For full disclosure, I was gifted this experience by the lovely people at Jet2 as part of their #JetMe2TheGreek campaign.
Surprisingly, I’ve never been to Greece. If you listen carefully, you might be able to hear the shocked gasps of the blogging community… how can I call myself a travel fanatic when I’ve never visited somewhere so popular and so convenient to travel to from the UK?
Well, there’s one good reason for this… Every time I try to plan a trip to Greece, it will start as a weekend trip to Athens and suddenly spiral into a 2 month trip traversing through the mainland and enjoying some island hopping which, unsurprisingly, isn’t a possibility while I have a full time job! This is why I can’t be trusted around Skyscanner.
So, when I was kindly invited to attend a press event with Jet2 to learn more about their new Greek destinations, I jumped at the chance! Luckily, I am completely sold on these new destinations so hopefully can experience a little Greek holiday soon without feeling the need to plan a 2 month trip life before!
The Event
There are so many things that come to mind when I think of Greece, but if you know me well, you’ll know that one of the things I love most is food! And of course, Greek food is no exception!
Despite the fact that I have absolutely zero culinary skill, I like to experience cooking classes while travelling – from making lomo saltado in Peru to making ice cream in Italy! I was therefore very excited to experience a Greek cooking class (despite being in North London rather than Greece)!
We made a whole host of dishes which were all DELICIOUS including a Greek salad, stuffed tomatoes/peppers, spanakopitakia (spinach pie), tiropita (cheese pie), souvlaki (marinated chicken cooked on skewers) and tzatziki!
The best thing about each of these dishes is the simplicity of them. You don’t need any specialist equipment or skills, so I know that I will be making them repeatedly in the future. I’ve already made the Greek salad a number of times since the event – I don’t think I can eat a boring normal salad ever again!
After the cooking course, we got to mingle and eat all of the delicious food we had just made!
The Venue
I’d never heard of Jenius Social before this event but I’m very glad that I have been introduced to this incredible company!
Jenius Social specialise in cooking classes, particularly for corporate or team-building events. I think that one of their classes would make for an incredible work event and I will definitely be suggesting it to my firm!
Of course, you don’t have to make a corporate booking, the venue is available for private hire too. They have a whole section on their website for Hen Parties – I think this would be the PERFECT way to celebrate if the bride wants to avoid the normal clubbing/stripper Hen Party scene.
I’d like to make a special shout-out to Jennifer at Jenius Social who looked after me after I became ill (don’t worry, I’m fine! My body just likes to shut down when I’m in hot indoor conditions like kitchens).
Preveza
Excitingly, Jet2 are launching flights to Preveza from 2020. Preveza is described as the “golden ticket to a glistening Greek getaway”.
For the most part, Preveza is used to reach more exciting destinations (such as Parga and Lefkas, which you’ll hear more about later!). However, you may want to hang around for a day or two, even if it’s just to visit Nicopolis (located 9km North of Preveza) which is thought to be the largest ancient city in Greece!
Jet2‘s website suggests that a pint of beer in the region should cost you around £2.90 and a set meal for two would set you back £21.70. If that’s not a reason to visit, I don’t know what else is.
Parga
Find out more about Parga and book your trip via Jet2 Holidays here!
Located on the Western coast of Greece’s mainland, Parga is a picture-perfect town that needs your attention… And it’s easy enough to give it your attention when transfers from Preveza to Parga using Jet2 take just over an hour.
Pictures of Parga remind me of the Almalfi Coast in Italy, a destination that is currently struggling due to over-tourism. I’m therefore very excited to have discovered a much lesser-known destination to satisfy my colourful building obsession!
Parga has a whole host of things to see and do (find a full list here). From picturesque beaches to cute towns and historic castles, the whole family will be happy here!
One of the things that I like most about booking through Jet2 Holidays is the wide range of accommodation available. The term ‘package holiday’ tends to gives me traumatic flashbacks to family holidays in over-crowded all inclusive hotels.
Everyone’s travel style is different and I understand that all-inclusive hotels are some people’s dream trip (my family included)! However, I like to be more adventurous when travelling (and I know my readers are the same – let’s face it, if you’ve been reading my stories from spending 3 months backpacking across South America, all-inclusive hotels probably aren’t your cup of tea either)!
That’s what’s so great about Jet2 Holidays. If you’re limited on time and want to book a completely fuss-free holiday (I know I often do after working my backside off in a corporate London job), you can book a package holiday, so that EVERYTHING is taken care of for you, but avoid huge hotels.
In Parga, I love the look of these smaller accommodations:
- Charisma Luxury Apartments – If you want a secluded, romantic stay, these self-catered apartments look gorgeous. Located on the hillside, 1.4km from the main city center, you’re destined for bliss!
- Racconto Boutique Design Hotel – This luxurious Adults Only Bed & Breakfast looks to die for! Please excuse me while I imagine laying on one of those super comfortable sun loungers all day.
Lefkas Island
Find out more about Lefkas and book your trip via Jet2 Holidays here!
Everyone has heard of (and has seemingly been to) Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Corfu, Zante etc. but there’s an underrated island that you need to know about – Lefkas!
If you’re looking for ultimate relaxation, Lefkas is the place for you. With blue waters and skies surrounding you, it’s time to relax, grab a cocktail and enjoy a slower pace of life.
Don’t worry, if you get a bit restless (like me), there’s still plenty to see and do on the island – you can find a full list here. My dream trip would look something like this:
- Easing myself in gently by exploring the gorgeous Faneromeni Monestary and admiring the views;
- Ramping things up a notch by hiking to the peak of Elati Mountain, the highest point on the island;
- Treating myself to a day of relaxation on one of the many beaches to relax after my hike;
- Follow the canyon trail to reach Nidri Waterfalls (I can never resist a waterfall!);
- Visit Ella’s Retreat for a spot of meditation and yoga (as if being on a paradise island wasn’t relaxing enough);
- Finish the holiday with a glass of vino at Siflogo Winery, raising a toast to a great holiday in Lefkas!
As with Parga, I’m going to focus on the smaller accommodations (as these suit my and my typical reader’s travel styles). Excitingly, Jet2 has a whole host of private villas that you can rent, my favourites include Villa Aggelos, Villa Angela and Villa Byronas.
Have you ever been to Greece? What do you think of these destinations?
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