Our Honeymoon To Greece
Aaaand months later (we visited in late September/early October), I am finally sharing the ins and outs of our honeymoon to Athens and Santorini, Greece! Not going to lie, editing these images brought back all the “feels” and I definitely called Blake over to my office area more than once to look at photos and reminisce with me. I still stand by that it was my favorite vacation ever…for one, Santorini was such a relaxing and romantic place – and Athens was so rich with incredible history that I was pretty much in awe for three days straight…and two, given that Blake and I are both workaholics, it was seriously SO incredible to disconnect and just be present and explore with each other for 12 days straight. We make a great team and he’s my very favorite travel partner! (…Our shared love for drinking coffee and beer in new places = a match made in heaven, ha!). From the scenery to the Greek food (omg heaven!), to spending days on end with my darling, it was pure magic and a trip I’ll forever fondly remember.
As folks are planning their spring/summer getaways, I’ve had a ton of emails and messages from LL readers asking to share where we stayed, what activities we did, and any tips and insight regarding this trip, sooo here we go! Sharing a photo diary first, then will spill the details at the end of this post (…the pros and cons!). I hope y’all enjoy!!
First off…is Greece not STUNNING?! Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way… 😉
ATHENS
Blake and I flew from Austin to Athens and stayed at this adorable Airbnb for two nights. Our apartment was in the heart of the commercial district in Athens and within walking distance from all of the historical sites like the Acropolis and Parthenon – we were about a minute away from Monastiraki Square (where there are a ton of vendors/open air markets – it’s a touristy area but a lot of fun). There was also a coffeehouse a block away that we stopped into each morning en route to explore the city called Coffee Island (which wasn’t particularly amazing, but hey, when you need your morning caffeine fix, it’s perfect!), as well as a ton of awesome bars with great local beer options. We always love to try the local beers when visiting other cities/countries, so this was a perfect apartment right next to a ton of lively, awesome options. The apartment had a really lovely patio, so grabbing a bottle of wine and enjoying a drink under the stars was so wonderful, too. (I’m cheesy, I know…but seriously, it was awesome!).
Ps. If you’re a coffee drinker, you’ll either have to get used to Greek coffee (which to me, tasted like ‘instant coffee’ – kind of thick and chalky, I wasn’t a huge fan…not to offend anyone, just my personal opinion!), or order espresso drinks at restaurants. I ended up ordering cappuccinos everywhere we went because I didn’t love the coffee options in Athens or Santorini – just a heads up if you’re particular about your coffee! (…which as y’all can tell by now, that’s me, ha!).
Three days/two nights in Athens was actually perfect to see all the sights and get a good sense of the food and culture. I definitely recommend that amount of time!
On day three we had planned to take a ferry from Athens to Santorini (it’s an 8 hour ferry ride, heads up!), but the day before we were scheduled to head out, our Airbnb host called and told us there had been a strike amongst ferry workers and that we should try and snag an airline ticket asap before they sold out. (Seriously our host, Stratis, was wonderful and so helpful!). Thus, we splurged on the tickets (…well, really we had no other option haha), and made it to Santorini within about three hours (it’s a 50 minute plane ride). If you can afford to buy an airline ticket, I highly recommend this option when traveling from Athens to Santorini! It was painless, enjoyable and super quick…well worth it!
OIA, SANTORINI
Sooo…this is where we indulged during our trip and stayed in THE COOLEST Airbnb EVER! It was a really beautiful “cave” studio apartment that had a dip pool (which is a must, just gonna say it!) both inside and outside the apartment – AND it’s just all around stunning, clean and modern. The apartment is at the top of the cliffside, so no one can see into your apartment/patio area, which really makes a big difference in terms of privacy because a ton of the housing options are in front of crowded pathways or built lower so others can see into your space from above.
Given the cost of that apartment, we spent the first few days in Santorini sipping wine on our patio, cooling off in the dip pool and overall just soaking up the gorgeous space as we got into “vacation mode.” This apartment had such an amazing view, too. It was incredible!
I should also mention that our host (Giannis) was super accommodating and booked our transportation from the airport to our apartment – he even met us and helped with my luggage, such a doll!
After a few days at the cave, we ventured to another nearby studio in Oia (the part of Santorini we stayed in) and finished out the remainder of our time on the island at this Airbnb. The view was just as wonderful as our first place and it was quite charming and lovely, too. A few things to note: this apartment felt a lot older, the shower was tiny (…I would have to squat under the faucet, haha ah!) and there was a pretty bad leak in the ceiling that dripped every few minutes (…nothing a bucket can’t fix! 😉 ). All that aside, you really can’t complain when you’re in paradise, and we had a great experience here overall. In the photos above, you’ll see a cliffside view with a couple of lounge chairs – that was snapped from our window and those were our “basking chairs” each day…so gorgeous!
During the second portion of our stay in Santorini, we ventured out and did a ton of stuff – here’s my list of recommendations:
1. Sign up for a catamaran tour (we did the day trip that leaves at 9am and gets back around 3pm, it was SO cool!!). You’ll swim and snorkel around the island and then the crew cooks a traditional greek meal that’s delicious, we had so much fun!
2. Hike from Oia to Fira – it’s a 7 mile hike that takes about 3 hours. It’s along the cliffside of the island and completely breathtaking…highly recommend! We did the 3 hour hike, then stopped for a beer in Fira and did a little grocery shopping (we made dinner at our apartment a couple times), then took the bus back to Oia (…couldn’t handle another 7 miles walking back, ha!).
3. Walk down to the fisherman’s pier and have dinner or lunch. We were lucky to snag a spot for dinner and got to watch the sunset from our table, it was so gorgeous!! (On your walk down the hundreds of steps, you’ll see donkeys bringing people and luggage up the stairs).
4. Do some shopping at the local boutiques in Oia – there are a TON of really cool local jewelry shops…it was amazing!
5. Grab a greek yogurt + fruit cup at a restaurant/coffeehouse called Passaggio (…as featured in a photo above). There aren’t a lot of restaurants that allow you to take coffee to-go, but this place had AWESOME coffee and you haaaave to get the greek yogurt + fruit cup, it’s heaven! You can take both coffee & the yogurt cup to-go, that way you can stroll around Oia and soak in all the views with your treats, we loved that!
6. Bring a few books and lay out on your patio and just soak up the gorgeous views as you read…I think I pinched myself like 100x while doing this…
7. Go swimming! The water is cool and so refreshing after basking in the sun.
8. Eat all the greek salads you can…nothing better than the real deal, y’all! (Also, can we just take a moment and give thanks for feta cheese? I still dream about that cheese…it was SO good!).
9. Watch the sunset from the famous Sunset Seranade point – truly breathtaking!
Santorini Cons:
WRAPPING UP
The crazy amount of tourists aside (…and hi, I’m guilty of being one of them!), this trip was the most relaxing and magical vacation I’ve ever been on. Doesn’t hurt that I was with my new hubby and still on cloud 9 from all the wedding festivities experienced just days before. In sum, Santorini is unbelievably romantic and also quite luxurious (…which I’m not exactly used to, but hey, definitely loved ha!), so you really just have to let go of your “to-do’s” and relish in the beauty of your surroundings and whoever you’re traveling with.
One more thing: we love staying at Airbnb’s, but a hotel in Athens or Santorini would also be an awesome way to go! Given the expense of this trip, we opted to stay in places where we could cook if we wanted to and save a little money, etc. Hotel or apartment renting, though – you can’t go wrong. 🙂
Lastly, we flew from Santorini back to Athens and stayed one night at the Sofitel Hotel directly across the street from the airport. This was actually the best idea to break up our travel a bit and enjoy one last night in Greece. The hotel was beautiful and we just strolled across the way to the airport and ate there for dinner, ha! It was easy and convenient, definitely recommend doing this!
81 Comments
Loved this post! Beautiful pictures!!
I was wondering if you remember where you got your blue swim cover in your pictures, it’s so pretty! Thanks!
Hi Angie! Yes, it’s from Saint Bernard Sports last summer, it’s by Seafolly. 🙂 It looks like they’ve got a similar style in stock right now, might be worth taking a look! http://rstyle.me/n/cjq8mmba99f
Oh goodness! What about your black one piece?! It’s to die for!
Hi! Thank you so much for the great review! My husband and I are spending three days each in Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini in May. In Santorini, we booked an Airbnb in a town called Imerovigli. Did you spend any time there?
Where is your suite case and carry on from???
Hey Danielle! You can shop my suitcase here: http://rstyle.me/n/cjq8udba99f (it’s a 21″ carry on and SO cute, also doesn’t get dirty easily, which is great given the lighter color!) and the duffel is by Barrington Gifts (they let you customize your bag with colors/prints, etc. it’s the best!!): http://rstyle.me/n/cjq8q2ba99f
Thanks so much for stopping by!! XOXO
You’re able to carry on both of these bags? I’m traveling to Amsterdam/Greece/Rome for my 2 week honeymoon and am trying to figure out how to pack all in carry-ons.
Thank you for such a helpful information! We planning our honeymoon to Greece too))) and I fell in love with your cave apartment in Santorini😍 May be we also will try it!
It is truly AMAZING! Can’t recommend that cave apartment enough – it was unreal! Definitely PERFECT for honeymooning – it’s private, romantic and the DIP POOL is so awesome! (Lolz, I am still so excited about the dip pools there!). It was quite a treat! Ps. Congrats on your engagement, such an exciting time!! XOXO
Great post! I’m actually going to Santorini in early October so this post was perfect! How was the weather when you were there? I see you’re in shorts & tanks most of the time which I was hoping for!! Also, you’re clothes are SO cute! Where is your hat from?
Ah, so wonderful!! You’ll have the best time! The weather was quite warm during the day (probably mid/high 80s) but really breezy, and got pretty cool at night. I didn’t pack a jacket and that’s something I wish I’d done! A leather/faux leather jacket would be perfect to throw on over dresses for dinner, you sit outside nearly everywhere you eat, so having a jacket with you is a good idea! My hat is from J. Crew, you can shop it here: http://rstyle.me/n/cjsw9nba99f
Have the best time!! XO
Oh my goodness, these pictures are amazing! I’m a newish reader, and this is my first time commenting but I couldn’t resist!
What an amazing honeymoon!
I don’t even have my passport and I’m ready to click Book on that Oia cave apartment! How gorgeous. And I love all of your trip photos – what a great honeymoon!
Hi I was just wondering if you had any recommendations for companies who offer catamaran tours? Are they all pretty equal?
Thanks!
When I was there last year with my family, we used Sunset Oia for our sailing tour. Can’t recommend them enough!!
http://sailing-santorini.com/
Hi,
Love to see your photos and get excited to touch the ground of Greece. I wish for a solo trip to Athens. Please guide and recommend some tips me for the very best budget trip.
These photos are absolutely incredible – making me want to plan a trip back to the Greek Isles asap!
Olivia | PrepEssentials
Yes, Olivia… me too wish the same
My family’s Greece trip was hands down the best we’ve ever been on. We started in Athens, went out to Amanzoe (which is an incredible resort totally in the middle of nowhere), then did Mykonos, Crete, and Santorini. I’d definitely recommend hitting up Mykonos next time you’re there, but be warned that it is even more touristy and crowded than Santorini. It has a much more electric vibe though and really gets exciting at night, whereas Santorini to me had a more relaxed and slow feel to it. Crete is also 100% worth visiting, both for the history and the gorgeous scenery.
Love all the pics and your outfits, as usual 🙂
I went to Greece on a boat trip a couple years ago and I think it’s the best way to see the country. There’s so many amazing islands but often they’re small and hard to get unless on a smaller boat. Also you end up with lots of locals who tell you how to avoid tourist spots i.e. the best times to go somewhere.
The AirBnBs you stayed in look amazing!
http://littlewhytebook.com/
Looks amazing! We are going in May and I wanted to see what company you used for the catamaran tour.
Thanks!
Hiya Livvy, love this post! Especially as my boyfriend and I are doing exactly the same trip in June 🙂 (4 nights in Athens and 4 nights in Santorini). I was just wondering about the catamaran tour – I’ve read that you should wear an old bikini because of the stop-off where you can soak in the mud. Is this right?! Were you able to change on board? Thank you! xx
Hi Emma! Ah, your trip sounds magical! We didn’t do a mud stop, so I think it depends on which tour company you use. I am trying to figure out which catamaran company we went with… I’ll comment back once I figure it out! 🙂 (…Been digging through my emails to no avail!)
Aww ok no worries, haha ok look forward to it! xxx
Hi Livvy! I looooved this post, it is full of helpful info and you’re outfits are absolutely chic and effortless. You have inspired me to dressed up more. We are going in August visiting the same places and other additional islands for our honeymoon and I can’t wait!! I am getting some of your outfits specially the Yara sandals, as they seem very comfy.
I need your help on two questions please,
We are planning on doing excursions in Santorini and the islands and a lot of walking in Athens, do you recommend these sandals for walking on the islands and Athens during the day?
And, I want to buy the jean shorts you have on this post and also the white jean shorts I have seen on your other posts, I wear a size 25 in jeans, what size should I order these? Do you usually buy shorts in your same size of jeans or go a size up in general?
Thank you love,
Jess
I think my favorite picture here is the one of all of the people taking pictures of the sunset! That’s the picture you never see! Sort of a behind the scenes look- very eye opening at how busy the location is.
Yes, so true!! It’s CRAZY how busy it actually is…no one shares those photos, ha! There were even certain areas with great views where lines would form so that folks could “get the shot” …we were in shock haha. Either way…quite a stunning place, understandable why there are tons of people that visit!
I loved this, so detailed. I plan on going to Santorini soon. All your outfits are soooooo dreamy 😊❤️❤️
Hi! I love this post so much, I’m going to Greece in August and looking for ideas on how to pack light. I’ll be following a similar itinerary to yours! Did you ever wear heels or did you live in your Birkenstocks everyday? Trying to limit the number of shoes I bring, and I would love to know the top recommendations for shoes you wore!
Hey girly!! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 I pretty much lived in my Birks by day, buuut you definitely could wear some heels for dinner! I’d say bring a pair of walking shoes and then also a pair of low heels or something a little more date-night-ish, too. The restaurants are all very close by if you’re staying in Oia, so you’re not walking super far! Have a BLAST!!! XO
Got black and white one piece is gorg! Can you share deets!?
Your*
Your pictures are so beautiful! I recently just got back from a Greek vacation. I wrote about Santorini and Athens over on my website livelearnandrepeat.com Not as glamorous as your honeymoon but still beautiful!
Great post! going to Santorini in September!
Can you provide details on the black /white one piece swimsuit. I looked at the Vitamin A website for the Neutra style listed at the bottom of your post, but I don’t see this black/white version. It looks similar but not identical.
Hi there! My husband and I are going to Athens, Milos, and Santorini in about 5 weeks….can’t wait!!! I was planning on venturing to the different parts of Santorini for dinners and didnt know if taxis are easy to come by? Our hotel is in Firostefani (spelling??), and I didn’t know how easy it would he to catch a taxi to or from Fira and Oia after dinner and drinks. One website I read said they are difficult to come by??
Hi Laura! Yes, taxis are very hard to come by (Blake and I ended up hitching a ride from a really nice man once when we were stranded, ha!). However, there is a bus system that takes you from Oia to Fira and it’s super easy to use – I definitely recommend the public transportation – very fast and inexpensive! Have a wonderful time!! XOXO
Love this post! What camera did you use for your trip photos?
Funny enough, these are all taken with my iPhone7! I told Blake I wouldn’t turn our honeymoon into a blog trip haha, sooo I just ended up snapping quick photos along the way with my phone and it was great!! When we travel now, we’ll bring along our Canon 6D. 🙂
I Love your photos ! what application or program you use to edit your pictures? I am going to Greece next year I will love to have great and memorable pics…
What are your fave photo editing apps?!
Hey girly! I love VSCO and Camera Plus (for brightening a dark image) – they’re my two must-haves!
My fiancé and I just planned a trip to Greece and we will be headed there in 2 weeks. Thanks for the awesome tips!
Btw, What kind of walking shoes/sandals are you wearing in the last photo?
Hi Jane! That is so wonderful, I hope you have an absolute blast!! 🙂 I’m wearing the Yara Birkenstocks, they are my FAVORITE travel sandals…can’t go anywhere warm without them! Here is a link to them: http://rstyle.me/n/csv28rba99f
Thanks for sharing! The photos are amazingly beautiful, the colours are mild yet quite deep. I love your taste
HI! I am traveling to Santorini this summer and loved your post. I loved your black and white swimsuit you had on the boat, I didn’t see it in your links. Could you tell me where to get it.
Hi there beautiful photos! I’m also going on my honeymoon in Europe in August and we are spending our last week in Mykonos and Santorini. I also looovvvee your black and white one piece swimsuit. Would you be able to tell me where you got it 🙂
Hi! I loved your post, thanks so much for sharing! I was wondering if you remember the company you used for the catamaran tour you did in Santorini?
Hi Christina! Ah, I wish I would have snapped a photo of the boat or kept our receipt… I have no idea which company it was! Our Airbnb host at our second apartment had a binder filled with activities and she’d book whatever we wanted to do…I am so sorry I can’t be of more help with this!!
hi!! I am going to Santorini in the summer and am wondering through who did you book the catamaran tour? I tried to find it but didn’t have luck!
I just saw the post above lol
Hi! I’m going to Santorini with my best friend this summer and your blog just made me extra excited! Where did you buy your passport holder?
Hey love! It’s from Gigi New York, here’s the link: https://rstyle.me/n/czezn7ba99f
Have SO much fun!! xoxo
Great blog post. Santorini is definitely a beautiful place
https://martynakotlarz.blogspot.co.uk
We stayed at a hotel called Dream Island, it was reasonable, fantastic breakfast and very nice people.
What a lovely trip and beautiful pictures! I realy love you’re style and I was wondering where you bought the blue dress?
They you so much, Lotte! It was such a wonderful trip, memories to cherish forever! My blue dress is by NBD from Revolve. 🙂
Hi Livvy!
Can you share whether you and your husband checked or carried on luggage? Any issue, if you checked, with doing so as you transported between islands? We will be flying from Athens to Santorini and taking a ferry from Santorini to Milos.
Thanks!
Hey Vanessa! We checked all of our luggage (…I packed so much and ended up barely wearing half of it haha ah!) and it went super smoothly – no issues at all. Their airport system was super quick and painless (…the US is always the worst haha!), so we actually had plenty of time to get a drink at the airport before the flight. The biggest pain was lugging our luggage around Santorini when we switched Airbnb’s…the hills and stairs on the island are NO joke, we were drenched in sweat! If you’re planning to move around, I might recommend packing as light as possible for the convenience of it. Also – warm weather clothing is generally really lightweight, so consider packing a more “capsule wardrobe” style so you can mix and match and it’ll weigh you down a lot less (in hindsight I totally should have done this!). Have a WONDERFUL time, sounds like a dream vacation!! xoxo
Awesome info!! So you did your rolling carry on, the duffel bag, and a checked bag?
Do you know what happened to the links for your outfit choices?? I need them in my life!
Where did you get your blue shirt?! It’s so cute! And the blue short summer dress! I’m going to Santorini in June
Love this post! I am going to Greece this summer and I need some jean shorts. Where are yours from!? They look so cute!
Hello, where is your blue dress from? Its sooo pretty!
Also I love these pictures
Thank you!! It’s from Revolve by a brand called NBD. 🙂
Did you find that your Birkenstocks had enough traction at the Acropolis (which I hear has slippery marble) and walking up and down the steps in Santorini? We are going in a few weeks and I keep reading about needing rubber-soled shoes to avoid falling, but “stylish” and “athletic sandal” don’t really seem to go together! I’m hoping the traction on my Yaras will be enough?
Hey Lara! These shoes were SO great. Blake ended up buying a pair of Birks during our stay in Santorini, too (they sell them at a ton of the little boutiques). It’s smart to just be aware of what surfaces are more slippery than others (the Acropolis is definitely slippery, but you’ll be fine as long as you’re careful!) and I had no issues slipping in Santorini with my Yaras. 🙂 Some steps are steeper than others, but again, just be aware of the surfaces and you should be just fine! We didn’t slip once. 🙂 Have a fabulous trip!! XOXO
Hi Livvy, thanks for sharing such beautiful pictures and tons of great insights from your trip to Greece. I read all the comments and wonder if you have a link to your outfits. You have a great style and I need some ideas. My husband and I are going to Athens, Santorini and Mykonos the first week of July. Happy summer.
Great photos of Santorini.
These photos are amazing! We are going in April, what camera did you use to take these pictures?
I brought my iPhone…didn’t bring a DSLR! 🙂 It’s so pretty you won’t need a “real” camera, ha! Have the best time!! xoxo
Great photos!!! Would your feet be tired at the end of the day after walking all day in birkenstocks?
This is a very informative blog and Greece trip is no less than an adventure of a lifetime. I really like the concept of this blog. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing the whole journey, Pictures are really very wonderful. Your blog gives the idea of where we can visit in Greece.
I apologize if you already answered this question, but where is your panama hat from? It’s super cute!
where is your blue top from? and the red floral top? love them! and the yellow top & pink top?
Beautiful island. Beautiful photos. I love Greece. This country is ideal for holidays or special occasions.
An amazing honeymoon, thank you for sharing!
Santorini is a such romantic area, crowded sometime but awesome. Paros is also an interesting island!
Im going to Greece in dec for my Honeymoon too. How was the weather?! I keep hearing its cool but how “cool”? Do I need to pack any sort of long sleeves?
Hi Don! We were there in late September/early October and it was quite cold at night! Definitely cool enough to pack a light jacket and pants. Hope that helps and congratulations!
Gorgeous photos! I loved Santorini, crowded but beautiful.