With just over a year hiatus with the ban of foreigners, Greece has recently opened its borders for tourists this summer. Many were left with a sour taste in their mouth as Countries such as the USA, a loyal tourist orgin country, were banned from entering during the covid-19 pandemic summer of 2020. Although much was closed and the Country of Greece was essentially barren with outsiders, this summer is going to be different. The World Wide famous Night Clubs of Mykonos are opening in two days (May 20, 2021) and beaches, bars, and hotels are wide open for those coming this summer. Some restrictions are still in place, such as mandatory mask while shopping, but otherwise all is normal. Below I am going to highlight where to go for the summer, where to shop, and any noteworthy information for your Greece get away this summer. Enjoy!
First, it is imperative you visit Mykonos. Last summer it was dead and quiet, and is expecting a huge bounce back this summer. Life is short, and one must experience all the wonderful things the world has to offer. That being said, go to Mykonos and live life to the fullest. The club scene here is not as it is in the USA, UK, or Canada with Project X type, crazy, chaotic parties. Rather, a more mellow, share a drink and chat to dance music in the background on a beach. Yet one is able to enjoy this type of scene due to the beautiful scenery, excellent vibe, and high quality service that the clubs and Mykonos offer. Places to club/attend the beach at include Tropicana Club, Scorpios Club, and Cavo Paradiso, and Super Paradise Club. These three listed are the 4 most well known and visited Clubs on the island of Mykonos. Pools, beach front views, excellent food and music make each location a quality time for you and company to visit. I must add, that each of the four clubs has its own scene, but Super Paradise and Cavo Paradiso are in their own category for the younger/youth to attend. Next, Scorpios has its own crowd of mellow, relaxing music for the older/adults. And finally, Tropicana, for all ages and this one is the “hardest” partying of them all. Every club runs from sunset to the morning hours of 6-7am. Sit by the beach before entering the club in the day if one would like to get the full experience.
Food, perhaps the most important part of this article, where will one eat? Assuming you are flying into Athens International Airport, and assuming you are spending a few nights to get over jet lag/arrival, explore Kolonaki and Plaka in Athens. There you will find the most chic, upscale, and delicious restaurants Athens has to offer. Practically any type of cuisine can be found in Athens, Greece’s most diverse city, but in particular I suggest eating at Greek Tavernas and Asian Fusion restaurants. From my own personal encounters, I adore the Asian Fusion restaurants here as they add a new spice (no pun intended) to the city’s food scene. Fresh ingredients, hip looking restaurant decor, and fresh sushi allure me to this cuisine. Of course when in Greece one must try the Country’s own cuisine, hence why I suggest a Greek taverna. Try Papadakis in Kolonaki for a high quality, affordable Greek Taverna, and Ikura Sushi for Asian Fusion in Athens. For those new to Greece, cash is king here, so pay in cash (euros) when eating out, or shopping, here.
Take a right from the Parliament building in Athens and the most exquisite shopping in Greece can be done at any of the stores on the right hand side and a couple blocks up from that road. Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga are a few brand names in the area. Of course, other designer boutiques such as Soho-Soho, Luisa World, Ferragamo, and Philip Plein can be found in the area also. Besides this area of Athens, Mykonos (yet again) has many designer boutiques and shops to get high end, hip clothing from for men and women. These stores include Christian Loubuiton, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and other lesser known stores such as Elixr Gallary, Salachas Linen Greek Clothes to name some.
Closing off I would like to leave you with some brief tips that will facilitate your stay. To restate, pay in cash. Many popular restaurants may not even take credit card, so best to be prepared. Do not cause a scene in public, people in Greece (and neighboring European Countries) and more reserved and less rowdy. Specifically no publicly drunken behavior or destruction of property. This is an important one as it gives away that you are a tourist and you are subject to pickpocketing, scams, and other not so good actions. And lastly, do not complain about Greece in any way or make inopropriate comments regarding the economy, politics, or Country itself. The people of Greece do not publicly critisize these areas mentioned, and as a tourist you should not comment on them as well. Just come here for vacation, no need for harsh, unneeded commentary. The three tips I listed are the most common mistakes people make when taking vacations in Greece, and I want to make you aware of them before you travel here.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and I look forward to seeing more engagement from my readers. See you later!
SKG.7 