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When: June 2023

Trip rating: 5/5

What inspired you to take this trip? I was inspired to take this trip to remember my departed sister. We met in Greece back in June of 2000. She was a wanderer of sorts who loved to stay there for months on end. I was finishing up a part in a community play in Etobicoke, and said I could meet her there on the island of Ikaria. It turned out to be a great trip. I visited Athens, Patmos, Ikaria and Samos islands. I was there for two weeks, but realized I had just scratched the surface of the beauty of the country.

What was the best sight? Meteora, a rock formation in Thessaly, northwestern Greece, had to be the most beautiful sight of my recent trip. I joined a bus tour from Athens, first arriving at Delphi, an ancient religious sanctuary and archeological site. We had a guided tour which was fascinating. Highlights of this site include the Tholos of Delphi (among the ancient structures of the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi), the Ancient Theatre (of Delphi), the Ancient Stadium of Delphi, the treasuries of the Greek cities and the Western Portico. The next day, after staying at a hotel in Kalabaka, we toured Meteora. There are monasteries atop these beautiful rock formations. It was worth the trip.

What was your favourite activity? Walking and absorbing the culture was my favourite activity, along with trying the local cuisine. Athens is very busy, with haphazard streets. When I arrived, I got a bit lost, but eventually found the room I booked online. Sticking to a simple path is the best thing to do. I was trying to stick to a budget and didn’t use my roaming. But it certainly would have helped me to find where the bus picked up tourists for my tour to Delphi and Meteora. Saving maps on my phone seemed like a good idea — at the time.

What was the most delicious thing you ate? The calamari dinner I had in Athens was delicious. I dined at a family-run taverna, just across the street from where I stayed. It was done just right, so that it almost melted in your mouth. A close second would be the grilled sardine dinner I had on the island of Ikaria, at another taverna. These are the best places to experience the authentic flavour of Greek cuisine. I also had a delicious bacon-and-egg sandwich at a small café in Ikaria. It was simple, yet had a personal touch you don’t find in Toronto restaurants.

What was the most memorable thing you learned? Greece is so rich in history. Many English words stem from ancient Greek, and modern architecture has been influenced by Greek architecture. If you want to visit Europe, and you’re on a budget, Greece is the place to have a vacation. Many accommodations are reasonably priced, even places where you get a private room. People are accommodating and friendly, and most speak English. Also, if you’re a cat-lover, you’ll have plenty of company; cats roam free outside, particularly on the islands.

What is one specific piece of advice you’d give? A visitor has to be careful when travelling by public transit in Athens. Keep a close eye on your belongings! Pickpocketing is a common occurrence. I was asking for directions while on the subway, and someone reached into my fanny pack and lifted my wallet right out. Luckily, most of my funds were in the back section, so my trip wasn’t totally ruined. I had already booked my ferries and accommodations ahead of time, unlike my trip in 2000, when you could find people greeting tourists at the ferry docks of the islands and offering rooms.

Karen Elstone, Etobicoke, Ont.

READERS’ TIPS

We’ve launched a series that invites Star readers to share places they’ve visited recently and would recommend, whether it’s a weekend getaway in Elora, a Banff canoe trip, or a jaunt to Paris or Rome. If you’ve been, loved it and want to tell us about it, we’d like to hear from you.

Email us with “TRAVEL TIPS” in the subject line at travel@thestar.ca.

Please include brief responses to these questions. If your holiday experience is chosen, we’ll be in touch. 

1. Where did you go and when was it?

2. Where did you stay?

3. What was a highlight of your trip? Why?

4. Any travel tips?