Travel Greece - Island hopping Santorini, Naxos and Mykonos
June was the month we island hopped in Greece. We flew in to Santorini, picked up a hire car and set off on an adventure. We stayed in Perissa, known for its black sand beach. It has a strip along the beach front packed full of restaurants and cafes but was relatively quiet as the tourist season was only just gathering momentum. I highly recommend Tranquilo in Perissa for vegan and vegetarian food; so good we ate there twice.
Greece decided to have a heatwave with temperatures over 30 degrees so we spent our time split between the pool and exploring when the heat of the day dipped ever so slightly. Fira (Thira) and Oia are over rated and packed to the brim with tourists but the scenery is breath taking. It does get overwhelming at times and you start hating on cruise ships. We managed to escape for sunset by stumbling on some wasteland to watch the sun disappear with only a handful of people joining us.
When in Fira I recommend stopping for a vegan falafel wrap at Falafeland. Once you tick Fira and Oia off the list, make sure to explore what the rest of Santorini has to to offer. You can definitely find some hidden gems. We found the view from Akrotiri across the bay to Fira and Oia a beautiful spot to take in the beauty of the island.
After a few days in Santorini, we caught a ferry to Naxos where I instantly fell in love. Naxos was more our vibe. We had a hire car and explored as much of the island as possible. This is the place where you can find a beach to yourself, at most there might be another person or two. Of course there are resort areas set up for your holiday needs but for the most part you can get away from it all. Naxos is a quiet island not attracting the cruise ships. If you want to find a more authentic Greek experiences you have a better chance of it on this island compared to Santorini.
Naxos old town is beautiful to wander around browsing stores and stopping for a bite to eat. It was the best place for me for vegan options. I recommend Akation Pastry Boutique (ice cream), Gemma Naxian Bar, Yasouvlaki and Chocolat Cafe Creperie.
I recommend a visit to Eggares Olive Oil Museum. The place is small and friendly and offers a free tour and tasting. There is no forced sales pitch so we never felt obligated to buy anything but we couldn't leave without some olive oil and soaps. Koronida was a lovely lunch spot. There isn't lots to keep you busy in this small village but just stop to take in the scenery at one of the beach front restaurants. Dimitra's Ancient Temple was an adventure in the car. It is a relatively small archaeological site which felt like it was in the middle of nowhere.
From Naxos we caught a ferry to Mykonos. Taking the Seabus will shuttle you from the new to old harbour, it's an inexpensive trip. We only had a couple of nights on Mykonos before we flew home so opted for accommodation in the heart of the old port and town. Whilst it was busy with tourists, I found it enchanting to wander the lanes both day and night. It's a vibe and I can understand the attraction. Yes it's a party town but you don't have to join in, there are places to escape. Our time was limited so we mainly ticked off the typical sightseeing spots - The Windmills, Little Venice, Lena’s House Folk Museum, Agios Nikolakis Church and the Church of Paraportiani.
For vegan options we ate twice at Rhino, vegan street food cafe. I had the best Souvlaki wraps of the entire trip and I'm still dreaming about the truffle mayo fries. If you want snacks then hit up Cookie Smart Bakery, they had some great options both savoury and sweet.
I definitely enjoyed hopping islands and the Greek ferries are an unforgettable adventure. It's a crazy experience which I think you should do at least once. I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience Santorini and Mykonos but you need to go open minded and prepared for the crowds. I have empathy for why Greece wants to reduce the cruise ships docking on some islands.
Sarah x
P.S - my food recommendations can be found on Happy Cow