Santorini: Surreal Island Beauty
If you asked me to pick only one place to visit in Europe, my answer would be Santorini, Greece! As part of my Grand Tour of Europe study abroad trip, we visited Athens, along with the Greek islands of Rhodes and Mykonos. Originally, the trip was also supposed to include Santorini. However, due to a tight schedule, the island was cut from the itinerary at the last minute.
I LOVED visiting Greece for the first time when I studied abroad. It is a country with beautiful weather, amazing food, rich history, and stunning whitewashed architecture. After returning from that trip, Greece became my favorite country in the world, and it still is today! However, my experience felt incomplete without visiting the island of Santorini.
I finally planned on making my dream of traveling to Santorini a reality. I booked an EasyJet flight from Gatwick Airport directly to the island. Santorini is easily accessible from Athens and other Greek islands by ferry. The local airport also includes connections to cities all over Europe, many by way of low-cost airlines.
Early Morning Flight
My journey started with an early wake-up call from my Gatwick Airport hotel at 3:00 a.m. I was shuttled over to the airport to catch my 6:35 a.m. flight. Unfortunately, Greek air traffic controllers planned a strike that morning, canceling and delaying several flights to airports around the country. I was notified by my airline the night before and was getting quite nervous about whether or not my flight would make it.
Thankfully, my flight was still scheduled and we boarded on time. However, the strike delayed our takeoff and we sat on the tarmac for an extra hour and a half. Once we were on track to land after the strike, the plane took off! On the ride over, I got a glimpse of the snow-capped Bavarian Alps. Four and a half hours later, I saw a dramatic, volcanic island come into view, surrounded by deep blue waters. The plane had arrived in Santorini!
After getting through immigration, where I got a unique “Thira” stamp, I hailed a cab to my hostel in the main settlement of Fira. I met the owners, who were a couple of older locals. They welcomed me to the hostel and gave me an overview of everything to do on the island!
Fira
I dropped my bag off in my room before walking uphill towards town. I continued through narrow, shop-lined streets towards the horizon, in search of the views I had always seen in pictures. Once I reached the top, I peered around the corner, and my jaw dropped!
It was hard to believe I was finally seeing these breathtaking views in person! The weather was perfect, with mostly clear skies and plenty of sun. Throughout Fira, whitewashed and pastel-colored buildings are perched high over dramatic cliffs, with unmatched views of the caldera!
This viewpoint is in front of a massive church called the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral.
From here, I wandered into the town’s bustling streets. Fira is one of the main entry points for Mediterranean cruise ships on the island, and it can get very crowded during peak season. While wandering through the town, I climbed up and down stairs as I walked past shops and restaurants.
Eventually, the street opened up and I could see the water again. I turned around for an amazing panoramic view of the whole town! Santorini is truly one of a kind, where the island’s pristine villages are built right into the volcanic cliffs. The buildings are designed in the Cycladic architectural style and are painted in white and other pastels in order to reflect heat.
Oia
Although Fira is incredible, I was even more excited to visit Oia: the village on the northern tip of the island. Thankfully, the island can be easily navigated by public transportation, so I went over to the main bus terminal and boarded a large coach bus bound for Oia. On the ride over, I passed some stunning mountain terrain as I headed north.
The bus dropped me off on the outskirts of the village. I headed up the stairs and onto a large open pedestrian street. The walkway led to another viewpoint, where I could see all the way to Fira. The villages looked small in contrast to the island’s high cliffs. I was standing above one of Oia’s many cave hotels. These buildings feature rooms that are carved directly into the volcanic rock and are finished with white, vaulted ceilings.
Many of the island’s pedestrian streets are paved with smooth, gray stone tiles that complement the simple whitewashed buildings. The center of Oia is bright and airy, as the low buildings and lack of trees do not provide much shade.
I passed by another church: one of the many blue-domed churches in Oia. This one, called “Panagia Platsani,” is a fine example of Cycladic architecture and features arched windows and a stacked bell tower. There was one church, however, that I wanted to see more than any of the others. I knew it was around the area somewhere. I continued forward, as the streets got narrower, and turned off into a small alley between two buildings.
The Three Blue Domes
I emerged around the corner and finally found the classic Santorini view that I had always seen in pictures. It truly took my breath away! The domed church is much larger in person than I had imagined, and it sits perfectly on the cliff surrounded by other blue and white buildings. Across the Caldera, I could see the smaller island of Thirasia, which also features steep rocky cliffs.
Oia seems to be filled with blue-domed churches everywhere, which I did not see as frequently on the other islands or in Fira. Due to the steep terrain, houses in the village are built on multiple levels, with twisting outdoor staircases connecting them to the main pedestrian streets.
Towards the tip of the island, I came across another scenic viewpoint: the Byzantine Castle Ruins. This 15th-century castle is nothing more than a rocky outcrop today. However, it provides the perfect location for gazing over Oia’s stunning cliffside and watching the sunset.
Katharos Beach
Although most visitors don’t journey beyond the villages, Santorini is a volcanic island with outstanding natural beauty. Mykonos is known for its white sandy beaches, whereas Santorini has some truly unique beaches. I ventured beyond Oia and down the cliff to one of the island’s black sand beaches. Harkening to its volcanic past, the island’s seashore offers some striking scenery. I looked up at the cliffs, which were colored in different shades of brown. I spent time listening to the waves, forgetting about the hustle and bustle of daily life. And just looking at the sun reflecting off the water and black pebbles made this beach an unforgettable experience.
It was early evening, almost 7:00 p.m. I headed back into the village to soak up the last bit of sunlight over the whitewashed buildings.
Sunset in Oia
I followed the crowds back to the castle ruins to catch the most amazing sunset I had ever seen in my life. The sun became a dim yellow color that reflected intensely over the blue Aegean Sea. I went over to a nearby convenience store to buy some local wine, before joining others to watch the sun lower into the water.
The sun disappeared into the clouds before fully setting. As twilight hit, the lights were beginning to shine, and Santorini’s magic continued to fulfill my wildest dreams.
I walked back over to the bus station, where I joined a long line of tourists headed back to Fira. My first day in Santorini could not have been more rewarding, and I was so ecstatic to have finally made it here. I spent the night at my hostel getting to know some more travelers. While Santorini is a popular honeymooner’s destination, there were still plenty of young people at my hostel to strike up conversations with. I grabbed a beer, went out onto the terrace, and enjoyed the night.