My trip to Greece was a brief four days. It included an overnight stay in the capital city of Athens. I was arriving by boat from Italy. The ship docked in the ancient city of Corinth. We made a stop to glance upon the Corinth Canal which provides a shipping route between the Ionian and Aegean seas. This city has many historic temples and ruins such as the Temple of Apollo. My tour group made its way up a winding highway for a brief tour of the region by bus. After tour, the group stopped at a local cafe for lunch. I ate a vegetable gyro. Corinth does not have any vegan-friendly restaurants.
Our bus driver then took us to Athens approximately 50 miles away. We had arranged accommodations at a contemporary hotel near the center of town. The guide gave us the afternoon off so we could unwind or go shopping. I chose to visit the many open-air shops in the markets among the alleyways. My purchases included Grecian skirts and tops, a Greek tote bags, and figurines. I briefly visited the downtown to shop and browse. It is a very modern, busy city with a very cosmopolitan flair.
That evening my tour group met up at a taverna, a Greek restaurant. I was given a vegan selection of Greek bread, vegetables and olives. Musicians played typical Greek music on the traditional Greek bouzuki stringed instrument. It was a fun evening of Greek food and entertainment! Although our tour group was not given any time to eat at any restaurants of our chosing, I know that Athens does indeed have a few vegan-friendly, vegetarian restaurants.
The next morning, we proceeded on a city tour by bus. First stop was the Parliament Building, Syntagma Square, the Plaka neighborhood with its shops and restaurants, and the ancient Olympic Stadium. We got back onto the tour bus and headed towards the Acropolis.
When we arrived at the ancient site, we were given an hour or so to make the ascent up the steep stairway to the Acropolis hill. I just had to touch one of the pillars of the Parthenon! I could not believe that my hands were in reach of a structure so ancient and such an important part of history. Its grandeur is beyond grasp. There is a museum and gift shop on the grounds also. The Parthenon is a must see attraction in Athens!
My visit to Athens was now complete. Next stop was the small island of Poros. This island is the closest to Athens. The ride was approximately one hour. My tour stayed at a hotel with a pool and outdoor pub. In the evening, we had a toga party. It felt so appropriate to attend a toga party here in Greece! The party was poolside.
We stayed in Poros for three days. In the evening, my group would dance the night way to house music and Euro House music. It was a blast! I even got to dance on the tables! During the day, we would spend time at the breathtaking beach or shop in town. I made lots of purchases including Greek turquoise jewelry, tote bags, Greek statues, Greek worry beads, and clothing.
The next day I visited a Greek monastery and church upon a hill. From the walled interior you could glance upon the vast fields of olive trees in one direction and gaze upon the aquamarine ocean on the other side. I also saw the ancient ruins of Demogenes.
Poros does not have any vegan-friendly restaurants. Our group always dined at the restaurant within our hotel. It was all-inclusive. They were gladly willing to accommodate my vegan palate. Greek cuisine is very vegan-friendly anyway. Vegans can dine on olives, Greek bread, lima beans, potatoes, eggplant, lentil soup, and rice pilaf. The Greeks also use alot of olive oil and oregano in their cooking. These are healthy options for vegans.
My Greek holiday was incredible! Not only is Greek cuisine extremely vegan-friendly but you get to dine in a picturesque landscape with lots of history!