“I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else.”
Author Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek
Welcome – I’m Stephanie
Follow me on my travels around Greece!
About Me | A Greek Oddity – Independent Greek Island Travel & Ferry Adventures
Greece has been a constant thread in my life for over three decades. Over the years, my curiosity has taken me to many corners of the country — big islands, tiny ones, and remote villages on the mainland too — and I quickly built up a deep affection for the rhythms and realities of authentic Greek travel.
As well as more than thirty years of island-hopping under my belt, my day job also keeps me firmly immersed in all things Greek. As a Greek Island Travel Consultant for Hidden Greece, I handle everything from designing complex itineraries to booking every ferry, hotel and transfer. And when things go wrong — a ferry cancellation, a last-minute room change, a sudden meltemi tantrum — I’m also the person who ensures my clients aren’t left stranded on a quay with a suitcase and a sense of despair. After visiting more than 90 islands and islets myself, I know how the system works, how it breaks, and how to fix it quickly so my clients can get back to enjoying their holiday.
I’ve always been drawn to the more authentic side of Greece — the family-run hotels and pensions where kindly hosts remember your name, the taverna owners who treat you like a long–lost cousin, and the small everyday moments where true Greek filotimo shines. I’d much rather arrive by ferry, take the local bus and explore on foot than stay in a faceless five-star resort that could be anywhere in the world. Whether I’m travelling with family or wandering solo, these are the experiences that shape my journeys — and they’re the heart of what you’ll find throughout this blog.
I started A Greek Oddity more than 14 years ago as a simple travel diary — something to preserve my memories and, hopefully, something my children and grandchildren might enjoy one day. (Especially if they need reassurance that I didn’t spend my life sitting at home watching Homes Under the Hammer)
Today, the site blends both sides of my experience:
my personal love of Greece and my professional knowledge of its quieter, lesser-known destinations.
It’s still a diary at heart, but with plenty of insight woven in naturally along the way.
If you’re curious about Greek island travel — the famous, the forgotten and the fascinating — I hope you’ll feel at home here. Browse through the trip diaries, explore my ‘lived’ itineraries, and perhaps discover a corner of Greece you’ve never heard of before.
A quick note on navigation. Of the website that is! The blog writing came before learning about WordPress and website creation and I’ve kind of muddled my way through the website development. It is still a work in progress but hopefully getting there.
Each trip that I do will come under a category named after the places that I visited on that particular trip. On the homepage there will be a gallery featuring each of the categories (or itineraries) that I have written up so far. You can access information on a particular trip from there or within the Blog Post menu.
When you click on the category it will bring up a list of posts – most recent post first. This may not be ideal if you want to read about the trip from beginning to end but I’m still working on a solution! You can also use the search bar in the header to search for places (and other things) and it should (fingers crossed) bring up all of the posts featuring your search criteria.
If you find any glitches or have any feedback on the website it will be very much appreciated!
Happy travels!
This website is self-built (Not bad for a 62 years old grandmother even if I do say so myself!) 🙂 and self-funded.
The purpose of the website isn’t to generate income though I am experimenting a little with affiliate links just for the purpose of trying to cover some of the running costs. Please do think of me next time you’re looking for accommodation on Booking.com 🙂
If you’ve found any of the information in my blog useful and/or has inspired you to travel to any of the places I’ve written about, you are warmly invited to show you appreciation by donating towards the running cost of the website. All donations are greatly received and very much appreciated.