Greece
Greece is the Southernmost country in Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. It is located at a junction with Europe, Asia and the continent of Africa. Because of this, it is a nation with a combination of influences and cultures from each of them. Like their neighbor Albania, they have fought and been ruled over by various empires, but in the present day live very well side by side with the descendants of those same peoples. We were continually amazed by their matter-of-fact acceptance of the past struggles between some of them and their working and worshipping side by side in many spaces.
Greece has over 2,000 separate islands, with only about 170 of those being inhabited by humans.
Travelers visit Greece for its rich history, stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, and idyllic Mediterranean climate with almost zero snow or freezing temperatures. Some of the most stunning aspects of Greece are the colors of water and the colors of the sunsets.
The ferry system in Greece is one of a kind. It must be robust and consistent to manage transportation throughout 2,000 islands. Depending upon timelines, there are fast ferries and slower ferries. Tickets can be purchased in person at kiosks and business in the towns near the terminal or they can be purchased online from Ferries.gr. Additionally, tickets are available at aggregate sites like Ferryhopper or Direct Ferries, and we were able to add the ferry ticket to our Aegean Airlines purchase.
Cuing for embarking and disembarking can be a bit chaotic in high season, but having your luggage managed and ticket ready to be checked by agents as you board the boat help everyone. Some ferries have escalators or elevators for mobility access to higher and lower floors. There is space to leave luggage near the main doors and sometimes on each floor. Coffee and snacks are readily available for comfort and we found basic WiFi to be reliable. We had assigned seats in airplane-style chairs, but when our route was collapsed onto another boat, we were assigned the “left-over” group on the top floor. Our slow ferry had group seats in common areas both indoors and outdoors. Our fast ferry did not have group seats in common areas.
Click on a location to see our photos and stories about each location.
Where Have We Traveled?
Our Accommodations: While staying in Athens, we used an Apart-Hotel that had a sketchy entrance but decent interior. Like it sounds, these apartment-style multi-unit homes typically have a kitchenette in addition to a bedroom. They do not tend to have front-desk staff or amenities like a hotel.
To make travel days from Athens to the island(s) more relaxing, we chose to stay in a hotel near the ferry the night before. On this trip we took the ferry out of Rafina and enjoyed a delightful hotel stay.
While on Naxos, we used an Airbnb which had the best host in the world. Her home was perfectly furnished with a rooftop deck we enjoed almost every night.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites-GREECE
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.