Many people were shocked that I worked out every day while on vacation. But for me, “it’s a lifestyle choice I chose to make.” What’s funny though is that even the hotel concierge in Santorini joked in her heavy Greek accent, “You are on vacation… Why do you go to gym every day? I don’t understand!!!”
The pre-travel prep for my Greece trip was very simple:
- Research the hotel amenities beforehand
- See what gym(s) I could get access to on each island
- Book a yoga or Pilates session if available
My husband did his due diligence as well and found a few options that could work for us both. Katikies my hotel in Mykonos, had a small gym on site that offered the basics. But sometimes there isn’t always a hotel gym available– so be prepared to get creative. If you are unsure how to figure it out then just download an ap or two and then go do some pull ups on the monkey bars. Follow along with my guides below to get your work out in on your next vacation abroad, with or without a gym.
My signature headstand by a phallic statue, Mykonos.
My Mykonos workouts (I was there for five days and alternated between the two)
Workout 1
- 30 minutes cycling
- Squats/Swings with kettle bells (3 sets of each)
- Walking lunges (3 sets)
- 10 Min Ab Routine (V sit-up, Teasers, Windmills, Russian Twists)
SHA’s TIP: in order to create more resistance with lunges add weight by using either kettle bells or dumbbells
Workout 2
- 30 minutes running on the treadmill
- Swings with kettle bells (3 sets)
- Burpees (3 sets)
- 10 Min Ab Routine (Sit-ups, Plank, Bicycle, In/Out Abs)
My Santorini workouts: *Note: our hotel did NOT offer a gym! We had to source out a gym ourselves. Fortunately, there was one in the wellness center of our sister hotel, about 20 minutes away. We also had to climb 130 stairs up and down to get to our hotel room! That was a workout in itself. The island of Santorini is one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history so it was basically like climbing a mountain every day.
- Treadmill
- Cross Training
- TRX (resistance training equipment developed by a former Navy Seal)
- Squats
- Abs
Post-workout vibes in Mykonos
Aaaand to top it all off, we hiked 2 hours with a stranger who became our tour guide! Read about it here
