We flew into Santorini in the afternoon and checked in to our digs for the next few days. We were welcomed to our hotel by friendly owners who offered us a glass of local wine. Our room is cute with water views, lots of character, a kitchenette, dining room table, nice bathroom and has a little exterior sitting space as well. We were hungry after a day of transit so walked into Santorini’s main town, Fira, for dinner. After realizing our hotel was a bit farther from the action than we thought we decided to rent a car for the next couple of days.
We got our car and a road map and set off the next morning. Santorini’s landscape is truly impressive as it is the result of numerous volcanic eruptions. Our first destination was the northernmost town on the Island, Oia, which was adorable!
Next we cruised through the Island’s most happenin’ town, Fira. Then we drove South to Kamari Beach. I knew that we were going to Santorini in the off-season, but I didn’t know that meant the entire island would be hibernating! The entire town set on Kamari beach was boarded up with padlocks on the doors. The whole strip along the beach was closed. It is very bizarre and kind of disappointing to wander through what feels like a ghost town while imagining how cute and lively it is during the busy season.
TJ wasn’t feeling well again and needed some rest so I dropped him off and tucked him in then headed back to explore Fira a bit. Again, it was totally eerie. I stood at the peak of Fira and looked down over the town and didn’t see an inkling of life! There wasn’t a sole in site and not a single shop was open. There were a few restaurants open for business and that was about it! There were a handful of tourists in the town below along with some locals, but the majority of town was boarded up and shut down. It seems the entire island sleeps through the winter.
On our last full day in Santorini we hopped back in our rental car and went cruising. Our first stop was a wine museum and winery. Fun! We drove by several other wineries, drove to one of the highest points on the island, checked out another resort village called Perissa , then headed north back up to Oia to watch the sunset. We parked and walked along the marble path through the picturesque town. Again, I had to imagine what an adorable, bustling little town this must be during the warmer months of the year. This is a village that rents ultra-chic villas for $2,000 a night, sells gold and Versace and is arguably the best place in the world to watch the sunset.
It was peaceful and quiet to meander along the street while admiring the architecture, colorful and white-washed structures carved into the volcanic rock, scenery, views and sunset but I am a little sad to have missed the hustle and bustle of Santorini. I at least wanted to poke my head into the trendy boutiques, jewelry shops and souvenir shops. The most activity we saw was construction work and nine street dogs that seem to enjoy having the town to themselves. I guess that means I’ll have to return someday! On the positive side, it was nice to not have to throw elbows to secure a spot for the sunset, play chicken on the narrow roads with other rental cars, be amongst the hordes of tourists, or be subject to the prices for accommodation and car rentals that will triple in the high season. Santorini is a lovely island and we enjoyed our time here.
1 comment:
Funny funny....Back when my brother and I were in Santorini it felt the same way. We were there in May, which you think it would be close enough to summer that stuff would be open. I remember eating a large Gryos plate on the south end of the Island bordering the black sand beach. Ah how I want to go back.
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