Vatican City, Athens and Mykonos: Inspiring Travel Destinations

It was September of 1994. My life was about to change in two major ways: I was converting to Catholicism and I was getting married. I had been planning a wedding for three hundred, down to the last minute detail and I was ready for the big day. I was completely prepared and unflustered, with one major exception to that calm and serene countenance. My loving fiancé had decided to plan our honeymoon and even worse, he wouldn't tell me where we were going! At our rehearsal dinner, just hours before departing, he finally handed me airline tickets: to Greece and Italy! Specifically, we were going to Athens and then to the Greek Island of Mykonos first. Then, we were flying to Rome and staying in Vatican City.

What is important to this story is the fact that I had been a Methodist all my life. Unknown to my Catholic fiancé until he proposed, I had been secretly attending RCIA or the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults to learn about Catholicism. I was about to become confirmed in the Catholic faith, have my First Holy Communion and get married all on the same day. This was the reason for the special gift of going to Vatican City, The Holy See, for our honeymoon!

Our journey to Vatican City started bright and early on a Monday morning and after flying into JFK, we were boarding a transatlantic flight to Athens. As we were getting seated, we met Calliope for the first time! Callie was Greek; a US citizen born in Greece and raised in America who was heading to Greece to visit family. We spent the next seven hours being captivated by this fascinating girl from Greece and we became fast friends. Arriving in Athens, my new husband informed me that we had a rental car waiting and asked if Callie could help us find our way out of the airport. This proved to be hilariously difficult for three Americans, even though one of us was Greek! If you are going to Greece and thinking about renting a car: don't! You will not be able to find your way around Athens and you won't be able to read any signs or maps to help guide you. Let's just say that the fact you were in a fraternity or sorority in college will not help you!

Eventually we made our way out of the airport, parted ways with our new found friend Calliope, and we arrived in Plaka, the "neighborhood of the gods" section of Athens, Greece with a view of the Acropolis. We spent the next several days enjoying Plaka and its narrow streets, delicious food and ancient ruins. It is difficult not to be inspired standing amidst ancient Grecian ruins and wondering who had walked these hallowed lands.

We wanted to visit at least one of the famous Greek Islands and our hotel in Athens, Greece helped us find an overnight trip to Mykonos. The package was ridiculously inexpensive and it included the ferry to the island and one night in a hotel. After crossing the azure Mediterranean Sea, we arrived at port and were greeted by our driver who would take us to our hotel. Another couple was also being shuttled to their destination. We started out on a narrow, winding road and were soon out of the lovely Mykonos port village and found ourselves on barren land with dusty tumbleweeds. We started to worry that our inexpensive overnight jaunt was cheap for a reason. Soon, the taxi pulled into a drive and helped the other couple with their luggage. This hotel was desolate and we now feared the worst; our hotel would be even less desirable than this spot. However, we soon realized we were headed toward the coast on the opposite side of Mykonos and it was incredibly beautiful.

We arrived at Manoula's Beach Hotel, our destination, the very vision of Mykonos with its bright white façade and turquoise blue shutters and doors! Our Athens, Greece concierge had taken good care of us in the planning of our Mykonos trip. The movie "Shirley Valentine" had been filmed at Manoula's and it was easy to see why. We rented scooters and toured the lovely island. My husband went scuba diving, while I shopped in the beautiful village with its narrow streets, white buildings and vividly colorful doors and shutters. We enjoyed Mykonos so much, we stayed an extra night! The brilliant colors of Mykonos inspire all who take them in and bask in the sun soaked blue seas.

So far, our honeymoon was perfect and we were just beginning! After we left the beautiful Island of Mykonos, we returned to Athens to catch our flight to Rome. We were sad to be leaving Greece, but thrilled to see the Vatican! When we arrived in Rome, we found a taxi and headed toward Vatican City. Arriving at our hotel, we checked in, deposited our bags and immediately headed out to see what millions of Catholics worldwide call The Holy See, Vatican City State.

In 1929, the Lateran Treaty was formed between the Holy See and Italy, which effectively created Vatican City State, the world's smallest independent nation. Vatican City State exists within the city of Rome. Pope Benedict XVI was elected Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in 2005. From the Holy See, he ministers to more than one billion of the world's Roman Catholic population. Vatican City maintains diplomatic relations with over 150 countries, has its own coins and stamps, and issues passports. Vatican City boasts a population of 798.

Vatican City occupies only an area of 0.2 square miles, but within this state the most incredible museums can be found containing a massive collection of art, collected and meticulously maintained over five hundred years. The Vatican City Museums host more than 4 million visitors every year. A tour of the Vatican Museums is the only way to see these extensive collections and palaces. While the Sistine Chapel is one of the most recognized Vatican City destinations, the basilicas, palaces and collections are in total both overwhelming and awe inspiring.

After spending time in this Catholic State called Vatican City within the city of Rome, we were in need of espresso and a rest. We stumbled upon an old bistro, ordered our espresso and sat down to pause. It was here that we met a woman, Mrs. Hallows from Great Britain, who was with her Catholic parish on a pilgrimage to the Vatican. How fortunate we were to have had this opportunity to meet Mrs. Hallows as she and her husband remain pen pal friends to this day, more than fifteen years after our chance meeting.

Sadly, it was soon time to leave Vatican City and our British friend and return home to our new lives as a married couple. This newly confirmed Catholic girl had just been inspired by the very home of our faith, Vatican City. We had been awed by the religiously significant Vatican basilicas and magnificent art. We had been charmed by the ancient city of Plaka and fell in love forever with the brilliantly colorful island of Mykonos in Greece. We had met a friend for life in a Bistro on a side street of the Vatican. And so, we flew out of Rome and back to JFK to catch our connecting flight to our home state. It was midnight when we arrived at JFK and we were happily tired and ready to arrive at our new home as a married couple. As we boarded our final flight, we looked up and much to our surprise, we saw our other new friend, Calliope, the Greek American! At that moment, we knew that this inspired trip had now truly come full circle.

Sources:

Personal Experience

Athens, Greece Guide - Plaka

Mykonos, Greece

Vatican City - The Holy See

Vatican City State