Elevated City Guides: Greek Islands

The Greek Islands are known for their stunning sunsets, the teal waters of the Aegean Sea, and fresh, vegetable- and seafood-forward cuisine. You could spend months exploring these islands, but here's what we loved.

Choosing your islands:

From Athens, most of the island are easily accessible via ferry, and some have airports if you're flying in from elsewhere in Europe. We flew into Santorini, took a ferry to Milos, then a ferry to Athens before our departure. Each island has a different vibe, but they all have gorgeous water, amazing food, and different towns to explore. Santorini and Mykonos are the most popular, and also the most crowded. If you want a Las Vegas party scene, Mykonos should be on the list. If you want the picturesque sunset, white buildings, and blue domes, it's Santorini. If you want more low-key, laid-back, island beach towns, you have your pick.

Santorini:

Where to stay:

The two main towns are Fira and Oia.

• Fira is the busier of the two with more nightlife and plenty of restaurants.

• Oia is the town you see on every post card, and it truly is beautiful. We chose Oia for the sunsets, the cliffs, the more quaint feel. We stayed at White Pearl Villas, and could not recommend them more. Amazing service, great location, rooms with caldera views and private pools built into the cliffside.

Where to Eat:

• Pacman - Go at Sunset and enjoy the vibes. Don't skip the Spanakorizo - a classic Greek risotto with lemon, fresh herbs, and Greek yogurt

• Sunset by Ammoudi - Ammoudi Bay is an area right on the water with several restaurants, we chose Sunset. The lobster pasta is divine, and big enough to share with a group. The Sunset Spritz was incredible. This is 270 steps down the cliffside to get to the Bay (but you can easily get a taxi back up at the end)

• Pitogyros Traditional Grill House - After a rich and full day, if you need a casual spot for traditional Souvlaki (gyros), this is the spot.

Where to Drink:

• Above Bistro - We did the wine tasting here at sunset. Local, delicious wines, a knowledgeable somm, and incredible views over the island as the sun set. (Be prepared, it’s a little pricey!)

• Boozery - Casual, fun bar in Oia with good drinks and open-air seating.

• Mezzo Oia - We stopped in here for after-dinner drinks, looking out over the caldera, and enjoyed their hookah. When in Greece…

 What to do:

• Secret Kitchen - This is a traditional Greek cooking class in a Greek home. Mariella was our lead and she was amazing. We made so much delicious food, learned about the culture, and enjoyed a private class with our group

• Rent a Boat - There are plenty of ways to get on the water here, either hiring a private boat, booking day cruises around the island, and more. While pricey, this is an amazing way to see the islands, plus some beaches are only accessible by boat, and you’ll get to play in the clearest, bluest water you've ever seen.

• Hike from Fira to Oia - This hike is gorgeous. It's about 7 km, and it's very doable, just go early in the morning to beat the heat. Enjoy views, a little exercise, and maybe one of the village dogs will even join you for the stroll.

 Milos:

Where to stay:

There are four areas in Milos: Plaka, Adamantas, Pollonia and Paleochori.

• Artemis Seaside Resort: We stayed in Paleochori to have easy beach access, pools, and to be off the main track for a few days. This resort has a beach club, rooms with private pools, and will help you book transportation around the Island.

• Pollonia or Plaka are cute towns with more dining options, but less beach access.

• Adamantas is the main port, and can be busy with foot and tourist traffic
  

Where to eat:

• Sirocco - The highlight here is the food cooked in the volcanic sand. They use geothermal heat to cook lamb, fish, and the potato is incredible. If you select the fish, you get to go with them to bury the fish in the sand before cooking.

• Yialos - When you ask locals the best restaurant in Milos, this is it. Elevated traditional Greek food, and we didn’t have a single thing we didn't love. Dinner in Pollonia is a great way to see the town without staying here.

• Gyros of Milos - Similar to Santorini, after a day on the water, we needed a casual dinner with delicious Gyros, and this is convenient in Adamantas, and delicious

• Oh! Hamos! - This loosely translates to ‘being crazy and having fun,’ which is exactly what lunch here is for. It's a handwritten menu of grandma's favorites, and the garden courtyard right off the beach is adorable.

• Medusa or Avli Milos: we heard these were great but didn’t get a chance to try them

Where to Drink:

• Milos is more of a sleepy beach town so nightlife is fairly calm. We mostly enjoyed wine at dinner and then usually went home - we were exhausted! But here are a few bars that were recommended to us:

  • Utopia Cafe

  • Bariello

  • Akri bar

What to do:

• Rent a boat: Seeing this island by boat is a MUST. It’s the only way to access some of the most gorgeous beaches and famous limestone structures. Visit Click and Boat to rent a private boat and driver - this is great for groups to split the cost!

• Beach Club: Take a day to just relax. There are several beach clubs around the island where you can grab a chair and chill. We were told the day club at Artemis was one of the best, but make sure to get there early to save a spot because they will fill up. The hotel also offers massages which were the perfect addition to our day of rest.

We absolutely loved traveling around Greece and hope you do, too! Comment below your favorite part of your trip. And as always, happy travels.

xo,

H+E