Kirsten Comes to Visit: Santorini

**WARNING- Picture Overload**

I have always wanted to go to Santorini, so as soon as Rusty and I decided to move to Greece, I waited for the day I could go see it. It only took seven months, but let me tell you, it was worth the wait! It was the most beautiful place I have ever been and fortunately I have an excuse to go back because- unfortunately- Rusty wasn't able to go. Dang volleyball :(

Kirsten and I left Athens around 6am to catch our ferry to Santorini! It was almost an eight hour boat ride. I was nervous that I would get sea sick, but I actually really enjoyed it. The seats were way bigger than airplane seats, plus we could get up and walk around as much as we wanted. There was a restaurant and a café on the main level, and a deck on top of the ship, which we escaped to for fresh air and to see the passing islands. The information desk gave out free Dramamine, which knocked me out, so I would say that helped too.

We arrived in Santorini planning to book a hotel when we got off the ferry. Rusty's teammate, George, recommended we do it that way because hotel owners stand near the dock holding signs, offering deals to their hotel. And he was right, but thanks to my indecisiveness, we didn't end up finding one before they all left, so we took the bus to the center of town. There was one guy at the bus station trying to sell his hotel, and since that was pretty much our only option, we followed him up the street to look at it. It wasn't very nice, but for 25 euro per night, we decided to take it and then find a nicer hotel for the next two nights.

We left our stuff in the room and then immediately began exploring Fira, the capital and the city we were staying in. There is a walkway from Fira all the way up to Oia (Fira is near the center of the island and Oia is the north part of the island). We walked along it, in awe of the view the entire time! 

Does this not look like a backdrop in Disneyland?!

Kirsten's first gyro!

The next day we booked a hotel online- The Galatia Villas, and after staying in the first place (which we ended up hating because we found a dead bug underneath my bed, gross!!) we felt like we had just arrived at the Ritz Carlton. We sat in the veranda area drinking fresh orange juice while we waited for our room to be cleaned. They upgraded us to a villa with a living room and kitchen. The room was clean, it had a pool, and the owner was so nice, he even drove us in his own car to the dock when we had to catch the ferry back to Athens.

After getting settled into the new hotel we rented a 4-wheeler and drove the entire island! This was the best part of our trip. If you go to Santorini, rent one! The island is small enough that you can actually drive the whole thing. It was so nice being on our own schedule and after driving all over for two days, the gas only cost us $10! 

First, we drove up to Oia; the most scenic part of Santorini and the part you usually see in photographs and movies- Is it weird I felt like Lena from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants the entire time we were there? Maybe it was because Kirsten and I watched both Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 1 and 2 on our way to Santorini...but I think it would have happened regardless. Anyways, the view in Oia was even more amazing than Fira. It is just how I pictured it- bright white houses cluttered along the side of a cliff, churches with candy colored rooftops, and donkeys walking the streets. Ahh to be back there right now...

Once we got to Oia, we walked down about 500 steps, literally, to get to Amoudi Bay. Sitting on the dock, soaking up the sun, dipping our feet in the cold, clear water was pure bliss. I couldn't get over how pretty the color of the water was. It was dark turquoise. I could have sat there the entire day and loved every second. It was so worth the walk back up, although now I understand the true purpose of the donkeys.

Haha...he worked at the rental place and went over how to drive it and apparently loved getting his picture taken

This was the aunt's house in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Amoudi Bay

The most classic Greek guy ever...the jean shorts, the black tank, the hat, the whistling...

The next day we made sure to check something very important off our bucket lists: a donkey ride! Since we had already been to the bay in Oia, we walked down to the water in Fira. It was a cool little bay with boats, shops, and restaurants that we checked out and then rode donkeys back up to the city! A donkey ride is probably the most tourist-y thing to do there and yet it made me feel so Greek! 



These girls cracked us up, so I had to document it. We first saw them and loved their tourist style ;) and then they ended up being in our group when we rode donkeys up the steps and the girl in the purple kimono, her hat blew off and she kept yelling "my hot, my hot" until finally the little Greek guy leading us hopped off his donkey and went to pick it up.
So glad she got her hat back.



After the donkey ride, we got on our little "buggy" and set out for Perissa Beach which is on the south part of the island. In order to see everything in Santorini, we made a few stops on the way. Our first stop was at the red beaches. Needless to say, the beaches were red and the view was awesome. I had never seen red beaches before, so I was pretty excited. Okay how many times can I say the word beaches? So, after striking some poses and collecting some rocks, we helmeted up, got back on our 4-wheeler and headed to a lighthouse that sits on the edge of the island. We only had to stop a couple times to ask for directions and climb a hill so big that we were worried for our little atv, but we made it! The view was incredible. It was a panoramic of endless ocean. I know I keep talking about the amazing views, but every view in Santorini really was beautiful. Most of the towns sit on cliffs that overlook the ocean, and if you're not up on a cliff somewhere, you're down at a beach. Could it get any better?!



I was too afraid to stand...

We left the lighthouse and finally made it to Perissa beach. We ate at a place called Aquarius because I'm an Aquarius...just kidding, well I really am an Aquarius, but that's not the reason we went there. It provided lounge chairs on the beach and we wanted to lay on them, so their sales tactic worked, and before I knew it, Kirsten and I were laying in the chairs, relaxing on the black sand beach. 

Black Sand Beach

Dog's Day Out



We wanted to make it back up to Oia to see the sunset, so we hung out on the beach for as long as we could, hoping we would time it perfectly to get back to Oia just in time to see the sun go down, and we did! It was beautiful! Another thing to check off my bucket list!

The next day, our ferry didn't leave back to Athens until 4pm, so we spent the morning walking around Fira. A cruise ship had just got in and the city started to get super crowded. While preparing for our trip here, I was a little worried about going the beginning of April because some things (restaurants, activities, etc) in the Greek islands are only open from May-September. But experiencing the crowds after feeling like we had the whole island to ourselves made me grateful we didn't go in the middle of summer. I couldn't even imagine how busy it gets. We walked back to our hotel, and like I mentioned before, the sweet owner drove us to the dock in his minivan...next stop Athens and then off to Lamia!

Santorini, you were too good to us. One day Rusty and I will be back to visit! <3