For those who don't know, Greece is very dear to my heart. I lived there as a young adult and it was difficult for me to leave. I repatriated to the U.S. in 2011 and did not return to Greece until 2022. I wanted to show my husband the place that I loved so much, that had resulted in overstaying a vacation by 8 years in the early 2000's. We intend on going back in the coming years so I decided that the best itinerary for someone who had never been to Greece before, was the classic trio of Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. Since our Athens trip also included road trips to surrounding cities, I'm going to separate my blog posts between the mainland and the islands.

To start with, I want to say that this was my first flight to Europe in a long time, so we decided to get upgraded seats so we could lay down and sleep during the flight. Best decision ever and totally worth it.

Not only was I very comfortable and able to sleep several hours, the American Airlines staff were amazing. They were constantly checking to see if I wanted drinks or snacks, they showed me how to use my seat to get cozy, and they handed out kits with socks, a blanket, and an amenity kit for maximum comfort.

The biggest bonus to traveling this way was the absence of swollen ankles and minimized jet lag when we arrived.

We stayed 5 days in Athens at the Grand Bretagne Hotel, the perfect spot in my opinion, situated right in Syntagma Square, where we were able to watch the changing of the guards from our balcony. The hotel was beautiful and had that kind of old glamour that takes you back in time. The service was impeccable and the valet in downtown Athens is a must-have.

Since we landed in Athens at 8 am, and had the opportunity to sleep on the plane, we got to site seeing straight away by visiting the Acropolis and Parthenon.

We started on Philopappos Hill to walk around and take in the scenic view of Athens. It was very pretty and wooded so there was plenty of shade to walk in. I hadn't explored that park when I lived in Athens so it was fun to take time to view Athens as a tourist.

Our trip was in June and it was pretty hot so quick reminder to readers to bring along some water when you walk around Athens.

We took our time exploring the park before we headed up the stairs to the Parthenon. The surrounding area is beautiful and has a theatre and a great view of Lykavitos.

We even found a friendly tortoise walking around and a cute little chapel.

Once at the top of the Acropolis, we were able to get pretty close to both the Parthenon and the statues of the muses.

That evening, we had dinner at a restaurant on Lykavitos called Orizontes. Although the food was average, the view was breathtaking and we had the good fortune of getting a reservation at sunset. The best way to get there is to take a taxi to the shuttle up the mountain because the parking in Kolonaki is a challenge.

On the topic of reservations, we found it difficult to reserve a table directly with the restaurant and had to use the AmEx concierge to get a reservation but it worked out just fine in the end.

The next day, we visited Sounion which is one of my favorite places in Attica. The Temple of Poseidon is on a cliff that overlooks the sea.

Any time I've been there, I've enjoyed how windy it is on that cliff top, and the view of the Aegean is gorgeous.

We wore bathing suits to Sounion because I remembered that there was a lovely little beach nearby. It used to be a well kept secret, but now 20 years later, it was on google maps and was packed. The plus side was that there was now a restaurant at the top of the hill and the stairs are much improved. The downside is that it was terribly crowded and parking was nearly impossible to find.

We found a spot to sit on the rocks but then decided that it was too crowded for our liking so we headed back to Athens to go swimming at Lake Vouliagmeni. It was the quiet vibe we were looking for and much more relaxing than sitting on rocks at a crowded beach.

Our third day, we road tripped to Ancient Corinth and Nafplion. It was a long day but we were trying to squeeze in as much history as possible. We started with Ancient Corinth because ancient ruins are my jam and I can't get enough of them.

The archeological site is easy to explore on your own without a tour guide. The path and signs along the way tell the story of the ancient city very well.

After checking out the ruins, we went to Acrocorinth which is the mountain adjacent to the ancient city. It was a long, steep hike and the old cobblestone road is slippery.

The hike up to the top is steep and it requires a certain level of fitness. This site was not wheelchair accessible. Once at the top, the view was breathtaking.

Definitely worth the hike because there are lots of cool nooks to explore as well as walking over to the Penteskoufi Castle.

I think it took us an hour to explore the whole thing because we love old castles and forts so we want to check out every corner.

Nafplion is less than an hour south of Ancient Corinth so we swung by there before heading back to our hotel in Athens to check out the Fortress of Palamidi.

The Fortress of Palamidi was another must see for anyone who likes hiking and exploring historical sites.

From all the hiking, we were famished, and found this local restaurant with amazing moussaka. I ate the entire thing.

On our fourth day, we drove to Delphi. I cannot overstate how beautiful and impressive it was to experience Delphi.

We spend most of our time enjoying the ruins outside but they do have a very nice museum on the property.

The ruins are well kept and you can almost feel a time warp as you take it all in. It's a two and a half hour drive from downtown Athens but you will not regret taking the time to see this place.

The aura in Delphi is magical. The forest scent is so good that I can still remember it.

On the 5th day we just relaxed, enjoyed the hotel, and prepared to fly to Mykonos. I recommend to anyone going to Athens to check out surrounding cities as well. There's so much history and beauty, you won't regret taking the extra time to explore the areas outside of Athens.