Santorini: The crown jewel of Greece

Majestic Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. The island is known for its whitewashed, cubist houses of its two principal towns, Fira and Oia, clinging to cliffs above an underwater caldera. The principals overlook the clear Aegean and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.
Santorini is a collection of five islands floating on the Aegean Sea like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle. Once they were a single landmass, a walnut-shaped island known as Strongyli (the round one). When Strongyli’s volcano erupted catastrophically around 1650 BC, the island split initially into three separate parts. Together, they now form the walls of a massive, fragmented crater enclosing a central lagoon that was created when the middle of the original landmass collapsed into the sea.
A mythical ancient island that endured one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, Santorini feels like no other place on earth. Here, everything is brighter: the whitewashed cube-shaped houses, the lapis lazuli sea, and the sunsets that light up the caldera.
In summer the weather is always perfect in Santorini, or so the locals say. But come rain or shine, prepare to be dazzled by charming towns and a volcanic landscape steeped in Greek mythology.
Donkeys and Santorini go together like pigeons and the Piazza San Marco in Venice. They’re an integral part of the local tourism scene, providing tourists much loved rides up and down the traditional steps. There are hundreds of donkeys lined up along the island ready to take tourists around. Donkey droppings are everywhere, so tourists may want to watch their steps.
The small town of Fira is located on the west of the island on the caldera cliffs opposite the volcano. It is Santorini’s capital and, as a popular destination for day-trippers from cruise ships, one of the busiest spots on the island. Fira offers various sightseeing activities such as museums, galleries and cultural events, it has the island’s largest shopping center and the biggest choice of dining out and entertainment. Fira’s sunset is magical; many say that that this island is usually busy and loud.
Fira tourists love walking around the shopping district searching for designer clothing, leather goods, jewelry and souvenirs. Travelers should be cautious of the tourist trap and as prices may be high, bargaining should be ideal.
Agiou Mina Street is a street that goes through Fira part-way down the cliff, from the south part of the town all the way to the cable car. It provides the stunning views of Fira that you came to see. You can walk either north or south, but walking north has the advantage that the main part of Fira is in front of you. You will find a donkey parade where people use them for transportation purposes.
The old port is an interesting place to explore; you must take a couple of photos from sea level. You can take a ride up and down again using the cable car or a donkey ride. Going there is only half the fun. On the port, you will see many fishermen selling their catch of the day, especially octopuses that you will see hanging from a rope for display. Try having lunch there, have some Greek seafood.
The village of Oia in the north (pronounced Ee-a) is formerly a major maritime trading center, it’s entirely picturesque and is rightly celebrated as the jewel in Santorini’s crown. Oia is a dazzling mixture of cave houses, originally built for sailors and fishermen and painted in traditional whites, blues and orange, packed cheerfully alongside the magnificent neo-classical style castles of former sea commanders. The other smaller houses surrounding them have domed roofs, which is another distinctive feature of Santorini’s architecture.
The Marble walkway is a must see in the evening, it will be filled with people waiting to see street performances. From here, Santorini’s sunsets are even more dramatic than those seen from the designated viewing terrace at the tip of the village.
Even the chaotic wiring and loose cables that criss-cross the square becomes part of the experience.

Catamaran tour of the volcano
Sunset Oia Catamaran tours is a first rate adventure. You can swim in the hot springs and get a close up view of churches, the volcano, and the famous three beaches in Santorini. The view of Fira from the sea is breathtaking. Captain Argiris and the crew are gracious hosts and will tell you things about the island others may not take the time to tell you.
You must watch a sunset over dinner, it is what the island is known for. People gather around the sunset time at the cafes and restaurants lined up next to the seaside. Dinner is served at this time, it is recommended to try the authentic Greek food.
Kamari Beach is a black pebble beach framed by the jagged cliffs of Mesa Vouno and Profitis Ilias Mountains and the crystalline waters of the Aegean. The beach itself is covered with small black volcanic stones, not sand, so it is difficult to walk on, but boards have been laid especially where there are many umbrellas. Most of the restaurants and cafes are on the beach side of the promenade with some on the other side along with shops and hotels.

You should also visit the Akrotiri, it is a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the volcanic Greek island of Santorini. The settlement was destroyed in the Theran eruption about 1627 BC and buried in volcanic ash, which preserved the remains of fine Forescoes and many objects and artworks. The settlement has been suggested as a possible inspiration for Plato’s story of Atlantic. The site has been excavated since 1967. Today it is partially excavated and is protected from the sun inside a large shed.
People love visiting Santorini bakeries, they sell a variety of baked sweet and savory goodies. You will love the baklava, this sweet was originally made in Greece but is now made and sold all over the Arab world. The Pita is bread filled with cheese, olives or spinach and minced meat. The Tiropita or tyropita is a Greek layered pastry pie with feta cheese filling. For dessert, try the pastry consisting of either vanilla custard or (salty) cheese filling between layers of phyllo. Fanouropita is a kind of spice bread with ground cloves and cinnamon, resembling a sweet bread rather than a cake. Similar to donuts, Loukoumades are essentially fried balls of dough drenched in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon and (sometimes) crushed walnuts. Finally, the Melitinia cookies are a must try, these sweet cheese pastries originated in the Cyclades. Soft Myzithra goat’s milk cheese is typically used as a filling, but ricotta can also be used as a substitute.
No visit to Santorini is complete without a boat trip, and there are loads of boats for hire from the old port. One can enjoy an adventure trip to the sea filled with water activities.
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