Kimkim Trip Reviews for Greece

Very nice and cute rooms / decor, great view of the town with our balcony, spacious room

Very spacious rooms and everything was very comfortable and well-appointed. Staff was also very nice and friendly, location again was great you could walk to everything, and the buffet breakfast was good.

Although rooms were tiny but that's to be expected in big cities, it was nice and clean and cute The staff was wonderful and the breakfasts were amazing. The location was also amazing

Even though we couldn't go to the distillery, we did get to go to a small cafe, a bakery, a cheese factory, and olive oil factory, and a lovely restaurant for a delicious lunch. We enjoyed our guide a lot and also the other two couples on the tour

We split this up over two days but we appreciated having a list of all the places we needed to see

The site itself was very interesting and our guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. Again the guide spoke perfect English and was entertaining as well as knowledgeable

Amazing e-bike tour, the bike itself was very cool, you could paddle without assistance or anywhere from level one to four assistance depending on how steep the hill was. Some of the hills were very steep and would not have been possible without the pedal assist but you still have to pedal the whole time so I still felt like I was riding a bike not a motorcycle or anything but it definitely made the impossible possible with those steep hills. Our guide was fantastic, he always lived in the area and knew everything about the area. He took us to his own personal Olive Grove and taught us a lot about Olive oil production. We saw so many great things, it was a really wonderful tour

Great to see the city from such a high vantage point, also nice to walk through the paths and get a little bit of nature in the middle of the city

I rearranged the order of things a little bit and we split it up over two days but all of the points that you suggested we visit were highly appreciated

Very interesting museum, you can also get an audio tour from the desk

Love getting to see the ancient artifacts, our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly spoke English very clearly

Absolutely gorgeous overlooking the Agean sea. Perfect location!

The pictures of the hotel were not at all what we were expecting. Apparently, our hotel had closed for the season so we were put in a horrible room. I was going to sleep on a chair at the beach. We called customer service and they arranged for us to meet with the supervisor of the hotel the next day and then put us in another hotel, The Anthony, and it was very nice.

We loved the location, the room was nice and the man who worked the morning buffet was extremely personable. We felt like we had made a new friend when we checked out.

Awesome! The food was amazing!

Excellent. We met alot of nice people.

Our guide took us everywhere and made us feel very safe while on our bikes.

Guide was fabulous!

We spent about 3 hours here because of an early airport trip. The shuttle service was greatly appreciated.

I was pretty disappointed in the general feel of this hotel. On the surface, it looks high end and special, but it does not live up to its appearances. The breakfast was okay at best. P.S. I was the only one in our group that felt this way.

We were disappointed that there was no breakfast to start the day with.

Most of the staff here was pleasant and easy to get along with except one woman at the desk that was surly and distant (and that's being nice about her). The room had a wonderful full and the breakfast was, I thought, the best of our trip.

A nice room and okay breakfast.

Once again, a little free time for us to enjoy the island at our own pace.

It's always good to have some time to ourselves and this day was very nice and calm.

Once again, our guide, Ronia, was just so informative and led us to places to taste and see that I would not have even thought to include in a trip.

Because of high winds, no ones fault, we only got to see the leeward side of the island. It was a lot of fun and interesting to see the island from the water was pretty nice.

I didn't plan this trip so I have no complaints, but I would not have added this hike to the trip. The trail was rocky and difficult to walk on. Having said that, we had a fun day out.

Again, this day was made special because of our guide, Vas.

I could not make this trip as I was sick that day. Everyone else loved it.

A lovely town and fun to navigate. Beautiful waterfront.

Another of my dream trips and I loved it. The guide was very nice, but I couldn't understand a word he said. I'm not kidding, my hearing isn't the best, but the guide spoke so fast with a heave accent, that I really didn't get any of it. I know he was knowledgeable and, I think, informative, but it was wasted on me and my companions.

This was one on my dreams, to see the Acropolis. I was so happy to be there.

An absolutely breathtaking place! The staff were incredibly kind and helpful, making us feel welcome from the moment we arrived and to top it off, they even upgraded our room upon arrival. The restaurant served some of the best food we had during our entire trip. Everything about our stay exceeded expectations — I highly recommend staying here; you won’t regret it!

Petit Palace was absolutely amazing! From the moment we arrived, we were warmly greeted by a kind gentleman who took us to the bar area to welcome us, share insights about the island, and offer wonderful restaurant recommendations — all while telling us more about the hotel. The views are truly spectacular, and the entire experience felt personal and relaxing. We couldn’t have asked for a better stay — highly recommend Petit Palace to anyone visiting Santorini!

Incredible place!!! Just gorgeous 💖

Beautiful view of the Aegean Sea and beach and lovely roofdeck with hot tub. Was a little farther away from Naxos Town than we expected but no worries we figured out the bus system for going back and forth to town for the tours. 😊

A lovely and extremely comfortable place. We are especially grateful that we could stay another night in our same room after Delta postponed our flight home to Boston the next day. The rooftop view of the Acropolis at night was also stunning and the location perfect to getting to all the sites we wanted to see.

We really enjoyed touring the Naxos country side on e-assist bikes with Manos Vassilas leading us around and narrating stories about the areas along the way. He took us to the Kouros archaeological site and to an Olive Mill where we learned how olive oil is made and also sampled some. Manos also took a video of us and shared it with us and we enjoyed visiting the family farm and then eating some of the food made at that farm. The view of the Aegean Sea on the way back was beautiful!

We loved Naxos and the Food Tour was great! We met our group and welcoming and friendly guide, Ellana, at 5 pm and then walked all around Naxos Town kicking off our journey with delicious samples of Naxos cheese, lime and fig nibbles, lemon honey bread and a local white wine. We continued into picturesque winding streets up toward the ancient castle to meet our sweet greek grandmother host for an olive oil tasting session, starting with the extra virgin oil, which was also award winning, hot, and spicy in our throats! Sampled many olive oils, some flavored with rosemary, basil and chile peppers drizzled on popcorn. She also served us sweet homemade greek cakes. After buying some olive oil we continued along a complex labyrinth maze (designed to lose pirates) toward the 360 degree sunset view bar, Avaton, through small white and stone walkways with bougainvillea hanging from trellises, and passageways around and through castle walls. Our group wrapped up the tour with a nice dinner at the restaurant, Apostolis, sipping squash soup, and eating greek salad in bread bowls with fluffy whipped goat cheese, Naxos potatoes with kalamata olives and capers, red onion, and cheese, lamb stew with phyllo crust, and zucchini fritters. Such a great way to experience Naxos.

We started at the Ancient Agora, then to the Acropolis and also the Acropolis Museum! All were amazing!

Leo was awesome and we learned alot about Athens! We walked all over Athens as saw the changing of the guard, many embassies, the upscale area of Kolonoki, student and young thinker hangout spots, grabbed a drink with the group at a local cafe, walked through the meat, fish, veggie and fruit markets then through Psirri square, ending at Monastiraki square. The tour really helped us feel comfortable navigating our way around the city.

Super small ...... two separate beds pushed together ......

View wonderful. Location ok. To walk to "town" was on a very broken path that we got lost on the first time.

Room very nice ...... location fine .......

Location and view great.

Breakfast and location great ...... room for us lazy Americans small.

Simply amazing. The views will take your breath away,

Great location!

Located just above the main town.

Centrally located…. Very comfortable and clean

A must thing to do on Santorini. Our crew took care of all of our needs and took us to beautiful locations. The tour included a delicious Greek barbecue. There was plenty of time to swim and snorkel.

Constantina started off by giving us a complete tour of the farm and what they grow. The view from the farm was amazing. We helped prepare a luncheon with all fresh food right from the farm. While waiting for the food to cook in an open oven, Constantine and Nikkos entertained us with the history of Naxos. It was a great way to hear about Greek cuisine while drinking home made Rose wine.

We had Alexander take us all over Mykonos island. He took us to areas of the island far away from where tourists usually go. Fantastic photo opportunities.

Maria was our guide for six hours. Very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of Athens.

This hotel is a DUMP. Do not be fooled by the website. It may have been nice serval years ago, but it is not only completely broken-down, but many of the items touted on their website are lies: 1. Their description said “Bathrooms… come equipped with bathrobes and slippers.” This is not true. No bathrobes or slippers are provided. In fact, we were only allowed one towel every two days, and only one pool towel for our entire stay. 2. Their description said, “an indulgent Champagne breakfast is included”. This is not true. Champaign was not provided, and the selection was very basic, including options like a 1-egg “omelet” with nothing in it or corn flakes with milk. 3. The website shows breakfast being served on outdoor tables with cushioned chairs and white tablecloths. Instead, the tables were rickety and badly peeling, and the chairs were both broken and without cushions. 4. Their website states that is “a pool bar that serves drinks throughout the day.” This is also not true. No bar. No drinks. No service. 5. The website advertises the Moonlit Suite as having an “outdoor private HOT tub”. While there is an outdoor “tub”, the water was ice cold, it was dirty and the jets did not work. 6. The website says there is a Porter. This is also not true. 7. The room material noted that we should not drink the water but stated that two bottles of water would be delivered daily. That was not true. When we asked about water, we were told we could buy some at a store across the street. 8. The room material noted that each room has a mini bar. Again, this is a lie. 9. The website shows a small but clean luxury resort. Instead, we arrived to find loose wiring, broken tables and chairs, missing or stained and torn cushions, haphazard painting, rusted fixtures, mostly dead plants, an abundance of BLACK MOLD in the bathrooms and overall lack of maintenance. 10. The pool was full of algae. I could go on and on but you get the idea. DON'T STAY HERE and SHAME ON THEM!!!

This was a ton of fun and a great way to explore the streets of "Old Town". The description made it sound like a few small snacks and drinks but it was actually a lot of food that culminated in a full sit-down dinner with our small tour group (maybe 12 people).

My husband didn't want to do this and we almost skipped it. Would have been a shame. Ended up being the highlight of our trip. The location was charming. The owners were welcoming and engaging. The class itself was relaxed and fun. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

If you are healthy enough to take a lot of stairs (70) then try for the rooftop room. Amazing views to the castle, the city and the harbor. If you are not in the best of shape, the stairs can be a lot. There is no elevator. Also, we could have used a better description of the location as we drove right past it using GPS. There is no parking at the hotel but you can briefly park 10 meters away. Parking is touch and go. There are parking lots and if you are lucky you can get a place not too far from the hotel.

Old but updated with a nice elevator, large bed, nice bathroom and shower and a balcony! Its location is close to the destinations we wanted to see and lots of nice areas to explore nearby.

Room 107 has small floor-level windows. The restaurant is great, and the breakfast offerings are delicious and with a lot of options. Beds are comfortable, the shower is nice and the AC works well. Get room 106 as it has the only balcony. The staff are delightful and very helpful.

We were surprised that this area was not as developed/restored as Knossos. It was however very interesting.

This was OK since it was major highway. The car was OK except when the check engine light came on causing a lot of distress and anxiety as we were on a 2 lane road with no area to pull off.

The weather report was for cold and wet so we did not go.

Easy, drive up, park, toss the keys through the hole. Done

The Palace is much larger than we expected and it is very well presented with excavations and restorations.

Petros was very accommodating as we got there a bit late due to traffic and could not find parking close to the meeting spot. He is very knowledgeable about the area and its history. He recommended a great place for lunch that was not overwhelmed by tourists. Chania is a delightful place with a lot of history to explore.

Kostas met us at the baggage claim and brought ut to the car. Very convenient.

Beautiful sites and great boat. Angela arranged for the premium package which got us on the boat first and staff catered to us. The staff was young and glued to their phones.

Again having a private guide and driver was great. All sites were great.

Angela reserved perfect table outside for us at the right time. Sadly there was not an epic sunset because of the clouds. The meal was great but the most expensive one we had on the trip. I think it would be great if you stay in Oia but for us meal plus transportation cost wasn’t really worth it.

All drivers were great and vehicles comfortable

Nice to have a guide and driver for just our group. Spent the right amount of time for us and listened to cater to us.

Friendly staff and hugged the shore—great cooks too

Maria was extremely knowledgeable and kind. We learned so much and enjoyed the pace

Fine for a quick overnight necessitated by travel. Nice sea view, comfortable beds. An actually a good hotel restaurant with a small discount so we didn't have to go out in the middle of travel layover.

Really fantastic room, location, views and of course our hostess Maria - the sweetest! Loved the Caldera gives and the fantastic cave rooms - huge, with plenty of open space - tables - outdoor spaces, flowers. Just beautiful Plus inside a full kitchen and 2nd bathroom (which we didn't have need to use). Plenty of bottled water, beverages in fridge, excellent light breakfast delivered right on time. Plus away from crowds. And immaculate. Great location away from cruise ship crowds. Best stay on our trip

Great room and amazing sea views - loved breakfast up on the roof. Reasonable walk from main square. Bed is quite hard - but that seems to be a little more common in Greece. This would be 5 star except the room right over the main road out of town so noise from cars and especially motorcycles was enough to disturb sleep till after 12p and starting up again at 5am. For lighter sleeper it was loud enough (even with good windows/doors) to wake us up at times.

Great views good beds very clean and inviting. I'd give it a 5 except for the following - issue is they kept locking the outside door hours early (supposed to be 11p and first night it poured rain and we forgot to bring the door code so at 10p we had to stand in rain and dark and call to get someone to give code so we can get in). Next night locked at 9p and there was another guest waiting who couldn't get in - but we had the code by then) When asked the next day they said it was an exception - but two nights in a row is not an exception

Hotel is ok but not great, location not bad but very soft beds, basic room (ascetically cold) - weird small bathroom. Marginal breakfast. It just wasn't an inviting place. One plus was the parking.

Great location with access to mountains and restaurants. Excellent breakfast and hotel restaurant very good

Perfect location for central Athens - nice sized room and comfortable beds. Large bathroom

We switched and did the sunset. Great food some excellent views. The winds that day required course adjusting - so no beaches. But all in very comfortable and pleasant. A little hectic with transfers and getting on the boat - but that's what it is. Another must do.

Great guide - a good way to spend the a half day in Santorini - in and out of crowds and something other than Fira and Oia. Liked seeing the variety. Enjoyed the tasting and the ancient ruins. All in very worthwhile

Great to see Hydra - but a 2 hour ride each way from hotel was bit much. It's a cute town - and not sorry we did it - but also wouldn't put it at the top of the list.

What a wonderful family and learned a lot about olives and olive oil. Best tasting lunch on our entire trip. Amazing views over the ancient olive groves. A huge surprise at how much we liked it. (Also order a case to be shipped home). We were the only two that day so it was like a private tasting and lunch

We didn't really need this tour because we had our own car and it was mostly just transportation. We go a refund because what we ended up on was not a private tour

Great guide. Everything as expected. Good stories and more than enough time for pictures, lingering and excellent info on side questions.

It was fine and met our needs. The breakfast was adequate and there was an ample size dining room. The room was a “acropolis view” yes if you angled yourself just right on the small balcony you could see the Acropolis. The rooftop bar was very pleasant with a lovely view.

DOM Boutique Hotel in Heraklion was very nice. The staff were pleasant, making the stay enjoyable.

Avra Hotel served its purpose for a quick overnight stay in Athens. Although it was a bit farther from the airport than expected, it was clean and functional.

The people at this hotel were some of the friendliest people I have ever met. The service is top notch. Having breakfast brought to your each day was such a nice way to start the day. I highly recommend staying at Absolute Bliss. The name definitely reflects the environment of the hotel.

This hotel was fabulous. Located across from the sea with an rooftop pool overlooking the sea. It was a short walk to old town giving easy access to shops and restaurants.

This hotel was in a great location . It had a roof top bar with an amazing view of the Acropolis. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We were on the 4th floor and the noise from the rooftop bar late at night was a little disruptive. I would ask for a lower floor.

The Sunset and Wine Tasting Experience was extended for a volcano celebration with fireworks, which made it truly memorable. It was a wonderful surprise to enjoy the event at Santo Winery.

The Neighborhoods of Athens Discovery Walk was a nice experience with just the two of us, though it felt a bit repetitive with the other activities we did in Athens.

The Ancient Athens Acropolis and Mythology Walk was a bit repetitive since I had already visited the Acropolis on my own, and it felt like I spent too much time in Athens. My husband, who loves history, loved it though!

The Sunset & Wine Tasting Experience was delightful. We were able to extend our visit at the last winery to watch the volcano celebration fireworks due to high winds cancelling the event the previous day. The tour organizers were accommodating and allowed us to do so, which made it a special experience.

The Knossos Palace Experience was okay. Heraklion itself wasn't very exciting, and I wouldn't have chosen to visit if it wasn't necessary to get to the ferry.

The Balos Lagoon & Falassarna Beach 4WD Day Trip with Lunch was amazing. There were just four of us, which made it feel really personal. Our guide was fantastic, knew so much about the history and the local area, and was easy to understand. We had a great balance of sightseeing and relaxing at the beach, followed by a wonderful lunch. Everything was taken care of – truly a fabulous experience.

The Traditional Cretan Cooking Experience was great! However, there was a mix-up with the pickup time, and they didn't notify us about it. It got a bit stressful since we weren't expecting them so early, but once sorted, the cooking experience itself was enjoyable.

This was a great way to see the southern part of Santorini.

Hotel location is 20 min to the airport with low traffic. The airport shuttle was effective but If you're short on time I don't recommend staying here.

Perfect location on the second best beach in Naxos! Was really nice to walk the beach and lounge on the comfortable chairs. One improvement could be the wasp and bee control in the open snack/buffet area as it was almost impossible to enjoy our breakfast outdoors!

Great location within walking distance to the shopping and restaurant district. Very quaint!

Great location on the beach ! With overall modern design and individual pool tub with rooms.

Extremely well located in the heart of the core in Athens - easy walking distance to so much!

Free to do and plan as you want. Feel free to rent a small car or ATV if you're feeling adventurous.

Very informative and excellent choice for guide

Excellent guide - very informative

We did NOT do this activity

Excellent tour guide

Wonderful experience for 3 wineries and local snacks/food.

9 hours makes for a long trek on the Catamaran especially if the seas are rough. Overall a great experience with lunch and 3 stops for swimming or snorkeling!

Time was limited and without a rental vehicle you can't do much

No comments as we did not have much time to enjoy this

Excellent experience and tour guide very informative.

Excellent experience but be prepared to walk uphill and around.

Good location if you're needing a place in proximity of the Athens airport. It's a big place (compared with boutique hotels) and located on the waterfront at the Port of Rafina (with ferry boats). Nothing else was particularly noteworthy about the hotel or the room (very small, as usual in Europe). Front desk staff very business-like. Breakfast (included), quite ample. Hotel restaurant quite decent, with view over the port/harbor and optional outdoor seating.

Gorgeous newer hotel on a hill above the town of Apollonia. The rooms (with private balconies/patios) were spacious (by European standards), super clean and modern, tastefully decorated. Just a 10-minute walk (downhill) into town. Breakfast (included) was delicious. Hotel restaurant (open for lunch and dinner) was also delicious. Staff very, very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend this place.

Gorgeous, newer hotel. The proprietor, Alex, was exceedingly friendly and helpful. His dog, Arthur, was quite charming too! Alex will help with anything you need. The rooms were spectacular - top-notch beds, tasteful decor, and spacious by European standards! Lovely private outdoor patio. Even though no breakfast was included, we loved this hotel.

The location can't be beat. Backs up to the waterfront and entrance is on a pedestrian-only street in the heart of the Old City. We walked out the front door to into the center of action! You can walk to everything from this hotel - easy peasy. We had a harbor-view room - WOW! The sunrises and sunsets were gorgeous. The room itself - very small by US standards (but common for Europe) - was fine. Our only complaints were gigantic decorative pillows that took up WAY too much space in a small room, the steps up to the bathroom, and a loud, automatic bathroom fan that we could not control or turn off. Be aware that this hotel is part of a large group of boutique hotels all owned/managed by a larger company. As such, our breakfasts (very delicious and ample) were a block away in one of the other hotels. Also the staff in the "lobby" (tiny reception area) work at many different locations so they aren't always totally familiar with all the details of the Elia Zampeliou. Also, one staff person had a bit of an "attitude." She was at the front desk many times during our stay and was never friendly to us. She seemed quite bothered by anything we asked. We tried to avoid her when possible. Guess people like that are everywhere.

The location is superb, if you want to be in the thick of things (which we did!). We were just a few blocks from Monastiraki Square...one of "the" places to be in Athens. We walked everywhere from our hotel, including to the Acropolis. The staff at the hotel were very nice and helpful. The rooms were great (small by US standards, but par for the course in Europe) - modern and well equipped. The hotel's 2nd floor lobby and breakfast room was roomy and nice and the breakfasts (included) were DELICIOUS and ample. They have a lovely rooftop bar. The only complaint we had was that getting around the hotel is a bit of a maze. There are many different wings and half floors. Finding our rooms was a bit of a challenge (it took a few tries to finally get the hang of it!). Just be aware that if you're not completely sober you might "get lost" in the hotel!

Again, practically, we did not have enough time to utilize the many great suggested hikes for this day. We had to catch a late afternoon ferry to Athens. Also, it was raining quite hard until noon so our options were very limited. The day before, however, two of us ventured out to Faro Beach (by bus from Apollonia) and then hiked to Platis Gialos Beach - a lovely, scenic stretch of foot path on the island's southeast side.

Practically, we weren't able to see everything recommended for this, in actuality, half-day. So we had to be selective. We decided not to "beach it" and ended up hiking to Kastro. It was a lovely walk (maybe 2.5 miles?), largely downhill, often on old (VERY old) stone paths. We learned that the many, many ancient stone paths on the island are popular hiking routes for many visitors. They are supposedly well-marked, but many times we found ourselves very confused at road and path junctions. We later discovered that some of the trails are well marked (with red and white painted blazes) and others not so much! Kastro is a lovely, very historic village perched on a hill above the sea. It's totally charming and walking the narrow streets through the little community was fun. The views from the seaside edge of the village were stunning. We did not walk all the way down to the Church of the Seven Martyrs (perched on a little jetty out in the sea) because we heard it was closed. We were able to bum a ride back to Apollonia in a Greek tour bus that had vacant seats! We also explored the village of Apollonia, walking the entire Steno (shopping/restaurant district) and through town.

We'd have preferred to do this tour during the daytime slot but apparently it wasn't possibly with our schedule...so we began at 6 PM. We had the same guide for this tour as we'd had the night before, for Taste of Sifnos, Ronia (sp.). Therefore it felt very comfortable and familiar from the start. Because we'd already been in Sifnos for 2 full days, we'd already visited a few of the destinations planned for this tour (e.g. Kastro, Artemonas, Platis Gialos beach). Our guide tried to make adjustments to accommodate our recent experiences (for instance, we did not visit Kastro again). Also, because the tour was in the evening, a few things that were listed as part of the Hidden Gems tour were not possible because they were closed in the evening (such as the Profits Ilias church/museum, museum in Kastro...). We did, however, visit the Monastery of Panagia Chrysopigi which was very cool (though 2 of us had already visited it earlier in the day) and also, just after sundown, drove the very steep, windy road up to the Ageos Symeon church (on top of the highest hill above the port town of Kamares). The views were spectacular at night, but bathrooms and most everything else was locked up. The very first thing we did on our tour was visit one of the island's 14 currently operating pottery workshops. We did this because we requested it! It was a wonderful experience. The potter/landowner we met was a super cool dude - very talented, hospitable, friendly, funny and owns a lovely, scenic piece of property with lots of artsy things adorning his surroundings. Our guide, Ronia, gave us a nice tour of the pottery workshop, explaining the process and the significance of pottery in Sifnos' history.

It was fun to meet some of the proprietors of little places we visited. Our guide, Ronia (sp?) was very knowledgable and affable. She pointed out lots of historical and cultural things in addition to food stuff. The little treats we were given to take home were cute and tasty...these included a cookie from a bakery (that we were instructed to eat right away...wish we hadn't because it ruined our appetites for the food to come later), a nougat-type taffy with nuts inside of a wafer, a little ceramic cup, etc. We had "hors d'oeurves" at a little bar on the street in Apollonia. Our guide brought different Greek "pies" for us to try - spinach, mushroom, cheese and meat. We were also given complimentary beverages of our choice. After this we totally weren't hungry and then we were taken for DINNER - yikes! Dinner was at a little place in Apollonia - nothing fancy but the food was very good and it was a total shame we barely put a dent in it because we were so full. It was also a shame that people were smoking near our table and it was difficult to enjoy the food (one person in our party had to leave the restaurant due to lung issues).

Best laid plans... We didn't know about the meltemi winds in the Cycladic islands. Lucky us, we hit a 2-day stretch of very strong north winds the day of our all-day sailing trip around Milos. Our boat tour company had to change our departure location as well as the route of our trip. Our group of 14 was driven to the south of the island (a 30-minute drive) where - 4 at a time - we were put on a tiny inflated raft with a motor and ferried out to the sailboat. It took about an hour to get going after we first met that morning. Then, instead of going around the island, we simply sailed the south shore, going east to west, with Kleftiko Beach as our turn around point. It was INTENSELY windy and it was difficult to stand on the deck of the boat most of the time while the boat was moving. Nonetheless, it was quite beautiful. We stopped at some very scenic locations, and with a bit of sheltering from the wind, we were able to swim and snorkle a bit. The water clarity and color were magical. We were fed a rather incredibly tasty and filling lunch aboard the boat by the very nice and competent crew. Lots of cold drinks, beer and wine, and fruit. Kleftiko Beach was stunning.

We didn't really follow the self-guided hiking suggestions provided to us. After getting situated in our hotel in Pollonia, Milos, the effort and expense involved with getting around the island proved more cumbersome than we wanted. Instead we opted to explore Pollonia - the waterfront in town, and the hike out to the lighthouse and church on a peninsula...which was plenty lovely. Feral cats were EVERYWHERE and we enjoyed them very much.

Our driver was competent and friendly. Our guide for our hike was a young, fun guy who had hiked the Imbros Gorge dozens and dozens of times. He was kind, knowledgable and helped a member of our group who wasn't confident on big or slippery rocks. The Gorge is very pretty and the goats were fun to see (and hear...their bells!). There are some very interesting plants in the Gorge (if you're inclined to notice such things). It's highly "civilized," compared with wilderness trails in the US: there are trash cans, and a snack/beverage stand (with bathrooms) mid-way. There was a bit of extra walking at the end before meeting our driver. It seemed we didn't have all that much time for the promised lunch and possible swim in the Liberian Sea after the hike. Our driver dropped us at a restaurant and we only had an hour before he said we needed to return to the van. So our lunch was a bit rushed (though the view over the sea was lovely) and there was no time to take a dip in the water (and we had brought our swim suits and towels with us).

The White Mountains are gorgeous and just the drive alone was worthwhile. Vas (Vasilly or Vassilius?) was our guide and driver again (he was also our guide and driver for Balos Lagoon and Falassarna Beach the day before). Once again, he expertly guided us through the day, telling us all sorts of relevant and interesting things about olive growing and oil making, agriculture in Crete, wine making, etc. Visiting the olive orchard with the one of the world's oldest olive trees was very cool. Vas took us around the facility a little bit and showed us the owner's private fruit orchard and farm animals. He also gave us a tour of some of the old, traditional equipment used in making olive oil. The wine and olive oil tasting destination was next and a lot of fun. The tasting room was very chic and the servers were extremely knowledgable and friendly. The samples of food and oil and wine were AMPLE! Next we drove to the entrance of the Samaria Gorge and the scenery became dramatic and awesome. We were given lunch at the restaurant above the Gorge entrance, on a ridiculously scenic balcony. The lunch was one of the best meals we had in Greece. Vas arranged the menu and served us the food. It was MEMORABLE!!!

Our driver was THE BEST. Vas (Vasilly or Vasillius?) was the coolest dude ever. He mastered the skill of telling us lots of interesting things without telling us too much. He knew how to read his audience. He also knew when to stop talking and when to give our group of 4 time to ourselves. Vas expertly drove a very scary road out to and back from Balos Lagoon overlook. We saw hundreds and hundreds of goats - all over the roadsides and hillsides, which was great fun. Vas pointed out the sea onion plant that was just beginning to bloom all over the mountains above the lagoon. The view to the lagoon itself was AWESOME. The word gorgeous doesn't do it justice. A sight to behold. Pretty windy on the ledges, though. Falassarna Beach was possibly the most user friendly beach I've ever experienced: water at a perfect temperature, as clear as sea water can possibly be, no rocks, no seaweed, no seashells, soft sand. Wow. Vas took us to our reserved lounge chairs and left us alone for a couple of hours. We later met him at the beachside restaurant where he arranged a huge, delicious lunch for us (kindly accommodating my pescetarian diet). It was a FABULOUS day.

Old Town/City Chania is charming beyond measure. The Venetian waterfront/harbor is gorgeous (the water is crystal clear) and one restaurant after the other is quite a sight. The shops in Old Town are endless - the leather goods, clothing, art, on and on. And the gelato and ice cream and frozen yogurt - OMG. Cretan history is fascinating and OLD. The many occupiers/conquerers over the millenia is fascinating and evident everywhere....some of the earliest known civilizations in the western hemisphere were in Crete...the Minoans. Ruins are easy to spot. The Jewish history of Chania is also fascinating and the Etz Hayyim synagogue was well worth the visit.

Our driver was great - super knowledgable and willing to tell us everything he knew. He went off-script, per our questions, and made a special stop at a WWII related memorial for Greek partisans who were ruthlessly murdered by the German occupiers. At Delphi itself, we had a guide that was very knowledgable and spoke good English but his accent was super strong and, consequently, we lost maybe 1/3 of what he was saying...which was unfortunate. The many tour groups visiting the site (particularly the museum) at the same time made for some logistical crunches and squeezes. All to be expected at a world renowned tourist destination. We were taken to a restaurant for lunch in the "modern" town of Delphi that was exquisite. The food was fabulous and the view from the outdoor patio....WOW!!! Down to the Sea of Corinth and overlooking one of Europe's larges olive orchards.

One can't visit Athens without seeing the Acropolis, for good reason. It's absolutely worth braving the crowds and doing the walking and stair climbing. We had a good, supremely knowledgable tour guide (Theo) who spoke excellent English. This greatly enhanced our experience. Good luck navigating through all the tour groups and crowds - a necessary circumstance when visiting this inimitable site.

The Monastiraki Square area and the adjoining Athens neighborhoods provide endless opportunities for exploring shopping, food, culture and more. Just roam around and get lost (your phone GPS will get you back to your hotel)!