Our last trip overseas was in the Peloponnese in October 2019. It seemed fitting that our first trip away should also be to Greece. I hardly believed we were going until we were actually on the way, flying to the Greek islands -- first stop Santorini, a place I never expected to see. Its a dream destination for many but is usually overrun with tourists. A visit now seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Did we beat the crowds? Not exactly. We werent alone, the Americans and French were already there but in numbers much less than usual.
Usually there are a few cruise ships anchored offshore. Sometimes three or four of them at the same time. That means about 10,000 people deposited on this small island all at once. Unbelievable! When you see the narrow streets and stairs connecting it all, you cant even imagine what it is usually like. Its also very popular with Chinese tour groups -- of course, there are no Chinese tourists there now either.
I had seen lots of photos, but I didnt expect it to be even more beautiful in real life. It is a honeymoon destination and there
were lots of happy couples, of families, friends, smiling into the camera against gorgeous backgrounds. Even the most jaded (me?) will be enchanted by this most romantic of places. Love is in the air!
We spent the mornings walking in Oia, Fira or exploring the coast and interior before looking for lunch and spending a few hours on the beach. Santorini isnt known for its beaches. But on the other side of the island there are three long, black sand beaches with many tavernas and umbrellas lining the sea. We spent a few pleasant afternoons in Perissa under the trees. They are black sand beaches and the sand is very hot -- you can burn your feet without sandals.
We visited Red Rock Beach but only for a view of the beautiful red cliffs and blue water. Officially closed since 2013 and with many danger signs, the cliff face is crumbling and there is a big land slide at the beginning, the beach is narrow with black sand. The cliffs have been formed from a collapsed volcano cone. There were people ignoring the danger signs and picking their way down to the beach over the landslide.
Santorini has a few inland, traditional villages. We visited Pyrgos which used to be the capital. A well preserved village, situated in the middle of the island with 360 degree views of the island from the top. Full of blue domed churches and bell towers, white washed houses and cobble stone alleys. Also a favorite spot for watching the sunset.
Another popular spot for watching the sunset was from Akrotiri lighthouse at the southern tip of the island. We werent there for sunset and not at Pyrgos either. After spending the days visiting other places we headed back to Oia to see the sunset. Us and everybody else on the island it seemed.
We stayed in Oia for four nights at the first of our three airbnbs. It was situated really well for us -- at the top, which meant we didnt spend all of our time going up and down stairs. But you better be fit in Santorini no matter where you stay. Its the reason why you can eat all that fattening Greek food and not put on weight. A big part of Oias charm is the little lanes and alleys, so there is
a lot of stair climbing. I went down twice at dawn to catch the morning light as the sun came up behind Oia. Sunrise was also a popular time with couples taking photos, often with a professional photographer.
In the evenings at about 7, a pleasant wind would spring up and it was a great time to watch the sunset colors from different spots along the cliffs and take photos of the cave houses in the mellow light. By the time we ate it was usually about 10 and we ate a lot of souvlaki and gyros with pitas and chips and tziziki, followed by an icecream. I usually dont eat much dairy and fried food so before long I wasnt feeling so well.
