Greek Adventure, Part 2: Santorini and Athens – Paulette and Dave

by | Oct 7, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Colorful Greek church with a bright blue dome and bell tower against whitewashed buildings on a sunny hillside. (Alternative: A Greek island scene with a blue-domed church, yellow facade, and bell tower in Santorini.)

Paulette and Dave’s adventures continued on the island of Santorini, in the southern Aegean sea, ending in the Greek city of Athens.

(Note: You can click/tap any image for a larger view!)

Days 5-6: Santorini

Brian: Where did you stay in Santorini?

Dave: We stayed in Imerovigli, a small village of less than 500 permanent residents. It sits high up on the mountain facing west over the sea. It’s a famous place for sunsets on the island. It’s sometimes called the “balcony” of Santorini. There were restaurants nearby and we were even within walking distance of the larger town of Fira. 

B: What about your hotel?

Paulette: It was beautiful. We had a private hot tub on the balcony and even a small heated pool inside our room. The view from the balcony was stunning. The staff was welcoming and friendly and we didn’t mind the 150 steps from the hotel up to the main street of the town.

 

White-washed hillside village with blue-domed church and terraces, Santorini under a clear blue sky
Whitewashed houses cascade along a cliffside village, connected by stairs and terraces with stone walls and arched doorways.
Leafless tree branches with pine cones over clear turquoise sea.

B: What did you do while you were there?

P: We loved the island tour you booked for us even though the weather was windy and rainy that day. Oia is probably the most famous town on the island because of its narrow streets, breathtaking views and iconic blue domes. We took lots of pictures, and also found some surprisingly interesting gifts in some of the shops.

Whitewashed stairs and blue railing wind up a Greek island house with curved walls and blue door(s).
Whitewashed Cycladic buildings with a bright blue-domed church and bell tower against a rocky hillside on a Greek island.
White-washed church with a domed roof and cross against a bright blue sky, architectural arches and windows visible at the base of the dome
White-washed buildings with a blue-domed roof, steps, and a bright blue sky in a Greek island scene.

D: Touring the vineyards in the village of Megalochori was wonderful. A highlight was meeting Argy Kakissis and Yannis Pantazis at their historic winery in the village. Argy, the daughter of Greek immigrants, was born and raised in Ohio. She moved to Santorini in 2007 and fell in love with Yannis after meeting him at a barbecue. Yannis plays the traditional Greek bagpipe and now makes tsabounas, along with other traditional Greek instruments at his workshop in the former winery. They’ve turned their 125-year-old house into a cultural center which we were able to see during our visit.

White-washed church with a blue dome perched on a rocky cliff overlooking the deep blue sea below.

B: Did you do anything else?

P: We rested on the balcony and enjoyed the magnificent view. One afternoon, Dave walked out past the Venetian castle ruins to see the little Theoskepasti church. He loved the walk and the view. The Greeks really know where to build their churches for the best vistas! 

Bright pink bougainvillea vines cascading over a peach wall next to a small window.
Rows of white wooden chairs stacked on blue benches in an outdoor patio. A stone wall and trees are in the background.
Rustic outdoor courtyard with a weathered wooden table and chairs, woven rope canopy, and orange stucco walls with blue shutters.
Red wooden window frame with white lace curtains mounted on a textured stone wall or exterior surface of a building.

Days 7-8: Athens

B: After spending time in small towns, you finally got to the big city of Athens. Where did you stay?

D: We stayed in a hotel in the Plaka neighborhood within easy walking distance of all the major sights. We loved the rooftop restaurant with a view of the Acropolis.

Night view of a classical stone ruin with a row of tall columns, illuminated against a dark sky.
Ancient Greek temple with tall fluted Doric columns against a clear blue sky
Couple posing in front of tall ancient limestone columns at a historic site, blue sky behind them.
Row of Caryatid columns supporting the temple frieze against a clear blue sky, an ancient Greek monument.
Ancient stone amphitheater with curved seating and ruined arches, overlooking a city on a hill under a clear blue sky.

B: What did you do in Athens?

P: We had a very big day. We walked up to the Acropolis in the morning and did the Rick Steves walking tour on our own. After seeing pictures of the Parthenon all our lives, seeing the ancient temple of Athena in person felt almost unreal. We didn’t realize, though, how many other temples are preserved at the top of the hill.

Then, we spent a couple of hours in the Acropolis museum. It was a little overwhelming, but we were glad that we started on the third floor where we could see the Parthenon Gallery. The remarkable frieze that once adorned all four sides of the top of the temple can be seen attached to a replica of the temple. (Only 30% of the frieze is in the museum. Most of the rest is in London.)

B: Did you do anything else that day?

D: We saw the changing of the guard at the Parliament Building. It was only about ten minutes long, but we loved the colorful uniforms and the choreography. We managed to walk through the Agora as well, the ancient marketplace where Socrates and Plato taught their students. We didn’t realize that there had been a covered marketplace, kind of like an indoor mall there as well.

Honestly, if we’d had more time, we wouldn’t have done everything in one day. By evening, we were very happy to get back to our hotel and enjoy dinner on the rooftop terrace.

Flag with blue and white horizontal stripes waving on a tall pole against a clear blue sky, resembling the Greek flag.
A group of older men seated around a round marble table at an outdoor market cafe, engaged in conversation with beer bottles and glasses on the table and market stalls visible behind them.
Brick church dome with a cross on top, arched windows, and a red-tiled roof against a blue sky with palm trees nearby.
Smiling couple posing in front of ancient Greek ruins with tall limestone columns under a clear blue sky.

B: If you were to return to Greece, where would you go and what would you do differently?

P: First of all, we’d allow more time. Dave would probably just go back to Nafplio. There’s so much to see in and around the town and it would be nice to spend more time eating seafood and sipping local wine in the open-air restaurants along the waterfront. I’d be interested in seeing the western part of the Peloponnese to see Olympia and maybe even Delphi. I’d also love to see more islands, including Corfu.

 

Thank you, Paulette and Dave!

 

 

author avatar
Brian Taussig-Lux
See Full Bio

Submit a Comment