Greece

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In the summer of 2005 I had the opportunity to see some beautiful sights in Greece while on a conference trip. The trip took me first to Athens with a side trip to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. Being a huge fan of the Olympics it was interesting to see the stadium of the first modern Olympic games in Athens. Also, the Parthenon and area around it was fun to explore. The Parthenon itself is difficult to get a picture of minus people or scaffolding but is still a great thing to see nonetheless. A friend who had also traveled to the conference and I had a wonderful dinner at the base of the Parthenon one night--with the full complement of Greek meats and side dishes. The monuments are lit up and night and the streets below are wonderful to walk. The side trip to the three nearby islands was a great decision. The large cruiseship packed with people to get us there wasn't a highlight but the views coming into the islands and the chance to roam around once on land was worth the venture. Hydra was especially nice--when there I would recommend walking the back and side streets of the town. Get away from the tourists at the water's edge for a while and take in the great view at the top of the town and peek into the cafes and everyday happenings as you wander around.
The next stop was Crete. I stayed in Chania, downtown in a place in one of the narrow alleys. Good spot for exploring the town which was full of interesting places. Just walking the streets here is time well spent. I based myself here but then took off for a couple days first hiking the Samaria Gorge and then staying in Loutro. The Gorge (I believe is the longest in Europe) is a nice day hike. In the middle of the hike through the Gorge you would be hard-pressed to know you were in the middle of a Mediterranean island. Great views along the way and you come out right on the sea. After relaxing on the beach there for a while I hopped a boat and then jumped off after a couple stops in the beautiful village of Loutro where I stayed for a couple nights. Loutro was the highlight of the trip. You can really only get here by boat or by hiking in. Loutro sits in such a peaceful setting where you can jump in the water anywhere around the village. Housing is very reasonably priced and found above most of the small restaurants that line the bay. I would recommend the Blue House--but not the lamb stew in a heavy lemon sauce at their restaurant :-) If you stay in Loutro you will love just walking around and taking in the views. Also, I would recommend hiking on the trail along the coast outside the village towards Sweetwater Bay for more great views. In short, Loutro is a hidden gem!
Next up was a glorified speedboat that hauled passengers over to Santorini-the island where sunsets rule. The whitewashed towns of Fira and Oia are beautiful. Fira is the main town on the island and is swarmed by tourists. On the other side of the island is Oia which has its share of tourists but not nearly to the extreme as Fira. I preferred spending time in Oia even though I was staying in Fira. Oia is where people gather en masse each night on the one end of town to watch the sunset. You can get there either by bus or boat from Fira. While on Santorini I checked out Akrotiri which some consider to be the Lost City of Atlantis. Only a small part of the place has been uncovered in over 30 years since excavation began. The work inside isn't very impressive and they simply herd people through on boards telling them not to stop. I wouldn't make this stop a priority. Neither would I make the site of the volcano that originally split up the island a priority. There just isn't much there. However, the boat for that trip might also take you to the other island at the base of Thirassia (I think is the name of the town) and then on to Oia. After getting some lunch I would recommend the steep walk up to Thirassia to walk around the town and get some good views.

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Photos

Hydra
Many great doors in Greece!

Parthenon
Our view during dinner!!

Chania, Crete
Couldn't resist this picture of Irini (which I now know means Peace--thanks Maria!)