There’s nothing that screams “back to reality” than the Monday after 10 days traveling on vacation. On Friday, July 26th my boyfriend and I left for vacation, excited to discover the islands of Greece and bask in the sun, swim in the Mediterranean, explore the country, enjoy infamous sunsets, taste local dishes, and just simply, relax.
And we did all of it, successfully- with one minor glitch.. On the way back home from Mykonos, our flight got delayed which caused us to miss our connection in Athens. Unfortunately, we had to buy a new ticket home, spend the night in Munich and fly back on Sunday. Fortunately, we got a full morning to explore Munich – which was such a treat (I didn’t indulge in any Bavarian breakfasts, though – next time)! I could not have wished for a more perfect trip and can’t wait to whip up some Inspiralized recipes – I jotted down a few notes while I ate my way through the Greek islands…..
Santorini: July 27 – July 31
When we left Santorini, we were convinced nothing could be more breathtakingly beautiful than that island. The pristine white buildings with blue roofs and colorful shutters were absolutely picturesque. The sunsets honestly blew your mind – the way the colors snuck into each crevice of the mountains and into all the houses was magnificent. We spent one evening in Oia (the most famous for sunsets in Santorini) having dinner, our jaws dropping at the views. Afterwards, we discovered this neat hotel tucked away into the cliffside and somehow managed to find the right person to lead us there and we had a glass of wine to end our Santorini experience. There were tables set around a lit pool with a painist and singer performing the most soothing, magical music. If you ever go, have a drink there – Andronis Hotel.
Our hotel was in Imerovigli, about a 15 minute walk from the main city there – Fira. Imerovigli ties Oia for the best sunset, in our opinion. We laid on the deck of our hotel with a bottle of wine, soaking it all in.
Imervogili has a path that leads directly to Fira, which has so many restaurants, shops and places to sit and enjoy the island. We sat in the rooftop garden at Vanilia Restaurant on evening to enjoy the sunset over some wine and seafood. The lights of this city were incredible.
Other highlights of Santorini included Perissa Beach, Katharos Beach, and having lunch in Ammoudi Bay at Ammoudi Fish Tavern, where the octopus was so fresh that it was hanging on a clothing line inside the restaurant. This little cove screamed Greece – clear blue waters, outstandingly fresh seafood and views of the caldera. Couldn’t have scripted it better.
Mykonos: July 31 – Aug 3
Sad to be leaving Santorini, we didn’t think it could be beat but we were proved wrong. Mykonos ended up winning. The Mykonos culture, cuisine, and nightlife was like nothing I have ever experienced. Like Barcelona, the Mykonos people are night owls – they don’t go for dinner until 11pm! We were super blessed to have great recommendations and visited Interni Restaurant and Mamalouka Restaurant. When I say the coolest spots I have ever dined at, I really mean it. Nothing compares to the vibes, the atmosphere, the cuisine, the presentation, the detail and the location. It’s impossible to put into words how awe-stricken we were – we barely talked about anything but how impressive everything was. On our way to dinner, we walked through Little Venice on the water and took in the sunset….
The food consisted of lobster risotto (lobster spaghetti and risotto is one of the main dishes in the islands!), grilled calamari, creamy plates of shrimp, eggplant dips, the most succulent shrimp tempura I’ve ever eaten, fresh sea bream and sea bass, Greek salads up to wazoo, tomato balls, fresh mussels, and the most scrumptious dessert of my life: pavlava.
We spent our last afternoon at Super Paradise Beach, a big beach party. It was tons of fun and great to experience a different culture’s way of enjoying life!
Munich: Aug 3 – 4
Like I said, we missed our connection and had to fly to Munich for the night. Sunday morning we woke up early and took advantage of the change in plans and explored the city for a couple of hours. I had this cool pretzel croissant and we walked around, watching all of the Germans eating Bavarian breakfasts of sausage and beer! Very different from the typical egg white omelettes and cereal here in the states…
The city is really enchanting, with historical architecture and neat beer gardens and little quaint stores and cobblestone paths. We snapped a bunch of pictures and head back for our flight to New Jersey.
Well, that about sums it up. What a trip! Stay tuned for Inspiralized recipes based on what we ate while abroad!
