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We took this trip in April 2019.
Table of Content
The land of the world’s best sunset – that is Santorini for you!
I hope you all are maintaining your sanity during the COVID-19 lockdown. I have been dreaming about travelling. I get frustrated sometimes – I miss the planes and the random, impromptu trips.
However, I know it’s for our good. So, I will not complain and finish this last post in the Greece travel series. In this post, I will talk about everything from Santorini hotels to Santorini beaches to everything that might help you plan your trip whenever possible.
Though Greece is opening up for tourists now, please be mindful if you decide to travel now.
Bae planned our honeymoon to Greece, instead of any other country in the world, because of Santorini. It’s cliched, yes. It’s overrated, not at all! We were super excited for our last stop in Santorini.
Now, before I move forward, here are some travel tips:
Santorini tends to get very crowded in the peak season, so remember to wear a mask, sanitize hands as frequently as you can and maintain social distancing
Carry your water bottle; the water here might not be the cleanest
Since this is a tourist-intensive place, be careful when booking local sightseeing. You get great deals online, but it is good to check out locally, too.
Cabs are readily available and are a better way to move around than public transport
Santorini has been a dream destination for many. It's beautiful and accessible, and if you choose a good time to visit, it's not too crowded despite the great weather. The locals here are friendly, unlike my experience with other islands like Mykonos.
As I have mentioned in other posts about Greece, I travelled during the first week of April. It’s still not summer; thus, not every place is open. So, we got some amazing deals at the best resorts in Oia. Remember that many resorts don’t open until the end of April. If you are looking for some budget hotels and typical nightlife, Fira is the place to be. But if you are looking for a mellowed-down version of Fira, with more expensive hotels, cafes and shopping options, Oia is your best bet. Both are around 4 miles (7 km) apart.
We reached Thera(the island where Santorini is one of the many villages) from Naxos early in the morning by Sea Jet Ferries. The drive from the port to the Oia is dreamy, with unconventional sites. I couldn’t go, but if you are a wine fanatic, please plan a trip to the Vinsanto vineyard. Vinsanto is a heavily sweet Greek dessert wine that gets you tipsy pretty soon!
We had rented a self-driven car for easy movement along the length of this li’l island in the Cyclades. Get your IDP(International Driving Permit) before planning your trip. We rented a small car with a sunroof for the narrow roads. Breathing the Santorini air was a dream come true! In April, Santorini is pretty windy. I might have messed up a lot of pictures because of the cold winds, but I have no complaints!
Our Hotel in Santorini
We stayed in Oia for 3 nights in this amazing resort, Kirini Santorini. Honeymoon shenanigans, guys! So, this cost us around $1100 per night, but I think every penny was worth it. They have beautiful Aegan Sea-facing rooms, an infinity pool, and private indoor pools, and you name it, they have it! I finished my post-wedding photoshoot, so this resort gave me a nice backdrop. I will do a My Luxury Escapada post on this resort, too!
Honestly, I enjoyed my stay so much here that I was not sure if I should go and explore Santorini or not. The view from my room gave the essence of white and blue Santorini.
Also, having breakfast like a queen every day gave a lazy start to the day.
Catching the Santorini sunset was the highlight of my first day on this beautiful island. By the way, this island’s settlement is built on the volcanic caldera. And to think of it – that this is one of the more recent islands formed from a volcanic eruption – it’s pretty interesting. And this particular fact inspired my next day’s activity. But before that, here are some sunset pictures! The sea and the sun both change their color every minute, and I can not stop gushing over it. I think I have consistently talked about this in all my posts!
The following pictures are taken from around the sunset point in Oia, a few minutes from our hotel. The sunset point is overly crowded, so try to explore the area on foot and find a spot to catch the sunset at its prettiest. There are many, I am not kidding.
Santorini is more than just White and Blue Buildings
After spending the first day in Santorini in the hotel and exploring Oia's various cafes and night market, the second day was about getting to know Santorini better. We proceeded to a half day tour to the Volcanic Island of Santorini.
Getting a ferry is easy, but I still suggest pre-booking. The Ferry takes off from the Old Santorini Port. We planned our trip to Santorini with the help of Pick Your Trail. It was hassle-free for us. The ferry was an old-fashioned wooden ship with a typical sailor – who reminded me of an old Popeye and Captain Haddock!
My first ever Volcano
It is due to this volcano that Santorini gets its current shape. After we reached the Volcanic island, we realized that there was a 30-minute walk to the top of the island. The view is spectacular. But what is more important is the history and geology at every step of the hike!
The volcano's existence is visible all over the island – the majority is covered in black sand and pebbles, which is nothing but solidified lava.
So, what gave me the adrenaline rush here?
The sensation of walking on the lava rocks, touching them and being around so much of sulphur in the air is incomparable!
From there, we went to another volcanic island, Thirassia, which is small – 9 square kilometres in area. And just 150 people are inhabiting this place.
It is a treat to one’s senses – virgin beaches and pristine houses with gardens. A walk around this village is worth every second of your life! And that is how our tour ended. This village and the volcanic beach inspired me for the final day of my stay in Santorini. We ventured out to explore some local cafes and food. Before I conclude the post with my final day’s excursion, here is me again, admiring the sunset.
The unconventional beaches of Santorini
On the final day, we decided to explore Fira. There is a 10km hike from Oia to Fira, which is the best way to explore the by-lanes of this island. Also on our list was exploring the black, red and white beach. We scaled Santorini from north to south, and it’s the best feeling ever!
We took the cable car to reach Fira. Yes, we are lazy like that, plus the hike takes around five hours, and we did not plan this hike. The cable car is just scary and fast. I have not travelled in a cable car vertically. I did it here.
The port of Fira is a small area with little ferries and a small market around it. Also, the Star cruise is among the best things to watch in the calm Aegean Sea!
We then walked around Fira, exploring the local markets. Beautiful art galleries and museums are spectacular and educational.
The Three Bells of Fira are iconic churches in Santorini characterized by a Blue dome, three bells and picturesque views.
We then proceeded to explore the Black and Red beach. They are around 12km apart. We were not very keen on exploring Black Beach because of the previous day’s adventure on an almost black island.
The Red Beach had my attention. It is a beautiful half dome, eroded over the years. It is called the Half-moon Red beach because of its shape and also, the red volcanic rocks in Red beach, which reminds a lunar landscape, form a rare sight.
The half-dome area is closed. It’s prone to landslides and is now closed to the general public. We try to sneak in. But I don’t encourage that at all. It’s slippery, and touching any rock can cause serious movements. The people around the place were serious!
Santorini is so much more than the pretty whitewashed buildings. The various landscapes and morphology due to the geological activities make this island one of a kind. Moving around the island, exploring local cafes and talking to local artisans are the few activities I recommend. I hope to go back here again!
And with this, my series on Greece has concluded! Let me know how did you find it!