A Day in the Magical Island of Santorini

One of the days while in Athens, I decided I wanted to go to Santorini. They have ferries that run from Athens but you lose at least 5 hours one way and when you are limited on time, this is not a likely option. We opted in flying.  Aegean offers great 40 min flights (that literally feel like 20min) and if you book in advance you can get a roundtrip for $40. We delayed it a bit so the price went up to $80 but still worth it and the view as you are approaching Santorini from the plane is WOW – you feel like you are floating on the sea.

We took the earliest flight into Santorini and the latest flight back to Athens. We arrived at 7am and caught the bus into the main central station in Thira. It was convenient, a 20 minute ride, and you pay on board (you pay every time you get on the bus and the way the island is shaped you often end up having to pass the main station and get on another bus to get to your destination). It’s fairly easy to follow and the schedule is listed so if you pay attention to it you’ll be good to go (except for the end of our day there, more on that later). We saw plenty of people on mopeds so that can be an option too but if you’re planning on going to Oia, aka the Mecca of Santorini,  the ride is 45 min by the mountain and extremely steep.

Enough digressions…once in Thira, or Fira (both work) we stopped at a little cafe with a great, friendly old man who was the owner and had delicious traditional Greek breakfasts. Definitely steer away from the fancy bigger establishments, it’s all for show. We then asked directions to the nearest supermarket and bought large bottles of water because even though it was 7am, we can already feel the fiery heat forming. Also, while Athens is dry heart, Santorini is super humid.  Everything you touch is covered with condensation. We headed towards the Old Port and were looking for signs for the cable cars and donkeys. Do not climb down to the bottom once you reach the waterside. You are already midway up, there is no reason to go all the way down because the view only gets better with height, unless of course you must ride the donkeys which aside from the fact that it’s insanely hot and I’m sure these animals are just dying to carry 100+ lbs. tourist all day, it will take longer and you can’t stop and take pictures with all the wonderful sights and architecture that you will see on the way.  The Caldera and the view of the water from Thira were absolutely breathtaking. You could stand for hours enjoying the sight in front of you….but keep moving until you get to the very top to really get a sense of how beautiful this island is. From the very top you can make your way back to the Thira station by taking the route through the market areas and head on a bus to Perissa Beach, which is Santorini’s black sand beach.

The water at Perissa Beach is clear but it’s a dark blue shade with pebbles and sand mixed underneath to make up the ocean floor. Now remember Hades’s wrath I mentioned earlier? Well in case you didn’t get a sense of what I meant, attempt to walk even 3 steps on the sand in Perissa and you’ll immediately regret not buying those rubber swim shoes lol. Because the sand is black and made from lava ash, it gets unbearably hot…. like melt your skin off hot if you stay on it for too long. So you constantly see people making a run in and out of the water from and to their lounge chairs 😀 I know at this point you are probably thinking, why would I even want to go there…. well, the beach is beautiful, with stunning natural rock scenery and really,  if you’re in Santorini you must visit it. The black sand is what makes it all that more interesting, just use caution when maneuvering your way on the actual sand.

Now…onto Oia and the infamous sunset.  We took a late flight back (11pm) for that reason alone. EVERYONE will be making their way to Oia which is on the other side from Thira so leave extra time since there are only a few buses traveling each way.  Plan to arrive at Oia 2 hours before the sunset and take a walk around the streets, those infamous white and blue houses (even though Thira’s architecture is similar to it) are picturesque and a view you won’t forget for years to come. About 40 minutes before the Sunset make sure you’ve made your way up the streets towards the windmill because that’s the best place to see the Sunset. Secure a position where you see the water, the horizon, the Caldera as well as a view of some of Oia and the way the Sunset will reflect on the houses. Don’t be afraid to get on the rooftops,  unless of course it’s clearly indicated that trespassing is forbidden. And no I am not suggesting you go on a climbing escapade. Once you are in Santorini you will see that the way the houses are constructed, the pathways are often leveled with some of the rooftops making it easy to hop over.

The sunset…Oia literally goes from serenity to pure madness with every corner occupied,  thousands of people gathered to view this natural simple every day event. But once the sun sets, everyone quiets, everyone stands still amongst this absolutely magnificent array of nature’s artwork…and then everyone claps at the incredible performance before us. It really is worth seeing and experiencing. It will stay with you forever. Once over though,  don’t waste too much time and make your way out of the area back to the bus stop as quickly and as efficiently as you can…because everyone else is doing the same so it will prolong your trip back by good 20 min. Get on the bus back to Thira and head on the next bus back to the airport. Here is where we hit a bit of a bump because even though there was a scheduled bus going to the airport, they somehow canceled it and told us we have to take a cab there….the cab stand had a line of 20 people and no attendant. Luckily we ran into a private cabbie who took us to the airport for $20. My advice is to reconfirm schedules of buses in the am or reserve a cab in the am for the evening. It was an unnecessary damper on a truly magical day on this island. Overall, I could truly say that this day will stay with me as one of the most sensational experiences I’ve had thanks to the breathtaking island of Santorini.