MISS LEADING TOUR GUIDE
SANTORINI
One of the more iconic places made to feel like it’s heaven on earth. Santorini is the epitome of the Greek Islands. We took an overnight flight from Athens to Santorini, arriving early in the morning when the sky was still showing off its rose pink light of dawn. We chose to stay in Oia and not Fira. Even though this was a difficult choice and we’re not even sure how we came to conclusion, but we ended up in Oia. Oia is prettier, scenic and less crowded and known for its beautiful sunset, with a quieter ambiance. Whereas, Fira is a bustling town with ferries docking from other islands and lots of tourists and villas. It’s a town filled with shops and restaurants. So it depends on what kind of traveller you are. You cannot go wrong with either!
Tired and sleep deprived, we hopped on a cab and took the scenic road; the only road from the airport to our villa.
We stayed at Aspa Villas for five nights. This is a beautiful place, a little further away from the hustle and bustle of Oia but wasn’t a disappointment at all.
When you’re in Santorini, there is basically one road through the small towns and one road for the autos. Arriving at such an early time gave us the chance to stroll around the town at it’s quietest time. As we were walking on the cobbled streets, there was not a single soul out, just some stray dogs and cats with most shops closed. We enjoyed greek coffee and baked goods with the view in front of us and the cool early morning breeze. The town definitely picked up by early afternoon with tons of tourists. We took the first day getting to know the area. It’s not a big town at all, but it’s so beautiful you just want to stop walking and stand still to look out into the pristine Mediterranean Sea against the vibrant blue sky.
This volcanic island has a beautiful hike from Oia to Fira or vice versa. We hiked from Oia to Fira and spent the day exploring Fira, and later hopped on a bus back to Oia. Most people would recommend hiking from Fira to Oia so you can see the beautiful caldera in Oia. However, hiking from Oia to Fira wasn’t disappointing at all. It allowed us to see the populated caldera in Fira filled with villas and numerous ferries arriving and leaving the port. The views are simply magnificent with layers of different coloured rocks with bright coloured blossoms peeking through. The hike is approximately 4-5 hours long with some steep uphill climbs, so bring good shoes, water and a hat. There is no shade whatsoever!
Other things to do in Oia are to basically walk the cobbled street that runs through the town. Make sure to have some of the mouth watering tzatziki and olives in any of the restaurants; they all have the view of the sea. We took a day trip to Amoudi Bay. To see the beautiful view of the caldera, take the only street that runs through Oia and walk to the end and head down the 300 steps to the Amoudi Bay. Here, you can cliff dive and swim in the sea, relax, eat the delicious catch of the day. Don’t miss the magnificent sunset here in Oia. Everyone goes to the ‘gate’ to watch the sunset, but depending on where your villa is you can enjoy it from the your terrace. In my opinion, it’s more romantic and relaxed especially with a glass of wine.
