Category Archives: Our Trips

If you’re staying in Athens then you must absolutely take a tour of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. The beautiful city of Athens is full of so much history and these two pieces play a huge part in it. There are so many different tour guides you can book with and I highly recommend doing so. Our tour guide did such an incredible job explaining all of the history and touched on every detail. For example, the Parthenon is the temple that you see in this photo, and the Acropolis is the hill that it was built on. Really immerse yourself into the history and truly take it all in, it’s well worth it. Our tour of the Parthenon was our #1 favorite thing we did while staying in Athens.

The streets of Athens are so full of beautiful restaurants, eateries, wine bars, and gelato shops that look just like this one above. This is the ambience that I adore.. No one is in a hurry, everyone is just relaxing, drinking their cocktails and enjoying life. We often found ourselves just walking through the streets of the city and randomly picking a place to stop at. We enjoyed gyros of course, delicious drinks, and the ice cream was unmatched. There’s live music on every corner and the nighttime essence is just so full of life. 

Did you know that gyros in Greece come with the french fries inside of them?! When I got my food, I couldn’t help but chuckle because I was not expecting that! They know what they’re doing though because this was the best gyro I have ever had in my life.

We grabbed a nightcap, listened to the live music, did some people watching and just enjoyed each others presence. We were still super jet lagged at this point because it was our first night, but we were so excited for what was to come! Tip: servers in Europe find it rude to bring you your check before you’re ready to leave, so be sure to ask for it or else you might be sitting there for awhile.

When we landed in Santorini, we took a taxi to our first hotel, Thirea Suites. Since Santorini is built on the caldera, the roads are at the top and you have to take these stairs down to the bottom of the caldera where your room is. The staff at Thirea Suites were extremely kind and very welcoming. They have bellhops who will help carry your luggage up and down the stairs for you, so that was a lifesaver! It’s free of charge, but of course tips are welcome!

Upon walking up to our room, we immediately saw our gorgeous personal hot tub, lounge chairs, and breakfast area. This was my favorite part! We spent lots of mornings and evenings utilizing this space. When you walk in, you have a little living room, desk space, your bedroom and bathroom. You are literally sleeping inside of the cliff! The space was perfect for two people and very comfortable. We didn’t spend much time inside of our room, but when we did, it was super cozy and idyllic.

Santorini is so beautiful and magical! When we got there we were blown away by the beauty and how picturesque everything was. I remember looking out into the Agean sea and feeling like I was staring at a photo. Pencil in some time during your trip to just walk the streets and randomly stop at the eateries to grab a cocktail or an appetizer. The colors, the vibrancy, the flowers, the culture, just everything is so exquisite it will sweep you off your feet.

This was our first night in Santorini and we were speechless to say the least. Once we got all settled, we got dressed and just walked the streets of Santorini. We stopped for a quick bite and a drink at Alexios, which had the most beautiful view, especially at sunset! Make sure you book reservations though as I will say they fill up fast. They pride themselves on the “premium taste experience” so I would suggest ordering several different small plates to share. That’s what we did and it was more than enough.

Our second day in Santorini we went on a catamaran tour! We sailed the Agean Sea and went to several private beaches. Our first stop was at a hot spring that would turn your white bathing suits dark! Luck for us, we weren’t wearing white.. but keep this in mind when you’re packing for your trip. We got to jump off the boat and actually swim in to the hot spring, which we determined was warm but not actually hot. While the boat sailed the sea we were also served wine, charcuterie snacks, and a full lunch. It was a gorgeous day, the weather was perfect, and seeing the caldera from out in the water was so serene. This was definitely the best way to start our four day trip in Santorini.

The Agean Sea is a gorgeous navy blue color that has a little sparkle to it. We went in the beginning of September so the water was slightly cold but still warm enough to where you could enjoy it. The caldera is a white colored rock and it gets its shape due to the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that have happened throughout history. I highly highly suggest booking a catamaran tour before your trip. Being able to sail the sea and see multiple parts of the island from out in the water is a memory and feeling you’ll never forget. We booked our catamaran tour through Get Your Guide, which you can find linked here. The process was so simple, you just show up to their office and they take it from there. All you have to do is sit back, unwind and enjoy yourself.

Next up on the list of restaurants we chose to eat at is Petra. This was the most romantic dinner we had during our trip. The restaurant is slightly hidden because it’s actually located in the Canaves Oia Suites. We had to walk down this small flight of stairs to find it, but then all of a sudden we were hit with so much beauty and intimacy. The restaurant is alongside this perfectly lit light blue pool that just glistens in the moonlight. The tables are set for two overlooking the Sea and depending upon the time of day, it’s the most enchanting way to watch the sunset. If you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want a magical evening full of love, Petra is my number one recommendation.

Along with the high-end glamour of Petra comes their fine Greek cuisine. Their sophisticated menu will blow your mind. We chose the Lobster Strogili as one of our entrees and for dessert we shared the Melitini, which is Mizithra-Mastiha Mousse. The chef is so fabulous, you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu. After dinner we sat in the private area by the pool and I enjoyed a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio while Austin had a Montecristo cigar. Be sure to get out of your comfort zone and go above and beyond when you dine here! After all, how often do you dine at a charming five star restaurant overlooking the Agean Sea?

For the last two nights in Santorini we stayed at the beautiful boutique hotel called Ambitions Suites. Upon our arrival, they also had bellhops waiting to help bring our luggage down to our suite. The staff here at Ambitions were marvelous as well. I can seriously not say enough great things about the Greeks in general. They are all so friendly and just extremely inviting. They even had rose petals in the shape of a romantic heart waiting for us on our bed. They continuously exceeded our expectations just by thinking of little details such as this.

At Ambitions Suites we also had our own private hot tub and personal private breakfast table. After a long day of gallivanting throughout the island we would come back to our suite, pour ourselves a glass of bubbly and just relax in the hot tub together. The stillness of the night was so peaceful and because it was September, the evening weather was heavenly. No matter where you choose to stay when you visit Greece, make sure a private hot tub is included. We looked forward to using ours every single night.

Each morning at both Thirea Suites and Ambitions Suites we enjoyed our breakfast on our private terrace overlooking the water. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I wake up every morning looking forward to sipping on my cup of coffee. So, when I tell you that the Greeks know how to serve a good breakfast… I mean it. The fruit was always SO fresh, the pastries were warm and fluffy, the jams were real and not full of preservatives, and the yogurt was true Greek yogurt! Also, checkout how orange the OJ is.. true, freshly squeezed juice.

When we checked into both hotels, at guest services they would ask us when we would like for them to start setting up our breakfast each morning. We would usually ask them to have it ready around 8:30am each day. We would be lying in bed and we would wake up to the sound of the attendants setting up our meals. Each morning we would walk out onto the terrace and see this waiting for us. It was a new assortment of fresh goodness every day and it never got old. I remember thinking I wanted to recreate this food and feeling every day back at home.

For our third day in Santorini we spent the majority of our day and evening on a wine tasting! I love a good wine tasting and this was definitely one to remember. We got in the Mercedes sprinter van with about 5 other couples and two tour guides and had an absolute blast. Austin always says that it’s funny because in the beginning of the tour everyone was a little quiet and timid.. but by the end of it we were all best friends and ready to hang! Side note- We are actually standing in front of a vineyard in this photo! Due to the winds in Greece, they grow their vines in a circular motion as opposed to the States where our vineyards are tall and lengthy.

On our tour we stopped at three different wineries throughout Oia all the way over to Fira. At each location we got to tour the inside of the wineries, see the vineyards, taste about 6 different wines, and snack on delicious charcuterie boards. We got to learn so much about the Greek vineyards, how they make their wines, which wines to drink during a particular season, which foods to pair with specific wines, so on and so forth. It was the best wine tasting we’ve ever been on to say the least. We booked this wine tasting through Get your Guide as well and I would suggest booking your tasting before your trip! If you love drinking good wine, you will not be disappointed.

After our photoshoot, we spent the rest of the day off of our phones and just exploring the island. We walked up and down the streets of Santorini and even hiked all the way down the caldera! We crossed the water on these massive rocks to a section at the bottom of the caldera where you could jump off the rocks and into the water and swim in the Agean sea. The water was a little chilly at this time of year but it was so incredible and so much fun. This was such an amazing way to end our trip. We were both so present, we didn’t have any plans or reservations, we just explored and did whatever we felt like doing.

After swimming in the sea and hiking back up the entire caldera, we walked to the very end of Oia and watched the sunset at the most mesmerizing spot in Santorini. I will say this is a highly populated area because it’s truly that beautiful, so be prepared to get there a little early if you want a good spot. We sat there together just the two of us, hand in hand, watching the most sensational sunset we both have ever seen. It was so romantic and felt like a fairy-tale. Make sure you plan in some down time.. where you don’t have anywhere to be other than exactly where you are, where you just say yes to everything and soak it all up.. turns out, those days are actually the best days.