I recently came back from my two-week honeymoon in Greece, and I’ve been getting the same question: “How was it?” If I have two minutes of your time, “It was great! We did a lot and also were able to really slow down and relax!” But if you really want to know, pull up a chair and let’s talk about my trip to Greece!

Travel Day

This isn’t our first trip across the Atlantic. We went to London in 2022, and I was unaware the whole time that we were actually going so Jake could propose to me. This trip, Jake upgraded our seats to nice big, comfy ones, and I kept joking it was my favorite part of the trip. I’ve gotten to that point in my life that the seat upgrades on long flights are just worth the extra money. We slept on the plane as much as we could, so when we touched down at 8 am in Athens, we were ready to start our day!

Going to a country we had never been to before, Jake planned ahead and ordered a car service to pick us up from the airport to the hotel. Once we got there, we realized we could have figured out a taxi/Uber, but it was nice to walk off the plane with our luggage, and a guy with a sign with our name on it was there to pick us up. Again, it’s one of those things that you get older and are worth the money.

I need to make a note that Jake planned this entire trip himself. I literally just showed up with my passport! He created the full itinerary and had some input on what I should wear, but he planned everything himself.

HOTEL
Esse Athens

While most people immediately book hotels that are most famous while traveling abroad (Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Marriott, etc.), Jake loves to find a really pretty high-end luxury hotel. We thought we wouldn’t be in our hotel that much because we had a busy itinerary in Athens, but we loved our hotel so much that we wanted to stay there longer! It also had the best view of the Acropolis from the balcony!

TOURISTY MUST DO’S
Acropolis + Parthenon

Okay, so here’s the trick. Book the guided tour. It’s just a few more euros than the regular ticket, but you get to skip the line, learn the history, and the tour guide makes the sea of people move for your group to get past. There is also enough time to wander off by yourself too! It also includes tickets to the museum, which is a must while you are there as well, to really understand how old this history is.

Athens National Garden

We had a few hours after we landed in Athens before our hotel room was ready, so we walked around and ended up in the Athens National Garden. It was a great way to take a break from the heat and stumble upon some ancient ruins just casually among some really old trees.

Boat Tour
Athens Day Cruise

Jake found a boat cruise that allows you to go to 3 islands in one day. He upgraded to VIP, and at first I was like, Oh, that wasn’t necessary but boy, did we realize how much the upgrade was worth it! Other guests sat in chairs on the boat deck, while we were able to enjoy air conditioning on coaches, a private bar, and drinks and meals were included. It’s very well organized, and we were able to see the islands Hydra, Poros, and Aegina.

PLAKA

Our hotel was located in the town of Plaka, and we had so much fun just walking up and down the streets exploring. Plaka has a ton of great restaurants, little shops, and gelato shops!

Mount Lycabettus

It is located on a very tall hill (more like a mountain!) that you can walk up or take the cable car. I recommend the cable car because it is a long way to the top! But once you are up there, it is the best view of all of Athens. You can see the Acropolis, the Aegean Sea, and really see how large the city of Athens is. Once you get to the top, you can walk around and sit to take in the view. There is also a restaurant and bar, so we had Aperol Spritzes and Greek salads to celebrate our first day in Greece!

Ruins

I was blown away by how the modern-day city of Athens has built its city around the ruins and respected its history. You’ll be walking around and then walk into the ruins of a building that was there for thousands of years.

Sunset Dinner at St George Lycabettus Hotel

outfit details: dress
This was a recommendation from one of Jake’s coworkers, and wow, I’m so happy we did it! Great view of the sunset and the Acropolis with a delicious meal.