Two Weeks in Greece (2021)

June 20 – July 4, 2021

Given all the uncertainty with the pandemic, Andy and I figured we wouldn’t go on our honeymoon trip right away — I knew I didn’t want to plan anything unless we could really do it right and the thought of planning yet another huge trip that could very easily get canceled made me insane. However, things changed quickly in late March after we suddenly were both able to get vaccinated and Greece announced they were opening their borders for tourism.

We had always talked about taking a big trip to Greece and, most importantly, one of Andy’s friends from high school was getting married at a beach resort in Parga just a few weeks after our wedding…taking our honeymoon in Greece was now a no-brainer. The other key factor in deciding on Greece is that it wouldn’t require as much planning (or so I thought) since we would primarily be relaxing on the beach, which was particularly appealing to me as I was scrambling to finalize everything for our actual wedding. It ended up being a bit more work and research than I had hoped, but we ultimately had a perfect two-week trip that will be extremely tough to top.

We spent time in Athens at the beginning and end of our trip and then spent five days on the Ionian Sea in Parga (on the northwestern coastline and very close to Italy) for our friends’ wedding before heading to the Cyclades (in the Aegean Sea to the southeast of the mainland) to celebrate our honeymoon on the islands of Milos, Sifnos, and Santorini. As in my previous post about the two weeks we spent in Italy in 2019, I’ve included an itinerary with details about each place we visited and what we did, but also included separate sections at the end of the post for the specific restaurants/bars and activities we enjoyed and general tips for traveling in Greece.

If you’re planning a trip to Greece, click here to access and download my Google Maps list of saved locations.

Itinerary

• Days 1 & 2 – Athens
  • Our trip, unfortunately, got off to a rocky start after our extremely delayed flight from Atlanta caused us to miss our connection in Paris and we had to spend most of the day in the Air France lounge at CDG. We finally got into Athens after midnight (~9 hours later than we had planned) and went straight to bed after checking in at the absolutely incredible Electra Palace Athens. Thankfully, our flight fiasco ended up being the only noteworthy issue of our entire trip.
  • We had a lovely breakfast on the hotel rooftop before heading to the Acropolis. I reserved our tickets in advance through the GetYourGuide Acropolis + Museum pass (~€20 per person) and it made everything so easy since we were able to just walk right in whenever we wanted without having to wait in line. The entire monument complex was incredible, especially the Parthenon, and it definitely helped that there were lots of informative signs in English that helped us understand everything we were seeing. Afterward, we walked over to the Acropolis Museum and spent an hour or so exploring all the key archeological items and relics from the Acropolis, which was absolutely worth the visit. By far the biggest silver lining of traveling in 2021 has been being able to visit major tourist sites with a fraction of the crowds — it was so cool to experience the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum in a more relaxed, intimate setting than we had at similarly popular landmarks and museums on pre-pandemic trips.
  • Another great thing about the Acropolis area was that it is right in the center of town and was very easy to walk to from our hotel. We stayed in Plaka both times we were in Athens and I highly recommend it — the traditional old town is very walkable and full of shops and restaurants. It was also surprisingly quiet, which is always a bonus.
  • We spent a very relaxing afternoon walking around town without much of an agenda and were able to see some of the other major landmarks in between stopping in as many cute cafes and bars as possible for iced coffees and cocktails (a few of our favorites are included in the ‘Food & Drink’ section below). We also had an amazing dinner at Hytra, which set the stage for the unbelievable culinary experiences we had throughout our entire trip.
• Days 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 – Parga
  • Our journey to Parga began (extremely) early the next morning with a 7 AM flight from Athens to Corfu. It was a short flight followed by a longer (~2-hour) ferry ride from Corfu to Igoumenitsa, which is where we picked up a rental car to drive the remaining ~45 minutes to our Airbnb. Aside from being somewhat difficult to get to, I really can’t overstate how much we enjoyed our five days in Parga. Andy’s friend from high school (in Atlanta) is a Greek-American dual citizen and spent every summer at his family’s beautiful, historic house on the harbor in Parga, which is on the coastline of the Epirus region of Greece. Parga strongly reminded us of Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast and was a completely different vibe from the other places we visited in Greece. Aside from the architectural and cultural differences, Parga is also primarily a vacation destination for Greeks — any taxi driver, waiter, etc. that we spoke to in Athens or the Cyclades about our trip was so surprised that two Americans had heard about this hidden gem on the Ionian Sea. It was such a unique and incredible experience, and I can absolutely understand why it’s so popular with Greeks looking to escape from tourist hot spots.
  • We spent most of our time in Parga simply relaxing on the beach and eating and drinking with the other wedding guests. Andy’s friend and his wife (who is Syrian but grew up in Germany) met in Bulgaria and now live in Germany, and so Andy and I were really some of the only wedding guests who didn’t live in Europe and/or grow up coming to Greece to visit family. We couldn’t have had more fun getting to know the other guests, and it was amazing to be in a place like Parga with someone like Andy’s friend who knows the town so well and speaks Greek fluently. The wedding events were spread out over three days (and included an all-white welcome party on a sunset cruise), and it was truly one of the best wedding celebrations we’ve attended. Andy and I are now actively seeking future invites to any and all Greek and/or destination weddings. 🙂
• Days 8, 9, & 10 – Milos
  • The day after the wedding we flew out from the tiny airport in Ioannina and had a layover in Athens before our flight to Milos, which has an airport that is somehow even smaller than the one in Ioannina (the terminal has one gate and looks more like a gymnasium than an airport). Milos was nothing short of a dream from the moment we landed, though. I can absolutely understand why so many people say it’s one of their favorite islands in Greece — it is nowhere near as crowded or as touristy as Santorini and Mykonos, but it’s still big enough to spend several days exploring. It also has several excellent beaches, which isn’t as common for a Greek island as one might think.
  • We stayed in an Airbnb in Plaka, which I highly recommend — it has the traditional old-town feel and excellent shopping, beautiful sunset views, and lots of decent options for bars and restaurants. Pretty much every street looks like a postcard and the area is very walkable, although it’s tough to get from town to town without a rental car or ATV (which is true of anywhere in Milos). We didn’t make it over to Pollonia, but several people recommended it to us as another option if you don’t want to stay at a resort.
  • We intentionally didn’t make many plans in advance so that we could just enjoy our time together. We also did a surprising amount of shopping in Plaka, which had so many cool local art galleries and boutiques, and the prices on the island were very reasonable. However, we spent most days just hanging out on the beaches and going to as many restaurants and cafes as we could handle because everything we ate and drank was simply incredible (see the ‘Food & Drink’ section for recommendations). A few highlights from our time in Milos:
    • I booked a kayaking tour with Milos Watersports through Airbnb Experiences that was unbelievable—10/10 recommend. We spent an afternoon with our guide and two other couples kayaking through the ocean caves and snorkeling off the coast, which was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our guide even brought everyone several (delicious) traditional baked goods that his mother had made from scratch for us to enjoy during breaks from kayaking and swimming.
    • Our kayaking tour started at Fyrkiplaka Beach, which is one of the few tropical-looking beaches we saw in the Cyclades, and it was the perfect place to relax and enjoy a few drinks at the beach bar.
    • Sarakiniko Beach is a white-rock “beach” that looks more like you’re on the moon than a beach. It was a very cool place for pictures and swimming, but the only option for laying out is on the hard rocks and there aren’t any restaurants or bars so it’s not ideal to stay for more than a few hours.
    • We had lunch at a beachfront restaurant called Sirocco, which has figured out a way to cook meat and seafood below the sand using the heat from volcanic activity on the island. It sounds crazy, but it was a really cool experience and the seafood we had was excellent.
• Day 11 – Milos & Sifnos
  • On our final day in Milos, we took the ferry (~45 minutes) to Sifnos, a nearby island known for its food scene. We very easily rented a car from a random rental agency in the harbor and spent a fantastic day exploring the beautiful island. Sifnos is smaller than Milos and is only accessible by boat, so it is much quieter. The restaurants we went to absolutely lived up to our expectations and we also took some of the most beautiful pictures of our trip here. We were able to drive around and thoroughly explore the entire island in one day, which made it a perfect day trip; however, I’m not sure we would have enjoyed staying on Sifnos as much as on Milos because there just wasn’t as much to do.
• Days 12 & 13 – Santorini
  • Milos and Santorini were only two hours away from each other by ferry but were light years apart in terms of ambiance. Even with a fraction of the visitors (compared to pre-pandemic numbers), Santorini was SO crowded — it was actually a little unnerving because it had been so long since we had really been around that many people at once. In addition to being much more crowded, Santorini was a lot more expensive than other places in Greece and the amount of touristy souvenir shops, etc. took away from some of the charm…as did the unbelievable amount of Instagram-ready photoshoots we saw on basically every corner. I’m glad that we got to see Santorini (it really is very beautiful despite the crowds), but I’m really happy we only spent two days there and I don’t think we would go back.
  • We stayed in an incredible Airbnb in Oia (Old Town), which was definitely the right choice. Oia is the part of town with whitewashed buildings and blue-domed roofs that you’d recognize from pictures and is way more charming than the rest of the island, especially Fira. We were able to walk just about everywhere, including the “beach” and most of the good restaurants (details below). There were also tons of cool shops, including Atlantis Books, which was honestly worth the trip to Santorini on its own.
• Day 14 – Athens
  • We headed back to Athens for one final day of eating, drinking, and strolling by ancient ruins before flying back to Atlanta. This time, we stayed at New Hotel, which was one of the coolest and best-designed hotels I’ve stayed in. It was also in Plaka, but it was approximately half the price of the hotel we stayed in at the beginning of the trip — so it’s definitely the one I’d recommend in Athens.

Food & Drink

• Athens
  • six d.o.g.s.: A below-street-level cafe and bar in a garden with live music and art exhibitions. You truly cannot see it from the street and it will feel like you’re about to walk into a random basement…and then suddenly you’re in a beautiful courtyard with a Lebanese-ish menu and all kinds of really interesting and creative craft cocktails. It is very trendy and vibey, but still super approachable, and is a great option for food or drinks at any time of the day or night. They’re also known for being open 365 days a year, which is particularly noteworthy in Greece.
  • The Clumsies: An all-day bar in the city center with unique cocktails and small bites. It’s currently ranked #4 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, so that alone probably makes it worth stopping in for a drink.
  • Drupes Spritzeria: Extremely cool cafe and wine bar right by the Acropolis Museum that serves espresso and juices in the morning and Italian wines and spritzes in the afternoon/evening.
  • Hytra: Modern Greek restaurant in a super chic space on the 6th floor of the Onassis Arts Center with incredible views of the Acropolis. It has a Michelin star and is definitely not cheap, but our meal was fantastic and the service was even better.
  • By the Glass: Wine bar and bistro with an incredible wine list, but also a coffee bar, deli, and restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine. We randomly stopped in here for a glass of wine and ended up buying a few bottles because their selection was so amazing.
  • O Thanasis: Excellent, low-key kebab shop that has been open for 50+ years and is located right by the ruins of Hadrian’s Library, the Ancient Agora, and the Stoa of Attalos.
  • Bios: We didn’t end up going here, but several people recommended it as a cool rooftop bar.
• Parga
  • Achilleas Bakery: Charming little bakery with fresh, homemade sandwiches and pastries, and an excellent espresso bar. We went every single day we were in Parga — usually once in the morning for breakfast and cappuccino, and once in the afternoon for a freddo cappuccino (an iced coffee drink made with fresh espresso and frothed milk that is popular all over Greece) or frappé (another typical Greek iced coffee drink made with instant coffee).
  • Avocado Cocktail Bar: An open-air bar and nightclub by the harbor with excellent cocktails and wine. This was definitely the hot spot after sunset and was surprisingly modern compared to a lot of other places in Parga.
  • Taverne Tzimas: A lovely, traditional taverna that happened to be across the street from our Airbnb. The owner was so kind and attentive, and the food was simple but delicious.
  • Simple Grill House: Andy went to this takeaway gyro joint no less than 10 times (I don’t think this is an exaggeration) because it was located right in the harbor, super inexpensive, and absolutely delicious.
  • Med Parga: All-day lounge and nicer Mediterranean restaurant with a pool and beautiful views. We went here for the rehearsal dinner, which was fantastic.
  • Cafe Citadel: This little bar inside the ruins of Parga Castle serves coffee, wine, and cocktails all day with lovely ocean-front views.
• Milos
  • Sirocco: It’s located in a kind of a random part of the island, but it is worth making it over to this beachfront restaurant for the experience. There’s volcanic activity on the island and the chefs at Sirocco have figured out a way to cook meat and seafood below the sand using the volcanic heat. It sounds crazy, but it was really cool to watch and the seafood lunch we had was amazing.
  • Bacalico Cafe Bar: Super cute bar in Plaka with breakfast, coffee, and fresh-pressed juices in the morning, and craft cocktails in the evening.
  • Utopia Caffe: Bar and decent restaurant in Plaka with amazing sunset views.
  • Palaios Cafe: Excellent breakfast, coffee, pastries, and ice cream in Plaka. It was right by our Airbnb, so we went here every morning.
  • O! Hamos! Tavern: Rustic and traditional taverna near the port with a handwritten menu. Our dinner was fantastic, but it is pretty popular so we had to wait a while for a table.
  • Barriello: This lovely Mediterranean restaurant in Trypiti (a 10-minute walk from Plaka) ended up being the best meal we had in Milos. We randomly walked by and got lucky with snagging a walk-in table, and both the food and the service were just amazing.
  • Methismeni Politia: We had a really good lunch at this traditional taverna in Trypiti. It is super casual, but the food is top-notch and the owner was so nice.
  • Glaronisia: Very trendy seafood restaurant in Trypiti with beautiful views and decent food.
  • Medusa: Extremely popular seafood restaurant in a cool/random area on the water. The food was good, but it felt a little overhyped and overpriced compared to other restaurants we liked just as much (or more).
• Sifnos
  • Omega3: A tiny, picturesque fish bar on the beach at Platis Gialos with a creative (and delicious) menu and extensive wine list.
  • Isalos: Beach bar near Kamares, the island’s tiny port, with excellent cocktails and chaise lounge seating.
  • Aperanto Galazio: Traditional and low-key fish taverna on the beach in Vathi. We had fresh-caught octopus here that was absolutely unbelievable, and the service was great.
  • Theodṓrou: Family-run confectionary shop in Artemonas, a particularly charming village, that has been open since 1933. I can’t even begin to describe what we bought here because it was all so unique, but everything was delicious.
• Santorini
  • Ambrosia: Very romantic restaurant in Oia with one of the best sunset views in town. It was a bit pricey, but the food and service were great.
  • Selene: Probably the most expensive meal we’ve ever had, but also one of the very best. It’s in the courtyard of a beautiful former monastery in Fira, and absolutely everything about the food and the service was nothing short of legendary. We did the 13-act tasting menu with wine pairings because it was the last night of our honeymoon, but there are definitely other ways to enjoy this incredible restaurant without spending a fortune.
  • Oia Vineyart: Extremely cool wine bar and restaurant in Oia with a hyper-local focus and art galleries. We went for pre-dinner drinks in the restaurant part, but they also have a cool-looking takeaway deli and wine shop.
  • Dimitris Ammoudi Taverna: Seafood restaurant on Ammoudi Bay. It’s a great spot for lunch, especially if you’re going to Ammoudi Beach before or after.

Activities & Attractions

• Athens
  • Acropolis of Athens: This hilltop complex overlooking the city contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, including the Parthenon. It’s very easy to walk here from the Plaka area and you can buy tickets at the gate, but I highly recommend tickets online in advance so that you can skip the line. I booked the GetYourGuide Acropolis + Museum pass (~€20 per person) and it made the experience so easy — you can also book a version that includes entry to some of the other Athens archeological sites listed below for just a few more Euros. Unlike other historical sites we’ve been to, the Acropolis really doesn’t require a tour guide since all the signs are in English and the coolest part is just seeing the ancient buildings in person. It also doesn’t take very long — I think we spent a combined 2.5 hours exploring the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum without even trying to rush through anything.
  • Acropolis Museum: Most of the archeological items and relics from the Acropolis (aside from things that were very controversially taken for collections like the British Museum; v. sensitive subject with most Greek people) are actually housed in the Acropolis Museum, which is just a few minutes away from the monument complex. The museum is relatively new and is very well designed (and air-conditioned), and contains some of the most important findings and artifacts from the Acropolis monuments.
  • National Archaeological Museum: We didn’t end up visiting this museum during our trip, but it is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and has one of the world’s most important collections of Greek antiquities. Tickets are only €12 per person, which would make this worthwhile if you’re spending a few days in Athens.
  • Museum of Cycladic Art: It seems kind of random, but a lot of people we met in Athens recommended visiting this elegant museum dedicated to the iconic marble Cycladic figurines created between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. We didn’t have time to go, but tickets are only €8 each so I would be interested in checking it out when/if we go back to Athens.
  • Plaka Stairs: One of the most photogenic streets in Plaka (Mnisikleous) with cafes lining a long staircase. We didn’t stop anywhere to eat, but Yiasemi looked cute.
  • Other Noteworthy Archeological Sites:
    • Temple of Olympian Zeus: Completed in the 2nd century AD, it originally included 104 gigantic columns and was the largest temple in Greece with one of the largest statues in the ancient world. 16 of the original columns are still standing, which makes it a worthwhile stop while sightseeing.
    • Arch of Hadrian (Hadrian’s Gate): A marble gateway built in the 1st or 2nd century in honor of the Roman emperor Hadrian. The main structure of the Arch is very discolored because it’s still standing in its original location, but it’s worth walking by to see it since it’s so close to the Acropolis and Syntagma Square.
    • Ancient Agora, Stoa of Attalos, & Temple of Hephaistos: The Agora of Athens was the center of all aspects of public life in ancient Greece and the current archeological site contains several extremely significant historical ruins, including the Stoa of Attalos (an ancient covered shopping center that has been fully restored and now contains a museum) and the Temple of Hephaestus (an extremely well-preserved ancient temple). We didn’t go in the actual archeological area, but I think tickets are ~€8 per person.
    • The Roman Agora & Hadrian’s Library: Not to be confused with the Agora of Athens (despite being located in essentially the exact same area), the Roman Agora was a public marketplace built ~600 years later during the era of Roman rule at around the same time as the neighboring and equally as impressive Hadrian’s Library. We didn’t go in this site either, but it was cool to walk by and I think these tickets are also ~€8 per person.
• Parga
  • Valtos Beach: This long, sandy beach is located on the opposite side of the castle hill from the harbor (which makes for a hot and steep 20-minute walk), but it’s the nicest of the local beaches. There are several nice resorts on the beach that have solid bars and restaurants that allow you to order directly from your beach chair, and there are also lots of options for watersports and renting jet skis, paddle boats, etc.
  • Krioneri Beach: This is the main beach in town, and is only a few minutes away from the harbor. It’s not as peaceful as Valtos Beach because it’s much more crowded, but it was a good option when we didn’t feel like walking as far and/or if people wanted to do some shopping while other people stayed at the beach.
  • Panagia: Another reason we went to Krioneri Beach is to swim to Panagia, which is a picturesque, tiny chapel on an eponymous islet that is only accessible via a short swim (or paddle boat). It was a pretty easy swim and the hike across the islet was beautiful.
  • Parga Castle: The ruins of a medieval citadel complex sit on a hilltop overlooking the town and were built by the Venetians in the 15th century. It’s a steep climb, but it doesn’t take too long and the spectacular views make it very worthwhile. There’s also a nice cafe near the top that makes for a perfect excuse to sit down and enjoy the views.
  • Paragaea-Parga Old Olive Oil Factory: Andy and I randomly walked in and took a tour of this surprisingly charming museum, which has a restored olive oil press and highlights the modern and historic processes used to make olive oil in the region. The tour was short, but very informative, and ended with a tasting of the owner’s award-winning olive oils — I had no idea that there was a specific way to taste olive oil. We ended up buying several bottles of olive oil, which is still the best we’ve ever tasted.
• Milos
  • Sarakiniko Beach: One of the most Instagrammed beaches in Greece and certainly one of the most unique, it isn’t actually much of a “beach”. Most people describe it as “Mars-like” and the description isn’t far off — the beach is actually just a huge expanse of flat, white volcanic rocks with steep cliffs and ocean caves and dramatic views of clear, turquoise water. Don’t get me wrong — it’s absolutely stunning and you can get in the water to swim (and there are lots of good opportunities for cliff jumping), but the only option for laying out is on the hard rocks and there aren’t any restaurants/bars so it’s not ideal to stay for more than a few hours.
  • Fyriplaka Beach: Our Airbnb host described this as “beach with sand”, which just about sums it up. Fyriplaka is one of the few tropical-looking beaches we saw in the Cyclades, and it was the perfect place to relax and enjoy a few drinks at the beach bar. This is also where we met our guide for the wonderful kayak tour we took with Milos Watersports.
  • Ceramica Kymbe: Beautiful, handmade ceramics workshop in Plaka. We bought some great gifts here, as well as a few things for our new flat.
  • Plaka Castle (Venetian Castle of Milos): The ruins of this ancient fortress are just a short hike from Plaka and have incredible views, especially at sunset.
• Sifnos
  • Chrisopigi Monastery: An absolutely beautiful and serene monastery built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea. It’s also a really great place to swim.
  • Atsonios Ceramics: Founded in 1870, this tiny, family-run pottery shop in Vathi is in the most random location but is worth the visit. It’s one of the few remaining traditional kilns on the island and the homeware is simply stunning (and very inexpensive).
  • Chapel of the Seven Martyrs: This tiny Cycladic church built on rocks on the coast in Kastro, the old capital of the island, is probably the most famous and most beautiful place in Sifnos.
• Santorini
  • Atlantis Books: Simply the most incredible bookshop you will ever visit. It feels like something out of a movie and was by far our favorite place on the entire island.
  • Ammoudi Beach: After walking down the 235 steps from the Oia Castle in the main part of town to the tiny harbor at Ammoudi Bay, you can walk another 10 minutes or so past Dmitris Ammoudi Taverna on a loosely defined footpath that leads to the Ammoudi “Beach”. There’s not really anything “beachy” about it, but it is a beautiful spot to swim and cliff dive.
  • Domaine Sigalas: One of the main vineyards on the island. We didn’t end up visiting the actual winery, but a bunch of people in Oia recommended it and the wine was pretty good when we had it in restaurants.

Travel Tips

• I highly recommend using a third-party website called Ferryhopper to buy ferry tickets between islands (or departing from Athens) in advance so that you don’t have to worry about availability — sometimes you can just walk up and buy tickets at the port the day of, but that’s not guaranteed. Ferries are absolutely the best (and sometimes the only) way to travel to different islands, but it can be kind of confusing because every ferry company has different rules and procedures for boarding…and it is often fairly chaotic. If you use Ferryhopper to buy tickets, the confirmation email will contain information about where and how to pick up your tickets (typically in an inconspicuous and seemingly random travel agency office at the port) on the day of your departure. You’ll then need to pay attention to the exact dock (the signage isn’t usually very good) and try to be in that general area ~30 minutes before departure because the process is FAST once the boat gets there. It kind of feels like a cattle call, but as soon as you’re on board it’s great.
• On the islands, watching the sunset is seemingly the #1 priority for most people — don’t get me wrong, it’s absolutely gorgeous to see the sun set over the water, but I honestly don’t understand why someone would plan their day around it, wait around for hours to get a “good view” in a crowd, etc. Regardless, it’s important to know exactly when the sun sets because restaurants will fill up VERY quickly the minute it goes down.
• Pretty much everything on the islands was closed between 3-6 PM, even the pharmacies. Athens was a little more normal (AKA Westernized), but still had quite a few businesses with seemingly random hours.
• Uber is available in Athens and taxis were easy enough to find in most places, but I highly recommend using a company called Welcome Pickups if you want/need to confirm a ride in advance. We used them quite a bit to get to/from the airport in Athens, Corfu, and Santorini (as well as other major cities in Europe) to avoid issues with finding a cab for early-morning and late-night flights, and it was only marginally more expensive than a normal taxi. Their extremely user-friendly app enables you to easily message and find your local driver, who is assigned in advance and has your flight details so that they will be waiting for you with a sign at baggage claim even if your flight is early or delayed. The drivers we had were also way more attentive than a normal cab driver and really were more like local tour guides.
• If you need to rent a car anywhere outside of Athens, it’s almost impossible to find anything with an automatic transmission. Andy taught himself how to drive a manual during our white-knuckle drive from Igoumenitsa to Parga (fun!!) and then got more practice with the cars we rented in Milos and Sifnos (that absolutely would not have passed safety inspections in the USA), but I really don’t know what we would have done otherwise. Cabs are available, even in the beach towns, to some extent but it often takes a while to get one and they are pretty expensive compared to the cost of a car rental — for reference, our car in Milos was like €42/day and the one taxi we took there (<10-minute ride) was €17.
• Similar to Italy, Greek unions will simply announce a 24-/48-hour strike at random points throughout the year, which could impact taxis, ferries, etc. They’re always announced in advance and typically only last 24 or 48 hours, but it’s obviously something to keep in mind and stay aware of as you’re traveling in Greece.