Livin' it up like the Greeks do

Perhaps one of the reasons Greece is such an enjoyable place to holiday is because even the workers – the hotel staff, taxi drivers, waiters and bar staff -- are all on a holiday (of sorts) too.

On the way from Mykonos Port to our hotel (which, by the way had amazing views of the Ornos Bay beach AND a fabulous pool and hot tub!) our 20-something driver revealed that he was not a Mykonos native but loves the laid-back lifestyle on the island.

Hailing from Athens, he works in Mykonos for six months of the year, and makes enough money in that time to return to the Greek capital to, as he puts it to: ``have a holiday’’ and ``do nothing’’ during the off-season, when the temperature cools, the wind picks up and holidaymakers no longer consider the islands such an attractive prospect.

It is a similar story across the islands – in Santorini our host at Efterpi Villas, Christos Prekas, who I’d guess is aged in his 60s, revealed that he left Athens and started working in Santorini in 1979 – the same year Bryan and I were born! He’s been going there from March to October every year since, returning to his home in Athens for the low season.

If Santorini and Mykonos have pulling power like that for the Greeks, it’s no wonder foreigners can’t resist the charms of the islands!