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In May, I visited Greece with my friend, Chrysa. Thanks to her and her family, I had the opportunity to experience Greece from a more local perspective.

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Chrysa is from Larissa, which is the fourth largest city in Greece. It’s located between Athens and Thessaloniki in the Thessaly region. Something you must do if you’re in Larissa is go to the various coffee shops, as the city is known for its coffee. People from Larissa drink coffee throughout the day and into the evenings, allowing them to collectively consume the most coffee in the entire country. I definitely did the same while in Greece, drinking a Freddo Cappuccino (or two) every day!

After the day trip crew was properly caffeinated with Larissa-famous coffee, we began our trip down to Pilio. Pilio is a region in the southeastern part of Thessaly, where the land forms a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea with Pelion, the main mountain, being somewhat central. Pilio’s stunning beaches and beautiful forests make it the perfect place to venture any time of the year, but the summer months are quite popular.

Upon arriving in Pilio, we spent time swimming in the clear water of Lefokastro, a small fishing village along the Pagasetic Gulf. It was absolutely gorgeous out: sunny skies and warm temperatures. The beach was basically empty because it was mid-May—not exactly tourist season in Greece and an excellent time to visit if you want to avoid crowds. We ate at Stefano’s, a seafood restaurant nearby, after several hours of swimming and sunbathing. Everything, but especially the grilled octopus and fried zucchini, was phenomenal.

The next stop on our adventure itinerary, Milies, was up the mountains amongst the trees. Here, we relaxed under the shade of green, leafy giants while sipping bitter, thick Greek coffee that was nicely complemented by incredibly sweet traditional candied fruits. We took time to breathe in the fresh mountain air, appreciating the calmness the forest offered.

Twisting and turning down the mountain and coastal roads led us to our final stop of the day, Volos. Volos is a more popular city, as it has a bustling seafront, ancient archeological sites, and access to the Pelion Mountain range. (It is also home of the mythical centaur!) We stopped at Glikostyllas, a European dessert parlour that’s famous for its profiteroles, after walking around. Blue hour was upon us at this point, giving us the opportunity to enjoy our dessert with a view of the sea as the sun began to set.

The day was magical—it was everything great summed up into one: the sea, trees, and sunshine in a single day trip. Thanks to Chrysa and my friends, this trip will be forever etched into my memory.