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Welcome to La French Girl, a French-American lifestyle blog written by a born & raised French girl living in the US. She shares the best of both worlds from an authentic French perspective, while providing tips to live a healthy and stylish life. Thanks for being here. Cozy up, enjoy and get inspired!

Destination CYCLADES

Destination CYCLADES

La French Girl

The Cyclades are a group of islands located to the South of mainland Greece in the Aegean sea. They are famous for their blue and white architecture and azure water. We went to the two most famous islands in the Cyclades: Santorini and Mykonos. You will find my recommendations and addresses below.

SANTORINI

It’s one of the most famous and beautiful islands in the world, because of its unique geography. It’s a volcanic island built on a caldera: a huge sea-filled crater, caused by a massive volcano eruption thousands years ago. This is what gave the half-moon shape of the island and the impressive caldera cliff with the famous picture perfect white-washed Cycladic houses and blue-domed churches on top of it. The Caldera of Santorini is the only inhabited caldera in the world and offers breathtaking views and sunsets.

TIPS:

  • There are not many taxis on the island, so make sure to book your transfer in advance from Santorini airport to your accommodation.

  • There is not Uber on the island, using the Hoppa website is a cheaper alternative to a taxi.

  • Pigaia Travel is another good option for booking a transfer/taxi a well as tours and activities.

  • Do not rent a car in Santorini! The streets are very narrow, steep and good luck to find a parking spot! Rent a scooter or ATV instead.

  • Get your international driver’s permit. Greece requires it if you live outside the European Union. You can apply online through e-ita.org. You get a digital copy in 15 minutes.

  • Stay on the caldera. You come here for the breathtaking views. I recommend staying in Firostefani or Imerovigli, it’s less crowded than Oia. Both villages are centrally located and just a quick ride from Oia and Athinios harbor to hop on a ferry to visit another island.

  • Go to Ammoudi Bay to eat grilled octopus. This is my favorite spot on the island.

  • Avoid going to Oia to watch the sunset. It gets very crowded. The sunset views are great from anywhere on the caldera cliff. If you stay in Firostefani or Imerovigli you will have a breathtaking sunset view from your hotel terrace.

  • Avoid coming during summer if you don’t want to break the bank! I would say April/May or late September and October are probably the best months to avoid the crazy expensive hotel prices and the crowd.

HOTELS:

MYKONOS

“The island of the winds” with its iconic windmills, the symbol of its agricultural past grinding wheat, is another famous island of the Cyclades. Mykonos is well-known for its party atmosphere, beautiful beaches and pretty town with local and fancy shops. It’s more upscale than Santorini and can be described like the Saint-Tropez of Greece. I love Saint-Tropez, so it’s not a surprise that Mykonos energy is my energy! You go there to have fun, to enjoy a drink and/or meal by the beach at one of the many beach clubs while listening and dancing to great tunes. This is the true Mykonos experience.

TIPS:

  • When you arrive by ferry in Mykonos take the SeaBus (water taxi) from the new port in Tourlos to go to the old port in Mykonos Town. It costs 2 Euros per person and takes 20 minutes.

  • Go eat some Gyros, the famous Greek street dish. It’s grilled meats (pork, lamb, chicken or beef) topped with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, French fries and tzatziki (Greek sauce made of yogurt and cucumbers) wrapped in pita bread. Not only is it super yummy but it’s also super cheap. This will save you a good chunk of money, as the restaurants in Mykonos are very expensive!

  • If you want to go to Scorpios, make sure to have a reservation. Soho House members will be delighted to hear that they have a VIP entrance and can just walk-in.

FAVORITE BEACH:

  • Paraga

FAVORITE BEACH CLUBS:

OTHER FAVORITE ADRESSES:

HOTELS:



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