The Mid-Lifers

HOTELS

Athens - 1 night

Stay: InnAthens; I booked with www.booking.com but book direct at https://www.innathens.com/

Santorini - 3 nights

Stay: Our Santorini cave house was the perfect blend of cozy charm and dramatic island scenery - you can check it out here: https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/50019864?source_impression_id=p3_1772326730_P3Q-gXSw9QEZTNe4

Paros - 2 nights

Stay: Airbnb - currently not listed.

Porto Helo - 6 nights

Stay: https://www.villas-portoheli.com/

Athens - 1 nights

Stay: Comfort Stay Athens Airport Hotel https://comfortstay.gr/

GUIDED TOURS

Santorini:

Sunset Semi-Private Catamaran Tour. Our provider was Spiradokos Sailing Yachts booked via www.viator.com

Paros:

Paros European Car Rental & Motos. We rented 2 570cc Buggies https://parosrentcar.com/

We didn’t personally arrange the formal tours while staying in Porto Heli — those were organized through our friends’ travel agency — so I can’t comment in detail on specific excursions. What I can say is that the region itself is exceptional.

If you’re visiting, we highly recommend exploring the surrounding sights, stopping in Nafplio for a wander, and most definitely renting a RIB boat.

We toured with Blue Vibes Bespoke Charters, and they were outstanding — professional, knowledgeable, and truly a highlight of our stay. They can be booked directly via https://blue-vibes.com/

EXCURSIONS

Santorini: Regardless of your starting point, be sure to walk to at least one or two of the larger towns. Fira, Imerovigli, and Oia are the most well known — but the true beauty of the hike is passing through the smaller communities along the way.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can walk back — but our legs had other plans. We happily grabbed a taxi home, though public transportation is also an option.

Paros: Make time for the beach. We chose Kolympithres Beach — known for its unique rock formations and calm, clear water — and it was absolutely worth it.

NOTABLE RESTAURANTS

Santorini:  Imerovigli: Aegean Restaurant; La Maison

Oia: Ammoudi Tavern

TRANSPORTATION

Welcome Pickups - Similar to Uber but pre-scheduled, this private transfer service made our Athens logistics seamless. I booked online before arriving in Greece — including airport pickup, transport from InnAthens to the airport, and a transfer from the Athens ferry port to the Comfort Stay Airport Hotel.

Every driver was punctual, professional, and efficient. www.welcomepickups.com

Ferry Hopper - You can download the app to book easily at your convenience. That said, summer in Greece is exceptionally busy — with both international visitors and Greeks on holiday. We strongly recommend pre-booking your ferry tickets to avoid disappointment. www.ferryhopper.com

Aegean Air - We flew from Athens to Santorini — just a quick one-hour flight. The airport experience was unlike anything we’d ever seen; “chaotic” barely covers it.

But we made it — and what followed was nothing short of unforgettable.