Aishwarya and Abhay – Greece
A self-planned honeymoon to Athens and Santorini for 10 days
Abhay and Aishwarya travelled to Athens and Santorini for 10 days, with a self-made itinerary based on four months research that involved reading blogs, travel review websites, hotel rating websites and more. Here, Aishwarya tells us about their best experiences in Athens and Santorini and recommendations for honeymooners.
Day 1 – A car was parked for us at the airport parking, thanks to Central VIP rental service (to rent cars you can refer to online services or Hertz, Central VIP, Eurocar etc). We checked in to Hotel Grande Bretagne, one of the best hotels in the city (35 kms from the airport and in the heart of the city – Syntagma Square)
Day 2 – We drove to Cape Sunion (56 kms from Athens) to visit Temple of Poseidon. Renting a car is a must-do if you want to enjoy the best and scenic routes! On your way, you can stop at local vineyards.
Day 3 – We left for a long drive to Nafplion (150 kms from Athens), a quiet and small village, and very unique in its own way. Architecture lovers can visit the Old Fort at Nafplio.
Day 4 – We spent the day in Athens, visiting Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, shopping and lazing around! Architecture and History lovers cannot afford to miss the Acropolis.
Day 5 – We left for Santorini- a small village on Fira Island and one of the most popular amongst many other Greek islands. The island is as white as it can get and colourful too. What amazed us was its location- it is right on the rim of the cliff with the most romantic sunsets and sunrises!
Day 6, 7 and 8 – We visited various spots in Santorini. The island is so small that you can drive from one point to another in 50-55 minutes! Oia and Faros are at extreme ends. Oia may not offer the best of what other parts of the island have, but nothing can beat it when it comes to its scenic beauty, beaches, sunsets and resorts. Being off-season till March, vineyards and wine factories were closed for the season, but for those who prefer a quiet and cold place and who want to relax, this is a good time to avoid the crowd. Most of the themed resorts were closed, but there are a plethora of options. To move around the city the best way is to rent a car as it is cheaper than hiring a taxi, and all you need is your International licence + GPS (a must)!
Day 9- We flew back to Athens.
Day 10 – We took a flight back home (India).
Recommendations and Tips
a) GPS – A standalone GPS with Europe maps preloaded or a smartphone with maps is a MUST if you want to drive and explore the country yourself.
b) Sim cards – Get Vodafone international sim cards, I think they are much cheaper than Matrix or any other card.
c) Recommended Car Rental Companies – Hertz, Budget Cars, Avis and Central VIP Services (for luxury and sports cars like Porsche)
