Island-hopping in Greece

A visit to Greece has been on my bucket list for some time now, especially after I fell in love with its vistas after repeated views of the movie Mamma Mia.

I finally got my chance to experience Greece when I went on the Celebrity Beyond cruise with Keren Pascual and Leo Katigbak last month. Included in our itinerary were five Greek islands: Katakolon, Rhodes (pronounced as Rodos), Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. Though we only spent a few hours on each island, it was enough to see the distinct beauty and charms of each island. We arrived at the height of summer to temperatures of around 33 degrees and high humidity between the blazing Mediterranean sun and the azure waters of the Aegean Sea.

Katakolon was our first stop. Keren, who has been on several cruises and knew the Greek islands by heart, suggested we explore Katakolon on our own. Not only did this save us lots of money (a guided group tour costs between US $100 to $150 each depending on how many attractions are included), it also gave us the luxury to dictate our pace without having to wait for groupmates.

We took a cab to the archeological site of Olympia, where the very first Olympic Games were held. The site consisted mostly of ruins as a result of two earthquakes that shook the area hundreds of years ago. Beside the ruins are two museums: the Museum of Olympia houses many of the relics from the archeological site, while the Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games hosts more than 450 ancient works, including the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.

The next day, our ship docked in Rhodes, which is a medieval port city and a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because we only had a few hours to explore the island, Leo and I toured the Palace of the Grand Master, which has many religious artifacts dating as far back as the 14th century. There was a lot of restoration work that was started by the late archeological historian Hermes Balducci which continues to this day. There was also a small beach front with quite a few locals and tourists enjoying the sun.

Picturesque Santorini sits on top of a mountain with its white houses and blue domes.

The next stop was Santorini, the place I was most eager to visit after seeing it immortalized in postcards and movies. From the ship, Santorini beckoned with its picturesque, blue-domed white houses sitting on top of a mountain. After we arrived, we bought tickets for a ferry to take us to Oia and then a bus to Fira, where most of these white houses are located.

Keren and I also entered a boutique hotel, where the lady at the front desk obliged and showed us a standard room. She told us that Santorini is closed to tourists from December to April because of the harsh winter weather. No wonder then that a room here costs at least US $400 a night, since they can only operate eight months a year. Because cars aren’t allowed in the area, you must go on foot or ride a donkey to get around. The sight of tourists lugging their luggage along the cobbled streets is normal. I didn’t even know where we were since there were no visible street signs. But it was fun to come upon the jewelry shops, restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries and souvenir stores that lined the narrow alleys.

Keren, Leo and I treated ourselves to Greek yoghurt, which came with a choice of over 50 toppings and was such a treat after walking under the sweltering sun. When it was time to go, we rode a cable car that took us to the shore, where a tender was waiting to take us back to the cruise ship.

The next island was the quaint and picturesque town of Mykonos, which, unlike Santorini, was not on top of a mountain. As soon as we set foot in Mykonos, rustic windmills welcomed us. Leo opted to visit Delos, another island, while Keren and I decided to stay to explore the town.

We asked Leo to meet us at Maria’s, a restaurant that’s not part of the tourist route but which Keren recommended highly. Maria herself looks like the stereotypical Greek grandmother who does all the cooking herself while her children run the place. When she stepped out of the kitchen, some of the regulars even clapped their hands! No surprise there, as her food was hearty, warm and delicious!

After lunch, Keren suggested we rent a car to go around town. He wanted to check Nammos beach, which was reportedly a must-see. For 80 euros, we were able to rent a car and I was the designated driver. With its winding roads, driving around Mykonos reminded me of Baguio. Leo was the designated navigator while Keren provided the entertainment from the back seat.

At Nammos, we were surprised to see many high-end shops, among which was the only pop-up store of the late Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton. Also there were the beautiful, stand-alone designer shops of Christian Dior, Fendi, Bulgari and many others.

At the end of the strip is the entrance to Nammos beach, where the super-rich park their million-dollar yachts and party all day and night along the beach. This is Greece’s answer to Spain’s Ibiza. We stayed for an hour just to soak the vibe and people-watch. It’s the playground for the young and young at heart, with loud music playing as people dance, drink, tan themselves, and just have a good time.

We arrived the next day in Athens, our last stop in Greece. Athens was named after Athena, the patron goddess of the city. We got on a bus that took us to the Acropolis, which is located on a rocky outcrop above the city. Acropolis roughly means “highest point,” and you can get a 360-degree view of the city below. It contains several ancient buildings, including the iconic Parthenon. Here you will find the ancient Greek theater where Margie Moran won the Philippines its second Miss Universe title in 1973.

Rustic windmills welcome tourists like this writer in Mykonos.

After exploring the ruins in the Acropolis, we decided to have lunch in the city at another restaurant that Keren highly recommended. Ergon House is not just a deli that serves brunch all day, it’s also a store that sells artisan cheeses, olive oils, assorted sausages (think Santi’s) and a variety of other specialty foods. After lunch, we continued exploring the city and did some souvenir shopping before heading back to the ship.

My trip to these mythical, magnificent islands was truly worth it. The price of food is reasonable compared to Spain and Italy, and the Greeks speak English very well. The best time to visit is in springtime or fall, as the summer heat can be quite uncomfortable. But whatever the season, Greece will be sure to reward you with its countless ancient and modern charms.