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Santorini is the quintessential Greek island. It is named for St Irene, but is also known as Thira. It is in the Cyclades group of islands, and its stunning geography, an island bent around the top of a volcano crater, provides for incredible views and superlative sunsets. Long a favourite stopover of cruise ships, it offers more than just a donkey ride up the hill to the restaurants and souvenir shops of the village of Fira.

 

In fact, the donkeys are probably best avoided, since they have a special smell which can linger in the nostrils while you're trying to savour a retsina. Put another way, the smell of donkey can put you right off your octopus salad! Oia's sunset views are everything you would hope of a Mediterranean sunset. There are plenty of charming little bars with brilliant views. Right on the tip of the island, there's a tiny convenience store, which sells bottles of wine and paper cups. Cheerfully join the rest of the slack-jawed tourists in having a drink while sitting on steps, walls and paths, but do not miss that magical moment when the sun slips over the horizon.

 

Another lesser enjoyed pleasure of Santorini are the great self-drive options. Book a great Santorini car hire deal with us, and then explore the lower slopes of the island on the other side from the caldera (or volcano-crater.) Take care! While the roads are excellent, some are narrow and the drop down either side will have you clutching your heart and gasping. There are several wineries at the opposite end of the island from Oia, several who do tasting packages with delicious mezze plates. A couple of these have views which rival Oia at sunset! The wine is varied - don't be surprised to get a whiff of donkey among the dry reds.

 

Getting There by Air

Santorini is in the Cyclades group of islands, and can be reached by a short flight of 45 minutes from Athens and 90 minutes from Thessaloniki. The airport is 8km from the town of Fira, and there are plenty of taxis. You can also collect your great value Santorini rental car from the airport, to see the island at your own pace.

 

Getting There by Ferry

Ferries from Piraeus near Athens take 7-8 hours to reach Santorini. While it might seem like a saving to take an overnight ferry, note that the standards can be very variable. Some are comfortable, air conditioned and have reclining chairs allowing a reasonable night's sleep. Others are smoky, poorly ventilated, crowded and hot. Occasionally a ferry is cancelled or delayed, leaving passengers stranded at the port in the dark, and then passengers, luggage, cargo and livestock will be crammed onto the next ferry.

 

During peak season it's wise to book in advance, but get advice from other travellers on which line to book with where possible. In shoulder seasons when availability isn't a problem, go to the port the day before and check out the vessels yourself. Don't worry, the trip is worth it!

 

Santorini food
Greek food is delicious. Greek island food is even better! That said, you can pay a large number of Euros for some very average meals. If money's no problem, go for the best! If, like most us, your travel dollar/pound/Euro/dinar is limited, then splash out for one really, really flash dinner in Oia or Fira, at one of the top places. The rest of the time, give Fira a wide birth. Especially avoid places with touts and billboards out in front, especially where the menu is translated into five European languages and the prices are quoted in pounds or $USD.

 

Instead, use your great value car rental vehicle to visit a local supermarket, farmers market or winery. Pick up provisions and make up picnics. Plenty of accommodation options include a delicious continental breakfast with island bread and local cheese and olives. There are more traditional tavernas in quieter parts of the island to which you can drive your economic rental car. Don't be deterred if there's no English menu. Locals will do their best to help. There's also nothing wrong with just surrendering, and either pointing to what others are having, or letting the kitchen send out what's good. This is the way to have some of the most fresh, delicious and memorable meals in Greece. Just remember, the driver can't sample too much local wine, as the blood alcohol limit for drivers is 0.05%.

 

For more information, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini