A Black Girl’s Guide to Greece: Santorini & Mykonos
It was a lifelong dream of mine to wake up in a different country for my birthday and this year, I was able to do just that. My travel crew and I came across tickets to Santorini, Greece for only $600 each (via Justfly.com) and we just had to snag them. Not only was the deal a steal, it was on a reliable airline, British Airways. In just a few months, my girls and I were on our way to the island of Santorini and Mykonos for a week. Our experience was definitely interesting. Yes the views were amazing and unmatched but we did receive a bit of hostility from a few locals. We didn't let that defeat us though, we certainly soaked up every bit of what Greece had to offer by letting our Black Girl Magic shine.
Stay
We had the opportunity to explore both Santorini and Mykonos. We spent four nights in Santorini at the Luna Santorini Suites in the village of Pyrgos. This location was a winner because of the views and cost. It was about $120 per night with complimentary breakfast and fluffy robes. The historical village of Pyrgos is built like a maze. Millions of beautiful alleys to discover, colorful doors, lovely restaurants and to top it off, the architecture is out of this world.
We traveled by ferry, spent the remaining three nights in Mykonos and lodged at Villa Pleiades (airbnb), near Ornos beach. The location was perfect and only five minutes away from the town square. The villa was gorgeous and cost less than $150/night. Although they didn’t offer complimentary breakfast, the owner provided us with transportation to and from the ferry port.
Dining
We indulged in both street food and fine dining during this trip. Expect lots of Mediterranean food and gyros, gyros, gyros. I highly recommend anything with lamb, it’s a specialty. Here's a snapshot of the restaurants we visited.
In Santorini:
Rosemary ***
Floga **** (Amazing views!)
Nick's Grill ***** (Best street food!)
In Mykonos:
Mamaloukas ***** (Amazing but pricey)
Trio Bambini ***** (Best gelato!)
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We were determined to explore every nook and cranny of this country. While in Santorini, we took a sightseeing tour that introduced us to every village on the island as well its history and culture. We ended the tour on a mountainside winery with bottles of freshly made rosé. The next day, we spent the whole day on the Aegean sea sailing on a Catamaran by ways of Spiridako Sailing Cruises. The boat stopped for swimming and we breezed by beautiful mountains and a sleeping volcano. On my birthday, we had lunch with a view in Oía at Floga, and then joined a cooking class by @Petra_Kouzina. This cooking class was definitely the highlight of the trip. The instructors were welcoming and the experience was unique. We learned so much about the origin of Greek cuisine all while laughing and exchanging stories with strangers. The recipes we learned and the genuine laughs we shared are what we hold on to as we remember Greece. I highly recommend a cooking class in Greece with George and Paula. Apart from other tourists and locals annoyingly gawking at us and the airport misplacing our luggage when we first arrived, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Santorini.
The Downside
While in Mykonos, we experienced adversity as black women. When we entered high-end stores, there was an odd energy from the employees suggesting we couldn’t afford luxurious items. We could and we did. Moreover, on our last night, we got thrown out of Semeli, for the silliest thing; the owner and waitresses were very aggressive and hostile towards us. It was quite clear we were not welcomed at the bar because they did not treat visitors of other races with the same energy. I'm sharing this as a precaution for my fellow black travelers, this may not be your experience but be prepared to encounter unfriendly and ignorant individuals wherever you go. With this being said, I take this opportunity to encourage people of color to travel and explore more! Do it proudly because there is something about a confident black person who can’t be shaken by the winds of cultural differences. The more we travel, the more we educate those that are ignorant. This experience fueled our desire to share our story with our community because often times, we want to highlight only the good times. The unfortunate experiences happen too, but how do you deal with it? Transparency. I share this story with hopes that it encourages my those who can relate. Keep traveling!
This trip inspired my sister Charlene, my best friend Christane and I to create @TravelingCocoaGirls on Instagram, a platform for us to share these stories and equip black female travelers with knowledge as they journey to these countries. Our mission is to not only share captivating visuals but to change the perception of how black women travel one country at a time. Read our full story on Travel Noire.
Would I go back to Greece? Not any time soon. I'm more interested in visiting other countries across Europe before returning. Check out our visual below by Journeys with Kris.