Easter 2023 trip to Santorini - the best island in Greece
Updated: Apr 27, 2023
This is the first of many travel stories that I plan to write. We are a British couple of Indian heritage living in London for the past 31 years and have travelled around the globe several times posting a mish-mash of pictures and write-ups on various social media viz., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Tripadvisor etc but I have now decided to try to capture our visits in a bit more organised manner. We are both Vegetarians and love doing independent travel and spending a few days or weeks in different places to get a full flavour of the local culture and feel for different places and people. We love hiking and anything outdoors without indulging in risky sports keeping with our ages - me over 60 and Sandhya nearly so. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you want to ask any questions as I am very happy to provide feedback.
After many years of visiting the mainland of Greece for work and pleasure and some islands such as Crete, Corfu etc., we decided to travel to Santorini - an island almost midway out in the Aegean Sea, perhaps equidistant from Israel/Egypt as it it to the mainland of Greece itself. The thing that makes Santorini unique is that all tourists stop and the island hibernates from December through March. So tourists can only visit from April to the end of November.
We had companion vouchers on British Airways and decided to use some Avios to get a trip somewhere before these vouchers, issued and renewed several times during Covid, expired. We found a flight leaving from London Gatwick and returning to London Heathrow for the Easter break in 2023.
Day 1
Our BA flight from London Gatwick to Santorini was almost on time. Arriving in Santorini, we were not too keen to rent a car, a quad or pay for a taxi - about Euro 40 to get into the main town of Fira. Instead, having missed the hourly bus at 5:30PM thanks to Brexit and the new passport controls at EU airports, we waited patiently for the next bus to arrive but waiting an hour in front of a sign with a QR code is a bit unnerving esp as nightfall approaches and the temperature started dropping with omnious rain clouds appearing above. Several taxi drivers even convinced us that the bus would come the next day!
The local bus is an extremely well run service by KTEL-Santorini. The bus arrived sharp at 6:25PM and was ready to leave promptly after the few passengers decided to board. The driver emphatically asked us to "pay later". About 20 minutes later we were at Fira central bus station. The ticket conductor gave us our tickets as we left and the cost was Euro 3.60 for 2 adults. Rather inexpensive and fuss-free in lux.
We then hopped on another bus to the small village of Imerovigli. Cost Euro3.20 for 2 adults.
Once off the bus, finding our hotel, aptly called On the Rocks was a bit of a challenge with Google maps insisting "we had reached" but became rather clear when we realised that the coastal path was one of the best experiences that one could have in Santorini. Walk a few steps further from the bus stop, past a convenience store and a car park and enter the coastal path and turn right past the Aegean mediterranean restaurant on the left. Follow the cliff wall for about 100m or so and the entrance to this hotel is on the left. The hotel which almost clings to the edge of the cliff is beautiful but was a bit frightening for a first-time visitor to Santorini as the steps can be steep, uneven and have treads that don't necessarily fit an entire foot but we made it to reception (first level down) where the Asst. manager Sterios and the receptionist Michaela were very frendly. Check-in was very quick and Sterios assisted us to the room which were nearly a 100 steps and several levels further down the cliffside but with breathtaking views of the Caldera and the volcano Nea Kameni. Remember to pack light although the bell boys seems extremely fit and agile to carry everything up/down these steps. Our room was a cosy room a few flights below the pool level, almost resembling a cave for the most part with a small balcony sit-out area to watch the unmatched beauty of the volcanic hills of Nea Kameni, Palo Kameni and Therassia and the Caldera. The room had a nice bed and was simple but tastefully decorated. There was a nice small bathroom (shower) and toilet stuck in the back with cave like walls which made the experience feel rugged but with modern amenities. There was a problem with hot water on the first morning but the hotel staff had it fixed in no time and it was actually relaxing after a long-day of walking to have a long warm shower. Breakfast was served on a platter every day to the room. We had to select everything using an online menu the previous night but the staff were happy to accommodate changes/additions as required. Some rooms even had hot tubs/pools built in which would have been great, had we not used booking.com to book our hotels in Santorini. As Imerovigli is almost the worst of the climb from Fira to Oia if one is considering doing the entire hike, which definitely is worth every minute of the 4 hours or so it takes from one place to the other, do stop by Skaros rock which isn't too far from On the Rocks. Skaros rock is probably one of the better locations to watch the sunset from this part of Santorini. Please watch out if you are physically challenged or have very young children as most of Santorini is tricky to walk and climb through but is one of the most peaceful and iconic islands of Greece and there is really no better place than to enjoy it from than On the Rocks.
Day 2
After some problems with the hot water in our room but a laid back lazy breakfast from our balcony overlooking the caldera and a berthed cruise ship we set out on what we thought would be a short stroll but ended up being the full Fira-Oia hike taking us almost 10km and 4 hours to the small town of Oia. Remember to wear proper walking shoes or hiking boots preferably and carry lots of water on a hot day.
Immediately after leaving the hotel and staying to the coastal walk on the left, we arrived a short while later to a table-top formation of a rock fortress called the Skaros Rock. This detour took us about 45 minutes of walking down and around the rock but skipping a small church which seemed too dangerous to climb down to. Although there are warning signs of it being too dangerous to climb up to the base of Skaros Rock, we and several other tourists continued on.
After the detour to Skaros Rock, continue along the coastal path as it gets more rugged and leaves Imerovigli behind till you reach the back of the Cavatagoo Hotel & Resort, where the road from Imerovigli to Oia (aka Ia) passes on the right and the temptation to board a bus exists as by this time you would be roughly about 2 hours from On the Rocks or nearly 2-1/2 hours from Fira. Don't give up. Carry along the dirt track which leads upwards towards a small church at the top of the hill and the path then turns right.
Follow the path to the right remembering to take the fork to the left signposted Oia
Continue along the mountain path for another half hour or so which once again brings you off the track to the main road to Oia and a small coffee/drinks stall on the left which you have to cross to get back on the track to Oia and after yet another mountain climb you reach another small church at the top of the hill and one can see Oia in the distance.
Carry on as it is all down-hill mostly and brings you to the tip of Oia where you may enter on the left and walk inside the town or get out on the street and follow through to the end which is the much needed bus station at Oia for the return trip to Fira if required.
Upon returning to Fira, we went on yet another bus ride to Pyrgos village which is a nice small sleepy village on the bus route towards Perivolos or Perissa. Here we saw the castle and the great views before taking the same bus on its return from Perissa about 30 mins later. There are a number of hikes from any of these towns but we were way too tired for one day
We caught up on a quick dinner at Yogi's Gyro place on the main street in Fira before hiking back the coastal path to Imerovigli. We caught a bit of the sunset along the way although this coast is not ideal to watch the sunset.
Day 3
After breakfast we took the bus back from Imerovigli to Fira bus station. Our plan was to visit the villages/beaches on the South side of the island. We took a bus to Perissa to see the Black Beach. We spent an hour or so walking along the beach and then visiting the Church in the central square before taking the return bus towards Megalachori.
We backtracked from Perissa to Megalochori as the buses towards Kamari and Akrortiri step on their way from Fira. This gave us the opportunity to visit the ancient settlement of Megalochori. We visited a historic cave settlement as part of this small adventure.
We finished the evening having dinner at Mama Thira's Taverna (about half way up from Fira) - a great place to spend the evening and a wonderful location to watch the sunset too if the day is good. Unfortunately for us it rained quite a lot and we still had to hike another 15 mins or so to get back to On The Rocks and were soaking wet by the time we got back.
Day 4
We had breakfast and headed out from Imerovigli on the 11AM bus to catch the 12:30PM bus to the Port where we were to catch the 2PM high-speed ferry operated by Seajets to Mykonos. The ferry departed close to 3PM and arrived in Mykonos at nearly 7PM. We walked the short distance (about 20 mins) to our hotel the With-inn Suites for the next 3 nights. Taxis cost about Euro22 each way. This property is fine and pretty basic and nothing to complain or rave about. The sunset is simply stunning from this hotel. As it was getting dark and we were reluctant to walk the next short distance to the old port of Mykonos as the path is entirely on the road, we decided to order food in and it was surprisingly inexpensive but very good. A note of warning about Mykonos. This island is really largely a hyped-up party island. There isn't much to see or do although walking the narrow alley of the quaint old town and seeing some of the sights may be great, everything seems overpriced compared to everywhere else in Greece.
Day 5
A early start with a short walk along the coastal road to the Old port of Mykonos to take the tour to the ancient Unesco world heritage archaeological site of Delos. We took the 10AM ferry operated by Delos Tours costing Euro 20 per adult. They had guided tours costing Euro 60 per person too. Arriving close to 11AM, we had to buy entrance tickets for Euro 8 each to enter the site. This is a really badly managed site with hardly any proper guided trails. We had about 2 hours to see the entire site before taking the return ferry to Mykonos.
Upon returning we spent the afternoon walking around through the nice little old town of Mykonos. There are several stores - some designer stores too in case one is desperate to spend like the wife of the former prime minister of Malaysia! There are a number of sights such as the Windmills, Little Venice, a Church that is 5 churches merged into one over 800 years etc.
Day 6
We decided that we wanted to walk to the "famous" beaches of Mykonos and set out on the long path from our hotel to one of the beaches - a distance of about 10km. Having left at about 9:30AM we stopped half-way up the hill for some coffee/croissants and then carried on. Most of this hike is along the main road to the beaches, so one needs to breathe a lot of exhaust smoke. In any case, we eventually turn off the main road towards the big signs for Paradise Beach - and there are apparently two of them - one of them is called Super Paradise - not exactly sure what that means. Anyway, our walk to Paradise beach took us about an hour and a half from the Coffee Point midway up the hill from the fork between the Old/New ports. We were exhausted but nevertheless entered a big signed entrance which said "Welcome to Paradise Beach" almost like entering a theme park. A further walk inside led us to what looked like a set of bars on the beachside - almost like a mini Goa!. Once on the beach, we picked a palm tree to shade us from the scorching sun that afternoon and decided to spread out on the sand. We hadn't worn any swimming clothes as the day started off pretty nippy but wished now that we had packed a towel and swimming clothes but nevertheless had a nap for the next 2-1/2 hours while the beach slowly filled up with others visiting this part of "Paradise". The beach isn't spectacular esp if one has visited beaches in Asia esp. the Maldives or the Andamans, India. So, in all we think this was really for those beach starved all their lives and looking for a beach cluttered with bars and we can only imagine what the beach looks like in the peak of summer with sun-beds and parasols everywhere. Not for us anyway. We took the 3PM bus back to Mykonos old town.
Day 7
We left Mykonos on the 10AM ferry operated by Seajets ferry. The ferry arrived late and departed a bit later than expected but we made it to Santorini by 2PM where a city bus was ready and waiting for the ferry to arrive and got us to Fira bus station by 2:30PM. Our next transfer to Oia where were to stay the next two nights was at 3PM. The bus arrived/departed sharp on time and we were in Oia by 3:20PM. Cost Euro 3.60 for 2 adults. We then waited at the Drossos Car Rental place which also acts as a meeting point for tourists and villa and B&B operators.
We had a rental at the Villa Rosaviglia recommended by Conde Nast Traveler which is about 100m from this meeting point. A lady came and met us and escorted us to the property which was a great little find via CN Traveller. Although it has to no views, it had a living, kitchenette, a spacious bedroom and a front courtyard with an openair dining facility as well as a rear courtyard which was rather private with a hot tub. The bedroom was spacious and the bathroom/toilet were very clean and with all modern amenities except mositurising lotion - wonder why they don't keep moisturising lotion in these properties. The villa was very conveniently located to the one main street in Oia and all the viewing points for exception highly instagrammable spots in Santorini. We quickly freshened up and decided that we should go on an ATV (Quad bike) to one of the vineyards the Estate Argyros. So back to the Drossos Car Rental place where we got an ATV and started our ride, helmets and all, to this vineyard. Riding one of these quad bikes is a bit of a weird sensation as it is 4-wheel independent suspsnsion and it seems to be floating on the road but feels like the whole body is getting a massage!. Nevertheless we made in about 40 mins although our map kept saying it was only 22 mins away. A good tour of the small organic vineyard and some wine tasting along with cheese and bread satisfied our hunger until dinner time.
Our return trip seemed to be a breeze on that ATV. We then walked to the tip of Oia to get a glimpse of the setting sun that evening. The main church in Oia was preparing itself for the start of the Greek Easter services and looked very festive.
Day 8
An early start to Fira by bus to try to get a tour of the Volcano, hot springs and Therassia. We took the 8:30AM bus from Oia to Fira and then walked a few hundred metres to the start of the downward walk using 588 steps to the old port at Fira. Alternative modes of transport are riding donkeys or the cable car but we decided that we needed the exercise and the walk down took us about 25 minutes where we got our tickets printed for the Santorini View boat to take us on the 6-hour tour of three islands - Nea Kameni (the new burn), Palia Kameni (old burn) and Therassia
First stop was the active but dormant volcano Nea Kameni (new burn). We trekked about 30 mins to the top of the volcano where one could still see fumes and the smell of sulphur in the air. The views are exceptional and one can see the neighbouring Therassia, Oia and Fira on Santorini and it all looks beautiful. Cost of the boat ride was Euro 30 per person for the 6-hour trip
Next stop was Nea Palea (Old burn). Here the boat stopped for "people to have a quick dip in the "hot water springs" but unfortunately the waters were too cold, or so we were told by some of the adventurous ones who jumped in. The outside temperature was about 19C and the water was expected to be 25-26C but the water felt colder than the air outside.
Last stop on this journey was at Therassia - another island named after the king's daughter. This island was expected to a lunch stop for about 2 hours. There was only path to the top of the island which in the midday heat was rather difficult and steep to climb. We nevertheless made it to the capital of the island at the top but it seemed like no one lived there. After a bit of a walk we found a small convenience store where we had hoped to pick up a bottle of water but the store was closed. However, after some desperate knocking a lady opened the store for us and we managed to quench our thirst and make our way back to the port and our boat in time for the return trip.
On the way back we went past the Western tip of Santorini with Oia at the very top of the hill. We passed a 7-star hotel on one side of Therassia - which was definitely well hidden by the rocky surface of the mountain. Apparently this hotel is frequented by celebrities who can afford Euro12k per night and has a helipad and only private boat access. We passed a nice little church called the Church of the seven holy men stuck in a cove where apparently 7 young men survived persecution and were saved eventually
Day 9
Our last day in Santorini. We walked around a deserted Oia from early in the morning. This is the best part of staying in a town when there are no day-trippers or tourists falling over each other to take selfies. We visited some beautiful sights around this part of Santorini including the most-instagrammed site in the world with the domes of several churches and the Aegean sea and the stunning dramatic landscape of the cliffs around Santorini. Hope you have enjoyed reading about our last travel.
Comments