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3 days on the island of Kea (Tzia)
2022 is around the corner. As difficult as this year has been, 2021 has had some great moments, for which I am so grateful. One of those moments was in early July, when I returned to my home country, Greece, and started my summer holidays. Kea, also called Tzia, was the first island I visited, together with one of my closest friends, Elsa. Of all the Cyclades, Kea is the closest to Attica and Athens. Thanks to its close proximity to the Greek capital, Kea is an ideal weekend resort for the Athenians; for the rest of us, this beautiful island is a great summer destination. Commonly referred to as…
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10 Greek islands to visit after the pandemic
Last week, it was announced that Cyprus would soon allow fully vaccinated British tourists into the country without any restrictions, such as the need for a negative COVID test or quarantine on arrival to the island. Meanwhile, other countries, Greece included, are keen to establish vaccine passport systems, to facilitate international travel. Hopefully, such a system will be in place before the summer, so we can travel safely and responsibly. In anticipation of this, here is my list of 10 Greek islands to visit after the pandemic: Serifos The Cyclades is a group of islands in the Aegean Sea, so close to each other (island-hopping, anyone?) and yet so different.…
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Kos: the island of Medicine
One of the best known Greek islands, Kos is a popular destination for the European holiday-makers. Yet, Kos has a rich history that is often overlooked; this is where Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, was born (around 460 BC) and also began his medical career. As a doctor myself, I have a soft spot for Kos, which I have visited many times since I took the Hippocratic Oath. Today, I would like to share my top 9 tips, but first, let us remember an ancient Greek myth. The myth According to an ancient Greek myth, Asclepios was the first baby to have been delivered via -what centuries later came to…
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Traveling around Skyros with a local
Hello! I am back from Skyros, my favorite Greek island. During my 10-day stay, I reconnected with my family, swam in the crystalline waters of the Aegean, relaxed by the sea reading novels and poetry, savored Skyrian delicacies (see below), and sipped cocktails. This was the fourth time I visited Skyros as an adult, and it certainly won’t be the last. In fact, I’m already making plans to visit again next summer. There are quite a few reasons why Skyros is the island I have visited the most; I have highlighted those in my post ‘Skyros: the island of wellness and wellbeing’, published in January 2019. Today, I would like…
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Island-hopping in the Cyclades
The Cyclades. A group of islands in the Aegean Sea, so close to each other (island-hopping, anyone?) and yet so different. Like a group of old friends, each of them has her own distinct personality, her own unique character, her own charm. Syros is the quiet leader, Mykonos her loud, party-loving, gay-friendly neighbor. With equal parts of hedonism and glamour, she is comfortably nestled between religious Tinos and chaste, pure Delos. Santorini is the popular one, classic pageant material, the queen of Instagram (#Santorini: 6,122,817 posts). Then, there’s Folegandros. Stepping out of her sister’s shadow, she’s trendy and vibrant; some may call her hipster. Star-quality Amorgos is as enchanting as adventurous. …
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9+1 Greek islands to visit this summer
It’s been a year since the article ‘10 great Greek islands: readers’ travel tips’ was published in the Guardian. My tip ‘Hiking in Amorgos, Cyclades’ was not only included but it was also the winning tip. Since then, I have launched the Traveling Psychiatrist, a travel and wellbeing blog, where I publish weekly travel tips on my happy places (Greek islands, Norway, and London) and wellbeing tips based on my clinical experience and inspired by the books I read. An amateur cook and baker, sometimes, I’ve gone as far as to also share healthy recipes inspired by my travels, such as the orange pie (portokalopita) from Amorgos. …