Grace Capsule

Tag: greece

  • The Perfect Paradise Doesn’t Exis…

    The Perfect Paradise Doesn’t Exis…

    Santorini, Greece

    Looking for a majestic, peaceful getaway with your lover? Santorini is the perfect place! It is truly a romantic paradise for partners to spend time together. This is one of those rare places where everything really is as picturesque as the online photos! With everything painted royal blue and pristine white, it feels like you’re in Mt. Parnassus with the gods.

    Helpful Apps

    Google Maps allow for exploring Santorini easy! You can see places with the best reviews and see what else is around you.

    Uber is a common way to travel throughout Santorini. However, it’s also common to hail a taxi or ride the bus. Taxis are everywhere and Google Maps will show bus stops and departures.

    Food

    Given the romantic nature of this island, there is a lot of delicious food with a STUNNING view! As captivating as the view is, the food is absolutely yummy too! There are so many different assortments of food including pasta, seafood, meat, risotto– there’s always something for someone! There’s also a handful of fancy and really popular restaurants, so it’s highly recommended to make a reservation in advance! 

    My husband and I thought we were being smart by going during off-season to avoid the crowd, but little did we know that a lot of these popular restaurants are closed during this time! However, no need to worry because there’s still many other incredible restaurants to visit! In fact, I highly recommend Kokkalo. They have a variety of unique options with great portion size! The food was delectable; some stellar recommendations are the lamb shank, mushroom and truffle risotto, and feta cheese in pie crust– WOW.

    Activities

    Admittedly, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Santorini (hence, the activities rating is a 6). Although this isn’t a personal issue for me (because I love basking in nature and feeling the serenity of the environment), my husband wanted more to do. Nevertheless, the island does offer some interesting excursions like…

    1. A photoshoot!

    I know this is not everyone’s cup of tea, and TRUST ME, it’s not something that I would normally do either. However, my husband and I felt compelled to do a photoshoot for our engagement, and wow, was it worth it! No other place mimics the beauty of Santorini. The backdrop is ICONIC and cannot be mistaken for anywhere else in the world. Even if it’s with family or friends, I highly recommend a photoshoot with a local photographer. They will take you around the island to get the most striking photos. The most romantic spot is in Oia. These are photos that will be cherished for a lifetime!

    1. Boat Tours Exploring the Caldera and the Volcano

    Did you know there is a volcano near Santorini that could erupt at any moment? Just kidding– maybe it won’t erupt at any moment, but it is active. Currently, it’s dormant, like us on vacation, but you can still see and feel the heat sizzling off. A tour guide will lead you up close and personal to check out the volcano while teaching the history of Santorini. I highly recommend this excursion!

    1. Take a Bus to Akrotiri
    Asteria Santorini Restaurant

    The bus is significantly cheaper than taking a taxi and can travel all around the island. Since we stayed in Thira, we took a bus to Akrotiri. This area feels much more rural and secluded than elsewhere on the island. It felt eerily quiet and desolate, but also immensely tranquil and simple. We barely saw anyone on the road except for the people we came with on the bus. Wandering around this region was an adventure of its own! You’ll find quaint churches, the most undisturbed beach you’ve ever seen, and lovely family-run businesses. One particular restaurant where you can sit right by the ocean is Asterias Santorini. As you eat your pita bread dipped in tzatziki and look out into the ocean, it feels like time slows down and just maybe, you’re warped into the era of togas and temples.

    Scenery

    The scenery in Santorini is un-beat-able. This is a location that you can identify immediately because of its iconic colors and famous blue domes. As a caveat, it is so white that your eyes might feel bleached! So don’t forget to bring sunglasses everywhere you go!! I always wondered how they were able to maintain such vibrant colors on this island, and I learned that during off-season, workers are going around repainting all of the buildings to ensure that everything looks immaculate for their busiest tourist season during the summer! Aha! It really does take a lot of work and devotion to keep this island so legendary. 

    Also, not to be dramatic, but the beauty of this place actually moved me to tears. I am not kidding. Every night, I would go out onto our balcony overlooking the caldera and the star-filled sky. I would gaze at this scenery for HOURS. I would think about its history and the celebrated people who came to this land for military, religious, or personal endeavors. It brought me to tears. I was so grateful to be at a time in our history where I can delve into the past and walk across the exact land that heroes have crossed thousands of years ago. Below are some UNEDITED photos that I captured from our balcony.

    Lifestyle

    The island lifestyle is always so peaceful and great. It’s like nothing can really ever bother you, and the people there definitely seemed the same! The pace of lifestyle is slow, and people are happy. They are hardworking, but seemed to have striked a good balance between work and leisure. All of the workers at the hotel, restaurants, or around town were super friendly! Something else that struck me was how appreciative the people were. Although there was a language barrier, it was enough to express so much gratitude for the smallest gestures– whether it was tipping them for their effort, showing appreciation for the food, or enjoying each other’s company during a quick taxi ride. 

  • Walking Amongst the Greek Gods

    Walking Amongst the Greek Gods

    Athens, Greece

    What a wonderful and mystical place. Greece is one of my top destinations that I’ve visited! There is so much history to learn, myths to be inspired by, and people to be reckoned with!

    Helpful Apps

    Google Maps is common and effective in Greece. During my stay, we rented our own car, and Google Maps was perfect for navigation as well as finding things to do and places to eat.

    Uber is common in Greece! It’s also easy to hail a taxi.

    Efood is probably the most popular food delivery app in Greece. However, be warned that the app is in Greek! With some help with Google Translate, it can be navigated, and the vendors will usually speak English!

    Food

    Greek food is absolutely delicious because of its wonderful blend of savory, freshness, and tartiness. These are some must-tries if you ever visit!

    1. Tzatziki

    First on the is is 100% TZATZIKI! We ate tzatziki ALL DAY, EVERY DAY! I’m from California, and tzatziki is (fairly) easy to find in stores. However, the flavors were much more fresh and delicious in Greece (which is expected since it originates from here)!! Each region makes it differently– sometimes it’s more creamy like yogurt and other times, it’s more chunky like cottage cheese. But every time, it was stupendously delicious! It was absolutely transportive with a warm side of pita bread. If you like flavors that are refreshing and tangy, THIS IS A MUST!   

    2. Gyro

    The gyro is another dish that you couldn’t escape even if you tried. These bad boys are sold everywhere! They are extremely flavorful and come with your favorite choice of meat– chicken, lamb, pork, or beef. The meat is usually cut from a rotating skewer that has been marinated in all sorts of colorful spices. They lay it on a soft pita bread with fresh onions, french fries, tomato, and of course, Greek yogurt! The melody of flavors make it an ideal meal that can satisfy all palettes!

    3. Greek Salad

    Another simple yet incredible dish is the Greek salad. It really encapsulates Greece with its fresh, crisp ingredients and explosive flavors. Usually, it’ll come with ingredients like tomato, red onion, peperoncini, and olives. (As a side note, I’m usually not a fan of olives, but I recommend that you at least try! Greece is the only place where I felt the olives were perfectly marinated and not overly salty). Also, something about eating a healthy, crunchy salad by the ocean just makes you FEEL GOOD– literally and figuratively. They usually pack on a lot of feta cheese (which is never enough for me because I loveeee cheese). And as with any American meal, salad is great to pair with more heavier dishes like meat or pasta. 

    Scenery

    I don’t know what I expected when I first arrived in Greece, but I was taken aback. I should’ve known better since cities can be hard to maintain. However, I guess I envisioned Greece to be in pristine condition with an oceanic hue as if the gods and goddesses really lived there. (I know that’s unrealistic, and I was probably brainwashed by the completely edited and photoshopped posts by Instagram influencers.) Although it’s not perfect like the online photos, it is still beautiful. There may be some graffiti and litter, but it is also lively and warm with city centers where people are selling fresh fruit, pastries, and coffee. There are narrow alleyways that go in all kinds of directions, and you never know what you’re going to pass by– a shoeshiner, a cafe, a boutique, or a vase shop. Half of the fun is really just walking through all parts of the city to see what day-to-day life is like. You’ll also meet a lot of random cats that look hungry but are still so cute and friendly. 

    When you go to the outskirts of town (perhaps by the mountains or near the beach), life starts to feel a lot more calm. You become immersed in nature, and it’s like you’ve been taken back in time. People seem to enjoy the simplicity of life, and the environment for sure helps you feel recharged.

    Activities

    If you love history or Greek mythology, there is an endless amount of activities for you! The city is rich with so many preserved archaeological sites. Its stories are even more astounding as the country is the birthplace of democracy. It really feels like traveling back in time to when the people believed that gods and goddesses intervened in human affairs. Below are some of my favorites places to visit in Athens!

    1. The Acropolis

    You can visit the acropolis which sits atop a cliff overlooking the entire city. Here, guests are invited to wander into various temples and learn about the different deities that were worshipped. Other impressive buildings in this area are the Parthenon, Odeon, the Theatre of Dionysus, and much more!

    2. Monastiraki Flea Market

    Monastiraki Flea Market is another fun-filled adventure where there is so much to see, smell, and taste. There are a lot of shops selling knick-knacks and souvenirs. It’s an endless amount of walking, zigzagging through the narrow streets. There is an abundance of items to choose from– Greek sandals, a chess set, yummy snacks, or functional accessories. It’s easy to get lost amidst this bustling area, but that is part of the fun!

    3. Filopoppau Viewpoint

    To escape the chaos of the city, hiking up Filopoppau Viewpoint is a wonderful option! The hike is easy, and the entire way, you’re surrounded by nature. The overlook allows you to have an immaculate view of the city, almost at eye-level with the Acropolis. While here, I highly recommend visiting Socrate’s Prison (pictured above, right). The prison looks haunting but also incredible given the immense history of all that occurred here.

    BONUS: Rent a car and travel outside of Athens!

    Pro Tip: I highly recommend finding a tour guide (or possibly even renting your own car) to visit places outside of Athens. It’s DEFINITELY worth it, and sometimes even more impressive than what Athens has to offer. Two places that come to mind are Acrocorinth and Delphi. 

    Acrocorinth is similar to the Acropolis in that it located at a summit. However, it expands across a much larger parameter in a grassy and woodsy landscape. Although still in ruins, a good amount is still well-preserved that it transports you back into time. Within Acrocorinth, you can see areas where they built a church and a temple back then for other religions to take refuge. I find this beautiful that even then, Greece was a culture that was so open-minded and accepting of all people.  

    Another remarkable place is Delphi which resides next to a small but enchanting little town called Arachova. Arachova looks like it appeared from a fairy tale and is definitely worth exploring. To picture this beautiful, quaint town next to The Oracle of Delphi where the pythia would conjure spirits and fortunes IS FASCINATING. Learning about the history of the Oracle of Delphi and how travelers and leaders from all over the world would come to this mountain peak to know their future feels surreal. 

    Greece has such a wondrous and long history that it’s a must to visit these places and learn more! 

    Lifestyle

    The lifestyle here seems slower and calmer. Mornings are especially slow because most places won’t open until late morning or afternoon. However, once the shops begin to open, you can hear chatter and people gathering around fruit stands, cafes, and shops. You can smell the fresh strawberries from 5 meters away; the pastry shops emit a golden aurora from the baked goods that are toasted to perfection! You see people sitting around, basking in the sun while enjoying their sandwich. People are to themselves but still very friendly. I didn’t run into any issues with anyone and thoroughly enjoyed my week in Athens, Greece!