Santorini is a circular volcanic island group in the Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast of Athens. It’s the southernmost member of the Cyclades island group.

The island’s classic name is Thera, but it’s also known as Thira.

Santorini is essentially the remains of a massive volcanic eruption that destroyed settlements on the originally single island. This shaped the current caldera, mostly filled with water.

Its stunning beauty and vibrant nightlife have made these islands one of Europe’s most attractive tourist destinations.

You can read my travelogue here!

Santorini attractions

Fira

The capital of Santorini, and the base for most tourists. Built on a large cliff, it offers fantastic views of the sea.

Those arriving by boat can climb 600 steps from the port, ride a donkey, or take the cable car to reach the city.

The city’s architecture follows the classic Greek pattern. The characteristic houses, with whitewashed walls and blue domes, doors, and window frames, are all built of volcanic rock.

The capital is teeming with great restaurants and hotels, from budget to luxury. Along the city’s sea-facing arc, numerous Greek restaurants and taverns line up.

The Thira Museum in Fira lets you dive into Santorini’s past. Exhibits include finds from the Mesavouno excavation, the ancient city of Thera, the fortress at Sellada, and other archaeological sites around the island.

Imerovigli

Located 2 km north of Fira, Imerovigli also offers stunning views of the caldera islands surrounding Santorini. Often referred to as the „Balcony of the Aegean Sea.”

The Ekklisia Theoskepasti hiking trail passes by the 13th-century Skaros Castle, leading up to the Skaros Rock viewpoint and the blue-domed Theoskepasti church built on a rock outcrop.

Pyrgos

Situated on one of the slopes of Profitis Ilias mountain, this was once the capital of Santorini. The village was built around a Venetian castle, whose ruins can be visited. The panoramic view here is also beautiful.

The surrounding vineyards produce the renowned Assyrtiko white wine.

Nearby, the island’s highest point offers fantastic views of the island and the sea.

Oia

Located at the northern tip of the island, accessible even by hiking from Fira.

Often considered the most beautiful town on Santorini, it’s almost mandatory to watch a sunset here. Hence, expect large crowds during the peak season.

Oia’s symbol is a windmill, often seen in pictures of Santorini.

Ruins of a Byzantine castle stand on the edge of the town, offering an even more beautiful sunset view. However, it also attracts large crowds.

Kamari

The center of the island’s eastern part. The town was designed and created after the 1956 earthquake for the inhabitants who fled from the town of Messa Gonia.

Its 2 km long, black sandy beach is the island’s most popular.

Kamari has everything a true resort town needs: a long beach, restaurants, bars, hotels, apartments, a cinema, shopping opportunities, ATMs, a bakery, a playground. Every year, a jazz festival is held.

Ancient Thira

A ruin city uncovered in the early 20th century, located between Kamari and Perissa. It can be approached via a serpentine road from Kamari, even by car.

The site features ruins of temples, buildings, ceramics, coins, and other artifacts that showcase the former Minoan culture.

Akrotiri

Often referred to as the Greek Pompeii, this city was also destroyed by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century BC.

It was a developed Minoan trade center with an ideal location and a network of canals.

Discovered in the 19th century, it remains one of the best-preserved ancient memories, thanks to volcanic ash.

Faros Lighthouse

Located at the southwestern tip, the lighthouse offers great views of the sea. Worth visiting if in the area.

Nea Kameni

This island and its smaller ‘sibling,’ Palea Kameni, were formed due to volcanic eruption.

The barren island is undeveloped, but you can take a tour around the crater.

As it’s still an active volcano, there’s a warm water beach, the Hot Springs, on the island. A similar beach is found on Palea Kameni.

Therasia

The island west of Santorini offers a similar experience but with less crowd.

There are regular boat trips from Santorini. There are two small villages on the island, Manolas has a great view. From the shore, a steep slope leads up to the village.

Beaches

Kamari Beach

The most developed and popular beach on the island, bordered by hotels, bars, and nightclubs, with black sandy and pebbly shores.

Red Beach

Near Akrotiri, difficult to access by land, best reached by boat.

The small pebble beach is famous for the large red rocks behind it, attracting many visitors in peak season.

Perissa Beach

Similar to Kamari Beach with black sand and pebbles but less developed. Its long shore is a good choice for those preferring a peaceful setting.

Eros Beach

Between Vlichada and Akrotiri, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Santorini. Its beauty comes from the massive, variously shaped white rocks surrounding the long, pebbly shore.

Vlichada Beach

Located in the southernmost part of the island. About 800 meters of black pebbly shore, backed by white rock walls. A major advantage is that it’s usually not crowded.

Have you heard of these Greek islands?

I’ll introduce 16 lesser-known Greek islands that are worth visiting!

Read More

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Travel and wine

Porto

Port wine. You’ve probably heard of it, and it’s not hard to guess where it comes from.

The vineyards are located along the Douro River, about 100 km from Porto. The wine was then floated down to Porto on boats, where it was aged in the famous cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia.

Today, on the river’s left bank, there are rows of cellars and wine bars waiting for tourists, offering a magnificent view of the old town and the iconic Luis I Bridge.

Porto attractions

Tuscany

The region centered around Florence is not only one of the most beautiful places in Italy but also the cradle of Italian wine culture.

The mountains and valleys of the Apennines have created numerous different microclimates, which are favorable for viticulture. As a result, several famous wines are produced in Tuscany.

The most well-known Italian wine, Chianti, comes from here. This wine-producing area extends to specific municipalities in the central part of the region. Here, you can find many small wineries and cellars where, in addition to wine, you can enjoy the wonderful sights of Tuscany.

Best places in Tuscany

Bordeaux

The French city is famous for its red wine, and it’s no coincidence that there is a large wine museum here.

It’s the largest wine region in France, where thousands (!) of wineries produce wines. These are the famous chateaux. About 89% of the wines here are red.

In Bordeaux, you can „sip” some of the best quality red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

I visited in February 2020. My main goal was to enjoy a good red wine on the terrace of a local bar. I must say, it wasn’t cheap, but the two glasses of Sauvignon on the pedestrian street of the city center left me completely satisfied.

Best places in France

Malaga

The center of the Costa del Sol or the sunny coast became famous for its wines centuries ago.

The region typically produces high-alcohol wines, making it a perfect destination for sweet wine lovers in the Andalusian city.

The region mainly specializes in white wines, with the most famous types being Moscatel, Pedro Ximénez, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc.

Malaga attractions

Best museums in Malaga

Malaga, where we can escape in winter

Napa Valley (California)

To not only recommend European “wine places”, let’s hop over to North America, where one of the USA’s most beautiful places is also a renowned wine region.

Northeast of San Francisco, we find one of the world’s most famous wine-producing regions, the Napa Valley.

Interestingly, the region only became world-famous as a wine-producing area a few decades ago. Although there were wineries in the mid-19th century, it only gained fame after the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting.

And like everything in the USA, they made a real show out of this. With the Napa Valley Wine Train, you can tour the region with a fantastic view. And of course, on the train, experts introduce the region’s grape varieties and wines.

Provence (France)

Provence, a historic region of Southern France north of the Cote d’Azur.

Viticulture here was not introduced by the ancient Romans, but by the Greeks, creating one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world.

The area itself is among the most beautiful. It is often said that vineyard workers must have good morale, as they can see the French Riviera when they look up.

Provence is world-famous for its rosé wine, specifically because here the grapes are grown explicitly for this type of wine. (In most places, rosé is a by-product of red wine production.)

The region has five famous wines, of which Syrah is perhaps the most well-known to us.

Best places in France

Madeira

You’ve probably heard of Madeira, a liqueur wine produced on this Portuguese island.

Legend has it that it was discovered when English sailors took a large quantity of wine from the island, and during the long journey, the beverage matured to a particularly flavorful state in the warm, sealed barrels.

Vine cultivation takes place on the terraced northern and southern slopes, where the vines are almost exclusively hand-cultivated.

Madeira can be made from eight types of grapes, including the well-known Muscat. The resulting liqueur wine has an alcohol content of 17-20%.

Madeira attractions, hikes

My experience in Madeira

Santorini

Now, you might be surprised to see one of the most beautiful and romantic Greek islands on the list.

Considering that Santorini is a volcanic island, it’s not so surprising. The island’s Assyrtiko white wine is world-famous.

The grape is special not only because of the volcanic soil but also because it grows in a basket shape due to the strong winds. These give a distinctive flavor to the wine.

Santorini attractions, beaches

Lavaux (Switzerland)

The vineyard region located on the northern shore of Lake Geneva has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007.

The south-facing hillside, with its moderate climate and limestone soil, provides ideal conditions for viticulture and winemaking. Spanning 898 hectares, around ten thousand stone-walled terraces stretch along the gently sloping lakeshore between Lausanne and Montreux. The region’s most famous grape variety is Chasselas.

The vast vineyards on the hillside and the sparkling blue waters of Lake Geneva offer a breathtaking view.

Best places in Switzerland

Kakheti (Georgia)

You probably wouldn’t think that there’s a famous wine-producing region in this Caucasian country!

Yet the region has more than 500 grape varieties! Wines are made using the traditional qvevri method. This method involves fermentation and aging in clay jars, a practice with centuries-old traditions.

Among its most famous varieties are Saperavi, which produces deep red, rich-flavored wines, and Rkatsiteli, which yields fresh, fruity white wines.

Best places in Georgia

Stellenbosch (South Africa)

This region, located 50 km from Cape Town, is popular among tourists, with many wine tasting tours organized here.

It’s particularly known for its quality red wines, among which Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinotage stand out. The latter is a South African variety that originates from crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault.

Best places in South Africa

Mendoza (Argentina)

One of the country’s most significant cities is located in the western part of the country, at the foot of the Andes.

The region is famous for its unique microclimate, shaped by high altitude and meltwater from the Andes, creating ideal conditions for grape growing.

Among its wines, Malbec stands out, producing deep-colored, rich, and fruity red wines. The region also produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Torrontés wines.

Best places in Argentina

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The last Wizz Air flight on October 12th, Thursday, had tickets for a hard bargain of 15 €. My task then was to find a connecting flight home. I managed to get one with a stop in Athens for about 73 € for the three flights.

Those who have read some of my reports know I don’t like to stay long in one place. This time was the same, but I thoroughly explored four locations.

Surprisingly, many were on the last flight there, the plane departed and landed on time. From the airport, I took a bus to Fira. All buses start from the capital, and you buy tickets on the bus (a ticket collector goes around collecting the fare).

The buses have a schedule, but let’s just say it’s quite flexible. They regularly depart once they’re about full. I experienced this last year during my trip to Crete.

Fira

Located in the center of the island on the western cliff edge, Fira is the hub. I arrived while it was still light to see the wonderfully lit city and buildings.

You could tell it was mid-October, fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded. Of course, there were many people, but you could walk, gawk, and take photos at ease.

Since Santorini is very popular as a cruise ship stop, you can almost always see ocean liners stationed in the water. Thursday evening, I saw five ships.

Oia

The most beautiful part of Santorini, where iconic photos are taken. Here too, you must wander through the entire town. In places, you can walk through narrow alleys; it could be challenging to navigate during peak season.

Buses run every 20-30 minutes from Fira and back, the journey itself is beautiful. Especially the trip there, as you reach Oia via a road carved into the cliff.

The best view in Oia is from a small castle on the western edge: the windmills and the step-like arrangement of houses. And of course, the two islands in front of us.

Imerovigli

A continuation of Fira to the north, this small village is worth the walk, except for a few hundred meters, it can be done among houses.

And it’s definitely worth the walk! There are far fewer people, and the view is just as stunning. Plus, there are several great spots to view Fira.

Kamari

I read in several places that besides the above, it’s worth visiting here. However, after Fira and Oia, you arrive in a city of a completely different character.

Kamari is famous for its black beach and the large rock rising in the southern part of the town. On its top is the ancient city of Thira, which can be reached via a winding road. I skipped this.

Despite being mid-October, there were quite a few people on the beach and swimming in the sea. The long promenade is lined with restaurants, which were quite sparse in the early afternoon.

Overall, the fascination with Santorini is no coincidence. Fira, especially Oia, is truly a wonderful place. It has its charm both during the day and when lit up at night; I can’t decide which is more beautiful. Let’s just say it’s gorgeous either way.

However, I recommend not traveling here during peak season! The number of tourists was pleasant now, no crowding, and the weather was very good. In summer, just looking at pictures and videos shows how crowded it can get.

Santorini in TikTok video

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