Santorini

White-washed towns scatted with blue dome roofs, you would have to have been hiding under a rock not to have Santorini high up on your travel bucket list!

It was high on mine for a long time so I was beyond excited to go this year, it got even better finding out that we were staying in the heart of Oia, overlooking the caldera with one of the gorgeous balconies that I’d dreamed of eating my breakfast on…get me there now!

Now, I could write a whole novel on Santorini, (it really was one of the best trips) so instead I’ll keep to the highlights.

-Having a caldera view is key, it’s what makes the trip that much more special. Breakfast is brought to your balcony in the mornings and the whole island has such a chilled vibe that some of the most special moments are actually just spent taking it all in.

-The town of Oia is stunning and must be enjoyed. It gets a little cram-packed with tourists, but we got up early every day to take a wander through the town and this was the best time to enjoy it, discovering its small alleyways and hidden cobbled walkways. The blue domes are less prominent than you might expect, so don’t be afraid to seek them out on the side roads, you’ll definitely stumble across a special view or 2.
-Little did we know, Santorini despite being built on volcanic rock, is actually scattered with surprisingly good wineries. So good, that an afternoon of wine tasting is a must! You can do day tours to visit a few wineries if you have more time, but we decided to stumble down to Domaine Sigalas, which is just about a 20 minute walk from Oia. They have many different wine tasting options, we chose a few glasses and took our seats to enjoy the afternoon sun overlooking the vineyards. They were all so good, we bought a few bottles and headed back to town in time to enjoy the sunset.

-If you’re looking for a different way to take in the island, head for the sea! We set sail just after lunchtime for a half day cruise which arrives at Oia just in time for sunset. The trip takes you to special spots around the island, black sand beach, white sand beach, thermal pools where you can jump in for a swim. BBQ dinner and all drinks are included, and arriving for the sunset is just breath-taking.

-Now, onto the sunsets! You need to be over on the western part of the island for these. We explored to find the best spots, and having tried a few, its half-way down the stairs to the tiny harbour that got our vote. Here you can enjoy the sunset while being able to look back on the sun setting on the town. There aren’t any bars to enjoy it, so if it’s not a sunset without a sundowner for you, head to one of the local market shops and bring some drinks with you, simply stunning.

I left Santorini feeling like a part of me belonged there, checking for flights and excited to go back one day.