Last week Patrick and I set off to the Greek islands with no idea what to expect other than churches with blue domes. Currently, we are on-route to Naxos with Blue Star Ferries and I felt inspired to take the time to write sometime for my blog which has been neglected for far too long.
Early on our hosts told us to rent some kind of vehicle to tour the island. However, only until we saw how far reaching the island truly was, did we decide on an ATV. Lucky for us, the off season goes until the end of May which meant for 32€ a day (instead of 45€) we could explore every nook of the island, go off road and follow our own schedule. The ATV provided a level freedom which I think is ideal for Santorini and I would definitely recommend it over cars, as parking, petrol and the experience is second to none.
Pyrgos was our home for the last several days and whilst it wasn’t the capital of the island, it was very central. Not overly touristy and laced with over-priced souvenir stores, it was quaint, almost forgotten as the capital had since become the cliff side town of Fira. With a view over the entire island, Pyrgos is rich in history, beautiful tavernas, antique stores and stay cats. It was perfect for us. Its narrow alley ways and perfectly potted succulents made it a lovely place to come home to after a day of exploring the island.
Beaches are especially special to Patrick who has grown up in a German village far from the ocean – so exploring the shores was definitely on our agenda. The famous black beach of Perissa is definitely worth a visit – not only because of the laid back vibes and vibrant promenade, but the small back pebbles act as a free foot massage and don’t stick to you like sand does. We also joined the crowd who ignored the caution signs at Red Beach and perched ourselves neatly under the mammoth cliffs. In recent years, the risk of landslides at the Red Beach have doubled and this is evident on the shores, where every five meters of beach has fallen victim to a landslide that has been zoned off. I enjoyed my time here but found myself walking at an unsettling pace while we scaled the clearly unstable cliff to safety. The final beach we explored was for cliff divers. Tucked away under the cliffs of Oia, the water here was crystal clear and a prime destination for those looking for a bit of an adrenaline rush. To reach this secret swimming spot, we marched down (and later back up) the 220 steps behind Oia to Ammoudi Bay, walked through a line of waterfront restaurants and then trailed a dusty path under the cliffs until we could dive into what was in that moment – epic.
Our ATV allowed us to cruise up the mountain on the South-East side of the island for Sunset. There’s a monastery up there and numerous small chapels along the way. We also hiked along the ridge at one point to watch the planes land at the airport below. The highlight for me was managing to make it to the top of Skaros Rock in my poorly planned attire (a dress and flip-flops).
Whilst we spent every day exploring and cruised around the entire island on our ATV, I’m still leaving with the feeling that there’s so much more we could have explored. Thank you Santorini for the beautifully unique villages, friendly hospitality, incredible food and most of all that unforgettable view.
Humble Bones 