GREEK TRAVEL ITINERARY FEAT. MONOS LUGGAGE

Throughout our time living abroad in Europe, David and I had many opportunities to visit Greece. We ultimately decided to save Greece for our honeymoon, and we’re really happy that we did, as it truly is the most romantic place we’ve visited! The beautiful sunset views, unique daily excursions, and fresh cuisine make for the perfect place to celebrate love.
David and I are always traveling, and one thing we have learned while traveling throughout Europe is to pack light because it’s not like North America where there are paved roads and large spaces to walk - this is especially true in Greece. The local landscape is much different from anything we had previously experienced; having to navigate the narrow streets of Mykonos, and the winding cliffside paths to our hotel in Santorini, convinced us to maximize our packing by splitting one large suitcase and two carry-on sized roller bags from Monos, and they were perfect for our month-long adventure.

We like to immerse ourselves within the local culture while exploring a new place, so we wanted to use every mode of transportation to truly take everything in.
In Greece, it is common to ferry-hop from island to island, rent cars, ATV’s and fly depending on the span of your itinerary. We are always game for taking ferries, as we both love to be around water and enjoy the sea-side views that you miss while flying. Little did we know that the ferries operate on the honor system and that we would be separated from our large luggage for the duration of the ride.
The first ferry we boarded was from Athens to Mykonos and it was an experience, to say the least! First, we had to board a ferry that had cars idling where pedestrians were entering and when we got on, our large suitcase was to be left in a communal storage space in the same open area that the cars and other pedestrians were. As everyone rushed to get on as soon as the doors opened, we were left as one of the last to board amongst the chaos, and naturally, all of the designated luggage racks were full. As a result, we had to slide our bag under the rack *thankfully it fit perfectly* however, there was a ton of gravel pieces scattered on the floor from the cars and we were worried that our bag would either be stolen or scrapped up pretty extensively [I was a little anxious throughout the three-and-a-half-hour ride]. I remember pulling into Mykonos with excitement as the views were absolutely amazing as this was our first island stop. When we descended from the cabin into the cargo area to find our suitcase still there, but we didn’t know what the damage would be.
David pulled it out and I could hear the gravel pieces scrapping at the side of the luggage. We looked it over and couldn’t believe that there were no markings!? We were truly impressed by the aerospace-grade German polycarbonate hard shell.

The next big test for the bags was the following week in Santorini. We arrived at the edge of the cliffside town of Oia and were told to wait there for our hotel staff to meet us as the hotel is not reachable to tourists who are not staying on the cliffside. We start walking with the guides and they are adamant that we give them our bags - we were hesitant at first because we knew how heavy they were. We start zig-zagging in and out of the tourists and then all of a sudden the man picked up the packed 60+ lbs. suitcase and threw it over his shoulder… people were jumping out of the way and all I could think about was the zipper exploding on the side of the cliff and our clothes flying everywhere. He guided us through various gates and small winding paths until we arrived at our hotel, nestled in between the iconic blue domes in the cliffside of Oia. Our bags survived yet again.

We were fortunate to visit many places on our list during this trip with a range of hiking, sailing, island hopping and even a visit to the UNESCO monasteries - our Monos luggage was with us through all of these adventures and we were so pleased with how well-suited they were for every type of situation. There are a few key features that we both love, including the 360 wheels, anti-microbial laundry tote, shoe bags, and TSA locks on all our models. Each bag comes with a sleek vegan-leather bag tag and a cleaning sponge to keep them looking like new. As we were seeking new luggage for our honeymoon *hello perfect wedding gift or bridal luggage*, I opted for the white set, and David went with the black. The bags can be mixed-and-matched as the coloured designs have black detailing which compliments the all-black style.
We felt no-risk with trying these bags as they come with a lifetime limited warranty and Mono’s also gives you 100 days to try them out! We love to support Canadian brands so we were very pleased to learn that they are based out of Vancouver. I can't even count how many compliments we've received on our luggage and how luxe they look despite the price tag.  Click here to learn more or shop the collections - monos.com.
 

There are so many amazing places to visit in Greece, but we've put together a list of must-see islands and cities:

ATHENS - All the big city vibes here! Amazing restaurants and cafes are EVERYWHERE and visiting the Acropolis is a must!

DELPHI - Ancient Greeks considered Delphi the center of the world [sorry Toronto + NYC!] so it’s a must-see for the historical sites and Pythian Games sites.

METEORA - Incredible rock formations in central Greece hosting UNESCO monasteries.    

MYKONOS - Want to party? Go here. Oh, and there are iconic windmills in Mykonos Town.

SANTORINI - Rugged volcanic landscape juxtaposed by whitewashed houses. Fira and Oia are a must-see. Travel out on Catamarans and go swimming in the hot pools.

CRETE - Greece’s largest island with beautiful beaches [including a pink beach] and a large number of Archaeological sites.

NAXOS - Think stunning beaches with swimming coves and traditional architecture.

CORFU - Far NW from the other popular islands. A luxurious place to stay, eat, and take in the stunning north landscape.

RHODES - The largest of the Dodecanese Islands filled with stunning beaches and ancient ruins. Also, a unique nature reserved called “Butterfly Valley” which is filled with huge numbers of butterflies in late May.

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