Angela and I recently returned from a rock-climbing trip to Greece. On the way home, we made a short stop in the Austrian capital of Vienna to see a performance at the State Opera House and explore the city.

Our time in Greece was marred by a streak of cold, windy, and precipitous days that made it less than ideal for climbing, and our short stint in Vienna was so cold that it made exploring the city unpleasant enough that we retreated to our luxury hotel. All that being said, I still feel we made the most of the opportunities we had on this trip and made memories that will stick with us forever.

Bookings

We booked far in advance of this trip and were able to snag a great itinerary. Unfortunately, our inbound flight to Las Vegas was completely changed four days before return to the United States and the alternative we were booked on was quite a bit worse in terms of timing. I am thankful that we are flexible enough to roll with changes like that.

Flights

• Angela and Nicholas
  • 63,000 Flying Blue miles + 227.10USD per person
    • LAS-AMS on KL J
    • AMS-ATH on KL J
  • 111,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles + 259.00CAD per person
    • ATH-VIE on OS J
    • VIE-YUL on OS J
    • YUL-LAS on AC J

Lodging

• One room for one night at the Sofitel Athens Airport for 46.21USD, inclusive of taxes and fees after Capital One Venture X travel credit
• One apartment for eight nights at the Tsolaki Luxury House for 713.24USD, inclusive of taxes and fees
• One room for two nights at the Park Hyatt Vienna for 50,000 World of Hyatt points with a Suite Upgrade Award applied

Transportation

• One economy car from Alamo for eight days for 89.36EUR, inclusive of taxes and fees

Activities

• Two tickets for Il Trovatore at the Vienna State Opera House for 140.00EUR per ticket, inclusive of taxes and fees

February 1, 2025

Packing for this trip was quite different from others because climbing gear, including a rope, takes up a lot of room. We ended up taking a full-size suitcase, a carry-on size suitcase, and both of our large backpacks. Even with this luggage, it was still a bit of a challenge to squeeze everything in given the need to pack bulky clothes for the anticipated winter weather.

After making sure we had everything, we dropped Fitz at boarding before heading to the airport. We arrived two hours before departure. There was no wait to check our bags and, after clearing security, we spent the time before our flight in The Club in Terminal 3. The lounge’s seating is certainly better than any individual gate in Terminal 3, and I availed myself of quite a few brownies, but the food and drink options leave a bit to be desired.

We left the lounge forty minutes before departure and boarded our flight to Amsterdam. I continue to love that we have a KLM flight direct from Las Vegas to Europe and will book it any chance I get. I wish the timing was a little bit different, but I planned ahead based on previous experiences and we both had a delightful flight. Departure was on-time, the cabin was a reasonable temperature, and the onboard dining was tasty. The main downside of the 1600 departure time is that it makes it hard to sleep long enough to adjust to the time change, but we both managed to get around four hours of off-and-on rest after meal service completed.

February 2

Before we landed, we were able to pick new Delft houses for our growing collection. Angela keeps track of all the ones that we already have in the KLM Houses app to ensure that we don’t end up with duplicates.

We landed in Amsterdam a few minutes ahead of time and cleared immigration quickly. We eschewed a lounge visit on this transit through AMS because our connection was relatively short. While we boarded on-time, our flight’s departure was delayed thirty minutes due to congestion on the tarmac. The meal service from Amsterdam to Athens was quite delicious and we ended up arriving in Athens fifteen minutes after our scheduled time.

After collecting our bags, we walked to the Sofitel Athens Airport. Luckily, it is literally across the street from the airport terminal. We were pretty tired, so we decided to take it easy after check-in. The hotel is quite nice with a luxurious bed and delightful shower. I maintain that the property is drastically overpriced for the size of the room and the available amenities, but understand most of the upcharge comes from the convenience of staying at the airport before or after a long flight.

We watched a couple episodes of the Great British Baking Show before falling asleep early in an attempt to adjust to the time zone.

February 3

After waking up, I went for a run in the very small gym located at the hotel. Only one of the treadmills was operational, so I had to bide my time while another gentleman finished his workout.

Angela and I ate breakfast at the hotel because I, somewhat unwittingly, booked a rate that included it. The buffet included unlimited espresso drinks and a variety of delicious dishes made with fresh ingredients.

We took our time and ate our fill before returning to our room. We checked out, walked back to the airport, and fetched our rental car. The rental companies’ desks were located inside the arrivals area so that was our first stop. After paying for our car, we took the paperwork and walked outside along the terminal to the appropriate lot.

The car we rented was tiny (purposefully) and our luggage didn’t fit in the trunk. Luckily, it was just the two of us and we could put our larger bag in the backseat. After checking the car for damage, we started the three-hour drive to Leonidio. Angela drove everywhere on this trip and, as usual, did an excellent job.

We parked in the community parking lot when we arrived in Leonidio. We booked our lodging in Greece via AirBNB and the process was extremely informal as soon as we arrived in the country. We used WhatsApp to communicate with our host, she sent us videos visually describing how to get to our apartment (given that the town doesn’t really have addresses), and asked us to stop at her mother’s shop to pick up the keys. After parking, that’s where we headed.

In addition to the keys, the Greek woman we talked to also handed us a toaster and panini press. We walked the two appliances to our apartment before returning to our car, grabbing our luggage, and repeating the short trek up the hill. At this point, I met my first Greek cats. They were everywhere throughout our stay in Leonidio and we even had one, who we called Whitney (after Whitney Houston), who would stay close to our apartment and sing to us every time we walked out the door.

Once we were settled in, Lena came over and accompanied us to the grocery store where we picked up some supplies for the week. This consisted mostly of breakfast items, coffee, milk, and some small snacks. We made a plan to meet for dinner at 1730.

We relaxed in the apartment a bit before joining John and Lena at Κάλυε. Angela and I split the goat with lemon and pasta carbonara dishes. Both were quite tasty. The cafe seems to offer complimentary liquor at the end of meals, so Angela got a double portion given that I’m a teetotaler. Of course, she knew in advance what was coming and purposefully didn’t say anything because she is a fan of the liquor.

After a lively dinner, we returned to the apartment for some much needed rest. The bed was comfortable and, throughout the trip, we enjoyed relatively good nights’ sleep.

February 4

We ate a delicious breakfast of granola and yogurt before meeting John and Lena at 0815 for the hour-long drive to Geraki. Whenever we headed out as a pair of couples, Lena was generous enough to drive us all.

Geraki is located over a mountain from Leonidio at the edge of a picturesque field of olive trees. On the way, we encountered a herd of goats prancing along the road.

Angela climbed four routes: Maleatis Apollo, Nikiforos Vretakos, The 100-Day Road, and Krousma.

A rainstorm popped up as we crossed the mountain to return to Leonidio. Lena dropped us off at the community parking lot when we reached town and, before we returned to our apartment to relax, we stopped at a local bakery for a sandwich roll and pastry.

February 5

It was raining in the early morning and was scheduled to be cold and wet throughout the day. As such, we eschewed climbing and, after a leisurely breakfast, made the short drive to Plaka. Angela and I parked in the community lot along the beach and went for a walk / jog to Polithra and back. I enjoyed jogging the hills along the coast and, as time wore on and the sun came out, the views became quite picturesque.

We returned to Leonidio and visited Ψητοπωλείο “Το Στέκι” for some absolutely delicious souvlaki. I ordered the pork souvlaki plate and Angela opted for the chicken souvlaki pita. We also ordered a side of tzatziki. Everything was incredible. We visited this restaurant multiple times over the course of our stay in Leonidio and I think it was my favorite spot.

After lunch, we visited the grocery store to buy some more chocolate milk before heading to a bakery and buying some baklava. It was out of this world tasty – so much so that I didn’t even take a picture of it before we ate it all.

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon before meeting John and Lena for dinner at Mitropolis Taverna. I ordered the pork chop with rice while Angela chose the papoutsakia, an eggplant dish. Both were very good and quite cheap compared to my expectation.

February 6

We delayed our climbing departure until 0930 given the cool conditions when we woke up. During that time, Angela and I amused ourselves by feeding the cats meowing insistently outside our front door.

For the day, we visited Montañejos Climbing Garden. Angela climbed the routes Ole, El Aspirante Vangelis, 100 Dias en Leonidio, and Ten Days of My Life. I continue to be impressed by just how easy she makes everything look and was particularly enamored of her climbing prowess on the last route.

Back in Leonidio, we returned to Ψητοπωλείο “Το Στέκι” for a late lunch of delicious souvlaki. After lunch, we spent our time relaxing in our apartment while I dealt with involuntary flight cancellations. In the end, I ended up accepting the proposed rerouting from Air Canada after checking all other options. I was displeased with the change because we’d get home almost twelve hours after we were originally scheduled to arrive, but there was nothing better available.

February 7

We attempted to return to Geraki with John and Lena but encountered a snowstorm on the way. Lena made the smart decision to turn around based on the weather.

After being dropped in Leonidio, Angela and I decided to head to Kyparissi, a ninety-minute drive through winding mountain passes. While the way might be scary for some, the roads are well-tended-to and generally maintained. The views along the way were amazing in some spots.

When we arrived in the town, we parked at a church and walked to a rock wall behind the attached graveyard.

It was so cold and our hands were numb, but we’d driven all that way and decided to try at least one route. Angela lead it, I cleaned it, and we promptly returned to the car to deposit our gear. While it was freezing, at least we got to see some beautiful views from the top of the climb.

We tried to find an open coffee shop, but everything in Kyparissi was closed (likely because it is more of a summer destination). We briefly stopped by the sea to take some pictures of the beautiful blue water.

On the way back to Leonidio, we were lucky enough to be stopped by a goat crossing. The animals were quite majestic and it was fun to see them scrambling all over the place, picking at the plants by the roadside.

When we made it back to Leonidio, we stopped at Red Rock Coffee for a pair of absolutely delicious flat whites. The cafe was like a little piece of heaven in the cold.

After enjoying our drinks and spending a few hours in our apartment, we met John and Lena at Giouzelito Pizza and Pasta for dinner. I liked my pizza, but it was probably my least favorite meal of our time in Leonidio. I wouldn’t return in the future when there is so much delicious souvlaki available.

February 8

Presented with another cold and windy morning, we decided to head to Geraki to attempt a climbing session. Once there, we quickly realized that the weather was doing its utmost to ensure no one had any fun at all. John led a single route which Angela followed. John then cleaned the route and we left. The area surrounding the crag remained picturesque in spite of the terrible weather. You can see the misery in some of the following pictures.

Lena dropped us off at Red Rock Coffee where we had a few drinks before returning to our apartment to hibernate. Lena visited during the afternoon and Angela and her played Uno while I spent my time watching woodworking videos.

Angela and I went to dinner at O Takas where I had an absolutely delicious pork gyro with tzatziki and Angela enjoyed a Greek salad. The surroundings were cozy and the food was delicious.

February 9

In the morning, we all headed to Giggerl for a climbing session. The weather was finally nice and we were able to climb quite a few routes. Angela and I climbed School and Samba and I climbed Tima, a low-level route.

When we returned to town, I was dropped off and Angela headed out with Lena to climb at Twin Caves where she led both Gumbo and Bebelino. While they were climbing, I went for a run.

After Angela returned to town, we headed to Red Rock Coffee before retiring to our apartment for the night. On the way there, we met the first friendly dogs of our trip (and another cute cat).

February 10

Our final day in Leonidio was a beautiful one. We all headed to Theos Pillar where Angela and I climbed three routes: Mr. Oizo, Carl Cox, and Sven Vath. Angela led Sven Vath, her first ever lead of that difficulty. I followed her on the route after she lowered down.

After our climbing session, we returned to town where we spent the early afternoon packing our bags in preparation for an early departure the following morning. In the evening, we met John and Lena for dinner at Κάλυε, a fitting end to our time in Leonidio. Angela ordered the spaghetti and meatballs while I opted for the meat platter for two with rice. For the first time in a long time, I couldn’t finish something I ordered and had to box up almost half the meat.

We said our goodbyes to John and Lena before returning to our apartment to rest up for the long drive the next day.

February 11

After an early breakfast, we started our drive to Athens. We arrived at the airport two hours before our flight, returned our rental car, and then checked in and deposited our bags with an agent.

Post-security, we headed to the Lufthansa Lounge for a quick bite. The lounge was small, but the coffee maker was well-calibrated and produced delicious cappuccinos.

Our flight to Vienna departed on time. While Angela despised the on-board catering, I thought it was OK and happily ate her portion in addition to my own.

Upon arrival in Vienna, we picked up our bags (the first ones off the conveyor, for once), before taking an Uber to the Park Hyatt Vienna. The hotel is located in the building that used to house the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy Bank and possesses a grandeur that befits such an important historical institution. Check-in was delightful and we were provided with a room tour by our agent, also named Nick. The suite that we were placed in was awesome, with an amazing bed and huge sitting area.

We had some time to kill before heading out for the night, so we went to the gym so I could do my training run while Angela walked on the treadmill. The gym was decently outfitted with plenty of cardio equipment and a limited, but high-quality, selection of weights.

Afterwards, we returned to the room to eat some of the fruit from our welcome amenity, freshen up, and head to the opera. On the way there, we stopped at a sausage stand and grabbed a delicious bratwurst.

The State Opera House of Vienna is undeniably beautiful and I really enjoyed the show we saw, but the seats were extremely uncomfortable and it was very warm during the performance. Angela and I were both so tired from the early morning departure from Leonidio and the accompanying time change that it was difficult to fight off exhaustion in the midst of all that heat.

After the show, we returned to the hotel and both immediately fell into a deep sleep.

February 12

When we woke up, we went to the beautiful restaurant, which inhabits the former bank’s lobby, located on the ground floor. I’m always stunned by just how ornate some of the dining venues are in fancy city hotels in Europe. The breakfast was fantastic and another huge point in the Park Hyatt Vienna’s favor.

After resting for a little bit, we bundled up and headed out to enjoy the Rick Steves Audio Europe walking tour of Vienna. We started at the opera house and made our way to St. Stephen’s Cathedral where we switched gears and listened to the audio guide for the house of worship. When we headed back out into the cold, we decided to skip the snow and wind and head back to our hotel to enjoy the luxury we were paying for.

When we returned, we headed to the gym, enjoyed some time in the beautiful spa, and then returned to our room to hang out for the rest of the day. The pool is located in the former vault of the national bank and they kept the door intact as a facade for a window overlooking it.

We ordered room service for dinner, consisting of beef tartare, veal Wiener schnitzel, French fries, and a Caesar salad with grilled chicken. Every dish was tasty and I particularly enjoyed the beef tartare.

I packed our bags for an early morning departure and we headed to bed.

February 13

We woke up early for another delicious breakfast before grabbing our bags and heading to the airport. We checked in and dropped our bags with an agent before heading to the Austrian Airlines Lounge. To be quite frank, it was a very disappointing space for a major European carrier’s home airport. The lounge was small with very little in the way of food or amenities. That being said, we did get to try Almdudler, which is Austria’s most popular herbal lemonade and something of a cultural institution. I was a big fan.

Our flight boarded twenty minutes late but we still departed on time due to what seemed to be a fairly light load. We both enjoyed our Austrian Airlines flight to Montreal and were able to get some rest after the meal service finished.

When we arrived in Montreal, we proceeded through transfer security and eventually made it past US Customs preclearance. From there, we headed to the transborder Maple Leaf Lounge to wait out our long layover. While we were there, a heavy snowstorm moved into the area causing most Air Canada flights for the day to be cancelled. Luckily, the flight to Las Vegas remained on the schedule.

We departed the lounge twenty minutes before boarding and stopped at Starbucks for a quick pick-me-up. Drinks in hand, we boarded our flight home. By this point, both of us were quite tired. While I tried to stay awake for the five-hour flight, I definitely slipped in and out of consciousness as we got closer to home.

After we disembarked, we headed to the baggage carousel to collect our luggage before heading home.

Thus ended yet another adventure of ours. In spite of the cold, wind, rain, and snow, we had a good time. We always try to make the most of our trips no matter the circumstance and, while the weather in Leonidio was not as good for us as it was when Angela traveled there on her own last year, we still got some good climbing in. Vienna is fascinating culturally and historically, and we would both like to return in the spring or fall when the weather is better so that we can appreciate more of the city.