Travel for those who know how to slow down I love returning to places where the sea feels like a long silken shawl—slow, smooth, and warm. For me, that place was Paralia Katerinis: not far from bustling Thessaloniki (about an hour's drive), but a completely different world in spirit. There are no noisy promenades or crowds here—just a wide stretch of sand, a gentle breeze, and the horizon of the Aegean Sea. In this post, I share my favorite spots, tips, and a selection of hot

Если этот спокойный момент вам близок, найдите больше размышлений и тихой красоты на моем канале YouTube — Aegean Notebooks. Подпишитесь на YouTube → There are moments when the world seems to freeze. Water becomes a mirror, and trees bend over it, as if peering into their souls. Autumn is in no hurry—it breathes softly, with gold and silence. We're used to finding inspiration in movement, but sometimes it comes from stillness. Three minutes by the water—and it seems like ever

Hotel: NYX Thessaloniki — Leonardo Hotels Thessaloniki is a city where everything is alive, warm, and genuine . A city where mornings begin with coffee by the sea, and evenings with the sounds of bouzouki in small taverns. It doesn't try to please—it simply lives. And that's what captivates. When you first find yourself here, the city seems to glow from within: the façades with worn plaster, the smell of fresh bougatsa and spices from the Modiano market, voices, music, the

(and it’s worth staying right here – at NYX Esperia Palace Athens) Athens is a city where the sun illuminates the marble of the Acropolis just as it did two thousand years ago, and the air still carries the scent of jasmine, coffee and the morning sea. Every time I return here, I feel: Athens is more than just a capital. It's a state of mind. A city where history lives at every step, but life flows easily, beautifully, almost Italian-style, with a Greek accent. ✦ Where to sta

Sometimes the most amazing places aren't found along the route, but in a turn in the road, where you find yourself almost by accident. That's how I first found myself in Kastoria —a quiet, ancient city in northern Greece, where Lake Orestiada mirrors the sky, and the houses recall Byzantium and the Ottomans, merchants and poets. The journey from Thessaloniki took a little over two hours. The bus glided past hills, and suddenly—the silvery expanse of water, rooftops immersed

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino Perched on a majestic hill overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, Costa Navarino (a Mandarin Oriental property) is perfect for those seeking peace and absolute relaxation. This resort blends harmoniously into the natural landscape, surrounded by pristine beaches, olive groves, and sun-drenched slopes where every sunset seems magical. Inspired by the soft colors of the Messenian landscape, suites and villas offer a sense of coz

There are islands where you feel at home from the moment you arrive. Kefalonia is just such an island. There's no rush, no hustle and bustle, but there are mountains, sea, and evenings when it seems like the crickets are singing just for you. In Kastro, on a hillside in the shadow of St. George's Castle, I found Angel Pools Villa —a house that feels like a step back in time. The stone walls, rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1953, preserve a cool and peaceful atmosphere.

Traveling around Greece for Aegean Notebooks, I always seek out places where style, comfort, and local flair merge into a single experience. In Ermoupolis, the capital of Syros, such a discovery was the Argini Syros—a modern five-star hotel just steps from Asteria Beach. A Location with Character The hotel is located just 300 meters from the famous Asteria Beach. But this is more than just a convenient spot for swimming: Ermoupolis is a town with a unique atmosphere, unlike a

Athens like a local. Discover the best things to do in Athens, beyond the Acropolis. All the alternative attractions in Athens, beyond the main ones. Skip the crowds! These hidden gems and secret spots will show you the real Athens, the way only locals know it. Athens is so much more than just ancient ruins like the Acropolis; it's a melting pot of cultures, created by a civilization that has influenced the city and all of Greece for centuries. I love this city! We enjoyed ex

When it comes to Greek luxury, most people think of the whitewashed houses of Santorini and the wild nightlife of Mykonos. But the real magic is hidden where tradition meets modern comfort. These are boutique hotels and villas where every morning begins with a view of the Aegean Sea, and evenings pass under the rustling of waves and the scent of jasmine. Today in Aegean Notebooks we will tell you about three addresses that will help you feel the authentic atmosphere of "slow

There are places where it is not medicine that heals, but presence. Where hot water comes out of the ground - not to burn, but to embrace. Where you just sit in the spring - and you no longer need to explain anything. Edipsos is not a resort in the usual sense. It is a place where time passes slowly, where each day is like a letter: warm, slightly damp from steam and with a seal of trust. Why come here? – To slow down– To feel how the skin breathes when fear is no longer hel

Sometimes healing isn't about procedures. It's about just sitting by the water and stopping to rush . That's exactly the feeling I once had in Loutraki, a resort town on the Gulf of Corinth, just an hour from Athens. What does it feel like in Loutraki: – the air smells of eucalyptus and the sea– there are many elderly Greeks on the streets, just walking and breathing – as a reminder that this is also a treatment– you can not only drink the mineral water springs, but also tak

Greece, where thermal steam meets snow-capped mountains There is water that does not just flow – it carries a touch. In Loutra Pozar, in northern Greece, the water emerges from the ground warm – +37–38 °C – and speaks to the body in the language of ancient consolation. Nature itself opens its doors here. I call this thermal spa "a place of silence": not because of the absence of sounds - here you can hear splashing, rustling leaves, laughter of those who entered the warm wate

Or why go not just to the sea, but to the source There are places where you recover without effort. Where the sun is not aggression, but care. Where the salt is not on the wound, but in the air. Greece is exactly like that. I didn't immediately learn that this country has not only a sea, but also water - different, deeper. Warm, mineral, with steam over the mountains and a whisper from underground. Water that heals not only the body, but also the breath of life. Water in whic

In Athens, I like to slowly wander the streets of Plaka, listen to the sound of fountains in the squares and gaze at the columns whose shadows stretch through the millennia. But there is another way to get to know the city - from above. The Hop-on Hop-off bus is like a smooth journey in the palm of Athens. The route goes through the whole city, and also to the coast and even to Piraeus. And all this - in a light wind, sun and with an audio guide in Russian (and 15 more langu

Every visit to Athens is like a return to a myth. Here, the shadows of ancient columns fall on the asphalt like lines of old books. Walking along these streets is like turning pages where the heroes are still alive. I chose a tour where the guide's voice was heard directly in my headphones, and the ticket to the Acropolis was already on my phone. This is an audio tour from WeGoTrip - a format that I loved in Greece. What was inside the route? — We started at Hadrian's Librar