Hetal Chirag
Santorini holds a very special place in my heart since it was the first country we visited after getting married. The very first glance of the classic blue and white skyline surrounded by deep blue ocean and clear sunny sky can leave anyone spellbound!
On our first day, we took it easy and went for a stroll to explore this beautiful city. Narrow pathways, steep stairwells and white-grey alleys from Fira to Oia are definitely worth a walk though. You can enjoy a unique shopping experience in tiny blue and white shops or have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee at cafes along the way while enjoying spectacular views.
The next day we rented a motor bike to explore hidden treasures of nearby villages. If you are new to riding a motor bike, we would suggest renting a car or a more stable ATV because of narrow, steep and bandy roads. If you are comfortable with a motorbike, it is the best way to get around and explore the real beauty of this island. After taking multiple stops along the way, we reached to Oia to watch the perfect Santorini Sunset.
During our last few days on this island paradise we visited the town of Fira and did a volcano boat tour. Getting down to the Old Port from the town of Fira was an exciting journey in itself. We had three options to choose from. We could take a fun donkey ride, choose a cable car that offered an amazing view or simply walk down around 500-600 stairs. We chose to take the cable car down to the Old Port and took an adventurous donkey ride on the way back.
Once we reached the Old port, we took a boat ride to Nea Kameni which is the island’s active volcano. Some people chose to walk around near the dock and explore the base of the volcanic island, but we wanted to hike to the top to enjoy the full panoramic view of the island. As we were getting higher, we could feel the ground getting warmer and warmer. Besides incredible lava formation, we could also see smoke coming out of the grounds. At the very top, I touched the ground to see how hot it was and it did not disappoint.
