SKIATHOS, GREECE | A PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone!


After having not visited the tiny island of Skiathos for almost ten years, I finally managed to go back to one of my favourite places. Not much has changed in my absence, except the Mamma Mia overload. This tiny island, and surrounding islands where used as film locations for the movie and the  locals have taken this as a great business opportunity! There's even an outdoor cinema in the main town that offers weekly viewings of the movie, with their own added twist! Settle down with a glass of wine and watch the film under the stars, by the end everyone will be up on their feet dancing and singing along!

Skiathos is a small island in the Northwest Aegean sea, situated in the group of islands known as Sporades. It's about six miles long, and four miles wide, with Skiathos Town being the most populous place. For me it was like returning home, my family used to visit for our holidays and I knew where I was going. Everyone is friendly and you will never feel unsafe.

This year we stayed a five minute walk from the town centre, which meant we could take in the great nightlife that this tiny island has to offer. Plenty of bars and restaurants that line the harbour, and the main road of Papadiamanti. Most of the food is very traditional, with plenty of places to grab a Gyros!

From the town you can grab a short boat across to the unpopulated island of Tsougria, which is a protected natural habitat and a perfect place to spend the day relaxing. It doesn't get too busy, and the water is crystal clear. There's a small taverna on the beach, and remember to bring your snorkelling gear!

Jump on a boat tour around the island, or a tour that visits the nearby islands of Alonnisos and Skopelos. Or do both! Why not? Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the dolphins that live in the waters below!

The airport in Skiathos is very small, so small that it stretches from one side of the island to the other and has become a popular destination on the island for both plane spotters and those who are looking for an adrenaline rush. You can stand at the end of the runway, and feel the power of the planes engine as it speeds down the runway.

If you're able too, rent out a car for a couple of days so you can drive around the island and explore. We managed to visit the monastery for the first time, which has glorious views from the mountains and you can learn about some of the islands history. There's a shop that sells wine and liquor produced from the monastery itself. 

Whilst we had the car we decided to drive to the Il Kastro, a place we had also never explored before. Read up on this ruined town before you go, as it has a lot of history. It used to be the capital of the island, and a walk through the narrow pathways makes it easy to imagine the old society come to life around you. It's not easy to get to, no busses and very steep roads if you are going to drive. Some boats stop here, but require a very steep hike to reach. The best way to visit is to either rent a 4x4 or book on to a tour that stops here. Just bring sensible shoes and a bottle of water! It's definitely a hidden gem on the island, and so secluded that it will never be busy.

 Skiathos is full of lots of different beaches, some family favourites include; Mandraki, Koukounaries, Troulos and Tsougria as previously mentioned. But if you're looking for a relaxing place to swim without the sand, then head over to the Tennis Club to use the pool for free.

I will always keep coming back to visit this wonderful place, it holds so many of my memories and it's just beautiful. I want to bring everyone I know so that they can experience the island for themselves.

Thanks for reading, xo
*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S. 

SAMI, KEFALONIA | A PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone! 

Greece is one of my favourite places to visit. There are so many islands to explore. This time round I visited the beautiful island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea. 

We stayed in Sami, a port in the east of the island. It's a great location with lots of nearby things to do. The main attractions being the beautiful Antisamos Beach, where Captain Corellis Mandolin was filmed. Melissani Cave, and the Island of Ithaca are also a short journey away. 

We stayed in Hotel Pericles, about ten minutes out of Sami. It was a very simple hotel, but had everything we needed, including a free breakfast. Below is a picture of the view we had.

Most restaurants in Sami are at the harbours edge, Adonis being our favourite. The vegetarian moussaka and the baked eggplants where the best food we ate all holiday. 

We decided to do a day tour to the nearby island of Ithaca, travelling with Sami Star II. This included two swim stops in secluded bays, only accessible by boat, and also a visit to Vathi for a walk around and Kioni for lunch. Both of these villages where beautiful. 

The buildings in Vathi are beautifully coloured, all bright or pastel. 

After visiting Melissani Cave, we decided to walk back to Sami, through Karavamylos. We stopped for lunch by the lake, which is made up of water from the nearby cave. 

Antisamos Beach is in a horseshoe bay, with tavernas and water activities. A long twisting road around the mountains is the only way to access this glorious beach. It is covered in white stones that glisten under the water, and a small array of fish swim close to shore. It is a great place to snorkel. There are tavernas that offer free sun beds, drinks and snacks. 

I would recommend Sami as a great spot for a holiday, and also recommend hiring a car to get around as this would give you more freedom during your stay. I was only there a week, so it wasn't a complete necessary for me and my travel companion. 

Everyone is very friendly in Sami, and the food is amazing. I couldn't get enough of the traditional Greek cuisine. 

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon 700d, Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.

ARKADI MONASTERY | PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone! 

You can't go to Crete without visiting the Arkadi Monastry, the islands treasure. There's many tours that offer day trips, but as we had our own cars we made a day of it. It just 27km from Rethmynon, inland.

There's many small villages surrounding Arkadi, and therefore you're never short on places to visit. One of which, was a little town called Margarites which in infamous for pottery. All of which are very good for souvenirs and very good prices. 

On site, at Arkadi Monastry, there is a little gift shop and cafe that serves typical Greek delights. 

The Monastry itself holds hundreds of years worth of history, and as you walk around you are able to see and discover the most prominent events that took place. There is a tree which has a hole created by a Turkish bullet, and the old wine cellar has never been restored from the 'holocaust' where many woman and children blew themselves up to get away from the Turks. 

There is a small fee to pay upon entrance, $3-$4, but with a museum and church inside it is well worth it. 

The picture below features the church, which is visible from the entrance to the monastry. Inside is magnificent and grand, clearly influenced by the renaissance period.

There are corridors which lead off to monk cells, which were also used as a hospital during the siege of 1866, where many lives were sadly lost.

For more information on this wonderful place, please visit there official website here.

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.

CRETE | PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone! 

A couple of days ago i landed home from a ten day holiday in Greece. Island of choice - Crete. Now i've visited before in the past, and i'm going to say that i was young and unappreciative, it just wan't my cup of tea. (It was still a lovely holiday, mind you). So this time i hadn't too high hopes. 

Boy, was i wrong. Being the largest island in Greece, it has plenty of activities to suit everyone's needs. I visited with family, nine of us in total. We rented out a villa in a small town called Roussospiti, in the Rethminon Region. Having hire cars was a necessity as we were up in the hills, although we didn't move too far around as our main focus was to relax, whether that be by the pool or by the sea. 

My favourite cuisine is Greek, and there's never too many traditional dishes available in the UK. So my taste buds where in heaven. I even cried when i was presented with my first bowl of homemade tzatziki of  the trip. There was a taverna in the village serving one of my favourite delights... gyros! The food was fabulous, the company was fabulous, the weather was fabulous, making these ten days absolute pure bliss. 

 One thing that i'm going to miss is the hospitality, meaning the free shots of Raki and free bowls of watermelon we got after every meal out. 

Thanks Greece, until next time! 

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.