First European Stop: Tinos, Greece

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Whelp, my European adventures did not start off on the best foot. I had probably the worst possible flight I could have gotten (I take full responsibility). But, hear me out, okay? So, my thought process was “Okay, I’ll get the absolute cheapest flight I can find, even if it sucks, because I can use the money I save for more traveling!”. In the moment, it was a great decision, but we’ll see if I make that decision again in my future travels.

My first flight was at 7:30pm from New Orleans, which ended up getting delayed two hours, which put me getting into Newark, NJ at 1:15am. From there, I took an uber to a hotel room to get a measly three and a half hours of sleep until I had to get up to catch the 6:30am shuttle to the airport, to catch the next bus into NYC, to then get onto the A line subway, on which, I got lost about twelve times (give or take ten) and had to backtrack at least an hour of my trip, to then get onto the AirTrain, which took me to JFK, at which I sprinted to security then sprinted to my gate (not even bothering to put my shoes back on) praying I wouldn’t miss my flight. God willing, I was able to hop onto the plane just five minutes before they closed the door!

This flight took me to the London Gatwick airport, landing around 11pm, from which, I had to catch a subway to take me to the Luton Airport, getting there around 2:00am, at which I was able to catch about two hours of sleep tucked away in a small corner of the airport, from which my 4:30am alarm woke me up to catch my 6:30am flight to Athens, from where I caught a bus to downtown, where I walked to Small Funny World Hostel, where I was able to sleep about three and a half hours until 7:00am, and from there, I walked to catch the metro to the port, where I got onto a boat which took me to the island of Tinos.

I don’t think I have ever truly experienced the meaning of exhausted until I experienced those 64 hours.

Mind you, my flight was $324, which is insanely cheap to get from the States to Europe (SkyScanner is the best for budget flights!). However, I don’t know if I will ever put myself through that misery again. But hey, you live and you learn. AND I now have that extra $500 that I didn’t spend on a better flight to have more fun in Europe! So I guess it’s a lose-win situation?? (just hoping that the win part is worth the lose part!)

I stayed with a family from WorkAway on Tinos and they picked me up from the port. George is originally from Tinos and truly loves this island. Melissa is from Washington DC and she and George met in London about 30 years ago. They moved back to Tinos few years ago after living in the States for a while. The work I’m doing at their house is mostly helping Melissa in the garden, but also things around the house, like doing dishes, helping cook meals, and running errands.

I will probably say this in every blog post that I write about traveling, but if you have never experienced WorkAway, WWOOF, or HelpX, look into it! It is one of the most incredible ways to travel. First off, you get a free place to stay with free food (I mean, come on, how does that not sound amazing from the start?!). But for me, the best part is getting to know the locals and through that, you get to learn the genuine and authentic history and culture of the place. You’re not just being the typical tourist seeing the “must-sees” of the place that you found on Pinterest, you’re seeing the real local culture and that is how you should travel. That is the best way to experience the world. Also, it helps you escape from the much-dreaded, can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t think straight tourist crowds. ALSO, if you get an amazing host family (which you probably will) you’ll probably get a few (free!!) exclusive tours of the area!

Alright, have I convinced yall to sign up yet? Good, I thought so!

Okay, enough of my tangent, onto the real stuff about Tinos. Well for starters, this place is freaking gorgeous! Like oh my gosh. Of course, Tinos is such a small part of Greece and there’s no way this place could encompass the entirety of the country, but even just this small tidbit of it, I feel like I am seeing so much of Greek history and culture here. The hillsides are breath-taking, all lined with the stone terraces that gives it a mythical feel.

The churches (all 2000 of them!) (just kidding, I didn’t see all 2000, I just wanted to emphasize the fact that this tiny island has over two thousand churches) (talk about some Jesus-loving people!) (my kind of people!) (okay, I’m getting off topic again). But anyways, the churches are wonderful. The Holy Church of Panagia Evaggelistria of Tinos, an Orthodox Marian shrine is absolutely spectacular. I was able to attend a service the first weekend I was here and it was beautiful, with chanting of prayers and a sermon by the priest (of which, I understood a total of four words). There was no photography inside the church and I’m kind of a goody-two-shoes and hate getting fussed at, so I followed the rules, but I know there are some people who didn’t and you can find pictures of the sanctuary of this incredible place online.

We also visited many of the small chapels spread throughout the hillsides and they are all unique and beautiful in their own way. It amazes me that you can walk by a church, and about fifty yards away (sometimes even less), there will usually be another church. I would have anxiety overload trying to decide which church to go to on Sunday, so I don’t know how everyone does it with so many options! Well, it is the same Jesus in all of them, so I guess that makes the decision-making process a little easier.

Alright, now, don’t get me started on the waterfront. Actually, yes, do get me started on the waterfront. Well, it is stunning. (Spoiler alert, there probably isn’t anything in Greece that I will talk about that isn’t incredibly stunning!) Downtown is located just off the port dock and it is amazing, with so many shops, restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and chapels, which all come pre-packaged with an amazing ocean-front view. If you find yourself on the western side (which you should because it’s amazing) do not, I repeat, do not miss the sunsets over the water. Every single night it is enough to completely take your breath away. Watching the sun set over the mountains of the other islands just beyond the crystal-clear water is indescribable.

The architecture…oh my goodness. I feel like I am in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, or Mamma Mia, or any other movie shot in Greece (I mean, they are filmed in Greece, so they should look like Greece, right?). But for real, the rows and rows of white painted buildings, with various shades of blue accents, all equipped with smoothed out corners, flat roofs with steps built into the sides leading up to them..ahh I’m drooling just thinking about it. One of the main draws of my heart to Greece was the beautiful, traditional style architecture and it has not disappointed me. And oh, the alleyways… No matter which street you turn down, which road you find yourself on, which corner you’ve rounded, you will always be greeted with so many hidden treasures along the alleyways of the streets. They are full of hidden gems of local arts and crafts shops, eccentric restaurants, trendy coffee shops, and so many more places you need to just explore for yourself to find out.

Tinos is home to more than fifty small villages, each with their own unique charm. In the week and a half I spent on the island, I did not get to visit every single village, but I honestly wish I could have. It was definitely my favorite part of my time on the island. Every one of the villages is quaint and beautiful and charming in its own unique way. Be aware, if you visit during the winter, the whole island is almost a ghost town, so there’s not much hustle and bustle on the streets of the villages. There were some that we walked through where we did not see a single person the entire time we were exploring! So, if people are your thing, try to visit during the summer, there will be much more life and excitement.

Each village came equipped with countless winding streets and alleyways that lead you on so many small adventures. You’ll find tunnels leading to the other side of the village, stairwells to beautiful views, streets to traditional style houses and museums, and so much more. This is one thing I cannot fully put into words in a blog post. It is something you will need to experience for yourself!

In my time, I was able to visit the villages of Xynara, Tripotamos, Lutra, Volax, Pyrgos, and Panermos. My favorite was Volax due to its location at the top of a hill and surrounded by thousands of massive boulders, just asking for you to climb them! I also loved that on so many of the buildings or old, broken down doors or stones, were written beautiful lines of poetry, song lyrics, or stories. It adds a beautiful artistic vibe to the small town.

I truly loved my experience of Tinos. It is a culturally rich island with so much to see and explore. I would love to visit again, maybe next time in the summer when there’s a little more going on around town (there was nowhere to dance the whole time I was there…leaving me only slightly heartbroken). I can’t wait to see what other adventures my Greek travels will bring me! Stay tuned!

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“I want to make memories all over the world”