Looking for tips on where to stay while on vacation in destinations like Greece and Italy? Two of our favorite travelers share details on the hotels they booked for recent getaways to some of Europe’s most popular destinations.

 

Christane in Greece: We had the opportunity to squeeze in Mykonos because our original destination was Santorini. We spent four nights in one of the hotels in Santorini where we stayed at the Luna Suites in Pyrgos. We picked that location because of the views. We woke up to the most beautiful sight at a lesser cost. Breakfast was included and that was a plus. The historical village of Pyrgos was built like a maze, a lot of beautiful alleys to discover, private restaurants, and beautiful doors. We loved it!

 

In the Mykonos, we spent three nights. We stayed at the Villa Pleiades, near Ornos beach. Perfect location as it wasn’t in town but it wasn’t too far from the town. The villa was gorgeous and cost us less than $150/night. Although they didn’t offer complimentary breakfast, the owner had a driver pick us up from the port and take us back to it at no charge. We appreciated that. We originally booked a spot next to paradise beach, but they called to cancel our reservation 1 hour before our arrival. Thankfully, we found this place, which turned out to be perfect.

 

 

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Adria on Italy:  We stayed in the Campania region for a week. Our first three nights were at Hotel Continental in Sorrento, Italy.  This hotel is situated near the coast and only minutes from Sorrento shops and restaurants located in the city center. The service here was second to none and the view from our balcony and the rooftop lounge was incredible. On our first night there, the hotel concierge arranged dinner at Zi’Ntonio, which is a lovely restaurant located on the water at Marina Grande in Sorrento, Italy. The views are impressive and the gnocchi and strawberry cream cake at Zi’Ntonio is life changing – I highly recommend eating at this restaurant.

 

 

After spending three days and three nights in Sorrento, we moved on to Positano and stayed three nights at Hotel L’Ancora, which is a beautiful hotel nestled right on the Amalfi Coast.  The L’Ancora exceeded our expectations in every way. The view from our balcony and the outdoor hotel restaurant was amazing, and the location was perfect. We were minutes away from the beach, yet up high enough to have an incredible view of the cliffs and rugged shoreline covered with pastel-colored restaurants, shops, and hotels. We used Positano as a base and took the ferry multiple times to Capri.