Athens

We had very limited time in Athens and our only day there was on Greek Easter, meaning that virtually everything was closed.  However, we made the best of it and set off for Arcopagus Hill to get a view of the Parthenon.  Somehow we picked up two more dogs along the way; apparently guide dogs are a thing in Greece??  We speculate that they're running a beta dog guide program and we're part of the test subjects :)

We made it to the top and the view was incredible!

Of course we had to be obnoxious and snap an O-H-I-O picture.

On our way to the next sight, we came across these great street performers.  I think they were the best of the trip by far :)

We then got to see the Temple of Olympian Zeus through from afar.

Nearby was Hadrian's Arch.

Next we saw the Roman Stadium. 

Ryan had to have his picture in front of it :)

We finished off our walking tour with a quick stroll through the National Gardens.

All over Athens were plenty of orange trees.  It was very tempting to reach up and grad one for a snack, but I never gave into the urge.

On our way back to pick up our bags from the hostel, we walked by this restaurant that was preparing a traditional Greek Easter meal of roasted lamb in the square.  We were too tempted by the smell that we decided to try it and grabbed a table.

The meal did not disappoint.  The lamb was delicious and tender and it was an exciting to experience the atmosphere of their holiday festivities!

With little time to spare, we walked back to our hostel through the graffitied streets of Athens, picked up our bags, and headed to the airport for our first flight of 3 home!

Santorini

We started our first morning on Santorini with a traditional Greek breakfast.  Fresh squeezed orange juice, Greek yogurt with nuts and honey, and a Greek omelette.  This became our favorite spot for breakfast, and we went back all three days that we were there!  I think our waitress thought we were a bit crazy...

We then wandered through the town that we were staying in, Fira, over to the cliff side to get  a great view of the island.  It was the classic white buildings that I was expecting from Santorini.

After taking in the view, we decided to climb down the stairs and check out the port.  Our trip was a bit delayed by the fact that we had to move donkeys out of the way in order to get down the stairs.

This guy was my favorite!  He had so much character :)

We hung out in the port for a bit and enjoyed some sunshine, watching people come over from a cruise ship in smaller boats.  I believe that these were there, however, for other purposes.

The water was such a beautiful blue that everyone comments about the Mediterranean!

After relaxing for a bit, we headed back up the cliff side using the tram.  Climbing all those stairs was no big deal on the way down, but going up seemed much more daunting.

After starting our next morning with breakfast at our favorite spot, we decided to hike the 7 miles from Fira to Oia.  It was a bit cloudy, but still warm enough to be comfortable on the hike.

I can't imagine living here on this beautiful island and enjoying laundry while taking in this gorgeous view!

No hike would be complete without Fly!!!!  On our way out of Fira, we somehow picked up this dog who followed us all the way to Oia!  She was so adorable and served as our guide dog the whole way.  She was also completely fearless and stood up on every steep cliff side and wall to get the best possible view.

Of course we couldn't make it through Santorini without seeing an old Greek man riding a donkey!

The hike took us about 3.5 hours to finish.  We tried walking at a good pace, but it was always tempting to stop and take in the view.

Of course it also didn't help that the path was slippery rocks in some places with barbed wire on one side and prickly cactus-like plants on the other.  It's honestly a miracle that we didn't end up in the hospital with Matt's clumsiness! 

We also had to stop for water breaks along the way!

Oia slowly came nearer and nearer, and the path trailed on.  The white houses that you see in the distance are the town.

Finally we arrived and stopped to refuel with some lunch!

We then explored the town and stumbled upon this adorable bookshop owned by a man who moved from Tennessee and bought this place with his friend.  He said he took a similar backpacking trip after he graduated college and had to come back to the island.  I can't blame him because it is such an amazing place!

On the other side of Oia, we found Amoudi Bay.  Of course seeing it meant climbing down more stairs!!!  I suppose it wasn't too painful with the beautiful views to keep you distracted.

We made it down safely and spotted some of the famous restaurants that we had researched that are frequented for the best view of the sunset on the island.

We saw this sign in the distance and naturally decided we should explore further!

The boy's couldn't help but scale the rocks to get a better view.

I got jealous and decided to follow to check out what there was to see!  I wasn't disappointed :)

We then hiked back up the stairs and enjoyed a snack of Greek salad and a banana split at a restaurant with this view.

Mmmmm!  Such good feta :)

We returned by the most terrifying bus ride along the cliff sides and through the fog to Fira.  We then freshened up and headed out to get dinner and check out the nightlife on the island!

The next day we decided to relax on the black beaches of Perissa.  While it wasn't that sunny, it was still amazing to take in the view and enjoy the sound of crashing waves on the rocks.

I didn't move from these chairs for the majority of the day.

We enjoyed some lunch beach-side at the same restaurant!

In the afternoon, we made the bus trip back to Fira and packed our bags to leave.  Ryan and I decided to back up to see the view one more time before leaving.  Apparently it was also time to put away the donkeys for the night!

Santorini was such a breath-taking place with the most hospitable people that we met the entire trip.  I already wish I could return there once again to experience it's beauty even longer.