I arrived in Greece with sky-high expectations. I left disappointed and wishing I'd avoided these 5 mistakes.

When 1 of my astir anticipated trips turned retired to beryllium 1 of my astir frustrating, it was wholly my ain fault.

I travel professionally for a living, but I still get caught up successful excitement and unrealistic expectations erstwhile planning. Like galore travelers, I'd been dreaming of Greece for years. I watched "Mamma Mia," scrolled done Instagram, and fto the images build an thought of what the travel would beryllium like.

In the end, I near the state emotion disappointed and wishing I'd done a fewer things differently.

Booking a cruise alternatively of staying on-site didn't springiness maine overmuch clip to explore

This was my first mistake, and it shaped the remainder of the trip. I still deliberation cruising is simply a awesome measurement to spot the world, conscionable not Greece.

In my opinion, the problem comes down to numbers. The ships transportation excessively galore people, and they are each landing connected a mini land astatine once.

Santorini isn't needfully equipped to grip the thousands of passengers a cruise vessel drops connected its shores. Once you arrive, you still person to get up to the villages by tram, donkey, aliases a agelong walk.

We were the only vessel successful larboard that day, but I still had to hold respective hours to scope wherever I wanted to explore. On a travel pinch constricted time, that's a difficult measurement to commencement the day.

Next time, I'd really stay successful Greece.

I missed retired by only readying my travel astir celebrated islands

This was my biggest mistake. I'd seen images of Santorini's achromatic villages and Mykonos sunsets for years, truthful erstwhile I saw some islands connected the cruise itinerary, I jumped astatine the chance to cheque disconnected 2 places successful 1 trip.

Greece isn't a destination you cheque disconnected a list. It's a state meant to beryllium savored. By choosing 2 of the busiest islands and spending only a time connected each, I ne'er sewage past the surface.

Both islands were stunning, but I felt rushed and had nary clip to return them each in. This showed maine that my travel style leans toward quiet, undiscovered places complete popular, crowded ones.

When I get to sojourn Greece again, I'll skip Santorini and Mykonos and sojourn smaller islands that connection quieter, much authentic experiences, specified arsenic Hydra, Kimolos, aliases Ithaca.

Familiarizing myself pinch Athens earlier presence would've improved my trip

Athens is simply a wonderful, historical metropolis pinch plentifulness to see. It's walkable, but seeing the astir iconic sites still takes a plan. I didn't person one. I thought I'd conscionable locomotion astir and fig it out.

That led to hours of wandering, getting lost, and losing clip successful the incorrect parts of the city. There was plentifulness to acquisition on the way, but I could person seen acold much pinch a plan.

Now that I cognize more, I'd urge staying successful Plaka — it's wrong stepping region of the Acropolis, Syntagma Square, and bully nutrient and shopping.

Also, I propose booking meal reservations successful beforehand truthful you don't miss retired connected the places you really want to try.

Pursuing circumstantial photograph opportunities wasn't worthy my time

The infinitesimal I landed successful Santorini, each I wanted was a photograph successful beforehand of the famous blue-domed churches.

I didn't recognize that meant stepping enarthrosis to enarthrosis pinch thousands of different group down constrictive streets wherever locals were conscionable trying to tally their businesses, past opinionated successful statement for complete an hr for 10 seconds successful beforehand of the church.

It's gorgeous, but not worthy losing an full time for 1 photo. I caught the correction quickly and hired a section guideline to return maine to the different broadside of the island, distant from the crowds.

There I recovered quiet beaches, black- and red-sand shorelines, and mini churches pinch nary 1 successful line. Away from Oia, I yet recovered the Greece I'd pictured.

I underestimated the beingness demands of exploring Greece

I'm successful decent style and recreation often, but Greece wore maine out.

The power successful September was much aggravated than I expected, and the cobblestone streets, arsenic beautiful arsenic they look, are difficult to locomotion on, particularly erstwhile everyplace I wanted to spell was uphill.

I wanted to put connected tiny dresses and look photo-ready wherever I went, but I ended up wearing sneakers and a ponytail conscionable to get done the day.

If I return, I'll battalion much applicable clothing, bring existent sun protection, and scheme astir the power alternatively of ignoring it.

Ultimately, I'd perfectly spell backmost to Greece — conscionable pinch a amended scheme adjacent time

I had dreamt of visiting Greece for years, and arsenic I left, I felt that the state I knowledgeable was thing for illustration what I had expected.

It was maddening to recognize that my disappointment would person been wholly avoidable if I had planned differently.

Even though I near exhausted and frustrated, I'd still spell backmost to Greece. I'd conscionable recreation otherwise — slower and much thoughtfully — truthful I could really bask it.