Traveling to Bratislava from Prague was a distinct transition. The two places look quite different and feel quite different.

I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to go and see Bratislava. To be there, to see it’s recent history right in front of me.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. When you explore a place by foot, you see everything and feel the soul the place.

The remnants of the turmoil that occurred just over thirty years ago remain. It was a real-life history lesson for me. One that I will forever appreciate.

Walking to the Old Town, we were submerged into the memories of a torn time. It’s a powerful experience going into St. Martin’s Cathedral, which is right next to the Neolog Synogogue memorial. From the top of the castle (not that high) you can see the town below and the new and much talked about UFO Bridge.

We had a second full day, and what better way to spend it than to explore the lush surrounding forest. An easy bus to the next town, Lamac, and you’ll find well marked trails through the most beautiful forest.

It was raining lightly which turned out to be wonderful. The thick heat the previous day was hard for me. The trees provided a rooftop for us, and the temperature was perfect for climbing the trails.

Our first stop was the observation tower. It was a really cool experience walking to the top. We were the only ones there.

We then continued on the trail to the town of Devin and to the famous castle. It’s worth the 12 euro to go in. We took our time and explored the underground caves. The view from the top was breathtaking.

It’s such a different experience for a Canadian to see up close something so old and fortified in history.

In the town, just below the castle, there’s a bunch or restaurants where the buses stop. We found one with Budvar, and traditional dishes. Of course, I tried the local potato dumplings with sheep cheese, smoked cheese and sausage. I think I ate 2 of the 3 wheels of cheese melted into the dish.

As we leave on the train now, I realize the Bratislava has a hold on my heart. It is definitely one of the most important stops for me on this trip.

I’ll also add that the people are extremely friendly. On our first night, we stopped in at a small, packed restaurant where you ordered and then found a seat. A young man  could see we were trying to figure things out. He explained to us that people shared tables and invited us to join him and his girlfriend. Despite how young he was, he explained a lot of the history of the place. He was barely born at the fall of communism yet talked as if he’d been there.

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Check out Julie Hiner on Strava https://strava.app.link/e2l7ngxCDJb

The port in Santorina is insane in the membrane. If you get my reference, I owe you a beer.

The amount of traffic in the main port was crazy. I can’t imagine what it would be like in the peak season.

However, I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. Exploring a place by foot allows you to live it, feel it, breathe it. Rather than get on one of the buses and pack ourselves in like hot sardines, we hiked up the switchbacks along the beautiful rock face overlooking a magnificent view. The experience was amazing.

We made the trek over to Pyrgos, a quieter town, facing the other side of the island. Out hotel was a few minute walk from the main area. It was quiet. It was scenic. The town was also quite peaceful, and we experienced some amazing culinary delights.

Day 2 in Santorini, we hiked over to the busy town of Firo near the old port. It was really cool to meander through this beautiful spot. You need a little patience as it’s busy. It’s a shopping and tourist area. If you are willing to go a little past the town, you can scuttle down to Skaras rock and up for a lovely view of the volcano. Of course, the climbing results in fewer people. My kind of rock!!

We did pay for the view at one or the restaurants for a beer. This time, it wasn’t worth it. I’d say go to Skaras, then go back through town and past. There, you will find really good food.

Day 3 in Santorini, and we hiked a series of peaks. The first stop was the highest point on the island, Profit Elias. The trail from Pyrgos is lovely. The views are worth it. We carried on. At the top, there is another trail that takes you down, then up to a peak with nothing but a cairn on top, then down again. It’s a little rocky and a bit slippery, but totally worth it. The cherry on top of the double scoop sundae was making one last little climb to the top of the ancient city, Apollo Campeios Tempel. It’s worth the small fee at the gate.

Finally, we hiked down to the town of Kamaris on the cobble stone rode. There’s a touristy area with restaurants and shops along the black beach. We found a fresh fish place, Captains Corner, off the main area. The food was fantastic. We chose things we don’t get at home: grilled sea bream and squid. I also devoured a block of fresh feta with a Greek salad, as I’m now accustomed to doing every day.

The climbing wasn’t over. We made one more stop at the Santorini Brewing company. Pretty nice beer. It’s not really a tap room. They only serve it in bottles, and the space is tight. But we manage a spot in the shade to cool down and refresh ourselves.

The final climb was back up to Pyrgos. It wasn’t easy. Some steep sections, and it was hot. But, it was totally worth it to do the series of peaks. Totally worth it.

To finish off our last night in Santorini, we took a long swim, walked up a short bit to see the sunrise from an old fort, the had a drink with a million dollar view at Franco’s Cafe. I imagine it gets hard to get into this place in peak season.

After a day of walking back to the port and waiting in a crowd like a cow in a herd cooking in the sun, I’m now on the final ferry of our trip. I would do it again in a flash to get up to the quiet side of Santorini. As busy as it is, the quiet places are amazing.

All you have to do is climb a little to find them.

Sifnos is a quieter island, and it’s full of hiking trails.

We disembarked the ferry, loaded with two  backpacks each, and made the trek up the hill and over to the other side. As taxis whizzed by, I settled into a nice pace and relearned the lesson that when you travel by foot, you experience everything about a place. You see it, breathe it, feel it.

After the climb, we arrived at our hotel, up on a hill, overlooking the sea. The breakfast was still running, and it was delicious. I even got to learn how to make Greek coffee heated with sand.

Fuelled up, we hit our first trail, and it was a beauty. The weather was good, we felt good, so up we went to the top of Profitis.

There were some steep sections, but nothing too crazy. It’s only about 3 km of real work, and it’s totally worth it. The view from the top was spectacular. There is an old abandoned church that you can walk through, and even though I was curious, I did not go down the staircase into the darkness. Who knows what was down there.

The descent required some focus. The pathway does have rocky sections.

At the bottom, we made our way back to the mearest town. It had started raining, so we found a covered patio and cold beer.

We then continued on to the town of Kastros. One of my favorite things about Sifnos was all the tiny coastal towns. We found a lovely restaurant, sat on the patio, and drank white wine. I had a pasta with tomato and local cheese. It really hit the spot after the climbing.

We did have another small climb to get back to the hotel. It felt good to explore a good portion of the island by foot. It felt superb to climb, climb, climb. I hadn’t climbed this much in one day for a while.

There was a supermarket next to our hotel. We decided on a picnic on the patio for dinner. The store was amazing. We found fresh tzaziki, pita, cheese, meat, olives, and wine. I love an evening picnic when we’ve been hiking all day and already had a meal out. It’s a nice option to consider, especially when you are traveling for a while.

Sifnos may have been one of my favorites due to how quiet it was, all the lovely little seaside towns, and how quiet it was. It seems less touristy and less busy than the others.

Another highlight was discovering the little taverns where they catch and cook. You can look at and pick out the fish you want, just caught, and they’ll cook it up.

Check out Julie Hiner on Strava https://strava.app.link/e2l7ngxCDJb

I just sat down in my seat aboard the ferry from Mykonos to Naxos. This is by far the busiest ferry we’ve been on so far. Between hiking up peaks and finding quieter places to swim, this crazy energy is high voltage.

So…I put in my earphones and hit play on Delirium by Hazzerd. Nothing tunes the world out better than the thrash kings from my beloved home town. The guitar wails, thrash god meghs and bleghs, and thrumming percussion calm my soul.

I now walk through the amazing time we had in Mykonos. It’s a busier island, known as a party destination. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. We stayed in a spot a short walk from the main town. It was quiet and the views were spectacular.

When visiting Mykonos, you can spend all your time in the hustle and bustle of the main town, walking through the winding tiny, white stone walkways, weaving through the shops and restaurants. It’s quite cool to see.

But…for those willing to venture to the less travelled areas, there are many gems to uncover. I will share with you three gems that I found.

Gem #1, favorite hike.

While Mykonos isn’t as much of a hiking island as Sifnos (I can attest to that) or Naxos (I’m about to confirm this), there are some decent hill sweat outs with killer views.

My favorite hike was the climb up to the church of Profit Elias (see Strava map below). About 8 km from the main town with about 500 m ascent. The navigation is a little tricky, but nowadays, most people have a good phone and internet. We used All Trails as a bit of a guide to choose this hike, and you see by the map below the route we took.

There were a couple of sections of trail that clearly aren’t well traveled, but dont let this put you off. The views on the way up were out of this world. You can see over the other side of the island. There are some steep sections and some slippery loose rock, but nothing too crazy. A few km of fairly hard work, which was totally worth it.

As I rounded the last corner, a pair of black mountain goats welcomed me.

The church is totally abandoned. The view was luscious. The quiet was delightful.

Gem #2, a cold one with a waterfront view…

After descending the same way we came up, we found a front seat to the ocean and had a couple cold beers and grilled squid. If you decide to sit at one of the water front patios in the main town, you’re paying for the location. It’s worth it. We did it over light lunch and draft beer to keep the cost for the view reasonable.

Gem #3, fresh seafood market…

You can eat all your meals at restaurants. Or, if you can get a place with even a small kitchen, you can cook some amazing local seafood! We were able to get a place with a hot plate and BBQ. We walked to a fish market, bought an octopus, sea bass, and some sardines. The cost was considerably less than a restaurant. Add in a stop at one of the many mini markets for some fresh veg, and you have the makings of an amazing meal.

Now, I’m lucky to be with someone who is really good at cooking. However, when it comes to a fresh fish, for most of them, all you have to do is oil, salt and grill.

The experience of walking into a fish market like this and getting fresh creatures we don’t get at home was so much fun! Eating local food was an authentic experience.

Pulling the gems together…

Between hikes and dinners, I highly recommend a cold beer on a patio and swim. I think anywhere you stay is likely to have a pool, and you are surrounded by pristine beaches.

I was surprised by how much I love Mykonos. The quiet and authentic moments were a pure delight, but even weaving through the busier parts still had a great vibe.

Check out Julie Hiner on Strava https://strava.app.link/e2l7ngxCDJb

I have a fear of deep, open water.

I can’t totally explain it. There’s something about not being able to see what is underneath you, not really knowing what’s down there, and the vast openness of the ocean that sends irrational tendrils of fear trickling through my veins.

Many people have the same fear.

It probably doesn’t help that one of my favorite movies is Jaws, and that I watch a lot of deep sea horror films. Sounds silly, right? Despite my love for hiking, I also watch a lot of wilderness horror. Yet, I’m not afraid of the mountains or the forest.

So I shouldn’t be afraid of the water.

Coming to the Greek Islands, one of the most amazing things to do is swim in the pristine and beautifully colored waters.

I mentioned in my last post that on a coastal hike, I did jump in and swim in a secluded spot. I was hesitant. A jump in was required. The water was deep. I had to tell myself to do it. I did, and it was glorious.

Our second day in Milos, we took a catamaran sailing trip. There were several stops during the day in secluded areas that you could only get to by boat. The water was gorgeous. The rock formations were amazing.

Given I had already swam twice in the Mediterranean, I didn’t hesitate. I coaxed myself to get in the water, relax, and enjoy the swim.

The more I did it, the more I liked it. By the last stop, I was swimming through caves and quite comfortable.

I know, it’s not the middle of the open ocean, but it was me and the water, and I found a soothing connection with it.

The boat trip was amazing. We saw a large part of the volcanic rock cliffs. They took us on a dingy ride through some caves. And of course, we swam.

If you get to the Greek Islands, you simply have to dip into the pristine blue-green water.

The island of Milos is a bustling place in some areas. In others, it’s quiet.

We arrived mid afternoon. After getting checked into our hotel and figuring out some logistics for the next couple of days, we still had some time before sunset. If you need a short hike and don’t mind sweating it out a little, I highly recommend the hike up to the castle in Plaka. We did the trek from the main port. My navigator was able to find a lovely nature trail that hooked us up to the smaller and quieter roads that led up to the castle pathway.

After a day of travel, I felt lethargic. Once we got moving, I felt better. By the time we were sweating it up the cobbled pathway to the top, I was motivated.

Movement is good. Climbing comes with rewards.

The view at the top is spectacular. Of course, we found a cold beer with a waterfront view on the way down.

Our first full day in Milos was quite an adventure.

Of course, if you visit Milos, you can go to the popular beaches. You will need to be prepared to deal with a small number of parking spots and crowds. Even in May, there are quite a few people flocking to the beautiful island and driving to the beaches.

Another option is to hike. I was more than happy to grab my boots and start walking. The rewards were immense.

After a short hike from the hotel to the first popular beach, we continued on along the shoreline. There are some rocky portions and some light maneuvering (not full on scrambling), so we took it slow to avoid any problems. And to take in the beauty.

It didn’t take very long to come upon the first secret swimming spot, as I like to call it. They aren’t actually secret. Anyone can go there. But you have to walk a little and maneuver some rocky shoreline. I love shore hikes!

After our first few kilometers, we stopped at a small inlet with some deeper water. The water was crystal clear, as is all the water along the beaches of Milos. The plunge was cold and invigorating.

I’m not naturally comfortable in deep, open water. This trip, I’m determined to get more comfortable and relaxed swimming in these beautiful waters.

After the swim, we continued on. The day did get a bit long and hot, but we were able to stay along the shoreline almost the entire way to Pollonis.

There was a bit of walking along the road closer to the town, which is quite safe here. Since there are many stretches of road without a path or a sidewalk, the drivers are aware and provide lots of room for pedestrians.

We had lunch at a lovely spot on the water and enjoyed many seafood delights.

For the return hike, we chose to stay on the road longer at the start to cover more ground quicker. The shore is quiet and beautiful but takes longer to hike along.

It got hot, that’s for sure. But, I’ve been down the hot 🔥 hiking road before. Regular water, sunscreen, and upbeat attitude are the tools I bring along.

We were able to grab a cold beer at a gas station and take a short break. Then, not far from the town, we stopped again at our swimming spot. This time, I took a longer, slower, more relaxed swim.

By the time we got to town, I was baked and tired. I could feel that bad attitude trying to grab me. I splashed some cold water on my face, took a few deep breaths, and took in the view.

We ordered several seafood appetizers and shared everything. I’ve loved this style of eating here, especially when we have more hiking to do. My favorite was the stingray, served kind of like a pate on toasted bread.

After some white wine, the short hike up to the hotel didn’t seem so bad. In fact, I think it stretched out my tired legs.

A full day in Milos with a good hike and two great swims was quite different than my normal hiking experiences. It’s one that I would highly recommend.

With a little work and a willingness to go off the beaten path, the rewards can be amazing.

For full route details, find me on Strava.

Travelling has become something very special to me. I love exploring new spaces, returning to old favorites, and being jolted from structure and routine.

When travelling, things don’t always go as planned. This is when going with the flow can be a game changer. Instead of dwelling on what was supposed to happen, letting that go and opening your mind to what is happening can reveal a whole new view on things.

On my current journey, with my hubby, we’ve made it to the Canadian west coast. There were glitches along the way. But we got here. It’s beautiful and totally worth the effort.

It does rain a lot on the coast. We came prepared. We did a long hike day despite the rain. The pathways through the forest make for great shelter and a refreshing, lush experience.

The day after, the rain was unrelenting. We enjoyed a more chill day eating fish and chips, drinking craft beer, and getting cozy by the fire. On these types of days, I read a lot.

Then, we woke to a bright, sunny day. We crammed in several hikes, explored tide pools, ventured into the rain forest, and even had happy hour by the beach. We ended the day with a viewing of the sunset on the rocks by the shore.

As we watched the surfers at sunset, I was pulled into the ebb and flow of the waves. I realized that the days we have spent out here have felt natural. Going with the flow of nature, the weather, our internal clocks, and letting ourselves be has been wonderful.

I’m reminded that even when I go back home, I need to take time like this to let myself be. To go with ebb and flow of my internal guide.