Honeymoon Recap! Italy & Greece
It’s been just about a month since we returned from our DREAM honeymoon in Italy and Greece! I’ve shared a bunch of photos and videos on my Instagram, and in response a lot of you reached out asking for our full itinerary, so I figured I would compile it all in one place that was easily accessible to everyone. Also, in my next life I want to come back as a travel blogger, so posting a trip recap is just fun for me, anyways!
I will start off by saying that every single place we visited was so special. There is just something about these European countries that is truly magical, and I feel very lucky that we were able to take this trip together to celebrate this next chapter of our lives beginning.
So, let’s get into it!
TIMING: I highly recommend visiting Europe after the busy/summer season. We chose to go in September to avoid the crowds. While many places were still busy, nothing felt overly packed (aside from the Acropolis in Athens) and the weather was absolutely perfect.
TRIP LENGTH: Coming from LA with such long travel days getting there and back, 2 weeks was the only amount of time we considered. This gave us time to really enjoy each place that we went and cover a lot of ground while still having relaxation time and not feeling rushed from place to place.
ROME, ITALY (1 night)
We have both been to Rome several times before, so we just spent one night there to decompress post-flight. You really cannot go wrong with Rome, and if you have never been before, definitely spend at least 3 days exploring the city and its landmarks.
Stay:
Fauno Urban: This hotel was super cute and affordable! The rooms were modern, the complimentary breakfast was delicious, and I absolutely loved the garden pool. It was walking distance to many of the major landmarks (I find Rome to be very walkable in general). It was the perfect place for a one night stay to get acclimated.
Eat:
Osteria da Fortunata: Known for their pasta - I had the cacio e pepe and it lives up to the hype!
Angelina a Testaccio: A cute, cozy restaurant with a roof deck that was magical! All of the food we had here was great.
Rome to Ravello: We took the high speed train from Rome to Naples (about 1 hour, 40EUR) and then arranged for a taxi through our hotel (typically the easiest and cheapest way to do this) to meet us in Naples (about 1.5 hour drive, 140EUR).
RAVELLO, ITALY (3 nights)
Visiting the Amalfi Coast has been on our top travel destination list for years, and was the entire reason we came to Italy for the first part of our honeymoon! Positano is, of course, the most popular town along the coast, but we opted to stay in Ravello because the hotel prices in Positano were astronomical, and we figured Ravello would be a little quieter. We had planned to go into Positano for a day, but life had other plans for us and we never ended up making it there… this just means we have to go back one day!
Stay:
Hotel Marmorata: We absolutely loved this hotel and would stay here again. It was so unique and special - I feel like this is where we fell in love with the Amalfi Coast! The property, which is an old paper mill, is built into the side of a cliff right along the water, and the rooms are relatively spacious with decor that is quintessential Amalfi Coast. We loved the pool and the beach club - and do not sleep on the breakfast buffet!
Eat:
Ristorante L’Antica Cartiera: This is the restaurant within the Hotel Marmorata, and it’s definitely more upscale and not your traditional Italian food, but everything was fantastic. They started us off with complimentary glasses of champagne since they knew we were celebrating our honeymoon, and made us feel well taken care of throughout our meal.
Maria Grazia: If you watch Stanley Tucci's show, Searching for Italy, this is where the famous Spaghetti alla Nerano is from! We went here for lunch during our boat day - the charter company made the reservation for us and dropped us off right at the restaurant and waited for us to finish. Don’t bother with the menu - just get the Spaghetti alla Nerano. I will be dreaming about this pasta for the rest of my life.
Sal de Riso: This is a famous pasticceria in Minori (also featured on Searching for Italy) that is know for their lemon cake. The desserts are decadent and true works of art. We had the lemon cake and tiramisu.
See/Do:
Amalfi Heavens Garden cooking class: This group cooking class was so much fun! The view from their outdoor kitchen could not have been better, and the food we prepared family-style was delicious. Everything is seasonal in Italy (which I love), so your meal is made up of whatever is in season, and many of the ingredients are picked right from their garden. The wine and homemade limoncello flow freely, as well, which is never a bad thing!
Boat day with Positano Charter: We did an all day (8-hour) private charter with Positano Charter, and this was easily my favorite day of our entire trip. Our captain told us the history of the Amalfi Coast and explained everything we saw, took us to caves and grottos, around Capri, and then all the way to Nerano for lunch at Maria Grazia. This was definitely a splurge, but so memorable, and you can do whatever you want during your 8 hours… and it comes with unlimited snacks, champagne, wine, and beer.
One thing to note that I wish someone had told us: Taxis are insanely expensive, so just be prepared for that if you want to go from town to town or I recommend staying in the area you want to spend the most time in.
Here’s my Italy Recap Reel if you want to check it out!
Ravello to Athens: We took a taxi from Ravello to the Naples airport (about 1.5 hour drive, 140EUR) and then flew on easyJet from Naples to Athens (1.5 hours, 200EUR give or take).
ATHENS, GREECE (2 nights)
I want to start off by saying that I don’t think Athens gets enough credit! Everyone we talked to about this trip told us not to spend more than 1 full day in Athens, but I felt like we could have used a second day. We spent the morning doing some touristy things, and then had the afternoon and evening to wander and explore (my favorite way to see a new city). We spent 2 nights (1 full day) here.
Stay:
The Modernist: Another wonderful hotel with an amazing breakfast buffet! The breakfast buffets at European hotels are unmatched. As the name suggests, this hotel is modern and feels very new and organic with lots of plants decorating the lobby. The service was great here, too. We stayed here for our first 2 nights in Athens and then again for 1 night when we came back from the islands before heading home.
Eat:
Thespis: We loved this restaurant in Plaka! The outdoor seating and string lights made it feel super romantic, and the food was amazing - best tuna carpaccio of my life! Lots of friendly cats that live at the restaurant kept us entertained during dinner, as well.
The Clumsies: We popped in here for a post-dinner drink. It was such a cool bar with a unique cocktail menu, and has been voted one of the best bars in the world multiple times!
See/Do:
Byzantine Museum: If you’re into art or history, there are endless options for museums in Athens. The collection at the Byzantine Museum was impressive, and it took us less than an hour to see the entire collection.
Acropolis: You can’t go to Athens and not visit the Acropolis! It was very crowded (as you can see in the photo above), so I would recommend going fist thing in the morning to try to beat the crowds. The energy up there was so cool, and the 360 degree view of Athens was incredible. The city is massive and it was really cool to see how far it spreads out from up there.
Plaka: I could have spent an entire day wandering the streets of this neighborhood! Just below the Acropolis, there are tons of restaurants, bars, and shops here, many that wind up and down alleyways made up of steps. It felt so lively and was just so cool!
Here’s my Athens Recap Reel if you want to check it out!
Athens to Milos: We opted to take ferries for all of our island hopping, although there are flights available if you’d prefer to go that route. We booked everything with Seajets because they are typically the fastest, and highly encourage booking the platinum level. The ferry from Athens to Milos was about 3.5 hours.
MILOS, GREECE (3 nights)
This island was magical. So beautiful, quaint, and unique. You definitely will want to rent a car on Milos. We rented a 4x4 for 2 days through Milos Rent-a-Car which had a lot of options (including automatic transmissions and 4x4) and was affordable. There are so many places across the island worth exploring, and driving was the best way to get to every last corner of Milos.
Stay:
Efi Studios: We went more budget friendly hotel-wise on Milos, but this little family owned and run hotel was just what we needed! The location was perfect - walking distance to Pollonia, one of the main areas of the island with a bunch of restaurant options. There were no amenities at this hotel, but our room was super spacious and had a kitchenette and a private patio. I highly recommend staying in Pollonia even if you don’t stay at this hotel.
Eat:
Yialos: Located on the water in Pollonia, this was a lively, traditional yet slightly upscale Greek restaurant. Everything we had here was really good, and the atmosphere was so fun!
Hanabi: Yes, we ate sushi in Greece - but hear me out! This place was so good and the fish was so fresh (as with everywhere in Greece). We got all of the rolls that included fish caught locally on Milos (shrimp, tuna, and sea bass) and this was a nice break from all of the traditional Greek food we had been eating.
Sirocco: Located on the southern side of the island near Palaiochori Beach, we popped in here after spending some time at the beach for a drink and a snack. They cook all of their meat and fish in pits of volcanic sand/ash, which created a unique, earthy flavor.
Medusa: Located in Mandrakia, this lively restaurant was packed with a long wait, but was worth it! We grabbed a beer and the sun dried octopus (caught locally and hung up to dry right behind the restaurant). Did I mention how fresh everything is in Greece yet?!
See/Do:
Tsigrado Beach: This was a little tiny beach tucked into a cove on the south side of the island. You have to climb down a couple of (somewhat sketchy) ladders through a crevice of a cliff to get down to the beach, which was not my favorite thing, but it was so worth it!
Sarakiniko Beach (pictured above): Also known as the Moon Beach, you have probably seen photos of this beach on Instagram or Pinterest, and it was just so beautiful. One of the best things about Milos is how unique the landscape is, and how the landscape changes and can look completely different just a mile down the road. If you’re into cliff jumping (which I am not, but my husband is!), this is a great place for it.
Mandrakia: This fishing village felt like I was walking through a fairy tale. Just another special place, with the coolest energy, and incredible views.
Pollonia: We stayed in Pollonia, and really recommend it! It’s such a lively little town right on the water, with a public beach, restaurants, shops, and a small market.
Konstantakis Cave Winery: This is the only winery on Milos and is walkable from Pollonia! The wine was good - we did a tasting for 20EUR and it was all 7 of their wines plus some of the spirits they produce, and the pours were huge! They offer tours, as well, and have a residence on property you can stay at which we looked into, but was fully booked when we were there.
Here is my Milos & Paros Recap Reel if you want to check it out!
Milos to Paros: We took the ferry using Seajets again. The trip was just under 2 hours.
PAROS, GREECE (3 nights)
This was the last stop on our trip, where we splurged on a suite, and really tried to prioritize down time and enjoying the hotel we paid so much money for! We spent most of the time at the hotel (so not like us) but did get out to enjoy a few other places on the island, too. Another beautiful place with so many things to do and see!
Stay:
Parilio Hotel: As I mentioned, we splurged on the hotel and stayed in their Sun Suite which has a large private pool. The decor and architecture of the Parilio are very on brand for me, and I loved the simplicity of it all. We would have loved this hotel with one of the smaller rooms, too, so I really think you can’t go wrong here. They have a free breakfast, as well - we ordered breakfast in bed 2 days and highly recommend this option. The hotel pool was stunning, and the food and drinks at the pool bar were great. It’s set a little outside of the town of Naoussa, which is reachable by a quick (but pricey) taxi ride.
Eat:
Mr. E: The restaurant in the Parilio Hotel. The food was so good, very creative, and fresh. The Green Pie Salad was my favorite thing on the menu!
Fotis All Day Bar: A cute spot right on the water in Naoussa, they serve a little bit of everything, and the cocktails were amazing!
See/Do:
Massages at the Elios Spa: This the Parilio Hotel’s spa. The massages were affordable at 100EUR each for 55 minutes, and the therapists were wonderful.
Monastiri Beach Club: We spent the afternoon here on our last day in Paros. Don’t be fooled by the phrase “beach club” - the atmosphere was a very laid back and casual. We ordered a bottle of rosé and some shrimp tempura, and just enjoyed the sun and the water on beach loungers.
Naoussa: Another incredible town with winding streets and tons of restaurants, bars, and shops. The main town square (pictured above) is right on the water and very lively - you could say that the vibes were immaculate. I wish we had spent more time here, but again - relaxation and downtime was our priority on Paros!
We did not rent a car in Paros, but wish we had. Cabs are also super expensive here, and it just felt silly to spend so much money going from place to place when we had paid so much money for the amazing hotel room!
Here is my Milos & Paros Recap Reel if you want to check it out!
Paros to Athens: Again, we took the ferry with Seajets and this trip was about 3.5 hours. We spent one last night in Athens after arriving back from the islands, and flew out of Athens the next morning.
Well - that covers it! I hope that you get to visit these beautiful places one day. I would recommend and go back to every single place we visited - you can’t go wrong with either of these countries! The best food, people, culture, and views.
xo,
Kelsey