Opa!

I never thought I’d be the type of person to dream about tropical places in the winter. I’ve only been in NY a couple of weeks now and I’ve been reminiscing about Greece. Went there on our honeymoon and loved it. Guess I’m not really thinking so much about the warm weather as I am about the delicious food we had there. Since we visited mostly islands, we sampled a lot of light sea fare. I never used to be a big seafood lover, although I’m happy to discover that my palette is maturing like a fine wine. We had fresh, and I mean fresh, octopus salad that my husband brings up occasionally out of the blue; of course the traditional Greek salad every day – that’s pretty much the only thing I ever ordered regularly; and lots and lots of pasta, who knew? Turns out that Venetians occupied many Greek islands back when that was fashionable and left their Italian culinary touches behind. My husband ordered seafood linguini five times a week. Their moussaka was divine and I tried to replicate it at home and of course it wasn’t the same. It’d go back for that alone.

Greek Salad

Octopus Salad

One thing we both agreed on was how absolutely terrible their signature drink ouzo was. The first night we were there we decided, what the heck, when in Rome…, so we ordered a small pitcher of that lighter fluid. I bravely took three gulps before I gave up. My husband didn’t fare any better. We saw guys who didn’t even dilute it with water or ice as is recommended, so you know those are locals. Blah, I definitely don’t recommend that. Other than that, all food and desserts were excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by the many pastries they produce. We had fresh walnut or cheese-stuffed pockets every morning for breakfast. The views from our beach hotels didn’t hurt either. I think all that sea air made everything taste extra good.

The country itself is beautiful and the people are the nicest we’ve encountered so far on our travels. We were surprised that everyone spoke English and there were even street signs with English subtitles. It was the easiest far-away country to navigate.

We tried to see a bit of the historical sites as well as the relaxing beaches, so we explored Athens, Mykonos, Ios and Santorini.

The sightseeing we did was typical for Athens – the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum. We tagged along with other tourists marveling at the marble statues and the grand views from the Acropolis, but also rubbed elbows with locals in Monastiraki square (main tourist area), fed the occasional stray dogs and snacked on cherries we picked up at the market. We finally felt the last shred of our technology-ridden stress melt away as we enjoyed the view of the Acropolis and watched millions of tourists journey along. We explored the Plaka district, where the shopping is as much revered as the food. We had the most delicious gyros, for about $2 each. Needless to say, we devoured those every day we were there. We also hiked Mount Likavitos behind our hotel to enjoy a drink at the popular bar. It was breathtaking to sip cocktails, situated at the top of the highest mountain in Athens, overlooking the entire city. After spending three days in Athens, which believe me, is more than enough time, we headed to Mykonos.

If you’ve ever seen a postcard of Greece, the picture was most likely taken in Mykonos, where the white-washed buildings with their blue-shuttered windows cannot help but put you at ease. We spent much time walking through the village, shopping for souvenirs, sunbathing at an exclusive VIP beach recommended by our hotel manager, and trying to avoid the well-known Mykonos winds. We drank overpriced Coronas at the fancy beach and checked out the local windmills.

Mykonos

Little Venice in Mykonos

Ios was the second island we went to, and although the smallest and quietest, it was the prettiest to me as well. Rolling hills beckon you to lay down and take a nap. The Ios Palace Hotel where we stayed, overlooked one of the local beaches, and since we were there mid-season (hint: cheaper rates) and also during the global economic crisis, we not only had the hotel almost to ourselves, but also the beach. We checked out the local town once, but since there were no other tourists, every small restaurant or shop was closed. We decided to spend the rest of our two days at the beach. Instead of renting a car, we rented the very popular ATVs and I hung on for dear life as my husband cruised up and down the mountains. The views were nothing short of spectacular. While cruising around, we discovered a small tavern at the end of the beach, literally built on the rocks. That’s where we had the best food during our entire trip. The first time we arrived for lunch, we were the only people there. The owner was leaning over the edge of the boardwalk, pulling up a bucket of fresh mussels - I still dream about them. We also tasted their famous deep-fried Haloumi cheese, a Greek specialty, and several more plates of fresh fish, seafood spaghetti and stuffed zucchini blossoms.

Ios

Ios Hotel Pool

The last island we journeyed to was Santorini. It is famous, crowded, beautiful, and definitely not to be missed. We had a suite that was spacious, the breakfast on the front terrace could not be beat, and the views were spectacular, especially from the hotel swimming pool. This is where we ate the most pasta. They also have vineyards on the island which most people don't know about but we didn't have a chance to go wine tasting.

Greece was absolutely amazing. We met many gracious, friendly and extremely generous people and learned about a culture totally unfamiliar to us. We indulged in deliciously fresh food, and at the end of our trip, we were very full but happy, albeit a few extra pounds. Now if I could only book tickets again….

Breakfast in Santorini