Santorini / Thera

View Larger Map

I'm glad I let Bo to convince me to travel to Santorini by boat and I'm glad he left me convince him to take the night line from Pireos to Thera. We traveled in sleeping cabin for two and it was amazing experience.
It was my first time spending an overnight by sea.



When we got there it was a kind of Christian religious festival but I can't remember the patron name. People had fava - typical creamlike dish that tastes like beans or peas. Locals serve it with olives and tomatoes.



There are not many local young people but the oldies rock the party.


Santorini (Thera) is not big island. It is about 80 km long semicircle overlooking a caldera. The volcano exploded 3500 years ago destroying the island and creating picturesque beaches. Today Santorini has about 2000 permanent inhabitants and a few major villages. The one called Oia is located to the northern part and the view from it is one of the most distinguishable - you can see it on postcards and souvenirs.




Pyrgos is another village located inland on the island. A few centuries ago Santorini was under the heavy influence of Venice.


The north-eastern part of the island is less inhabited and touristically developed. Along the beach near Pori and Baxedes there are summer villas and houses erected illegally. The local government prohibits the construction works in the area but obviously some people manage to do it.


A view from Meso Vouno (385 m), the place of Ancient Thera. The place is accessible by car through extremely steep road with breathtaking view. Bo drove all the way up and down. If I was driving probably now you wouldn't read these lines.


Due to the lava and the geo-morphological structure of the island, its rocks seem dipped into layers of different colors and structures.


The beaches are not sandy but full of smaller or bigger stones which make the barefoot walking quite unpleasant experience.

Kamari is famous for the Black beach.


The Red beach is particularly impressive.


The path to the white beach which is not accessible by car.


Santorini doesn't have too vivid nightlife. There are restaurants, tavernas, small souvenir shops that close after midnight but still it is not a place for adventure sports and booze.


The truth is that if you rent a car you can see the whole island in a day. The landscape is great but after a few days it becomes boring so the best we could do is to jump to the next island.


The superfast ferries are a little more expensive but have less stops and doesn't waste your time to get you to the next island.


Stay tuned for more summer stories from around the Aegean.