November 4, 2023
I have been traveling in Europe for about two months. Most days, I am somewhere between a state of contentment and awe at what I have seen and done.
I started this trip in northern England, followed by Croatia and Slovenia. I’ve seen countless historic sites and several national parks. I have walked my socks off, or at least worn holes in them.
I have just left Greece after nearly a month there, which brings me to the focus of this post.
I started with a much-too-short stay in Athens. Why did I think I wouldn’t like Athens? I love walking through history, and my visit to Rome several years ago remains one of my favorite destinations.
After Athens, I flew to Crete for a week. I had reserved an apartment at a resort and enjoyed a mix of leisurely resort time as well as some sightseeing. It was a perfect. I was able to see my “bare minimum” sights but also slowed down and even took advantage of the on-site spa.
My limited impressions of Crete in October: Go! It’s a fantastic island with so many things to see and do. I barely scratched the surface, really. I did the typical outings to Spinaloga, a small island fortress, and hiked the Samaria Gorge. I took a day trip to the Palace of Knossos and spent a day in Heraklion.
In case you didn’t know, Crete is huge, the largest of the Greek islands. There is a distinct Cretan culture. The food is delicious, and the people are lively and proud of their heritage. It’s on my definite return list.
From Crete, I got on a ferry for Karpathos. I’m still not sure if I love Greek ferries. (They take a long time.) But I did enjoy meeting some fellow travelers from the US, a family of five taking a year out to travel the world. I love that they are giving their kids an unforgettable experience that may open many doors for them.
Karpathos is a relatively small and less touristy island than many; at least, that’s what my guidebook says. The guidebook also told me to chat with the friendly locals, which I certainly did. They were, indeed, quite pleasant for the most part.
Beyond the cute town of Karpathos, there was little going on. According to the locals, the tourist season ends on October 15th, and I had arrived just after that. The only downside was that the local bus company had decided to stop its runs to the historic town of Olympos on the day I had planned to go. The driver I spoke with was rather abrupt: “There are no more trips to Olympos. That is done.”
Funny, the gentleman at the bus office had just told me the day before that there would be a bus if enough passengers showed up. I guess the other guy changed the plan on him.
Anyway, I had a great time wandering the island, getting a little bit lost, and swimming in the bay every afternoon.
My cute little apartment in town had a view of the sea with a lovely veranda on which I ate breakfast and dinner every day. It was glorious!
In fact, one of the best days of this trip was when I walked from Karpathos Town around the western peninsula. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and I encountered no humans, just goats and many tiny churches.
My impressions of Karpathos in October: Go a little earlier than I did. I regret that I wasn’t able to make it to Olympos. (It would have been more than 100 euros by taxi.) I very much enjoyed the island and the neighboring small towns. It, too, is on my revisit list. Next time, I plan to go in the spring.
A few days later, I got on another ferry, this time bound for Rhodes, one of the larger Greek Islands. On the ferry, I met a recently retired couple, she American and he French. They assured me that there would be a lot going on in Rhodes. They also encouraged me to return to Karpathos in the spring, telling me it was the best time to visit.
They were right about Rhodes. Rhodes town was quite a contrast to Karpathos. First, two large cruise ships were in the port when we arrived. The Old Town area was certainly bustling! I walked to my apartment, taking in the scene, thinking it would be a nice change.
Unfortunately, I didn’t fall in love with Rhodes.
When I visited the Old Town the next day, it felt overly packed with people. I did my thing and toured the Archeological Museum (a definite highlight) and the Grand Master’s Palace. Seeing these sights was just fine; the streets of the old town overwhelmed me, though. It felt like a packed series of shops and restaurants. I just wanted to get out!
The next day, I had a tour booked for the Acropolis of Lindos. It wasn’t actually a tour; it was merely a bus ride. The driver dropped us off at 10:20 and said, “See you back here at 3:20.”
No instructions. No, pointing out where to go. Just see you later.
We had to walk down a rather steep hill and through to the town of Lindos to get up to the Acropolis. It felt a lot like the old town of Rhodes and was rather labyrinth-like. Then there were the people in no physical condition to climb up to the Acropolis. One woman was holding up a rather large group before her husband finally got her off to the side to head back down.
I was happy I had made the trip as the Acropolis and surrounding areas were gorgeous.
But five hours was a long time. I had brought my suit in case I wanted to swim. Glad I did.
As I arrived at the beach, I saw a restaurant with gluten-free items marked on the menu. A shrimp salad sounded so much better than the snacks I had packed.
The salad was indeed tasty, and I had a sea view to go along with it. I decided to splurge and get one of those beach loungers. (I am not one to lie on the beach. Tanning is not my thing.)
I made the most of the afternoon and enjoyed the beautiful, warm water.
That evening, I didn’t feel quite right.
By morning, I was pretty ill with food poisoning. I spent the day in bed, thankful I had extra bottled water.
The next day, I got up and took a slow walk to Rhodes’s Acropolis and ancient stadium. The Acropolis wasn’t nearly as impressive as Lindos, but the stadium was fantastic.
My impressions of Rhodes in October: If you’ve never been, it’s worth a visit. The old town is charming, as is the port area. The beaches in town are rocky and unimpressive. I’m glad I went once, but I wouldn’t return.
Santorini was missing from my original itinerary. Everyone goes to Santorini, and I wanted to see some of the smaller, less popular islands. Early November’s lack of ferry service forced me to adjust my itinerary. So, Santorini, it was!
I have to admit, I loved it! I stayed in a studio apartment in a small family-owned resort on Oia’s “not caldera” side. It was actually between the tiny historic town of Finikia and Oia. Perfect for me, because I like to walk. The stay included a generous breakfast every morning, and the buses throughout the island were running on a full schedule.
When I arrived, my host sat down with me and a map and planned out the next few days for me. What a treat to have good old-fashioned personal service in this era of contactless check-ins. She also encouraged me to go to the local taverna in Finikia for dinner. The food was fantastic, and the atmosphere was exquisite! The food poisoning incident had killed my appetite, and that meal started to bring me back to life.
I spent the first full day wandering Oia and walking down to the harbor. It is that picture postcard place that most of us think of when someone says Greek Islands. That first glimpse of the town made me gasp.
The next day, I got on the bus and headed to the archeological site in Akrotiri. This Minoan site was buried in ash from the 1316 BC eruption. (Somewhat like Pompeii, but not quite as impressive.)
Afterward, I took a short hike to the red-sand beach. (The tourist boats had stopped running the day before!)
As I walked back toward the bus stop, a waiter/cook lured me into his restaurant for lunch, where I saw the chicken cooking on the spit. He gave me a sample, and I was sold!
The next day, I took the bus to the mountaintop town of Pyrgos. It’s relatively small but worth an hour or so. I walked the narrow winding streets and stairs up to the church, with an adjacent café. It was a rather windy, chilly day, and they had Italian hot chocolate on the menu. I was in heaven!
After catching the bus back to Fira, I walked the trail from Fira to Oia.
My feet were tired, but the adventure was worth it! I highly recommend the hike.
The final day in Santorini was leisurely. I walked around Oia, ate a salad that didn’t make me sick, napped by the pool, and played with the resident kittens.
My impressions of Santorini in October-November: Go! It’s gorgeous, and there is still quite a bit going on. Some restaurants and activities shut down on October 31, so be ready for that.
Wandering Shannon 