(Please take a moment to admire the feta and the delicious salad I had for lunch one day)
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Now, if you guys haven't noticed, my trips all tend to have a similar them: being outside. I love being outside, and Greece truly lends itself to that. I had three major stops on my 5-day whirlwind Greek tour: Meteora (1), Delphi (2), and Santorini (4), with a brief stint in Athens (3). As you can see by the map, I covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time, and each part of my trip was special.
My first stop, Meteora, was quite possibly the most memorable. For the first time in a long time, I did a guided hike, and as you walk with your guide, these tall rocks begin to encapsulate all you can see. Hilariously, our guide kept talking to us about Wild Boar tracks and how delicious Boar is, and before I knew it, it felt like we were surrounded by these massive rock pillars. Meteora literally means "suspended in air," and one can see how through dense fog these beautiful pillars might seem as though they were quite literally suspended in air. However, on this day, the sky was bright blue with the sun smiling kindly upon us, allowing us to enjoy every aspect of the landscape. It's not long before the first monastery comes into view--these monasteries for which Meteora is famous--are nestled with the pillars, sometimes carved into, sometimes on top of, but always in concert with the landscape, as if the rocks were created purely to house these monasteries. The shear awe and beauty of this landscape and the peace I felt viewing it can only remind me of my time in Bhutan. For that, Meteora will always hold a special place in my heart.
After only a brief time in Meteora, it was time to depart to the legendary Delphi. Arriving in Delphi under the cover of nightfall, hides its true beauty. However, that didn't keep me from a craft beer and a good meal (of wild boar stew--of which I feel like my guide would've been proud). The next morning, as the sun rose, Delphi's true beauty could truly be uncovered. The Greeks regarded Delphi as the center of the world, and I can think of no better place to visit on Greece's Independence Day. Unfortunately, as I was visiting on Independence Day, all of the monuments were closed; however, that didn't stop me from trying to catch a glimpse of some of the most famous sites in Delphi---peasant style. Many of the monuments are able to be viewed form a distance or on high. A short, steep hike uphill provides one of the most beautiful views of the Stadium of Delphi. I can only imagine that this is how folks who weren't invited to attend events (as one of the 6500 spectators that the stadium could hold) viewed events. The other bonus of being their on Independence Day--nobody else was in my photos (hahaha). I observed a breath-taking sunrise, viewed some of the most amazing ruins in Greek history, and all before heading back to Athens for my flight to Santorini.
Ok, ok. This paragraph may get me into a bit of trouble. Santorini is beautiful, but after starting in Meteora, I was a little disappointed. Perhaps it's because I've hiked many-a calderas and it wasn't the peak season for Santorini. That said, I did the hike from Oia to Thira, and it was beautiful! It interwove between several different smaller towns, which really varied the terrain of the hike, and the elevation difference really varied the climate. The hike ended in Thira, the real heart of Santorini, with lunch and shopping. Then a quick stop for my favorite part of my time in Santorini: Santo winery! The wine was very delicious and the view while drinking wine was second to none!After a brief stop over to see the Acropolis (a must-see if you have the time and are transiting through Athens), I was on my way back home! Greece is truly an amazing place, filled with delicious food, kind people, and beautiful landscapes. If you're thinking about visiting, please go! It's worth it!
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