrass dunes. I followed that road to the beach and parked to explore what seemed to be a hidden cove. I walked the sandy path to the cove and looked down to see that I had to climb down a cliff to the beach, but it looked so heavenly. The water was crystal blue and the sand was soft. I wished I had brought a towel and chair, I would have sat there all day. But I wanted to venture on and had heard from someone else walking to the beach that there was an abandoned hotel nearby. I went back to the car and drove maybe a few meters down the road to check out the abandoned hotel. It was very cool but also very creepy; it makes you think, who would abandon this type of ocean front property and why? Making the trip here is worth the small adventure for sure! You do need to pack all your own things for a day at the beach here though, so be prepared, but it is so worth it because you won’t want to leave this little slice of heaven!
I had a few more hours to kill before dinner so I decided to check out another area of the island. I wanted to find a little beach bar to sit at and have a cocktail. And so I drove to Plaka Beach and continued to follow the road along the sea, past kite surfers, until I reached what looked like the end of the road. There I saw my new destination, a little tiki hut beach bar. It seemed the perfect spot to sit and watch the afternoon sun while sitting in the ocean breeze. I felt like I was in Bali in this part of Naxos. The chair was maybe €15 and my drink was inexpensive as well. It was warm and I spent a blissful few hours sitting in the sun as it started to lower towards the horizon and enjoyed listening to the waves crash at the shore. I did not want to leave my chair but wanted to meet my new friends, so I headed to Taverna Axiotissa to have a delicious fish dinner in their adorable courtyard. Great conversation, great company, and great atmosphere with a casual, beachy, laid back vibe. I drove back to town watching the sun set on the water as I reflected on the luck I’ve had so far in meeting so many new friends and how happy I was that I chose to visit Greece. My heart was with Naxos.
Day 3
Another reason that I wanted to visit Naxos was to fit a hike in. Naxos has Mount Zas which is the highest point in the Cyclades. Since I was doing solo travel, I found a local guide to hike with me. It was a blistering hot summer and my friends and family were worried that I would get heat stroke and lost, so I felt safer hiking with someone. It was an amazing way to start my day! We started the hike just after sunrise so that it wouldn’t be that hot and made it to the top to see sprawling views in every direction of Naxos and its surrounding islands. We saw wild goats and natural vegetation, it was a very lovely experience. When we came back down to our cars, we were even greeted by local farmers herding their goats along the road, with bells and all! Such an authentic experience! If you book with we ride hellas, ask for StefNaxos, he was my guide!
I had some time before I was catching the evening ferry to Paros and wanted to see more of the island. So I drove just past the hiking spot to Apeiranthos which is the most lovely town. Bougainvillea bushes adorn the stone walls of this walkable village. I wandered into a coffee shop called Asmari Cafe where I had the pleasure of meeting the owner who showed me how to make Greek coffee the traditional way and even read my coffee grounds. You can watch the video of this experience on my you tube channel. I then explored the village and recommend visiting both Το Υπερώον, to buy local items made in Naxos, and Βιβλιοπωλείο Ο Καπετάνιος, the most adorable book shop around the corner literally!
I wanted to stay longer in Apeiranthos but I had other stops planned on my journey. I would love to go back to that quaint little town to cook with a local and definitely hope to someday! I drove through the towns of Filoti, stopping to have lunch at an outdoor café under a large tree, and Chalki, stopping to shop at the local shops and visiting the local distillery, before returning my rental car back at the port.
I had an hour before my ferry, so I sat at a café along the water in front of the port and once again I overheard some girls sitting at a table next to me. So I struck up a conversation with them; they were just arriving into Naxos. We exchanged numbers before I left to take the short 45 minute ferry ride to Paros but I figured there was slim chance that I would see them again.
Paros had a different vibe than Naxos. Naxos was local, authentic, quaint. Paros had a lot more people, or so it seemed. It also had a younger crowd as well or at least more of a party crowd, Naxos was definitely sleepier. I walked past groups of bachelor and bachelorette parties heading out for a night on the town on my way to the Ayeri Hotel from Parikia. It was a farther walk than I had mapped out and I did not rent a car on this island. I was planning to take taxis where I needed to go but opted to walk thinking I could handle my very large and what had become a very heavy bag. I quickly regretted my decision as I arrived drenched from sweat by the time I made it to the lobby. After settling into my room, which was surrounded by bougainvillea bushes, I decided to venture to Naoussa, the fishing village on the northern part of the island. I had read that it was picturesque and quaint, I did not realize that it would be bustling and very developed. I felt like I walked into the Orange County of Greece, including the prices. The village was adorned with perfectly curated shops and had a luxury sense to it. Bustling outdoor cafés and bars were full of tourists. It was definitely a place to be seen, a very stark contrast to Naxos. The influence of Western culture on this island was definitely evident and it made me sad coming from Naxos which was such a stark contrast. Lately, I’ve been wanting to do more authentic, immersive travel; not to travel around the world to experience what I can experience at home.
Not loving this area, but hungry and since I was already here, I settled into a stylish outdoor restaurant and chose to take a seat at a bar. Once again, as I sat having dinner, a fellow American sat next to me and kept me company for a few hours. Afterward, as I headed back to my hotel in the taxi, I realized that everyone I was meeting along my way on this trip were a mirror of my own journey to self-discovery.
Day 4
I chose to visit Paros because I wanted to visit its small sister island, Antiparos, only accessible from Paros. I planned to visit Antiparos for a full day and took the first ferry from the port. You can catch the ferry to Antiparos from two ports in Paros, Parikia and Pounta. Pounta is on the south side of the island and since I was staying in Parikia, I caught the ferry from Parikia. However, Pounta has more frequent ferries and the journey is quicker than from Parikia which has less frequent and longer trips. You also cannot reserve your ticket in advance to Antiparos, but it is not difficult to get, you can purchase right on the boat.
I took the 40 minute ride to Antiparos and had heard so many wonderful things about the island. I found it to be cute but a bit too Westernized, similar to my experience in Naoussa. It was small, but too large to walk. I caught a bus from the main village, a short walk from the port. I took the bus to the cave, a famous landmark of Antiparos. What they don’t tell you is that the bus does not have frequent stops to and from the cave and you do not need that much time at the cave. I spent maybe 20 minutes walking the entire cave before I was done with my visit. I asked the man at the ticket window about the bus schedule and he looked at his watch and decided it was time for him to get some coffee and then he started walking and told me to come with him. I hopped on the back of his scooter and he gave me a ride down the hill to the beach; a very fun experience! I asked him to drop me off at Soros Beach Club. Another westernized experience with Veuve brand adorned chairs and umbrellas. Being that I didn’t have a car and I was hungry, I decided to just pay the very American price of €60 to get a lounge chair so that I could order lunch. I quickly was reminded of a downside of being alone, the snotty club would not rent me a proper lounge chair that sat in groups of two, because I didn’t have a plus one. They sat me at a bean bag chair to lounge in which actually ended up being comfortable. Luck was on my side again, not only was the chair comfortable but a nice family from NJ took the loungers next to me and quickly befriended me as I ordered my lunch. They bought me a drink and cheered me for my birthday and my inviting energy! It was a beautiful beach and a beautiful view and I enjoyed some down time, even if the experience was more American than authentic Greece, I still loved it just as much.
The girls that I met at the port in Naxos the day before had texted me while I was at the cave and told me that they had come to Antiparos. They asked to meet up, so after lunch, I met them at Fanari Beach, catching a ride from my new American friends from Soros. I had the dreamiest iced coffee sitting ant Fanari under some fans in the shade. It was nice to see a different beach bar on the island, although similar in vibe, it seemed to be a bit more local. I was so thankful that my new friends came to meet me and gave me reason to explore more of the island! I walked back with them into town and explored some of the shops before taking the ferry back to Paros.
When I returned to Paros, I decided to walk the old town part of Parikia. I originally wasn’t too impressed by the scenery around the port, but I had no idea that there was an old town part of the village and I was pleasantly surprised when I started to explore it. This part of town was quaint, full of shops selling local items from shoes to skincare and inviting cafés to enjoy a quiet dinner or drink. I walked the town and bought myself a pretty little pair of shoes, then bought some skincare that had been on my list, and then settled into a café along the water to watch the sunset. I had eyed a place for dinner that had great reviews online so I ventured back to a café called Daphnes and had a delicious meal to end my night.
Day 5
I started the day with a horseback riding tour at sunrise. It was a great way to see more of the island. I booked my tour with Paros Horse riding tours. They took us on a ride from the hills to the beach and back, what a lovely experience. On my walk back from the tour to my hotel, I stopped at Ragoussis Bakery and had a coffee and pastry for my walk. I am not a coffee lover but Greek coffee was amazing and I was obsessed with getting it at every meal on my trip if you haven’t noticed already!
I had a few hours before catching the afternoon ferry to Athens, so I took a taxi to Lefkes. I arranged for the taxi to come back to get me a few hours later, allowing me time to wander the little village. You probably don’t need more than an hour or two to wander if you are short on time but beware of falling in love with this quintessential Instagram worthy little town. The locals are friendly as well. If you visit, stop in Studio Angelika Vaxevanidou, a village local with a peek inside her personal art studio. Meeting Angelika was the highlight of my visit to Lefkes.
I believe there were two high speed ferries into Athens on the day I was traveling and I took the afternoon one. It was about a 3 ½ hour trip to Athens and a very smooth ride. I heard so many horror stories about the ferry rides in Greece but all of the rides I had were uneventful, and that’s a good thing! I booked an Airbnb in Monastiraki neighborhood and it was very walkable to the major tourist sites. The one bonus of my Airbnb was that it had an amazing balcony view of the Acropolis. I spent every morning and night sitting out on the balcony admiring the view, definitely worth finding a place with your own view for sure!
I met my friend from Athens shortly after arriving to my Airbnb. He welcomed me to his city with a walking tour of the Acropolis and surrounding area and it was magical at night. All of the historical landmarks are illuminated and there are street artists scattered around the city performing live music. We walked up to Areopagus Hill and admired the city lights before continuing our walk around the city. Completely magical night!
Day 6
I booked a private cooking lesson with Melina and found her on the app with locals. I got to venture out into a suburb of Athens and experienced taking the metro. Melina and I made a few recipes from ancient Greece that were very unique and I hadn’t seen them on any restaurant menus. I felt like I made a new friend in Athens. You can see some of our cooking videos on my you tube channel. I can’t wait to go back to cook with her!
A storm blew in just in time for me to return back to my Airbnb and head to the Acropolis. I had gotten tickets in advance and it was my only time to see the site so I decided to trek in the rain to see it. The one advantage was the crowd was dispersed because it was thunder, lightning, and pouring rain. The disadvantage was that I was soaked by the time I left. At least my photo came great! You can’t tell that I am completely soaked and I ruined my shoes! I decided to visit the Acropolis museum in an attempt to wait out the storm and dry off a bit. Some love the Acropolis but I didn’t love it so much. I felt I was checking the box to visiting but enjoyed my view of it from afar just as well.
Day 7
I was scheduled to leave Greece mid-day and wanted to get in one last activity before I left. I hiked up to Lycabettus Hill first thing in the morning and it was gorgeous. Thankfully the weather was perfect and the humidity had cleared from the storm. The views from up on the hill were gorgeous and it was the perfect way to see another neighborhood of Athens. I of course grabbed my last Greek coffee and pastry to enjoy on my balcony before leaving for the airport. I noticed there were a lot of hiking trails and parks as I rode in my uber outside of Athens and next time I visit I will be sure to check out its surrounding area.
When I left Melina’s house, I forgot my food. She called me to come back and told me as I returned and left again that it would mean that I would be back to visit Athens two more times. I sure hope so! The medium was right, Greece did feel like home, like a familiar place, and I fell in love with its islands, its friendliness, and its culture. And I don’t know why I was so afraid of traveling alone, because I wasn’t alone, from the woman on the plane on my way to Santorini, to the group who met me on my ferry to Naxos who invited me to dinner, to the girls who came to meet me in Antiparos, to the family I met on the beach in Antiparos, to my friend who walked me around Athens, and to my new friend in Athens that invited me back to cook, I was never alone, I had company every step of my journey. I hope to go back someday and until then, we’ll see where my curiosity for food takes me next!
