The country of Greece is one of the most photogenic places on Earth. Between the ruins in Athens and the beautiful islands, everywhere you look there is something to take a picture of. Read on for our photography guide to Greece where we go through how get 6 classic pictures of landmarks in Greece!
The Acropolis
No trip to Athens would be complete without visiting the Acropolis. Arguably the most iconic point in Greece, the Acropolis is the focal point of all of Athens. For this specific photograph no directions are needed. You should be able to see the Acropolis from almost anywhere in the city.
View of the Parthenon on the Acropolis
You should have a view of the Parthenon and entire Acropolis from almost any rooftop in the city. We stayed in two different hostels, in two totally different locations of the city, and both had equally great views.
- Quick tip – the Parthenon is the building that sits on top of the Acropolis. The Acropolis actually has numerous buildings and ruins on it.
Read More: How Long Should I Spend in Athens, Greece?
Taking photographs on the Acropolis
Alleys in Mykonos
This is another photography recommendation that is fairly nonspecific. If you are going to Greece we highly recommend visiting the island of Mykonos.
Check out our Mykonos Travel Guide for ideas on how to spend a few days on this island!
Mykonos is full of beautiful walkways. The town feels almost like a maze but way more scenic. You will have tons of opportunities for beautiful photographs if you just walk around and explore. The best part is getting lost in the white pathways as no two look the same!
Kastro Bar in Mykonos
Before going to Greece I saw this photograph on instagram and knew I had to find this restaurant in Mykonos. The ocean is perfectly framed by the white walls of the alley, and the table shown is one of the best seats on the island.
The restaurant is called Kastro’s and is located in the “Little Venice” section of Mykonos.
To get to Kastro’s you start off in the old port section of Mykonos and walk towards the pier where Delos Tours is located. You keep walking along with the water on your right and you will pass a few restaurants. You will then find the Paraportiani Orthodox Church. After you pass the church (it will be on your right because the path goes inward a bit) look immediately to your right. That is where Kastro’s is located.
Santorini Cliffs
Another staple of a proper trip to Greece is visiting Santorini to see the beautiful cliffside towns. This photograph was taken in Fira, however, you really can’t go wrong anywhere on the west side of the island. Simply walk along the coast looking towards the Caldera and don’t forget your camera.
Santorini Three Bells
The iconic three bells are located at the Virgin Mary Catholic Church of Fira. The Church is located on the northern part of Fira right by Skaros Rock (as you can see in the photo above). If you are in Fira, the water should be on your left while you walk towards the bells.
We decided to go during sunset and got some pretty amazing pictures of the light coming through the bells. It also was not crowded at all!
Blue Domed Churches in Oia
First, finding the famous Blue Domed Churches on Santorini can be difficult. While finding any church with a blue dome is easy, most people want to find these specific churches that are often used in the iconic photographs of the island. It is important to note the these churches are located in the town of Oia.
Not staying in Oia? Check out our guide for hiking across Santorini from Fira to Oia!
Next, there are actually multiple ways to see these churches, two of which are shown below. When you finally navigate to the viewpoints expect a line of other people waiting to pose for pictures. Don’t worry, it should not take too long to get a good view though!
Start off by finding a road called “Nik. Nomikou”. That is the walking area closest to the water and where you will be able to access the various viewpoints.
Blue Domed Churches View #1 – Looking Back Towards Fira
The key landmark to find is the “Minerali Jewelry Store”. The entrance to this viewpoint is down a short alley immediately next to the jewelry store.
If you are having trouble try searching “1864 The Sea Captains House” or “Hassapiko” in your map.
Both of those are close to the entrance to get to this view!
Blue Domed Churches View #2 – Looking Towards Oia and the Sunset
The key landmark to find for this view is the “Bulgari” store. The entrance to this viewpoint is down a short alley immediately next to the store.
If you are having trouble finding the store try searching for the “Apollon Gallery” or the “Blue Canaves Boutique Villa”
Both of those points are near the entrance to the viewpoint. Head in that direction and you should be able to figure the rest out!
Sunset in Oia
Oia is famous for its sunsets. Because of its location on Santorini, Oia has unobstructed views of the sun setting over the Aegean Sea.
A very popular place to watch the sunset is the Castle of Agios Nikolaos or Citadel of Oia. It is a castle, located on the tip of the island, that provides great views of the sunset. HOWEVER, being known as a great place to watch the sunset, it can be extremely crowded. We saw people camping out in the best spots hours before the sun began to set.
Because of this we opted to find a restaurant on the caldera cliff that had an equally great view. During the peak moments of the sunset it was easy to step away, snap some photos, and return to finish dinner.
No matter what you take pictures of in Greece they are bound to turn out great! Let us know in the comments if you have any places we missed!
