Finally, in May 2026, I got to travel to Europe. I got super busy ever since and I never got to finish this blog post.
I had a great time in Greece and got to experience the European culture for the very first time and it did not disappoint. I could relate to it a lot.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the Greek mythology (I even named my first car after Achilles’ second horse, and my motorcycle in Hyderabad after Achilles’ first horse).
Schengen Visa
Because I am on H-1B visa, I had to get a Schengen Visa to travel to Greece. The whole process took about 3 weeks from the date of application to the date we picked up our passports from the Greece Embassy. We were told it would be done in a week. We needed to book the flight tickets, hotel stay, travel medical insurance, etc. all prior to the visa appointment – which is quite standard when traveling to another country.
Planning
This time, we planned the trip with the help of ChatGPT and it turned out to be quite helpful.
We got the Orange data-only SIM cards for the length of stay. Never had any issues with connectivity during our entire stay.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Greece, baby!
Landed in Athens, Greece. Arrived at the hotel, at what seemed like the downtown of Athens. It was quite a fancy area. We landed around evening, so we just went out for a quick exploratory walk around the area. We asked beforehand if it was safe to walk around and the hotel staff suggested some places to stay away from. It felt nice and safe.
Day 2 – Acropolis, Athens
We started with exploring Athens. Obviously, Acropolis was top of the list to check out. We checked out The Parthenon and the Acropolis museum. It was very educational and I loved knowing all of it.
After touring the Acropolis, we got a massage and it was so so so good. That is something I 100% recommend.
Also, I noticed how some places had funny signs on the restrooms.
Day 3 – Meteora Monasteries
Meteora, pronounced Meth-yo-rah
We set out to check out the monasteries. It was quite a ride from Athens. It was a full day tour. The tour company we booked with, had a bus for us. The ride was about 4 hours one-way. So, 8 hours roundtrip and ~8 hours stay there to check out the monasteries.
While visiting the monasteries, men can’t wear shorts and women can’t wear sleeveless tops or shorts. You’re basically required to dress conservatively. This is a requirement. They offer a wrap-around for women who wear shorts.
It may not be for everyone, but if you’re into monasteries, my god, this place is beautiful. It was serene and knowing the history behind it felt humbling. I loved it.
Day 4 – Exploring Athens, Shopping š
We finally got a full day to explore Athens and try out the local food and coffee.
The area where we were staying, had a ton of places to shop around. We shopped the whole day. Since the taxes are waived for international travelers, it turned out to be a fantastic experience.
We got to checkout the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
We walked around a few neighborhoods, checking out the local places and we participated in a fun murder mystery event, where you solve the crime from a mythology story. It was cute and fun.
The food, honestly, was pretty similar to what you get int he US at a decent Greek restaurant. The portion sizes were definitely smaller, but the food tasted very similar.
The coffee was good. Not great, but good. I love coffee, so I can be quite picky when it comes to coffee.
Day 5 – Travel to Santorini
We flew from Athens to Santorini. We checked-in to a resort in Santorini. The place was great and we spent the time in the resort that night since we were tired from all the walking the day before.
Day 6 – Touring Santorini
We booked a tour to explore Santorini. It was very tiring. The weather was complicated. It was sunny and cold. The tour itself could’ve been organized better. The places we checked out were mostly churches. There were a lot of places to get good photos, but yeah, the tour wasn’t my favorite. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend the tour.
Also, the famous blue domes where people take photos, has a huge line. We waited and took a photo there, but I wouldn’t do that again.
After that, we spent very little time in Fira and Oia (pronounces e-yeah). We definitely wanted to comeback and explore Fira ourselves.
Day 7 – Fira
Fira is a place in Santorini. The most happening place and that’s the place you should really check out. The rest of it is mostly hype. We took a taxi from our resort to get to Fira.
We did a lot of shopping. There’s a ton of things you could buy there. It’s a souvenir heaven.
Pro tip: If you enjoy wearing jewelry, Fira has a ton of jewelry places to check out.
Day 8 – Back to Athens
We flew back to Athens the next morning and stayed the remained of the day in a hotel there. We had the flight next morning, early, so we needed to stay close to the Airport. But, I accidentally ended up booking it 30 mins away from the airport. We only realized that when we were getting to the hotel from the airport.
Day 9 – Goodbye, Greece!
I had a fun time in Greece. Hopefully, I’m able to come back to Europe and explore the rest of it.
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