Santorini, also called Santorin or in Greek “Thira” is the blue, Greek island with the most beautiful sunsets in the world! Sounds perfect for a short trip in springtime. Every so often I have seen incredible photos of the small archipelago in the southern part of the Cyclades: This has got to be the hot spot for dreamers. So off to the bucket list I go to check it off immediately. Thought about it, booked it & discovered it!
The first conclusion: By now, we”™ve already discovered many islands but Santorini is very high on the hitlist because of the architecture, the sunsets, and the breathtaking Aegean Sea (the north-eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea on the border of the Greek mainland and the east coast of Asia Minor in Turkey).
Where to sleep
For us, the short trip to Santorini was really “a trip into the blue”. Choosing this small island as the shooting location for an upcoming project was a spontaneous decision (you will see the results very soon!), so I only started looking for suitable accommodations via Booking.com a week before our departure. I made a list of the 5 most important things we were looking for when seeking accommodations. Our criteria were:
✓ Short distance to the airport because our flight to Santorini was very early at 6:40 a.m.
✓ Authentic architecture
✓ Personally run / small hotel
✓ A place directly at the cliffs to enjoy the sunsets
✓ Free Wi-Fi (for us that”™s always essential ;) )
What we found was just that. And to our positive surprise, Santorini is perfectly suited for small boutique hotels or apartments rather than large hotel chains, which are much more likely to be found on the neighboring island of Kos. Lucky for us. And so we ended up at the Aroma Suites. Since the “honeymoon suite” wasn”™t much more expensive than a normal suite for our three night stay (around €600 for 2 persons), we booked this very special location. The suite had a large terrace, which was shared with the three other existing honeymoon suites. It was a real stroke of luck. We sat right in front of one of the most famous church domes, whose robe recently changed from blue to white;), with the sunset right under our noses.
The views of the small volcanic island, Vulkaninsel “Nea Kameni”, could not be more authentic and our beaten into the rocks “Cave Suite,” complete with jacuzzi, was not only visually stunning, but it also gave us a feeling of well-being! Small drawback: The cave, of course, has no windows so a daily trip outdoors to get fuelled by the sun is a must. The mobile network connection is also rather poor but the wifi worked without any problems.
The Aroma Suites are situated in “Fira,” the popular resort center of Santorini, and is less than 15 minutes from the airport. Our host, Mr. Fanis, is an extremely friendly gentleman who really excels at hosting guests. Every evening he made us all tipsy with the delicious wine he produces. In parting, we even received a bottle of wine to take home. By the way, we got all that without ever saying anything about being bloggers ;)
Angela, the supervisor, gave us her Santorini-Insider tips and served us a delicious “Breakfast-in-Cave” on a stormy Saturday morning.
Where to eat
Since we are on the subject of dining, food, and insider tips, we now take you on a virtual trip to the bay of “Amoudi” in the town of Oia. Here, small fishing boats dance on deep blue waves, the smell of fresh food permeates the air, donkeys stand on the stairs, Greek penetrates deep into our ears and is almost exclusively the only language heard. Oia is also frequented by locals on weekend getaways and relaxing excursions. The presence of locals is reflected in the prices; it is not overpriced like some typical tourist-Hotspots. After Angela’s recommendation, we ended up in the Taverna Katina.
We ordered “Volkan Beer” – one of the tastiest beers I’ve ever had. It was mild with a slightly sweet-fresh note. The local beer is produced directly on Santorini and contains the finest local ingredients, including fresh honey and citrus fruits from the island. There is fresh fish and calamari. Saturday overtook us and we enjoyed the spring sun and prowled around like two cats.
For a lunchtime snack, we recommend you do it like the locals: A delicious plate of Greek specialties in the sun with a cool Greek beer, tzatziki and a few cats.
Discover Santorini
Santorini is quick to discover. In one or two hours you can drive from one end to the other.
- You can borrow a quad or compact car. Rental stalls are literally on every corner here; the smaller and sleeker the better. And despite the “Greek mentality,” we recommend that you wear helmets. The roads are often very poorly developed and littered with potholes.
- We recommend that you visit the “highest point on the island”; there, the the clouds move so quickly over your head that you get dizzy.
- Visit one of the red or black beaches (Kamari & Perissa).
- Gaze at the legendary sunsets in Oia or Fira and then you’ll know why the island is so popular.
- Enjoy the quiet and sneak through the many narrow streets!
