Santorini is one of the most beautiful and romantic places I’ve ever been to. There really isn’t anything like a Santorini sunset. The food was great, I ate all the baklava, gyros, falafels, and fresh salads that I could stuff myself with. Due to the island being quite big, the best mode of transportation is either a car or coach bus (i.e. public transportation). Their bus system was quite efficient and very cheap. If you don’t want to rent a car (which can be stressful when it comes to parking), I recommend you hire a driver to take you around the whole island. We hired a driver who spent about 5 hours taking us around to all the non-touristy areas in Santorini that were absolutely breathtaking. We booked this driver on the day of our excursion, since we met him while having breakfast. It wasn’t planned, but it turned out to be great. Beware that Oia is very populated during the summer, which may take away some of the serenity of the island-especially during sunset hours. If you want to enjoy a sunset unbothered by the crowds, I suggest booking a dinner/drinks at a restaurant with a view prior to your arrival. If you’re not staying in Oia, you can make a reservation on the same day you’re there, just make sure to book earlier on in the day prior to sunset. There are so many restaurants to chose from. Just walk along Oia’s main road and you can review all of the menus each place has to offer. You can usually see what kind of view they have since most of the cycaladic buildings are open.

Rome is great place to go if you love architecture/history and great gelato. I highly recommend doing a hop on/hop off bus tour to get around the city faster. You can really see most of the city within a day to a day and a half if you do this. Outside each landmark, there are people you can pay to guide you through so you can learn more about its’ rich history. In terms of food, we really enjoyed stopping by local pizzerias’. Nearly everywhere we went had amazing pasta and pizza. If you decide to take their public transportation/subway, I strongly encourage you to pay attention to your belongings. Rome has a serious pick-pocketing problem. We saw many unassuming thieves steal from tourists right before our eyes. They got away so fast the tourists didn’t even realize what had just happened.

Athens is great place to go if you love history. I highly recommend doing a (free/tip) walking tour to get better insight into the architecture by some of the gracious locals. We really enjoyed stopping to pick up food at local bakeries. Their pastries are amazing (and cheap)! If you're a coffee lover, I highly suggest trying “fredo espresso/cappuccino”. There's really nothing else like it.

My good friend and I had an amazing time in Phuket. The local people were unbelievably generous and kind. The fresh fruits were incredible. I recommend checking out the weekend market where we experienced some of the best food on the island. I, also, highly suggest staying at the Sri Panwa hotel/resort. If you’re unable, at least enjoy some dinner/drinks at their beautiful rooftop restaurant Baba Nest. If you plan to go, please note that you must reserve at least a month prior to your visit.