So there are a trillion and one reasons about why someone should go to Greece. A few include the fact that the people are fun; the history is rich and real; the public transport is pretty darned good; and you will not find better beaches nor water. Ah, food is fresh and amazing unlike the crap we’re sold in the states. You have not experienced fresh food until you’ve bitten into a Greece-grown tomato. I hate tomatoes and I loved them. As a matter of fact, I hate to eating most things that go through photosynthesis (I prefer steak and potatoes), but I love Greek vegetables. I’ll eat them all day. Then wash it down with a souvlaki. And a pint of Heineken from a newspaper stand.

You can walk in public and drink a Heineken for a couple Euro as long as you’re not an asshole. There are a ton of clubs that will meet your style, but just bet that you’ll like the Greek style better. Hop on the tram to Pasalimani or Piraeus Port to go on a jaunt to Aegina Island for the day. It’ll only cost you about $50 for a round-trip ride on the Flying Dolphin hydrofoils. Or hop on a cheap flight with Ryan Air to Santorini – it takes 33 minutes, longer if your plane crashes. If you ride to the end of the metro line as far towards Piraeus as you can go and hop in a taxi for 15 minutes you can reach Varkiza Bay pretty easy and cheap. There you can have a Cuba Libre and go wakeboarding with some Greek dude who makes you feel like you should do more crunches just the way he looks.

After the beach, go party or have dinner anywhere near the Acropolis. There are a ton of great restaurants. The restaurant scene is pretty cool and unlike anything you’ll find in the US. There are restaurants in district squares and a ton of them. They all serve Greek food and will do other stuff to some extent. Be nice and leave a good tip, but make sure the gypsy children don’t steal your money off the table! There are also smaller, niche restaurants that are on the side streets. Some are bigger than others for sure, but either way you get treated like family. Prepare to stay for a couple hours just hanging out and enjoying life. Engage in conversation with your local restauranteur and you’ll feel like the cost of the flight was more than worth it.

Anywho, there’s a lot more to say and do, but your experience is going to be different than mine. Find you a good hotel near the center of Athens like the Royal Olympic Hotel and you’ll be set with a central location. Get you a decent rental, but make sure the thing has oil in it and can go faster than 55 mph. Otherwise, your trip is going to take a long time if you travel to Meteora or Corinth.

Go between May and October. Otherwise it’s too rainy and chilly to get the best experience.

N’joy!