During my summer 2025 vacation, I had the opportunity to travel to Greece with my family. Out of all the countries I’ve ever been to before, including Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Mexico, I would rate Greece as my favorite. Listed below are the four different islands I went to.

Athens (5 days)

Athens had the most attractions Greece had to offer. From ancient ruins to countless museums, I’d say if you want to take in as much history as you can from Greece, you should go to Athens. My favorite site we visited was definitely Acropolis. For some background, Acropolis is an ancient archaeological site where Greeks settled and proudly defended Athens. There are many columned buildings, like the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its Porch of Caryatids, and the Temple of Athena Nike. Moreover, there were ancient theatres that were used for music, oratory, and poetic performances. These include the Theatre of Dionysus, birthplace of Greek theatre, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Additionally, before taking the two hour drive to the Temple of Zeus, our taxi driver took us to my favorite restaurant in Athens, Labros. They had the best souvlaki, fries, meatballs, and Greek salad I had eaten in my whole trip. I highly recommend going there if you plan on taking a trip to Athens!

Mykonos (3 days)

Mykonos, known for being one of Greece’s “party islands” was my favorite island we went to. Our hotel, the Nissaki Boutique Hotel, had a jaw dropping ocean view with many party yachts anchored in the water. This alone made my Mykonos experience one hundred times better. Moreover, the island’s vibe was completely unmatched. Strolling through Mykonos town, petting the cats, and having delicious gelato was so different from visiting museums in Athens. Additionally, I took a day trip to Delos, an ancient sacred island known for being the legendary birthplace of the gods Apollo and Artemis. In its day, Delos was a thriving commercial and trading center in the Hellenistic period, with its original stones and houses still standing. I thoroughly enjoyed Delos and would recommend taking a day trip there if you are in Mykonos!

Santorini (3 days)

In Santorini, I went to its two main towns, Fira and Oia. One takeaway I have from Fira and Oia is that it’s like a hike. To see the different parts of the town, you must go up many hills and stairs, but once you do, it is so worth it. The sunsets and ocean views at the tips of these towns were breathtaking, and I did not regret the sore legs! I loved exploring these towns and I know you will too!

Crete (4 days)

I spent my last four days of my Greece trip in Crete, and I definitely believe that was too much time. Due to Crete being the biggest island in Greece, many of its attractions were spaced out. My family and I did not find this out until arriving there, so many of the attractions we planned to see and put time towards were not visited. I really enjoyed walking on Crete’s black-sand beaches and swimming in its clear green waters. Overall, I’d say Crete was a beautiful island and I liked its beaches the best.

I hope after reading this blog you plan a trip to Greece! 

– Sophia B.