Exploring the Greek Islands on Foot

Exploring the Greek Islands of Paros, Santorini and Naxos during the beautiful wildflower and lush spring season was a dream come true. Not only was I able to explore archeological treasures, dramatic landscapes, and delicious food, but our itinerary allowed us to hike through the small villages and explore lesser known areas. 

Our journey began on the enchanting island of Paros, a lesser-known gem in the Cycladic Islands that steals your breath with its whitewashed buildings and vibrant bougainvillea blooming over each doorway. This is definitely a laid-back but charming island, with smaller villages scattered along the coastline and great sndy beaches to enjoy the turquoise Aegean waters.

Next, we did as the Greeks do and headed south on the BlueStar Ferry line to the infamous island of Santorini. Traveling the Greek islands in April/May means you get to experience warm sunny days and cool overcast ones as well. We arrived into the cloud covered caldera, you could just barely make out the white-washed villages on the caldera rim, giving the illusion of an island dusted by snow. Luckily, spring weather brought sunny days for the rest of our stay, so we were able to witness the sparkling villages and jaw dropping construction of cliffside buildings with unbelievable views of volcanic rock meeting the brilliant blue of the sea.  

Our final destination was the island of Naxos, with its delightful villages and azure seas stretching as far as the eye could see. Entering the harbor by ferry you are greeted by Portara on your left, a marble gate from a temple of Apollo constructed in 530BC. Exploring this lush and self-sustaining island, with a fresh water source and endless groves of olive, and fruit trees, was truly my favorite part of the trip. The end of our trip also brought the warmest weather so it was lovely to experience the Mediterranean sun on Naxos famous white sand beaches.   

Throughout the trip, I was incredibly grateful for Thanos, our very Greek guide, who brought each island to life. Sharing stories and history of each island and warm conversations with locals wherever we stopped. The icing on the cake to these beautiful locations was seeing it through Thanos's eyes as a proud Greek. 

By diving in, exploring the smaller villages, wandering the remote hiking trails, stopping at small cafes and restaurant tucked away and taking some time to learn a few Greek phrases, had me feeling like the island life was for me!