A Visit to Santorini & Mykonos
As part of a two-week trek to Europe in 2023, we ventured to Greece for a few days. This was going to be a very quick visit (2 nights in Santorini and 2 nights in Mykonos), but the visit would give us a taste of Greece and see why its been so high on travelers' list.
The decision was made to skip Athens and fly directly from Rome to Santorini. We booked via a European airline and found ourselves landing in Santorini before long.
There are not many ways to get around the island as taxis are scarce and the bus that circulates the island only stops at certain points maybe once an hour or so. Once it arrives, you may find that there is no room available on the bus and the need to wait for the next one. So, its not the most reliable means of transportation.
To get between towns and to the beach, you will need some form of transportation as walking would take you a very long time. Best bet is to rent a car or a moped to get around the island at your leisure. In Greece, people drive on the right side of the street, so it's easy to navigate.
If you want to be in the center of the busiest part of the island, then you'd want to stay in Fira (Thira), especially if you don't want to rent a car or moped. However, we wanted to explore the island via a moped or motorcycle. Also, because we booked this trip about two months in advance and we were traveling in July (peak season), we found that hotel prices were lower in other towns. After a little research, we landed on the Elements Cozy Suites in Pyrgos.
The hotel was quite nice - small, but the rooms were very spacious with a kitchenette, double sink bathroom, living area and separate bedroom. The pool was right across from our front patio. Once we settled in, it was time to grab a dinner and catch the sunset.
This quaint town was perfect. The beauty of staying in Pyrgos is that the crowds are minimal. Just a short walk up the hill and a few stairs to climb, we found ourselves at our dinner destination, Rosemary restaurant.
The view was spectacular and it was definitely one of the most romantic dinners I have ever experienced. I would recommend calling a few days ahead for most restaurants in Santorini. We lucked up and were able to get a table at Rosemary without a reservation.
Elements staff were wonderful! They arranged a driver to pick us up from the airport, breakfast was delivered to our room each morning, and we were able to reserve a small motorbike directly through them. The vehicle was delivered to our door on the first day of arrival. It was the most hassle-free car/motor rental by far.
So after dinner, we ventured on the motorbike to Fira and walked around the town a bit to see the numerous shops and bars.
The next day, we decided to hit the beach and explore the island as we only had two nights in Santorini before taking the ferry over to Mykonos. Back on the motorbike, we set our sites for the Red Beach.
Along the way, we realized we had gone down a trail that led us to a very steep and precarious road to traverse to get to the beach. It seemed this was the only way to the beach. I said a quick prayer and grasped my partner a little tighter as we navigated up the small mountain and then down the hill to the coast. We arrived in one piece, thankfully!
Once there, we grabbed a very affordable lunch at the small and only eatery available. We sat under one of the thatched umbrellas to admire the view while we ate. Then, took a quick plunge into the chilly, but refreshing water and sat on the pebble-filled beach to soak up some rays.
Not having a lot of time to venture (late start), we sought our way back to homebase and aimed to catch the sunset and enjoy another wonderful Greek dinner at Franco's Cafe. Full from feasting on octopus, hummus, sardines, and other great fixings, we sat back and enjoyed the beauty of Santorini from its rooftops.
We still had a bit more exploring to do. So, we mapped out how to get from Pyrgos to Oia and set off for another evening trek on the motorbike. Oia was about 30 minutes away. We were only able to walk around a bit as most of the bars and shops were closed by the time we arrived (around midnight on a week night). We ventured back on the winding roads from Oia to Pyrgos and settled in for the night.
The next day, we headed to the car ferry via a van that the hotel arranged for us for an additional fee. The line for the ferry was long and it was hot outside, but once they started loading, the line moved quick and there was plenty of space on the large boat. We took in some of the sea views along the way and arrived in Mykonos in about two hours.
Once at Old Port, it was a little tricky figuring out how to next get to our hotel. With a little probing, we found the correct bus, but did have to wait about 30-45 minutes for the bus to arrive. There are only 30 taxis on the island and way more tourists, so the chances of snagging one is not great and the prices are high.
Our small hotel was located right in Mykonos Town at the Dimele Rooms and Suites. It was a small room, but pleasant and we could see the sunset from our tiny balcony. Rated only as a 1-star hotel, don't let that deter you from booking. The hotel has great ratings, the staff were friendly and helpful, and it was in a great location.
One warning though, the pavement can be really slick even with dry weather. I took a spill walking down the hill to the parking lot and scraped my foot and knee pretty badly. People were very kind and stopped to help me, offering me anti-bacterial treatment and band-aids (I was surprised people carried those items around).
The hotel arranged for us to have a late lunch/early dinner at Alesta Restaurant and provided us with driver to get there. The food was very good and the open air ambience was welcoming with very cute decor-flowers, wicker lamps and such. You could even see the sea from here.
That evening, we watched yet another beautiful sunset and then walked off some of that good food by exploring the streets of Mykonos Town. We discovered art galleries, retail shops, waterfront bars, a small church, the port where the cruise ships come in, restaurants and ice cream shops, and small dance clubs. The little town was very walkable and lively on the weekend we visited.
After a peaceful night's sleep, we got ourselves together, grabbed some breakfast and set off to find a moped or motorbike. Much different experience than in Santorini as it took us about an hour to find a place that had what were were looking for and that was offering a reasonable price.
We only had one beach day as our flight was leaving the next morning to Turkey. So, we set our sights for Paradise Beach and Super Paradise Beach.
Paradise Beach was only about a 20-minute ride from our location. We had a delicious lunch right at a restaurant located right on the beach. Sardines and a bit of wine, along with more octopus filled our bellies.
Wanting to find a seat to enjoy the sunshine and take a dip in the sea, we walked along the sand and one of the staff of a neighboring bar said we could sit for free if we ordered a drink. WARNING: These folks charged us more than $100 for some juice and a glass of wine. Were were not happy and stated that this was a total ripoff. Evidently, we weren't the first unhappy customers as a tourist stopped over to say we were the third set of folks to complain and wanted to know what was going on. We reluctantly paid the bill, but could not believe the audacity of this bar to charge us $100 for 1.5 drinks (I say 1.5 because one of them wasn't even alcohol)! Do not go to DK Oyster. They will rip you off.
Shortly thereafter, we hopped back on the moped and rode over to Super Paradise Beach. You could hear the house/club music from the parking area. So, we followed the music through the Super Paradise Beach Club, which was surprisingly empty for a late Saturday afternoon. If it had been more populated, I'm sure it would have been quite a hyped scene.
Stopping to dip in the cool clear blue waters, we sat in the sun for just a bit and decided to explore more of the beach area. There were some very cute beach spots, but, as we walked, we could hear some really good beats coming from the far end of the beach. As we climbed up the stairs, we discovered Jackie O's and a fabulous drag performance taking place. Before we knew it, we were dancing and having a couple of cocktails. What fun!
Hunger called us after a few hours. Back in Mykonos Town, we ventured out for dinner and stumbled upon this vegan restaurant that was featuring 3-D printed steak, which was very close to the real thing and quite flavorful! All in all, we had a wonderful time in Greece and will definitely return to visit more of its beautiful islands.