Two of my friends and I knew we really wanted to go to Greece and were excited by the idea alone. However, none of us had the skills at the time to put together a quality itinerary (and you’ll understand why in a moment :)). Before Greece, every trip I’ve been on was organized by someone else, which was always a perk. There’s nothing like showing up and just having fun! So instead of trying to do so ourselves, I recalled my sister telling me about how much fun she had going to Grece with Contiki when she was in college. Hence, we decided to do the same, and the experience was phenomenal! Between our tour friends, the trip manager, and the country itself, it was a fantastic experience. While we did have a hard time deciding on which Greek tour we wanted to go on, we finally decided on the Greek Island Adventurer. It was a nine-day excursion including stops to Athens, Santorini, Ios, and Paros. One of my friends and I decided to add an extra day to go to Mykonos, but that’s another story (definitely my least successful friendture of all times lol). Although this particular trip package no longer exists, Contiki has other great Greece options. You can undoubtedly find the one perfect for you. If Jason is still a trip manager, you should definitely book with him! One of my friends did her research, and based on his reviews, he is highly recommended. According to Jason, our tour group was the first time he had a group our size and connected with everyone, which my friends and I enjoyed too. With Contiki, they plan your lodging, transportation, some meals, some excursions, and downtime. You can include optional excursions as well, which was super helpful and just as fun. We certainly took advantage of the majority of them :).
From looking at pictures, going to Mykonos was one of the places I was looking forward to the most, especially since I wasn’t very familiar with Paros or Ios. The pictures I saw were stunning! Since my friend went to Europe the summer before and came back as an expert, I was okay with following her lead for our day trip and my, how we were wrong lol. We planned to take a ferry from Athens to Mykonos first thing in the morning. Although we weren’t familiar with any of the ferry lines and weren’t quite sure what we were signing up for, the ticket was reasonable. Honestly, we should’ve checked with the front desk, but you live and you learn, right?! Then we booked a flight back to Athens super late at night to maximize our time on the island...so we thought. We just knew we did an excellent job with our spontaneous planning….what we didn’t know was how the ferries worked. We were anticipating there to be a complete stop, and everyone got off. What happened was a PA
announcing in greek that the Mykonos stop was approaching even though we didn’t see any land or people moving, and the only word I could recognize was Mykonos. That should’ve been a sign that we should’ve asked a crew member for help, but of course, we didn’t and went back to sleep, which wasn’t very smart and missed our stop completely. We finally made our way around back to Mykonos, explored the island a tad, but at that point; I think it's safe to say we were completely over it. So if you do try to navigate the islands and ferries on your own, here’s what I suggest: Ask someone at the information desk about the travel time from your pick up to your destination so you have an idea of how long the trip is. You can time your nap and set an alarm. Do not wait until the ferry completely stops to decide that’s when you’ll head down to get off. When you hear the announcement, that’s when you should start heading down. But our adventure didn’t stop there! You know how some airports are open 24/7….Mykonos’ isn’t lol, so don’t go to the airport early thinking you can wait inside. On a brighter note, we walked around and found some shops, bars, and restaurants while we were there. We walked along the beach. We went to Blu Blu, which was cute, but unfortunately, we couldn’t fully enjoy the beach as we hoped and everything the island had to offer. After traveling with our Contiki crew, we figured out how to use the ferries accurately, so if we ever go back, we’ll do better next time :).
We waited for our third to arrive before exploring Athens and the first official day of our tour. Contiki included quite a bit of downtime for people to explore the city. Of course, most people went to the Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon as we did. Instead of a taxi, we bought tickets for the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour, which I typically do on international trips, and we went first thing in the morning. I’m glad we went as early as we did, although we should’ve gone sooner because the walk to the top was insanely intense in the hot sun, which we were not anticipating at all! We saw the Temple of Zeus, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, and some other sights along our scenic route. You’ll see some sights once you reach the Acropils of Athens and some sights you’ll see on the tour bus. While the citadel is massive, be mindful, there are many steps along your trek to the top. After exploring the complete ancient Greek monumental complex, we headed back to the bus, rode through Athens, and explored the city. We then walked around the town and came across more ruins, shops, restaurants, and bars. When we stopped for a meal, I had my first Greek cuisine lesson one on one. The lamb gyro is an American thing, and their chicken gyro is simply magical lol. I’m sure I indulged in one every stop our tour made, which was slightly greedy yet satisfying. I also learned real Greek salads are made of all vegetables, no lettuce. Meanwhile, I typically pick them out at home, so don’t expect an Olga’s meal necessarily when you get there :).
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Acropolis of Athens
The Parthenon
I stumbled across Dinner in the Sky on Trip Advisor, and I’m so happy I did! At the time, I had no idea it existed, and it opened the year before. Dinner in the Sky is a six-course meal including traditional Greek recipes with a twist that’s cooked and served forty meters or so above the ground, raised by a crane, while slowly spinning to give 360-degree views of the city including the Acropolis. With Contiki planning most of our time, we managed to make a reservation for the sunset dinner once we arrived back in Athens from Ios. With the insane traffic, we were nervous we weren't going to make it, but thankfully we did! It was such a unique experience that we truly enjoyed that I’ve tried a few times to go again in other cities. Still, I haven’t successfully made my way back just yet. The staff was delightful, and watching the colors in the sky change was beautiful. While I don’t remember our menu, you can check on the menus on their site. It’s totally worth the splurge and should be on everyone's itinerary :).
Dinner in the Sky
Dinner in the Sky
Once we made it to Paros and successfully managed the ferry with Jason’s help, we spent the day exploring different parts of the island. Surprisingly, Paros turned out to be our favorite island out of the four. Our first stop was Santa Maria Beach. The beach was gorgeous, and everyone in our crew was just excited to make it to a beach, finally! There’s lots to do there between snacking, lounging, and water activities. Even if this isn't your beach of choice, there's so many to choose from!
Santa Maria Beach
Santa Maria Beach
For dinner, we went to Krios Lounge for a traditional Greek meal and experience. After our delicious entree, we had the opportunity to learn the history of some Greek traditions from the staff (family) and engaged in a few cultural experiences, including learning some traditional dances and plate smashing. While I’m not quite sure if this was “special” to Contki because we were the only ones there at the time or if it’s offered to individuals dining in, it was so much fun and such a memorable experience. It’s worth the inquiry and research.
Krios Lounge
In the Streets of Paros
Krios Lounge
Our Paros island sailing adventure, a.k.a. boat day, was just as exciting, if not more than our first stop at the beach. I even brushed up on my swimming skills before this trip to make sure I could take full advantage of all of the swimming spots on these excursions in the Aegean Sea. You know how people go on vacations and come back and say “the water was so blue and pretty.” You typically think that’s what water usually is...let’s just say, this wasn’t my first rodeo. Still, I finally understood what people meant lol. Omg, the crystal clear turquoise water was amazing! To this day, I compare all water to Greece lol. While I can’t name the boat or company, I would recommend inquiring about a Trip Advisor company or once you arrive on the island. This is a must for any island you visit so pack a floatie :).
Paros Boat Day
Paros Boat Day
Paros Boat Day
Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands and one of Greece’s most famous islands. The first thing to come to mind is the infamous picture of the three blue domes. Keeping this image in mind made Santorini the island we looked forward to the most! We went to Prophet Elias Monastery, Santorini’s highest point in Oia. From here, you can get panoramic views of the island, which is more than 500 meters high! Getting there is a tad tricky and rocky, so check it out before you go. Thank you for doing all the work Contiki :).
Oia Highest Point
Oia Highest Point
Oia Highest Point
Before watching the sunset, which comes highly recommend and I’ve been told there isn’t anything like it, we went to Santo Wines Winery for some wine tasting. Sitting on the terrace with its stunning views over the caldera was very relaxing. It should be added to everyone’s itinerary of age that is :). Afterward, we headed to a restaurant where we had a reservation and a great view of the sunset. On our way, the island becomes crowded very quickly with people reserving their spot to watch the sunset, so get there early to get yours. From looking at pictures, I’m sure it’s beautiful; however, our views were cut short courtesy of the clouds lol, but again, I hear it's a must see for all.
Our Santorini Hotel
Santo Wines Winery
When we walked around the city, we came across the Kissingfish Spa and were very excited to try it out. Before giving it a go, we asked a young lady what it felt like, and she described the little fish as little vibrators all over your feet, which didn’t sound too bad. While I’m not sure which location we went to, Oia or Fira, there was a sign in the window that it was the same location as Kim K. if you’re a fan :). The spa was super cute, and the price is reasonable. If they have chairs
available, you can walk right in. We went through the process of showering out feet, etc., and on the count of three, we agreed to go. As you can see, Amber didn’t go lol. Every time I moved my feet, the little Garra Rufas moved in the same direction just a little too fast for my liking. Even an employee tried to help me, but I needed a bit more time to prepare. Once I finally built up the courage to gently insert my feet, I completely understood why Kim wasn’t a fan at first lol. I’m super ticklish, so that didn’t make it any better. After the initial feeling, it did feel like little vibrators all around your feet. I know some are against the idea of this experience for various reasons, which are completely understandable. I will say we saw an employee going around feeding the fish :). While in Santorini, we
Kissingfish Spa
also went on a volcano and hot springs cruise to Nea Kameni. We took a bath in the hot springs known for their therapeutic benefits and climbed to the top of the active volcano. It was a unique boat day experience, and just as fun as the others.
Nea Kameni Volcano
Nea Kameni Hot Springs
Ios was the last island on our tour. While I was sad it was our last stop; I had no idea what Ios had in store for us. We did our typically exploring of the island, grabbed some drinks, group dinners, etc. We had our last boat day to a private island, and I quickly learned Ios is their party island playground. We went out everywhere else, but I didn’t know about their singlets (or at least I didn’t pay much attention until Ios). What are singlets you asked?! For twenty-five euros, you get seven shots, throw them all back, and then you get a tshirt, jersey, etc., some kind of reward for your mini accomplishment. The first night I returned to my friends with one. The next night I returned with three lol, which wasn’t a lot all compared to the youngins in our group.
Going out with my Contiki crew was so much fun! For party-goers, you can’t go to Greece without going to Ios.
1. Please don’t ride a donkey!
Did I ride a donkey?! Yes. Back then, I thought of riding a donkey as one of those things you must do when you go to Greece (the life of an ignorant tourist, right?!). Now that I’m more aware, it wasn’t my best choice. In Santorini, the poor overworked donkeys go up and down six hundred steps carrying tourists (some over the ideal weight donkeys should take) in the hot sun. From this routine, some have developed spinal injuries and sores from not having the correct saddles. As cute as my donkey was (and he was adorbs), and I know I was within the weight limit, I feel so terrible now! While this might come off as a dream killer, please think of the donkeys first. You can always walk up the steps alongside the donkeys or take the cable car to get to the top. The government has stepped in to help protect the donkeys, so reconsider that donkey ride, please. Next time, I'm definitely taking the cable car.
2. Make sure you know when to head down so that you don’t miss your ferry stop.
I don’t think I need to say any more about that other than learn from our mistakes lol.
I would probably say visiting Greece was one of my top three trips to date, if not my absolute favorite. I’m so happy we went with Contiki, Jason, and our fellow Contiki crew. It was the perfect combination of history, culture, relaxation, and all-around
fun! It was basically a study abroad trip minus the course work. If you meet the Contiki requirements, you should consider it. I’m hopeful Greece makes its way back to my calendar again one day, and if it’s not on yours, it should be!
XO - Amb :)
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