Athens. Though we had fairly low expectations for Athens, we were pleasantly surprised. Athens is a city that is often overlooked, but it has more to offer than just a staging point for its islands. Upon arriving in Athens, we checked in to the Hotel Grande Bretagne, an iconic hotel established in 1869. It features an Art Nouveau style and was designed by Charles Ernest Hébert, who also designed the Paris Opera House. The hotel is across the square from the Hellenic Parliament, built-in 1843 by the architect Theophil Hansen. Our hotel also provided great views of the Acropolis from its rooftop restaurant.

Of course, the most famous sightseeing spot in Athens is the Acropolis. It is a hill with an archaeological site on top of it, which includes the remains of temples and other buildings from classical antiquity. One of those buildings is the Parthenon, which was built as a temple to the goddess Athena.

One of our favorite attractions is Mount Lycabettus. It's a hill that offers great panoramic views of Athens and its surroundings and is especially popular around sunset. We decided to take the cable car up the hill. After disembarking from the cable car and a short walk, you will find a charming white-washed, orthodox Church, St. George, on the top of the hill. But the real experience is the fantastic views of the city. We loitered on the top of the hill for a couple of hours until sunset. On the hike back down the hill, we captured some spectacular night photos of the Acropolis along the way.

Athens is also famous for its shopping opportunities. Ermou Street is the place to go if you want to buy souvenirs or clothes. If you want to enjoy the evening in Athens, head to Syntagma Square or Monastiraki Square, where you will find many people and be surrounded by lively sounds and smells.

Mykonos. From Athens, we took the ferry to Mykonos, perhaps our favorite of the three islands. Mykonos is most famous (or infamous) for being a party island. The reality is that most of the island is geared toward beach bums, but spend one weekend night in Mykonos City, and you can see how Mykonos earns its "bad-boy" reputation. We arrived on the island and took a taxi to our hotel, the Santa Marina Resort and Spa. The Santa Marina Hotel is located on the serene and picturesque bay, Chora Mykonos. It offers panoramic views of both the Aegean Sea and Mount Agios Ioannis. The hotel features several white-washed villas built into the cliffside overlooking the beach. It's magical. We could have spent the remainder of our vacation lazing on the beach without any regrets.

Mykonos is a trendy spot for people who enjoy the beach. It offers some outstanding beaches with crystal clear water. There are also many historical sites on Mykonos, such as the Church of Panagia Tourliani, one of the oldest churches on the island, dating back to the 9th century AD. Another reason why people love Mykonos is that it has so much history behind it, with its ancient ruins at Ano Mera and its archaeological museum that showcases findings from all around Greece.

Santorini. Our next stop on the itinerary was Santorini. Santorini is a beautiful and picturesque island in Greece and is likely its most touristic island. It is known for its stunning views, white houses with blue roofs, and the caldera, but it can often overwhelm the uninitiated because of the large number of tourists in its compact villages. After a long wait in the taxi line, we took a short trip to the Vedema Resort, located in the charming town of Megalochori. We enjoyed the eclectic property, which sports ample-sized, white-washed suites, well-kept grounds, and two swimming pools. Initially, we were hoping to stay on a property that overlooked the Aegean Sea; but after seeing the throngs of people that press through the towns (especially during cruise season), we were satisfied that we made the right decision.

We started our exploration of Santorini by visiting Fira, Santorini's capital. Fira offers breathtaking views from its cliffs and hillsides. The town's architecture reflects its long history with buildings in varying styles, including neoclassical, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman influences evident throughout. After our fill of Fira, we explored some of Santorini's beautiful cities set along the rim of the caldera, including Firostefani, Imerovigli, and finally, Oia, probably the most Instagrammable place in Santorini. Walking around the island of Oia, we shopped at the stores and found local coffee and desserts. The hardest part of being Oia is that you want to photograph everything all at once. However, the sunsets are spectacular even if the restaurants are a bit touristy.

Over the next several days, we made several excursions, including visiting the red sand beach next to the village of Perissa. The Red Beach was created by an eruption from one of the many volcanoes on Santorini's caldera plateau. Our favorite activity was our sunset dinner cruise on a catamaran. After long, hot days exploring the villages in Santorini, it was fabulous to get off our feet and relax on the water. It's hard to compare a Santorini sunset with others. It's unlike any we've witnessed before. Additionally, the simple seafood dinner, including fresh red snapper and calamari, was perhaps the best of our entire trip.

Crete. Our final destination in our trip. Crete is the largest and most populous of the Grecian Islands. After arriving at the ferry terminal, we took a ninety-minute taxi ride to The Blue Palace in Elounda. The Blue Palace is an all-inclusive resort, so we saw very little of the island and the culture. 

The property, however, is amazing, with large villas, individual plunge pools, and an extensive beach. We didn't find much to do at the resort other than laze on the beach and tour the property. After an active vacation, however, we didn't mind.