The Sustainable Travel Guides

22/03/2024

Currently planning my next trip to Greece, and looking back at this amazing trip to Santorini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQW7yGP4Ed8&t=29s . Give it a look, a like & subscribe.

Santorini Vlog_ 4 days in SantoriniSantorini island is on almost everyone's travel budget list, and I am not an exception. I wanted to travel to Santorini fr...

27/02/2024

🔸Destination Tuesday Ep. 40

The last Destination Tuesday dedicated to Santorini!

One of the many places you should visit in this beautiful island is Skaros in Imerovigli.

🔸The medieval capital of Thira was built on this impressive black rock that stands out from Fira and dominates the edge of Imerovigli.

There was a castle since the late Byzantine years and in 1207, when Santorini was granted to the Venetian lakovos Barotsi, it was inhabited by him and his nobles. Latin, Catholic and Orthodox settlers stayed in the castle and it was never attacked by pirates and Ottomans.

🔸However, it was seriously damaged by an explosion in 1650 and was gradually abandoned until the end of the 18th century, when the inhabitants made a new capital in Fira.

🔸It is a great alternative to watch the sunset from!

13/02/2024

Destination Tuesday Ep. 38

🔸 Amoudi Bay

🔸This picturesque seaside fishing village sits at the base of Oia. It is known for its many fish taverns and beautiful green - blue waters, that create an intense contrast with the red colored cliffs that lead to Oia.

🔸Here is a unique place to enjoy some cliff diving, while being careful of its rocky beach. From here you can also take a boat to Thirassia, an islet close to Santorini.

🔸You can walk down the 278 steps and reach the bay in about 15 minutes, and, although it is tricky to find parking space, it also accessible by car. The bus journey time between Fira and Ammoudi Bay is around 20 minutes. Since it can be busy around dinnertime, reservations are necessary. The most famous tavern is “Ammoudi Fish Tavern”, with vegetarian and vegan options.

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10/01/2024

Hi there! 🤚🏽 I am Lucy, the person behind the Sustainable Travel Guides and I thought to start 2024 with an introduction post, since I have never done one!

So:

- I was born and raised in Athens but I have been living in the Netherlands for the last 6 years.

- Here I did my Masters in Tourism and Culture at the Radboud University of Nijmegen and that’s where my interest in sustainable travel began.

- Literally all the content you see here is from my personal adventures with my loved ones ( my sister captures the best moments).

- So far I have created 5 E-Book guides you can download on your phone that will assist you in planning and executing your own trip to different areas around Greece.

You can buy your copy from the link in bio!

Thank you for being here ! 💙☀️

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17/12/2023

Zero Waste Sunday Ep. 67

🔸 It was about time to post yet another street mural to add to your Athens graffiti list!

🔸This beautiful piece of a ta**us is located at Exarcheia neighborhood. It was completed in 2020 by the artist Angie.

🔸 Exarcheia is a neighborhood in Athens that has a vast amount of steer art and it is really worth adding to your travel itinerary if you are interested in street murals.

🔸Other places in Athens that you should add to your street art hunting list are Gazi, Psyrri and Monastiraki. All from walkable distance from one another and accessible via many metro stations, making this activity a great zero waste option for your trip!

16/12/2023

Appreciation Saturday Ep. 67

🔸 The Aphrodite of Syracuse is a statue of the Greek goddess Aphrodite in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens .

🔸 It is made of Parian marble and has a height of 1.8 m. It initially belonged to the collection of Lord Hope and was later acquired by Michael Embeirikos, who gave it to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens in 1924.

🔸 It was restored by the sculptor Antonio Canova, since it initially lacked head, neck and right arm.

🔸The museum has a vast collection of artifacts and statues, including the one of Poseidon, the jokey and the mask of Agamemnon.

🔸You can easily spend 4 hours in there to see everything. Best time to go, is every first Sunday of the month, with a free entry from November to March.

10/12/2023

Zero Waste Sunday Ep. 67

🔸 Perfect slow Sunday in Athens?

🔸 A stroll around Anafiotika, one of the most scenic tiny neighborhoods of Athens, part of the old historical neighborhood Plaka.

🔸The first houses were built in the era of King Otto of Greece, when workers from the island of Anafi came to Athens in order to work in construction in the refurbishment of the Kings palace.

🔸In 1950, part of this neighborhood was destroyed for archeological research and in 1970 the state started to buy the houses, similar to Vrisaki neighborhood.

🔸In the modern era, there are only 45 houses remaining, while the little streets from Stratonos to the Acropolis rock are still unnamed and the houses are referred to as Anafiotika.

09/12/2023

Appreciation Saturday Ep. 67

🔸Acropolis by night ✨

🔸 Getting to experience this beautiful view, is one of the many reasons to visit Athens.

And, winter time is the season to enjoy this view even more, thanks to day light savings!

🔸 If you are planing on traveling to Athens this winter time, definitely add a stroll around Thisio area and Dionysiou Aeropagitou pedestrian street, from where you can enjoy this view the best.

🔸 You can also combine it with dinner at the Acropolis museum restaurant, easily accessible by Acropolis metro station.

05/12/2023

Destination Tuesday Ep. 34

🔸Save this for your next trip to Santorini, Greece 🔸

On this “Destination Tuesday”, a series of posts about different destinations around Greece and the things you can do there in a sustainable & budget friendly way.

🔸 Santorini is famous for its many picturesque churches!

🔸On this Destination Tuesday we are focusing on the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, a parish of the Roman Catholic Church located in Fira.

🔸The cathedral is located in the city center, in the Catholic neighborhood. The current church is a baroque structure of blue-gray and cream, built around 1823. It was completely restored and rebuilt in 1970, after the earthquake of 1956.

🔸A general advice when visiting religious sites and places in Greece is to dress appropriately. Regardless of your own religious and spiritual beliefs, showing respect for the local culture and customs is always highly appreciated.

03/12/2023

Zero Waste Sunday Ep. 66

🔸On Philopappou Hill you will find the namesake monument, dedicated to Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos and it was built during the 2nd century B.C.

🔸Around the 5th century B.C. it was known as the Hill of the Muses and the sanctuary was dedicated to Musaeus, a famous poet and prophet in Ancient Athens.

🔸 Philopappos’ monument is a two-story structure: On the lower level there is a frieze representing Philopappos as a consul, riding on a chariot and led by lictors. The upper level shows statues of three men: of Antiochus IV on the left, of Philopappos in the centre and of Seleucus I Nicator, now lost, on the right.

🔸From up the hill, you get a view of the city center on one side and on the other the sea.

02/12/2023

Appreciation Saturday Ep. 66

🔸 Pnyx Hill

🔸Translated as a “place where people are closely packed together”, Pnyx was an open-air chamber where around 10.000 people met in Ancient Athens to talk about politics.

🔸It was built between the late 6th century B.C. and 4th century B.C. Up there you will find traces of the semi-circular auditorium with a speaker platform, of the terrace seating, and east of the speaker platform.

🔸 You will also see large niche in the rock where the statue of Zeus Hypsistos was situated, along with smaller niches for votives.

🔸Besides visiting Pnyx for its historical value, it is also worth visiting to capture the amazing view of the Acropolis.

26/11/2023

Zero Waste Sunday Ep. 64

🔸 The Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris in Athens is located on Filopappou Hill, on the way to Pnyx Hill and the Monument of Filopappou.

🔸 It is estimated to date back to the 9th century and during the building process parts of the ancient ruins of the area were used.

🔸Its name has an interesting story: it means “ Saint Demetrius the Bombardier” and derives from an incident that took place in 1658, when the Agha of Athens, Yusuf, was planning to bombard with a loumbarda (cannon), the church and the believers that were gathered there from the Propylaea on the Acropolis .

However, a thunder fell upon the gunpowder storehouse and killed him. That was considered a providential sign and the church was named to honor the occasion.

🔸The church was restored in 1955 by the renowned architect Demetrios Pikionis who also undertook the design of the slated route that leads to Filopappou Hill. During the restoration works, impressive meta-byzantine illustrations of the 16th century were discovered.