When I visited Crete, seeing towns like Chania and Rethymno were high on my bucket list since I’d heard great things about them. Chania was cute but I didn’t think it was as charming as Rethymno. Here’s my rundown on this seaside city and why I fell for it.

A Brief History of Rethymno

What is now Rethymno was probably inhabited by the Minoans and the Romans in ancient times, but its more popular history started in the 16th century when the Venetians used the port here and built a fort to protect the city. Much of the architecture standing … Continue reading

So many people told us that you only need a day in Athens, it’s not a great city, all there is to do is the Acropolis. This is so not true. If you’re short on time then yes, maybe spending a day at the Acropolis is enough. But Athens is a lovely city with a lot to do and see. You can fill a few days with things to do, easily.

I also felt that Athens was a nice city. Not particularly charming, and certainly not as photogenic as the Greek islands, but a very proper city.

Without further adieu, … Continue reading

If you’ve studied archaeology then you’ve probably heard of Knossos in Crete, one of the world’s ancient splendors. I was eager to see this place for myself and thought it was a fantastic experience.

What was Knossos?

The Minoan culture lived on Crete thousands of years ago, and Knossos – being their largest city – was probably their capital or central power. What remains today is the Knossos Palace, which was a working palace with many functions and inhabitants.

Since Crete is centrally located between Europe, Asia and Africa, Knossos was definitely a huge trade city, which can be seen … Continue reading

I’ve wanted to visit Akrotiri since I first learned of it in college. Much like Pompeii, this city thrived thousands of years ago before it was covered by a volcanic eruption. Though the volcano destroyed the city, it also preserved it so we could get a more intimate look at it all these years later. Visiting was an absolute highlight of my trip and I cannot recommend it enough for history lovers.

What was Akrotiri? A Short History

Akrotiri’s one of Greece’s biggest archaeological finds, but not much is known about it – not even its name. The language, called … Continue reading

There are so many fun things to do in Santorini that people miss out on. Actually, when we first planned our Greece trip, we were going on a cruise that stopped only for 2 hours – just enough to see Oia’s “famous sunset.” What a crime! That trip was cancelled so when we rebooked, we opted to spend several days on the volcano island and get to see what it really had to offer.

Visit Akrotiri & Prehistoric Museum of Thera

Akrotiri is absolutely one of the best things to do in Santorini. Particularly for history buffs, you can see … Continue reading