Everything you’ll realize when you visit Greece

Ancient relics preserved for ages. Pristine white-painted houses contrasting with the turquoise blue waters. A lifetime may be too short to fully explore and absorb the wonders of a country such as Greece. So, make sure you have your iPhones, selfie sticks, and/or cameras in hand because you don’t want to miss these following must-sees.

Navigating the land of myths and legends

Greece is all about its history. Immerse yourself in thousands of years of culture from visiting the roaring lions in the island of Delos to chillin’ with Zeus in Athens/Piraeus (Temple of Zeus)

What you may not expect is to unfortunately run into some renovations at some key sites (as exhibited below) left is the iconic front facade and the right is the back facade of the Parthenon as of this year:

Nevertheless, these structures that have withstood the test of time are no less majestic and awe-inspiring to see.

Furthermore, if you’re a student, remember…

Student ID = $$$ discounts !! 

Surprisingly many historical Greek sites offer discount/half-price tickets for US university students (may apply to all non-EU university students). That’s a ton of euros that could be saved (always good to hear for us broke college students)! So, while island-hopping around Greece, always ask if there is a student discount at any location that requires an entrance fee.

Do not underestimate Greek summer sun

Super sunny and hot, don’t forget to bring and wear sunblock, shades and a hat to Greece. Pretty sure I have ten different sets of tan lines, from socks to shorts to even bracelet tans. Remember to also drink lots of water – there’s a reason why there’s a water fountain at the top of Acropolis in Athens.

Even if you slather on sunblock every few hours, you may still get sunburned/sun-baked like I did (before and after 100 degrees Athens sun pictures above).

The sea is your friend

Composed of thousands of islands surrounded by four different seas, Greece is surrounded by refreshingly cool ocean water that exhibits beautiful shades of blue (pictured below is Corfu). Thus, remember to bring your swimsuit because there will be plenty of people cooling off & hopping off piers on a hot summer day.

Which leads me to…

When in Greece, beach all day, every day

Greece possesses many of the world’s most picturesque and iconic beaches (beautiful water = beautiful beaches). So whether you wanna grab a tiki beach umbrella and sunbathe or go for a dip (Agios Ioannis Beach in Mykonos) Greek beaches cannot be beat.

If anything, it’ll seriously up your Insta game (viewpoint overlooking Paralia Myrtos in Kefalonia; one of the most beautiful Greek beaches).

All about the white & blue

From the color scheme of the nation’s flag, to the white painted structures contrasting with splashes of blue/color as well as the blue of surrounding seas, the white & blue theme of many Greek cities make them very Insta-worthy.

(At Church of Panagia Paraportiani, most photographed Greek church & a random storefront in Mykonos)

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All in all, these are but a few of Greece’s many noteworthy attributes. From within the mouth of a dragon (stalagmite/stalactite caves) to subterranean lakes that connect sea to sea, there are endless facets of Greece left for you to explore. No matter what, Greece is an unforgettable experience.