Focus on travel, sailing, yachting, cruises, lifestyle, Greece, Mediterranean, sustainability, food, culture, wellness, soft adventure. Experience in features, profiles, blog posts, guides
Milos, Greece: the Greek island of the summer
Born of earthquakes, tsunamis and undersea volcanic eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years, Milos was destined to carve out a distinct name for itself. But, up until the mid-2010s, the mineral-rich Greek island was little more than an unassuming summer hideaway for doe-eyed Athenian couples. It was there, in 1820, when a farmer accidentally unearthed the Louvre’s prized Venus de Milo (Aphrodite to the Greeks) in a field. This might explain the subconscious pull this once-untouristy outpost had on young lovers.
How a Fleet of Oyster Yachts Is Navigating a Luxe Odyssey Around the World
An impromptu birthday celebration on a tiny, almost-deserted Fijian island for a stranger is not what you would expect to happen during a round-the-world sailing rally. But it’s one of the most memorable experiences Gakyung Chung has had since she and husband Robert Kirkman set off on the 2024-25 edition of the Oyster World Rally aboard their Oyster 575 named Aurora.
This Midsize Ship Explores Lesser-visited Ports in Scandinavia, Like the Faroe Islands, Iceland's Picturesque Waterfalls, and Norway's Most Charming Towns
A resident of Athens for almost three decades, I’ve long been drawn to sunny, seaside destinations over frosty mountain peaks. And, until recently, exploring the colder climes of northern Europe hasn’t really been high on my list.
But sweltering summer temperatures in Greece this year had me — and a growing number of people who are seeking “cool-cations” — looking for an escape.
I found mine on a 13-day voyage through Iceland and Norway aboard Viking Saturn, the 465-cabin ship that is the newest ocean-going vessel from Viking, a favorite of Travel + Leisure readers.
Can a New Cruise Tax Save Greece’s Most Popular Islands from Overtourism?
Santorini, the volcanic Greek island that launched a thousand sunset selfies, and party isle Mykonos are popular for good reason. Luxury hotels carved into precipitous cliffs peer out over Santorini’s sunken caldera, and narrow alleys wind between blue-shuttered, whitewashed houses in Mykonos. But if you’re planning to visit Greece’s most famous islands by cruise ship, be prepared to shell out some extra cash.
Far-Flung Raja Ampat Is the Stuff of Every Diver’s Technicolor Dreams
Scuba diving off Mioskon, a minuscule islet in Indonesia’s far-flung Raja Ampat archipelago, I’m staring in disbelief at the wildy-colored hard and soft corals populating a gently-sloping reef. From pale brown finger corals reaching up to the sky and huge, aptly-named brain coral to staghorn coral and deep red fan coral, I feel like I’ve stumbled on an underwater garden of Eden.
10 reasons to Love Athens - December 2024 issue
I was commissioned to write a story on 10 reasons to Love Athens for easyJet Traveller magazine's December 2024 issue.
Where to Go in 2025
Dark sky sanctuaries. Floating nightclubs. Blueberry farms. Indigenous-owned lodges. These are just some of the facets of Afar’s list of top 25 places to go in 2025. This year, we have focused on some of the world’s most fascinating and lesser-visited countries, regions, and cities where you won’t find crowds of travelers angling for the same Instagram Reel. From Chios, Greece, and Columbus, Ohio, to Guyana and Jordan, these destinations (presented in alphabetical order) are bound to inspire another year of joyful and intentional travel. Where will you go first?
A Wildfire Near Athens Forced Evacuations This Week. Here’s What to Know About Staying Safe in Greece
Travelers in Athens on Monday, August 12, watched as a cloud of smoke and ash billowed above the Acropolis as a result of a massive wildfire that burned 24 miles northeast of the Greek capital.
Brought under control by Wednesday morning, Greece’s worst wildfire this year claimed the life of one woman, injured dozens including firefighters, razed around 124,710 acres of land, and destroyed or damaged about 100 homes and businesses.
How to Get off the Tourist Trail in Greece
A dreamy vacation in Greece is, without a doubt, more sought-after than ever. The Mediterranean destination has already surpassed prepandemic visitor numbers. In 2023, the country of 11 million received over 32.7 million international arrivals compared to 31.3 million in 2019. Credit ratings agency Fitch expects this figure to reach 34.5 million in 2024, prompting concerns about overtourism.
While most visitors tend to make a beeline for antiquity-rich Athens, the whitewashed cave houses of Santorini, and glitzy party isle Mykonos, there’s much more to explore in Greece.
This Greek Island Is One of the Most-visited in the World — With Instagram-worthy Views, Romantic Villages, and Relaxed Tavernas
Lovers and honeymooners gravitate to Santorini to meander amid cliffside cave houses that hover almost imperceptibly above a lustrous, inky Aegean Sea.
A catastrophic volcanic eruption some 3,600 years ago, which saw half the island swallowed by the sea, is responsible for the dizzying visuals. Famed for its sunsets, photogenic blue-domed whitewashed churches, and intensely mineral white wine, Greek tourism’s poster child has long epitomized romance.
This Underrated Greek Island Has an Adorable Town, Incredible Food, and a Famous Shipwreck Beach — How to Visit
Instantly recognizable by its astounding luminous turquoise seas enclosed within soaring craggy bluffs, Greece’s Insta-famous Shipwreck Beach is Zakynthos’ claim to global fame. An unwavering favorite among Travel + Leisure readers, the beach, known in Greece as Navagio, frequently tops best beach lists.
The best places in Europe to escape the crowds
Dodge Meteora’s heaving queues in favor of a road trip through rugged, out-of-the-way Agrafa, which means “unwritten.” Rent a four-wheel drive to explore this little-known corner of Central Greece. Internet signal is unreliable in these parts – as is Google Maps – so be sure to consult the advice of locals and follow road signs. Base yourself at Montanema, self-sustained stonebuilt lodgings embedded high up in northeastern Agrafa’s fir-forested Anthohori gorge. Hike to the Anthohori waterfalls or head out on a mushroom foraging expedition.
Want to See Monkeys and Sloths in Central America? Get on a Boat
“Shhhhh! Quick!” exclaims veteran Costa Rican naturalist Conrad Weston as he lowers his binoculars and slinks into the damp rainforest with the reflexes and vigor of someone half his age. Silent-mode camera in hand, the tall, lanky birder captures an image of the white-throated shrike tanager. He is breathless with excitement over spotting this curious yellow-chested bird, which sports black wings and a fan-like tail, in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park.
This Might Be the Most Photogenic Island in Greece — With a Moon-like Landscape, Gorgeous Sea Caves, and Some of the Bluest Water You've Ever Seen
With its winning trifecta of sandy beaches, boutique hotels, and unpretentious tavernas, the Greek island of Milos seduces couples, water lovers, and gastronomes alike. There's no denying the Cycladic isle, where the famed Venus de Milo marble statue was unearthed by a farmer in 1820, is breathlessly romantic. Otherworldly landscapes sculpted by wind and sea shot to fame via Instagram in recent years, transforming the once low-profile island into a sought-after hot spot.
The Best New International Resorts of 2023
Travel + Leisure’s 2024 It List. These new resorts are all about international flair. Escape to a new luxury lodge in Bhutan, an all-inclusive redefining ski vacations in Japan, a rarified resort on Greece’s Ionian Sea, and an Icelandic retreat that’s purposely in the middle of nowhere.