Santorini, Greece – The most romantic place on Earth!!

A dream come true vacation! In order to make my husband’s birthday special, we decided to travel to Santorini, one of the most romantic places on the blue planet. I can assure you that going there was the best choice we could have made.

Time to learn some facts about Santorini:

Santorini is an active volcano island which was named by the Latin empire in the 13th century and also refers to Saint Irene.
In Santorini, there are three different kinds of beaches with red, black, and white sand which happens to be the result of the island’s volcanic origins.
Drinking water quality in Santorini is poor and if someone drinks it regularly, it can lead to health issues, due to which santorinians spend an average of 100 euros per month on their drinking water.
It is the perfect romantic destination for honeymoons, weddings & friends group tours.
One of the best appetizers for vegetarians to try there are Fava and Tomato fritters. Of course, seafood is the island’s speciality.

In the following blog, I will give you a lot of details about what we did and how was our Santorini Experience.

Oia – As you know the island is in a crescent shape, Oia is located at one end of that crescent and it is a heavenly place with breathtaking views. You can explore it by walking and hike to the broken castle situated at its peak to enjoy the amazing 360 views. It is recommended to explore it during the day because the white and blue structures up on the facade of the island provide a marvellous contrasted view with the blue ocean backdrop. During the night the lights turn Oia into a whole different world where the nightlife vibe is an experience not to miss. It is very important to ensure that you got a reservation beforehand at the restaurant with a terrace as they tend to be filled up pretty fast and you might miss an amazing sunset.

Just keep in mind that this Oia is extremely crowded and if you want to get the Instagram picture-perfect shot, you may have to wait for 5 to 10 minutes at the key spots, but I think it is totally worth the effort.

Fira – Fira is the capital of Santorini which is quite similar to Oia and has great views to offer. You can do some shopping – though a bit overpriced as per the usual standards and enjoy the sunset views, local cuisine and not forgetting the famous wine tasting experience.

#kajoltip1: Oia and Fira have steep roads because they are hilly areas so make sure to wear your comfy shoes.

Pyrgos – Pyrgos is a small underrated village with a maze of stairs and I would not recommend it to the elderly. However, if you have enough time and want to explore something more, this is a good choice. The views from the old church are nice.

Akrotiri – It is one of the most significant archaeological sites and the other end of the island. There you can visit the lighthouse and enjoy the sea view.

#kajoltip2: Always wear your sunglasses, hat/cap and do not forget to apply sunscreen before going out to protect yourself from direct sun heat on your face. I have seen many people who were suffering from sunburn.

Kamari – Kamari is a village on the east coast of Santorini where you will find many restaurants with beach facing. We took cooking classes there and it turned out to be a great experience.

Megalochori – A picturesque and quiet little village in the heart of Santorini with nice and simple buildings. You can visit 200-year-old restaurant called “Alisachni”. The staff is friendly and they take you on a tour of their house to show you the old galleries and rooms. An hour or two is more than enough to explore it.

Must do activities

Cooking Class – We had the opportunity to go for a cooking experience with a Chef and you might be thinking about Greek salad. Well, to be honest, Greek cuisines are more than just a salad. We went to Alismari, Kamari restaurant. The chef has taught us so many recipes which are simple, and easy to cook and ingredients are also easily available in your nearby supermarket.

#kajoltip3: If you are visiting the island in a peak season(Mid June-Mid September) make sure to reserve/book all the activities at least 15 days before. The sooner you book a spot, you might get a better offer.

Wine Tasting – This was the second activity we did and it was totally worth it. You can do this as a group activity as well. The agency with whom we book our tour took us to three different wine factories and restaurants. They will first pick you up at a common location, sharing the knowledge of the vineyards and history with you along the way. Then they take you to different restaurants one by one, where you can taste about 4 to 6 wines and serve some bites with it like Fava, cheese, olives, olive oil, bread, and chocolates. They first give you the normal wine which can be paired with the entree and will end with dessert wine which can be paired with any dessert like pie, chocolate, cake etc. Then they let you visit wine museums where you can learn about the history of Santorini’s specific wines.

Post the wine-tasting experience, they took us to a sunset point with almost no crowd where we sat down by the edge of the cliff to watch the sunset.

#kajoltip4: Book activities with agencies who will take you later to the local places where you can enjoy sunsets without any crowd.

Boat Tours – You can take a boat to dine, swim and watch the sunset. If you know how to swim, this is also one of the most recommended activities.

Sunset – This is one of the main reasons why Santorini is famous. Watch the beautiful sunset every evening from different locations. Trust me! Every time it’s just wow. And don’t forget to hug/kiss your partner and cherish the moment.