Wandering in a Santorini Dream

Our journey to Santorini felt like a dream, a beautiful Greek island fantasy.

Sometimes can’t help but to wonder, did this trip really happen for us? It definitely sounds silly, but Santorini is a place that is just so otherworldly, it seems to be far away from the earth we live on, postcard perfect views from every angle, a creation almost deemed impossible by the imagination of human beings. So even after being here, standing on this very island, feeling the lively breeze, and seeing the bluest possible Aegean Sea, it still felt surreal.

Oia

Starting our journey with an early morning walk in Oia located at the North West edge of Santorini, widely acknowledged to be the most famous village on the island, and probably one of the most renowned in the world too.

Though Oia is most well known for its sunset, the village does get very crowded during that time and you would have to share the view with tens of thousands of tourists at once. The popularity does not lie about how beautiful the sunset is, but if you want to take a good look at the place itself, start your visit at sunrise.

The village is quiet and peaceful early in the morning, different from any other time of the day. But even when the shops are closed and the streets are empty, it still has a pleasantly vibrant feel from those beautiful color contrasts and the soft morning sunlight.

Aside from the classic blue and white contrast that is absolutely iconic and stunning, Santorini has a lot more to offer in colors, which was a delightful surprise to us.

The Oia Castle is arguably the best view point in the entire village, geographically it allows you to capture complete views of both north and south sides of the island, and aesthetically it has an ancient Greek architecture remains finish to enhance the look.

Having living in California for many years, ocean is not unfamiliar to us and honestly we are not easily impressed anymore. However Aegean Sea amazed us without any doubt and the color is simply astonishing, is there even a name for a color that is more blue than blue? If so, chances are it is created just for this.

We can’t leave Oia without featuring the equally stunning Bougainvilleas, the iconic pink flowers blooming beautifully all over this island, waving to us with its brightness and passion.

Fira

Fira is the main town of Santorini and is located at the center area of the island, it is famous for its Caldera view as well as all the centralized shops and restaurants, this is also where we stayed at during our trip.

One of the must sees on our list is the Three Bells of Fira, this is actually a Catholic Church and it is famous for its blue dome with the three bells in the back. We’ve seen many blue domes during our stay in Santorini, but truth is we were not even near from getting tired of them.

The city has a very energetic vibe and you will absolutely not be bored here. The restaurant options are abundant, you can not only pick the food you like, but the views too. Many souvenir shops like any other popular tourist place, but they are actually all unique and fun to check out.

However the most unique experience in Fira must be the Karavolades Stairs, a long stair path that will lead you down to the port, and you will not be walking alone for sure, as you will join the crowds of hundreds of donkeys or possibly even ride on one.

Overall Fira is a place with lots of fun and enthusiasm, as well as breathtaking caldera views. We truly enjoyed spending our day here wandering around the city and trying out a few local things, as Oia may be the best representation of Santorini scenery, but Fira in our opinion best represents the lifestyle here.

Other Island Activities

During our trip we also signed up for a few local activities, and the first one being the well known Sunset Catamaran Cruise Tour. This was a very relaxed experience for us as we were well taken care of by the cruise members, and we were free to enjoy the ride the way we liked without many constraints. There was also a few stops where we could choose to snorkel or swim, and of course got to mention the tasty Greek food cooked and served onboard.

Another site that absolutely wowed us during our visit was Akrotiri, a preserved remains of a settlement from prehistorical times that is located near the south end of Santorini. It’s natural to relate Greece to ancient mysteries and stories, and rich history seems to be a norm here. But seeing the remains of the settlement and being able to walk through part of the village, the experience was so unique and memorable.