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Ever wonder how our editors travel? In Vogue Vacations, you can take a peek at our itineraries, out-of-office style, and trip highlights to see what we wore and we where we went—and maybe bookmark some inspiration for a getaway of your own.
I traded mozzarella for feta this summer and slipped away to the glittering Aegean for ten days of unencumbered idyll. Little did I know that the seductively calm Cyclades islands I intended to visit at the end of August also attracted clusters of like-minded fellow Italians who left the crowded lidos of Liguria and Campania behind in favor of this same of slice of heaven. I immediately felt at home.
I planned my trip to Sifnos and Serifos with a loose itinerary in mind to allow for spontaneous day-of plans—filling the pages of my Smythson notebook with crowdsourced recommendations from people whose taste I trust. My colleague, and our lifestyle editor, Elly Leavitt (Greek by birth, New Yorker by clocked time) kindly moonlighted as my travel agent and fielded all the many questions I had (was the ferry easy? Did I need a car? Yes and yes). From there I created a dynamic Google Map my boyfriend and I could use to pin local gems and in-the-moment discoveries.
All in all we spent a day in Athens, six in Sifnos, two in Serifos, and another two in Athens. If I were to do it all over again (which I will), I’d stay longer on the islands and less in the city, not because I didn’t enjoy my time in the capital, but because the moment the ferry docked in Piraeus, that blissful freedom of being on vacation was cut short.
Ahead, everything I wore, indulged in, and brought back to New York City from a week and change island hopping in Greece.
The Destination: Athens to Sifnos and Serifos (and back again!).
The Airport Outfit: My airport outfit is usually just my airport outfit, unless I’m able to wash my clothes during the trip. It was too hot for jeans on the way over, ditto coming back, so I got dressed with Athens’ notorious heat in mind and kept an extra set of flip-flops handy to slip into upon arrival. The only thing I re-wore on the islands was my grey cashmere sweater which helped shield me from the fierce Cycladic winds that whipped through the mountains.
The Packing List: I knew most of the days would spent be in or by the water until dinnertime so I packed accordingly: two cover-ups, three flip-flops, and four swimsuits that I could easily mix and match. As it happens, I ended up wearing my white Éterne bikini most of the trip with a Chan Luu sarong, Janessa Leone hat, and clear jellies from Ancient Greek Sandals. The little towns come alive at night, and the simple act of getting dressed up in clothes that make you as happy as you feel on vacation is something I always look forward to. A silk tie-dye Dries dress, a lace-trimmed Dôen skirt, and a flower-embellished Tory tank were it for me.
The Hotel: We stayed at Petali Village Hotel in Sifnos, a charming boutique property conveniently located between Apollonia and Artemonas. I was most excited to visit Perma, a just-opened property in Serifos that was as serene as it looks. Perched atop a rugged hill, our suite had a private pool, an outdoor shower and dining area, and postcard views of the sparkling waters–the sunrises from our east-facing bedroom were particularly magical.
We settled in at Mona for our last two nights in Athens, a nouveau bohemian outpost in the city center that draws an eclectic, arty crowd–it had been on my mind since reading about it in our hotel guide to the capital. Tucked away in one of Monastiraki’s labyrinthine streets, old meets new in this 20-room hotel, which occupies a renovated 1950s textile factory and is outfitted with plenty of modern creature comforts (including freshly roasted coffee beans from Anana, a local café). There’s a rooftop terrace overlooking the Acropolis—go up at night for a marvelous view.
The Memorable Meals: Sifnos is known as a foodie island, so it should come as little surprise that some of the most unforgettable dishes we had were at the low-key beach tavernas in Cherosnissos and Vroulidia. Cafe Mosaic in Artemonas was so nice we went twice—get the tzatziki and meatballs. The island’s staple chickpea stew, revitha, was a revelation, as were the boiled amaranth greens, which I proceeded to order every time I saw them on the menu. The only dinner reservation I made was in Athens at Linou Soumpasis Sia—a new-age taverna that doubles as a candle shop. The grilled eggplant floating in a pool of tomato and grassy olive oil topped with a scoop of feta was by the far one of the best things I ate. The homey Taverna Oikonomou 1930 bookended the trip—order the stuffed cabbage leaves and the roasted aubergine and zucchini in tomato sauce.
The Late-Night Spot: Sifnos and Serifos are quieter islands compared to Mykonos and Santorini, and most nights we were tucked into bed after dinner and walk through the old squares. Back in Athens we thought about going to Wine Is Fine (a natural wine bar with snacky plates), but ended up at Heteroclito near Plaka since it was late and we already ate—the scene spilled out onto the street and no one troubled you with the bill after your drink was done. The crowd was a mix of locals and laid-back European tourists and had a great vibe.
The Shopping Stops: In Sifnos, my siren call was any small sweet shop selling handmade almond cookies for a post-dinner treat. I went twice to It’s a Shirt in Athens, only because it was closed the first time around—I’m so happy I went back because I got to meet the woman behind it all: Christina Christodoulou, who sources the most beautiful cottons and linens for her designs; she works closely with her father, a tailor, on each of the shirts’ production. I found the memory of our trip bottled in Perfumer H’s bright and indulgent Fig at the elegant fragrance boutique Phaon. Last on the list: Ancient Greek Sandals for my flip-flop fix, and Mouki Mou for an elevated curation of insider-y fashion and homewares.
The Must-Buy Souvenir: Sifnos has a long-standing pottery tradition with many hole-in-the-wall studios (that often lack official names) dotting the island. Atsonios was my favorite discovery. One day we stumbled upon a mysteriously marked stone path at the far end of Vathi beach that led us to his ceramic studio, which we scrambled to barefoot under the baking sun. We didn’t have any money on us so we had to hike back and do it all over again. I wouldn’t change a thing about that day.
The Travel Bag: My canvas Alex Mill weekender is my very own traveling Russian doll. It’s amusingly bigger than I am, but fits everything I need and then some: dinner and snacks, magazines and books, extra accessories–and most importantly, still has room for all the ceramic cups and bowls that found their way in there on the return.
