A Weekend in Santorini

When most people think Santorini they think of the white houses that cover the hills unlike any where in the world, but a fun fact about this place is that it is an island entirely formed by volcanic rock having over 100 eruptions in the last 400,000 years. The eruptions have shaped this place to what it has become today, an oasis of sun and iconic greek architecture that gets traveler's from all over the world to marvel at.

When my girlfriend and I traveled to Santorini it was the off season so buses don't run very often but they do eventually come around. Avoid being persuaded by the local taxi drivers, they'll charge you €35 when the bus is only €1.60 to Thira, if you want to go to Oia you'll have pay another €1.60.
We waited around 2 hours but we were in no rush so it was nice to relax and take our time.
From the Thira bus stop we made our way our stay which was conveniently close by for us.

The next day we walked down the many steps of the Karavolades stairs down to the port, the shops were closed and nobody was around and it was great to have the place to ourselves. We sat by the water and took in all the sights and enjoyed the solitude. Listening to the sounds of the waves while we felt the cool winter breeze blow through the air was a nice treat before we had to trek our way all the way back up the stairs. During the busy months you can go for a donkey ride but unfortunately for our calfs we had to walk.
Once we made our way up we decided to get some authentic greek gyros for dinner and decided on a place called Yogi's. It was delicious and affordable for the island and they have many menu options, there is also an entirely separate vegetarian menu too if that's what you prefer. Once we finished up our food we made the short walk home so that we could wake up early for our adventure to Oia in the morning.

Waking up nice and early we had a small breakfast and made our way to the bus stop in Thira,
unlike the airport the buses in the centre heading to Oia are more frequent. Heading from Thira we departed on our way, the drive is very scenic with views of the Mediterranean all around. I surprised that Santorini had large hills almost mountain like for such a small island, in total the ride only takes about 30 mins.
Great tip if you head to the island is to bring sunglasses, on a bright day with all the white buildings there's no hiding from the sun and the last thing you want is a headache while exploring this iconic village. The day was filled with walking and many shops closed down, we had managed to find a great cafe and gulped down 2 cappuccinos while relaxed on some benches.
While tourists may not be plenty the cats of this island do not go far with one even joining us for our morning coffee.

Here in the off season you get a lot of time to yourself, it is just you and the sea and all these white buildings, its a great place to clear your head and give yourself a nice little reset before heading back to our busy lives. Santorini was an incredible place to explore and you see a different side of things when not packed with tourists. I'd highly suggest that everyone go to the destination of their dreams in the off season, you get to truly experience a more local way of life and I feel I admire a place more when I am alone with my thoughts.
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Josh