A Young Couple Quits Their Jobs to Travel the World: 4 Months Across Europe (Greece Chapter)

It's been over two months since we set out from Norway, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy. Continuing from the last article at the final stop in Italy—the port city of Bari—we took an overnight ferry across the Mediterranean and arrived in the romantic country of Greece!

First, a few highlights of Greece's stunning scenery.

After a night in the cabin, a brand new day began.

Fire clouds over the sea.

From Bari, Italy to the port of Patras, Greece, then by bus, train, and metro, we finally reached the capital of Greece, Athens. We booked a local homestay very close to the Acropolis. The host was extremely warm, showing us around the room and explaining all the facilities. How did I manage to book such a nice apartment? I'm really proud of myself—it felt way too luxurious and dreamy for budget travelers like us...

The kitchen was small but fully functional. A typical European stove with four burners of different sizes and an oven underneath.

The apartment balcony in the evening.

Just a short walk away was Filopappos Hill. Climbing the steps and walking a bit, we reached the highest point in the city to admire the center of Athens—the famous Acropolis and the Parthenon.

The Parthenon in Athens at dusk.

Opposite Filopappos Hill was another high point in Athens, Lykavittos Hill, an excellent spot for photographing the Acropolis.

The Acropolis at night, with lights just coming on.

The next day, we went to Syntagma Square.

Strolling through the Ancient Roman Agora of Athens.

Graffiti in the alleys.

The bustling city center.

We were incredibly lucky to catch the changing of the guard ceremony.

The march was quite comical.

We walked from our homestay near the Acropolis, passing Hadrian's Arch.

Climbed Filopappos Hill.

At the top of Filopappos Hill, there was a church.

From the summit, we could see Piraeus and the Aegean Sea in the distance.

The Acropolis with the Aegean Sea as a backdrop.

In the evening, many locals came up the hill to exercise, and others to watch the sunset.

The scenery was beautiful, and the night view was even more stunning. Overlooking the panoramic view of Athens, the Acropolis was lit up.

Today, we took the metro from the Acropolis to the Greek port city of Piraeus, adjacent to the Acropolis. Piraeus is a major departure port for many islands in the Aegean Sea. Our island-hopping in the Aegean would first take us to Hydra, then to Ios and Santorini in the Cyclades.

First impressions of Hydra.

Passenger ferries and various cruise ships connecting the many islands of the Aegean form an important transport network in Greece's blue map.

The azure Aegean Sea.

Mules hauling cargo at the dock.

The dock was filled with boats.

We booked a homestay near the dock. The room was to my liking—small but cozy and comfortable.

In the evening, we went out for a stroll along the coastline of Hydra.

Under the soft light of the setting sun, the Aegean Sea was incredibly blue, making everything look beautiful.

Walking along the stone path.

Gentle cats.

We reached a settlement on the island. The red and yellow houses looked especially warm in the evening sunlight.

Various kinds of boats were moored at the dock.

There were fishing boats, rubber dinghies, small yachts...

The boats swayed with the waves on the beach.

We found a rock at the fishing port, sat down, and quietly enjoyed the beautiful dusk of Hydra.

The boat owners were returning too.

We watched a sunset at sea.

I made up my mind to come swimming here tomorrow!

On the way back at night, we tried some Greek Mediterranean-style cuisine at this seaside restaurant.

On the second day in Hydra, we decided to explore the island on foot, climbing to the highest point to see what lay on the other side.

Hydra also has many whitewashed limestone buildings, a classic Mediterranean style.

Gradually leaving the town, the altitude began to rise.

The path became more and more wild.

After more than two hours of hiking, we finally reached the highest point of Hydra, overlooking the Aegean Sea to the south.

There was a strong wind at the summit; I took a selfie.

On the southern side of the summit, there was a dirt slope that seemed passable. Although the southern coastline appeared close, I knew it would take at least two hours to walk those several kilometers. I comforted myself that just looking was enough, took many photos, and then returned contentedly.

By the way, there were many grasshoppers jumping around in the weeds at the summit.

A pleasant surprise on the way back: from the halfway point, we could overlook the fishing port of Hydra where we had arrived by boat yesterday—a curved shelter harbor.

The town of Hydra was densely packed with houses.

On the third day in Hydra, I planned to continue hiking. Xiao Tao, who had finished swimming, also joined the hike.

The reality was that we didn't have an international driving license, so we couldn't rent an ATV. We had to hike the whole way.

We crossed to the other side of the island and spotted a cove that seemed very quiet.

When we went down, we found that this 'secret treasure cove' we had discovered was being used by a group of foreigners for nude swimming... They seemed to notice other tourists arriving and put on their clothes...

So then we had the beach all to ourselves.

I really love these unofficial 'attractions' not marked on the map—completely natural and untouched, without crowds or vendors. As long as you have an eye for discovery, the countless islands of Greece scattered across the Aegean are full of stunning treasure spots.

In summary, we hiked for a whole day, didn't go to any (tourist spots), just wandered and explored the island, and that was more than enough.

In the evening, we returned to our accommodation in Hydra, a stone-style villa (we stayed four days in Hydra and changed hotels in between).

The balcony at the entrance. Greek people's favorite private outdoor dining area & balcony.

After four pleasant days on Hydra, we returned to Piraeus, where we couchsurfed at a local's place for one night. Before dawn the next day, we set off by cruise to our second island-hopping destination—Ios. Ios is one of the many islands in the Cyclades, not far from Santorini. (I admit I picked it quite randomly from the Lonely Planet because there are so many 'shining pearls' in the Aegean. If Santorini is a must-visit island in a lifetime, I planned to skip some relatively well-known Greek resort islands like Mykonos and go to somewhere like Ios, which is less popular and not too crowded.)

I remember when we took the ferry from Italy to Greece a few days ago, I watched a sunrise at sea. Today, I was lucky to enjoy another one. This time it was a cloudless dawn version.

The moment the sun rose above the sea, it burst into brilliant rays, and the entire cruise ship was bathed in golden sunlight. The deck instantly turned a warm orange.

The cruise made stops at many islands along the way. We hadn't arrived yet.

During the long journey, you could also choose to sit in this enclosed sea-view deck, quietly admiring the azure horizon of the Mediterranean. Or sit by the 'sea' and read or drink coffee. Europeans particularly enjoy this kind of leisure.

Ios was about to come into view.

We arrived at Ios, and the homestay owner drove to the port to pick us up.

Our homestay room on Ios. I loved the pure white style.

As the island closest to Santorini, Ios perfectly 'replicates' the Mediterranean charm of Santorini. White and blue buildings, quiet alleys, climbing steps to explore at will—around the next corner, you might unexpectedly see the azure Aegean Sea.

We newcomers were puzzled that all the shops and restaurants were closed. Later in the evening, we found them suddenly come alive. It turned out the Greek islanders have such late daily routines.

Let's watch a Mediterranean sunset!

The Aegean Sea—the sun was about to set.

The sea breeze was biting cold...

As mentioned earlier, as soon as night fell, the islanders of the Aegean came out to 'make waves'. We had heard about Greece's lazy schedule—turns out they are all night owls~

We found a restaurant to eat.

Ios Day — time to start moving again. Another hiking exploration began.

Leaving the town, we entered a 'wilderness' from behind. Man vs Wild Season 2 begins...