As a wanderluster with an appreciation almost as much for the journey as for the destination, I can find something to marvel at no matter where I go -- whether it's the middle of absolutely nowhere in Texas (where I simply marvel at the massive size of Texas!) or on top of the world in one of the most spectacular places I've ever visited: Oia, on the Greek Island of Santorini. This Where to Wander Wednesday is dedicated to that volcanic island and the awe it inspires at every turn.
Yes, it really does look like it does in pictures.
I know that everyone and their grandmother who has ever been to Santorini has the same photo, but that's OK. It simply shows that no matter when you go, you'll be lucky enough to witness the same beauty experienced by generations of tourists before you -- and generations of travelers to come. While I do love "the road less traveled," sometimes the road more traveled is also worth taking. Santorini is that road. One of the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea, the island as it is today was formed by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century, leaving it rugged, dramatic and a sight to behold. Santorini curves around an underwater caldera, or crater, and its volcanic nature is easily recognizable in the red-rocked cliffs and black-sand beaches that shape its coast.
You first experience the drama that is life on the edge of a volcano when you arrive by ferry or cruise ship from Athens or one of the other Greek Isles. The bus ride up the hill from the port is enough to make you hold your breath -- and pray that the driver hasn't been sipping some of the ouzo or raki that is abundant at every Greek meal! The most popular of the Greek Islands, Santorini's two biggest towns are Fira, in the center, and Oia, on the northern tip. On my three-night stay I didn't make it to Fira, opting instead for the oft-photographed, artsy and incredible Oia. Despite the crowds and the heat (I was there in July -- avoid August at all costs!), it remains one of my all-time favorite destinations. Quintessential white-washed houses are at every turn, freshly painted each year to keep up their classic appearance; turquoise domes and bright pink bougainvillea pop with color among the white cliffs; top-of-the-world sunsets draw applause nightly from wine-sipping crowds perched on rooftops, cliffs, walkways, restaurant patios -- anywhere and everywhere they can get spot; and nights are spent sleeping in upscale hotel rooms carved into cliffside caves.
That's where my first Where to Wander Wednesday recommendation comes in: Stay in a cave hotel. My choice: Filotera Suites, where one of Oia's many cliffside hotel pools dangles high above Amoudi Bay, offering panoramic, pinch-me-I'm-dreaming caldera views as far as the eye can see.
The view from inside the cave. Not too shabby.
It's easy to stay perfectly content high above the water in Oia, but it's worth hiking down the 300 steps to tiny Amoudi Bay below, where fishing boats dock and a row of open-air waterfront restaurant shacks allow the waves to crash right at your table.
The red-rocked view from the bottom up.
After a bottle or four of Mythos beer, you may be tempted to hitch a ride on one of the donkeys awaiting weary travelers, but (here comes my animal advocacy PSA) please don't. You get to jump off the rocks into the refreshing (aka COLD) Aegean at the bottom of the steps or back into your hotel's infinity pool at the top; those poor donkeys have no such luxury.
Jump on in -- the water's fine! And by fine, I mean absolutely freezing, but totally worth it!
Sweet donkeys -- look, but don't ride!
With all the beauty, food (blocks of salty, delicious feta cheese everywhere!), drink, shopping and relaxation all in tiny Oia, there's really no need to leave, but as a traveler who likes to jam-pack way too many things into my trips, I can always find a reason. In Santorini, that reason was one of the volcanic beaches on the other side of the island: Kamari Beach, a resort town with a bustling waterfront walkway and a black-pebble beach surrounded by rocky mountains.
Black sand and beach bar service -- take me back!
With breathtaking beauty everywhere you turn on Santorini, it's hard to believe that the island was formed by one of the most dramatic eruptions only Mother Nature could conjure. But out of the ashes arose an amazing destination -- one to which I absoultely can't wait to return.