Where To Stay
There’s so many beautiful cities and islands in Greece it’s hard to choose where to stay so I’m going to tell you where I stayed and give a review. If you want to pick the right island for you please refer to the link below where someone else breaks down what each place has to offer.
I chose to spend a few days in Santorini and to spend a few days in Athens. I think everyone should visit Athens and experience this at least once in your life. If you’re a lover of history or Greek Mythology you’ll be in heaven here. I also chose to spend a few nights in Santorini. Once you’re in Greece bouncing between islands is very affordable.
Santorini can be very expensive if you want to stay in a prime location, this is because the island is pretty small and there’s not great public transportation so everyone is fighting for that spot. I opted to stay away from the main city (Oia) because I just found the prices very high. Instead I got a beautiful budget hotel and rented a compact car to drive down to the city. This worked best for me but if your budget allows you to splurge I included some hotels I would’ve loved to stay at.
Santorini
Let’s get down to business- Santorini, is it worth it? A thousand times- yes. There is a reason why people honeymoon here. It’s such a unique city, with perfect weather, black sand beaches, and some of the most incredible sunsets.
My Pro Tip: Make a reservation weeks in advance at the restaurant called sunsets. This restaurant is praised with having one of the best sunset views in the world. When making the reservation you NEED to specify that you want a table on the edge with a sunset view, otherwise you may get a table further away from the view. Rental cars were very cheap but you do need to have an international drivers license to be able to access one. You can obtain one for about $100 USD before arrival, I did it while I was out there and paid a rush fee to get it within the hour – and it worked fine, but it’s always better to be prepared before you go. If you plan on splurging and staying in Oia, there’s no need to get a car as parking is limited anyway.
I don’t necessarily recommend booking any organized activities for Santorini, just enjoying your time and stopping in the local shops/restaurants/enjoying the beaches.
Athens is a city filled with history. I genuinely enjoyed seeing all the historic sites. I do suggest booking tours in advance as things do tend to sell out very quickly and then you get charged double to see the same thing. So be sure to plan. Unlike Santorini, in Athens I do recommend booking activities to ensure you don’t miss out. See my curated list below.
