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Greece might be in a debt crisis, but its people remain proud and the island of Santorini is as beautiful and serene as everWhen I was told that I would be sent on a six-day trip to Santorini and Athens at the invitation of Hellenic beauty brand Apivita, to interview its founders, Mr Nikos Koutsianas and his wife Niki, I wondered if I should go.mini storageAt any other time, I would not have hesitated. But Greece has been mired in an economic crisis since late 2009, the worst it has experienced.The unemployment rate in Greece is at a record high of 27.9 per cent as of June and it was reported that more than 174,000 people lost their livelihoods last year.In April, the New York Times reported that more children were going hungry after their parents were laid off. Greece was revealed to have incurred a US$361-billion debt when its depressing financial situation came to light in 2009. So far, it has received bailouts of more than €200 billion (S$337 billion).I was concerned about the riots, demonstrations and high crime rates that have plagued Athens in recent years.But I went ahead in the end because after all, I had always wanted to visit the land of mythical gods, philosophers and tzatziki dip.Plus, I told myself that I should not feel bad about having a good time in a country where the people were struggling: A vibrant tourism industry - which accounts for 17 per cent of Greece's gross domestic product - could help the country get back on its feet again.This month, news agency Reuters reported that almost two million foreign tourists visited the country in the past few summer months. Officials are banking on a record 17 million visitors this year, a million more than 2012.Armed with my notebooks, three sun hats and 10 colourful sundresses, I set off on my Greek adventure in June.DAY 1Touching down at the legendary island of Santorini - with its blue skies, azure seas and blinding white walls - I got no sense at all that this was a country gripped in an economic crisis.The hour-long domestic flight I took from Athens to Santorini was packed with foreign tourists; likewise the narrow shopping streets filled with vendors selling pricey souvenirs.There are a handful of touristy shopping areas in Santorini but I managed to visit only the main market street in Oia (say ee-yah), which is about the size of the Arab Street area here.The shopkeepers were friendly and welcoming, but as with every popular holiday destination, the prices were cut-throat. In Athens, I saw similar jewellery pieces that were sold at about a third of the price of those in Santorini. The peak season on the island starts in the middle of June and ends around the tail end of August, when temperatures soar up to 38 deg C.My hosts - the public relations and marketing teams of the 34-year-old Apivita brand - told me that this month and next are actually the best times to visit Santorini. The weather is cooler, the streets are less congested, and hotel rates and almost everything else could drop by up to 30 per cent.When I checked into the swanky Andronis Boutique Hotel (tel: +30-22860-72041, .andronisboutiquehotel.com, rooms from ?510 a night) in the village of Oia in the north-west edge of Santorini, I thought I had landed in heaven.My cosy two-storey white-walled suite was essentially a villa carved into a precipice. The wide windows in the bedroom, living area and bathroom faced the indigo-turquoise Aegean sea, framed by prehistoric cliffs.Our first stop was one of the most famous sights on the island, Akrotiri. Housed in a sheltered area (admission €5), the well-preserved ruins were once the settlement of a prehistoric civilisation that was founded in the 3rd millennium BC.I was amazed at the remnants of the sophisticated drainage systems, faded but elaborate murals and multi-storey buildings. We even got to walk through a section of the restored but built-to-scale city square of Akrotiri.For lunch, we headed to a traditional tavern called The Cave Of Nikolas located on Akrotiri Beach, a five-minute stroll from the prehistoric town. There, we feasted on home-made feta cheese and tomato fritters, vine-ripened tomatoes and crisp cucumbers grown on the island, and fresh cod caught off the coast. The dishes were affordable too, from €6.50 for a plate of fava bean paste to €30 for a fish platter for two.DAY 2My second day in Santorini started with a morning stroll at 8am along the quaint shopping streets. It was still quiet as most shops open at around 10am. As the Mediterranean sun beat down on my back, I discovered Atlantis Books (tel: +30-22860-72346, .atlantisbooks.org), a bookstore tucked along one of the stretches. A narrow staircase led to a cavity filled with books - from local recipes to English translations of rare Greek works to a first-edition copy of American author Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.Run by American Craig Walzer, 32, and his two friends, the bookstore was started in 2004, after the trio visited the island and realised that they had nothing to read. From time to time, Atlantis Books holds literary and film festivals on the island. Notable guests who have attended include Scottish writer Ali Smith and Greek sociologist Eugene Trivizas.Next, a visit to one of Santorini's most famous vineyards, the Domaine Sigalas winery (Baxes, Oia Santorini, PC 84702, tel: +30-22860-71644, .sigalas-wine.com). The star attraction is the ancient, indigenous Mavrotragano variety of grapes grown on 3,000-year-old volcanic soil, which produces a rounded red wine.The rich and full-bodied wine, one of the best I've tasted, is created in limited quantities, so only a small amount leaves Santorini and makes it to the best hotels in the world.There, the wine can cost up to a few hundred euros; at the winery, a bottle costs less than €30. The winery sells about 6,000 bottles of Mavrotragano wine in a year. I left with two bottles, and would have bought at least half a dozen more if I had space in my luggage.At around 6.30pm, we rushed to the tip of Oia - it was already packed with sightseers by then - to secure a spot to watch the sunset. The sight was so beautiful that everyone clapped and cheered as the sun's rays disappeared over the horizon.The day ended with a hearty dinner at Skala(tel: +30-22860-71362), one of the best restaurants on the island, according to the British newspaper The Independent, with a breathtaking view of the deep Mediterranean sea and authentic Greek dishes. My favourites were the mousakas (think of it as Greek lasagne) baked in a clay pot (€11) and the Kleftikoself storagebaked lamb (€14).DAY 3Before we left Santorini for Athens, we dined at the Dimitris Ammoudi Taverna (84702 Oia, Kikladhes, Santorini, tel: +30-2286-071606, .facebook.com/dimitris.a.taverna) in Ammoudi Bay, which is located at the foot of Oia. The view was stunning. You could jump into the cool, clear waters of the Mediterranean right from the entrance of the restaurant, which was what some of the diners did. The seafood was excellent too - fresh, grilled octopus (€12 a serving), calamari (€22 a kg) and mussels (€7.50 a serving).After the idyll of Santorini, the reality of the Greek debt crisis was more apparent once we arrived in Athens. Many of the buildings were dilapidated and covered in graffiti. Miraculously, the historic ruins littered throughout the city remained unscathed by vandals.Outside the main tourist areas, many of the shops were shuttered. The ones still standing had huge discount signs on their windows, yet there were no customers. Surprisingly, I never once saw a beggar or vagabond on the streets.But the spots around the famous Acropolis ruins - like Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio - bustled with activity. The only things out of the ordinary were the riot buses and police stationed around Plaka Square. The tourists and locals generally seemed unfazed by their presence.In Athens, we stayed at the New Hotel (16 Filellinon Street, Syntagma Square, 10557 Athens, tel: +30-2103-273000, .yeshotels.gr/category/hotels/newhotel, rooms from €156 a night), designed by the Campana brothers, Brazilian designers famed for creating furniture and art out of fabric, metal and leather scraps. The interior of the hotel was a visual feast with walls decorated with sawn-up furniture and deconstructed leather chairs. Its location near the Acropolis was also convenient.Around Plaka, an old neighbourhood lined with cobbled stones, shady trees, cafes and restaurants, we visited the fine food and wine store Krokos (6 Vironos & Vakxou, 105 58 Plaka, tel: +30-2103-313509, .krokoseshop.com), recommended by our hosts for its quality and reasonable prices. I happily stocked up on two bottles of olive oil, a packet of olives, a bag of herbs and some traditional sweets for €17, which was almost 20 per cent cheaper than the other food stores nearby.DAY 4No trip to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis and its museum (admission €5). Athens' most important religious centre for centuries, the ancient citadel's history can be traced back to the Neolithic period, around the 4th millennium BC.I was excited to just stand around the famous ruins, which I've seen only on postcards and fridge magnets. But with the tourists thronging the area, I could hardly enjoy a moment of serenity.First built in 1865, the Acropolis Museum (.theacropolismuseum.gr) was last revamped in 2007 and is now a state-of-the-art four-storey building with a sprawling 150,000 sq ft exhibition space.A portion of the sculptures of the Parthenon temple, dedicated to the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena within the Acropolis, has been removed and displayed in the British Museum in London since the 19th century. But there is still plenty to see at the Acropolis Museum, such as the remains of The Temple of Athena Nike, worshipped there as the goddess of victory, and ancient everyday objects that date from 3,000BC.Later, I got my shopping fix at Melissinos Art The Poet Sandal Maker near Monastiraki Square (2 Agias Theklas Street, Psirri, 10554 Athens, tel: +30-2103-219247, .melissinos-art.blogspot.com), which has fitted celebrities such as John Lennon and Jackie Onassis with customised Greek leather sandals. It is run by Mr Pantelis Melissinos, 54, whose grandfather started the shop in 1920.Most of the 28 sandal designs are either named after Greek gods or Melissinos' celebrity clientele. I snapped up the Sophia Loren lace-ups, strappy Hermes and minimalist Jackie O. Each pair was customised on the spot to fit my feet perfectly. At €32 a pair, they were a steal.Evening repast was at Cafe Avissinia (Kinetou Street 7, Avissinia Square, tel: +30-2103-217047, .avissinia.gr), a bistro tucked away in Monastiraki. Located on the roof of a three-storey shophouse, it boasted an excellent view of the lit-up Acropolis at dusk. There, we indulged in wholesome vegetable couscous with chutney (€9.50), hearty grilled kebab (€10.50) and stewed lamb shank (€13.50).DAY 5Before leaving Athens in the late afternoon, we drove about an hour to Sounion Cape, on the south-eastern tip of Greece's Attica peninsula.Along the scenic drive, I spotted many locals parked along the coast, sunbathing and playing in the cool, blue water.Our destination was the famous ancient Temple of Poseidon (admission €4) that was built in the 5th century BC in honour of the god of the sea.The temple looked similar to the ones at the Acropolis. But in my opinion, it was more beautiful, maybe because the ruins are perched on the edge of a rocky cliff and there were no tourists.On our way to the airport, I asked one of my trip companions, a 35-year-old public relations director, Ms Lina Korizi, who works for Apivita: "Why do the Greeks seem unaffected when their economy is in such bad shape?"Without skipping a beat, she replied: "Some have simply chosen to lead a slower life closer to nature, so they have decided to move to their villages, grow their own food and are happier than ever."On weekends, most of us are just happy swimming for hours in the sea. At night, we just enjoy a night stroll by the ancient marbles with friends, watching the orange full moon rise. How bad could it be?"It has been three months since I returned from the trip and a picture of the setting sun at Oia is still a screensaver on my phone. On days when I am frazzled, I stare at it for a minute and memories of the tranquillity that I felt at the time flood back and I feel recharged.I am already planning for another trip to Santorini and Athens next year.gladysc@sph.com.sgGETTING THEREAlmost every major carrier flies to Athens, so getting there is easy.The flight from Athens to Santorini takes about an hour on any of Greece's domestic airlines. Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines are said to be two of the country's best domestic carriers.You can also fly to Santorini directly from cities outside Greece, such as Brussels, Frankfurt, London and Paris. For the peak travel season from May to October, many airlines offer such flights. They include Air Berlin, EasyJet and ThomasCook.Go to .santoriniairportguide.com/flights for details.迷你倉