Greece - Crete

We started our island-hopping by spending 7 days on Crete.

We stayed in the old Capital, Hania, for 3 nights (top row, first 2 pics). We made a day-trip to Rethymo (formally a fortress). We then moved to the current Capital, Heraklio (also known as Iraklio) (middle row, first 2 pics), to spend the remaining days. We visited the Iraklio museum where, among other artefacts, we saw a headless girl sitting on a swing (middle row, 3rd pic). We made day-trips to Chersonisos (top row, 3rd pic), Archanes and Knossos (palace ruins, 3rd row).

Greece - Santorini & Mykonos

Our final 2 stops in our Greek adventure were on the enchanting islands of Santorini and Mykonos.

As with most Greek sites, Santorini town is situated high above sea level. We were fortunate to witness a wedding on the island while having dinner on our first night. From the coast, it is 588 steps up to the town. You can either climb up with your legs, take a donkey ride or go by the cable car. Santorini was formed after a big volcanic eruption. It is well known for its many white buildings. It was said the most beautiful sunsets in the world can be seen from Santorini.
Mykonos is situated in the centre of the Aegean Sea. The pelican is the official bird of Mykonos. The town is a maze of shops on the red-stone pavement. It has a hip nightlife, with lots of people on the street, even at 1 am.

We completed our journey by taking a ferry back to Piraeus (a port on the mainland) and took the connecting train back to Athens for our flight back.

Below are some travel guides on Greece and the Greek Islands: