My Summer in Greece
I was born and raised in New York City... but only 11 months out of every year. For one month every summer, I go to Greece to visit my family and - as Greeks call it - the “motherland.” For as long as I can remember, my favorite part of the year has been getting off the plane or the boat and smelling the fresh Greek air.
This summer, however, was more special than any of the ones that came before it because last year I didn’t get to go to Greece. Not going made me miss the country even more than I could possibly imagine, but this year made up for everything that I had missed last summer.
We started off our journey with family friends in Milos, a little island in the Cyclades region. The best part of being on that island - an island that I hadn’t visited before - was exploring with friends that are as good as family. Together, we explored different beaches (Kleftiko, Sarakiniko, etc.), ate new and exciting foods, and walked through the town of Adamantas. Milos made me learn to appreciate the Greek islands in their purest, most untouched form. It’s an island that is still very much unbothered by tourism and commotion, and it embodied all of the loveliest features that Greece has to offer.
Below are pictures of Milos’ beaches:
Next, we made our way Santorini - my second favorite island in Greece. It was my fourth time there and my second time staying with the family friends who we vacationed with in Milos. They are from a wonderful village in the center of the island, about 10 minutes from either end of it. Our days were spent at the beaches, and our nights were spent in Fira, the main city, which is located on the caldera (the cliff-like structure that was left after the island’s volcano erupted). In my opinion, it’s the most magical place on Earth, and everyone should go there at least once in their lifetime if the opportunity arises. I think about Santorini every single day; that island makes me grateful to be Greek.
Below are pictures of Santorini and the caldera:
Video of the caldera:
Last but not least, we went to the island that my family is from: Crete. My little village on a mountain is my favorite place on the planet; it’s been filled with the same old people for as long as I can remember... even the scents are the same. It’s my second home - a place my family goes to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City life. All my cousins, uncles, and aunts visit during the summer, along with the kids I’ve been friends with since I was three years old. Crete is known for being one of the loveliest places to visit in Greece; there’s so much to do and so much to see. Fun fact(!): Crete is known for being the location for the film Zorba the Greek!
Listen to Zorba the Greek:
https://open.spotify.com/track/30Lj5KKGd8IUEK0s5N3ccN?si=fPYj_7y3RouKymt-n3vczw
My favorite part about going to Crete, though, is always the celebration for August 15th (one of Greece’s most celebrated holidays). Every year on that night, Cretan musicians play their music for the whole village until the early hours of the morning while the youth dances along and the older villagers watch. It’s the liveliest party that the village throws every years, and - in my opinion - the most enjoyable.
Maleviziotikos (Traditional Cretan Dance):
A Cretan song by Nikos Zoidakis:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4TJzgyfcAwDpliXnvKUr4d?si=v_6Zo8D6QNeUmbSvxYlqbw
Now that it’s September, I am back in New York for school, but I am missing Greece more than ever. All I can do is reminisce about the time that I spent there, and look forward to the next time I visit!
