Santorini, Greece

Santorini

 The most beautiful island in the world 

I visit Santorini almost every summer.It 's a fantastic place with amazing people and tasty seafood!

The last time,I went to the island by boat from Piraeus port.

I arrived at the old port of Santorini and I took the cable to Fira,which is the capital of the island!!!

I stayed at 'Dreams luxury suites' in Imerovigli!!!!

It is an extravagant,stylish,romantic,luxurious,private hotel..

As I was dreaming of relaxation and tranquility Iokasti villa and the grate stuff made my dream come true.... 

I was anxious to explore the island as soon as possible.

There are a lot to see, from museums and galleries to cultural events...and much to do,from shopping to dinning out and entertaining... 

The volcano can be seen fron every point,but you can also book a tour to visit it.You can swim to the hot springs of the Palea Kameni island or you can be pampered on a romantic and quiet tour on a cruise wooden sailing boat with a glass of local wine while listening to soft music and admiring the colorful sunset of Santorini!!

Fira has a great night life !!

Many bars and cafes are on Caldera and also some large clubs.

Franco's bar for an apertive is the best choice before dinner.It is a bit expensive but who cares??

It is definatelly worth it!

The delicious coctails, the perfect sunsets,the classic music and the beautiful view of Caldera make it the ideal compination for an amazing evening!!

All the villages are beautifull but my favorite is Oia!!

It is a traditional settlement in the north of Santorini.

It's difficult to describe the beauuty of Oia by words..

Small white houses,cobalt blue,red,pink and fuchia!!

Churches and narrow little streets....

In every corner there is something new to discover!!

Oia is one of the most photographed places in Greece, if not in the world and is also known for the breathtaking sunsets...

By the sunset time everything and everyone stops'moving',although it's very crowed.

You can see people bringing a bottle of wine and hanging out on the cliffs of Oia admiring the picturesque sunset!!

I couldn't go to Oia without a stroll at Amoudi Bay.It is a small port with a few restaurants but in my opinion ,Katina's tavern is the best!! It serves the best pasta with lobster I've ever eaten!!

But you have to make a reservation two or three days before..

As for the beaches,Red beach is the most picturesque of the island.The unique ladscape of red and black volcanic rocks,make an amazing scenery..

The access is not really easy, as you have to leave the car at the parking and walk about two or three minutes,climbing up and down the hill and the falling rocks..The beach is also accesible by boat from Akrotiri port..

In my opinion,Perissa beach with the characteristic black sand,the crystal clear waters and the beach bars is the best for swimming in Santorini!!

 TIPS

Don't forget to:

-Prebook your tour tickets to the volcano in advance

-Visit wineries and try local wine

-Buy local products f.e. the famous Santorini's fava

As I said before, neither words nor photos can describe the wild beauty of this island.

It attracts tourists like a magnet and offers stylish vacations and unforgettable memories!!

SANTORINI I LOVE YOU!!!

            

 EFI KONSTANTINIDOU

                  

     

Paris

Paris is not a city,it's love at first sight!!

Everything is magical there,even the air you breathe!There are lots to see in Paris but this time I 'll talk about my last visit to the city of lights.Paris is mostly known for its fashion (especially the twice yearly Paris fashion week),for its haute cuisine and for the three star restaurants.It is a large city but for me ,the best way to see it,is by walking.

I  stayed at an appartment at le Marais area so I started my day with a tasty brunch at 'cafe Hugo' in Place des Vosges,with the cozy atmosphere and the waiters in the traditional black and white  suits..

The streets,the architecture of the buildings and the shops....

I wanted to take as many pictures as possible...First I visited the Louvre.The world's largest museum and historic monument in Paris!

Then,as a shoppaholic, I went to galleries Lafayette.If you want to buy luxury or high end products,this is your place!!I wanted to stay there for ever....

After the shopping therapy, I had a perfect dinning experience at 'Le bar a Huitres',a magnificent sea food restaurant,with the biggest pepper mill I 've ever seen!The menu was not cheap at all but there were also some reasonable options....(The famous sharing seafood platters cost up to 1000euros)

The next day I went to Eiffel tower which is the symbol of the city and the most visited paid monument in the world.
The tower has three levels for visitors with restaurants on the first and second level.     

TIPS

-Skip the line with prebooked tickets
-Enjoy a lovely lunch buffet at the chic brasserie '58 Tour Eiffel' on the first floor
-Admire the panoramic view of Paris on the third floor while enjoying a glass of pink or white champagne..It is a unique experience from the top!!
-Take the best photos of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero!

 After a cup of hot chocolate at the glamorous 'Cafe de Flores' I finally reached the Sacre Coeur,one of the most iconic monuments in Paris.At the top of Montmarte,it has one of the most beautiful,panoramic views of the capital!

A short walk from the Sacre Coeur and at the bottom of the hill is the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret.

In fact, Montmarte is a true cultural experience that remains the most romantic part of Paris....

At the end of the day, I enjoyed an hour's cruise on the river Seine to discover the full splendour of the river banks and the monuments of Paris.
Notre Dame,one of the most widly known church in the world  was one of them..

The last day in Paris was dedicated to shopping(again)Avenue Champs Elysees is a must see!!

It is running between the place de la Concord and place Charles de Gaulles where the Arc de Triomphe is located.It is known for its theatres,cafes and luxury shops.The French call the world's most famous boulevard'la plus belle avenue du monde'....

TIP

When in Paris find a Pierre Herme Paris boutique!!Super amazing macarons with flavors that will take your mind.I''d suggest at least five different macarons for the very first time!!

A trip to Paris couldn't end without  a visit to the magic world of Eurodisney..With magical attractions,shows and parades,open all year round,it is always a great time to visit Disneyland Paris!!

Below I give you some tips on making the most of your stay.  TIPS

-Buying your Disneyland tickets in advance online,allow you to save time and money.
-Disneyland Paris is divided into two parks:Disneyland Park and
Walt Disney Studio Park ,each one with their own attractions.It would be better to dedicate a day to each one,
instead of rushing between the two.
-It is worth  taking a look at the itinerary suggestions on the Disneyland Paris website which can help you plan your trip in advance!!
-Don't forget to watch the fireworks show at night !!It's an amazing spectacle ,not to be missed!!

Paris!!The city of lights,the city of magic!!
A bientot!!

     EFI KONSTANTINIDOU

1. 
   

Tunisia

Tunisia

The rose of the desert

I was very tired..

Working all day and having kids was difficult for me,so I decided to have a break.

Tunisia was a country I always wanted to visit.Without a second thought I booked a week's holiday package with my familly in a luxurious hotel in Hammamet,having heard that this town is very popular for its beaches,the blue waters and the water sports.

  It was a chance for me to have a rest being all day at the beach sunbathing,drinking coctails and being pampered with spa treatments..

  But unfortunately three days before departure,I learned that the five star hotel where we should stay was overbooked.The travel agency asked for sorry and upgraded ,by booking an ambassador suite to another five star hotel.We felt so lucky!!

At the airport we met our group.They were very young people.Some of them were couples, some were 'just married' and they were all going to Hamammet for holidays..

  After about two hours' flight we arrived to Tunis,the capital of Tunisia from where we started our journey.

We had a tour walk tour of the city.We got lost in Medina with the souks,the parfumes and the colorful clothing.

We also visited the National Bordo museum.It was very interesting,mostly for those who love history!! 

  Next stop was Didi Bou Said,a fantastic town only twenty Km from Tunis.We saw blue and white traditional houses ,little narrow streets and.....magic in the air!!

We drunk mint tea at 'cafe des nattes',a typical Arabic coffee shop which is located at the top of the hill with traditional tunisian furnitures and smell of hookah!!

  TIP :

-Don 't forget to buy a bird cage,colored in white and blue ,like the roofs of the village!!

......And finally we arrived at Hammamet .....

I was dreaming of relaxing and pampering,wasn't I??

How wrong I was....

The ambassador suite had two bedrooms,two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room.But at the livingroom there were a lot of unts under the sofa onto a used caramel!!!!

At the kitchen the refrigerator had many used items and the worst of all...I found a woman's underwear at the bathroom.....

As you can understand nobody had cleaned the suite.....I couldn't sit or touch anything!!

My husband went to the leader of the group to complain about the suit.  I, instead, stayed back and put on my swimsuit when suddenly the door which I thought was locked, opened and a smily young girl got in carrying a basket with flowers and started to throw rose leaves in the air,to welcome us!!

I wanted to scream or at least cry,until my husband came in with the whole group.The other couples had almost the same problems or maybe worse,as one of them entered in their bedroom and found two Italian guys sleeping..

 We were all so angry with the travel agency but also we didn't want to ruin our vacations.So we decided to be gathered all together in my suite and then have some fun at the pool.

All of us had the same feeling !! that we knew each other a long time ago.

We talked and laughed  and played....We laughed so much,even when  the one problem came over the other,we were emotionally tied.

  Four days past when someone of our group announced that it would be good idea to go to Sahara desert.

Everybody agreed exept me.I wanted so much to see Sahara desert but I had to think of my kids....I had heard that at the dessert ,the weather is so hot that you feel like being stung by bees....

How would my kids stand it??

I was drawing in my thouhgts when all the girls of the group came to me begging me to follow them.I explained the reasons and the difficulties but they insisted so much.....In order to persuade me,they said that if we didn't follow them,they wouldn't go either..

That touched my heart and soul and the adventure began!!!!

   On our long road trip we first visited the famous Roman amphitheatre El Djem and Monastir which was the natural scene of the moovie 'Jesus of Nazaret'.

Then we went to Matmata.It was an interesting village where the residents live in traditional underground 'troglodyte'structures.It's a popular tourist attraction and most of the population lives on tourism and exhibitions in their houses.

Late in the afternoon we finally arrived at Douz,Known as the 

'gateway to Sahara'.

We stayed at 'Sahara Douz'hotel and our suite was overlooking the palmgroves and the dunes of Sahara!!Absolutely fantastic!!

The next morning we ate breakfast and we had a great four wheels safari adventure across the desert,which included a  visit to the set of Star Wars film that was filmed there many years ago.

We were bumped and thrown about,went up dunes and down.We had so much fun and the more the kids screamed the more dunes and bumps we went over!!

  Then the caravan...

We put on some robes and turbans to defend against the sand and sun although the temperature was 40C.

My little daughter started crying when she realised that she ended up much higher than she expected.She was afraid,she didn't want to fall....I asked her to hold tight and relax...and so she did!!

   The caravan was ready.It was mooving slowly and I enjoyed it.I really couldn't believe my eyes!!

There was nothing  around me and  all I could hear was the footsteps of the camels.

So peacefull!!

The most dramatic scenery in the world!!

The magic of the camel ride lasted for one hour and then we went to the famous mountain oasis.

It's located at the bottom of an old Berber village with palm trees and a waterfall.

The best way to see Chebika and the palms was the rocky path that leads to the ruins of the old city,forming a canyon of 15m.high.

Then we went down and saw a small waterfall!!

The miracle of the desert!!

The next morning we woke up at 4.30am

This early wake up was so that we could get to the salt marshes to watch the sunrise..

Fortunately the day wasn't cloudy so we had the full effect of the Sahara sunrise and the views of the salt lake were amazing!!

After that,we took the road to the airport..

  I  can't express how wonderful this trip was but even if it started with some problems ,it continued and ended with the best way!!

  I would really love to go back some day....and I wil!!!!!!

           

                  Efi Konstantinidou