My Big Fat Greek Adventure, part 2: Enchanting Santorini

As a luxury travel advisor, I love taking clients on amazing trips to beautiful places. On this most recent trip to Greece with my fun-loving clients, we enjoyed spending our first four days in Greece on the island of Crete. If you missed it, you can read about it here.

A high-speed ferry took us to our next stop, the breathtaking island of Santorini. We spent three nights there, which was just the right amount of time to soak in everything this charming island has to offer.

Beautiful Scenery

From the moment we arrived, we knew Santorini was extraordinary. The bright blue waters and stunning caldera views, left us eager to start our adventure. I’ve never seen a more photogenic destination in my life! Every spot we encountered was more picturesque than the last. It’s no wonder that the “Insta girls” and influencers flock here for social media content. Speaking of these “Insta” folks, I suggest avoiding accommodations near the domes. I met a couple whose balcony overlooked the blue domes, and they told me how difficult it was to get to and from their hotel, not to mention the lack of privacy.   I recommend staying at the beginning of Oia.  It’s just a short walk down the marble sidewalk to the heart of the shopping, restaurants, and photo spots, but you can escape when you’ve had enough of the crowds.

Sunset Sail

The highlight of our trip was a fantastic day spent on a catamaran. Setting sail under the bright Greek sun, we were treated to panoramic views of the island’s shoreline. The white chapels with blue domes and small bell towers perched on the cliffs were picture-perfect. We made several stops along the way, one at the Red Sand Beach. The red cliffs and the clear, warm ocean made this a unique and exciting place to swim. Our captain, Spiro, even dove to retrieve my client’s lost Apple watch! Spiro and his first mate, Haris, even prepared a gourmet BBQ lunch with local beer and wine, which was quite delicious.

Our day on the catamaran concluded with what Santorini is famously known for – its magical sunset. As the sun sank into the sea, the sky turned vibrant orange, pink, and purple colors. It was a magical sight and the perfect way to our perfect day on the water.

Shopping

The other two days on the island were filled with shopping and delicious food. We wandered through the narrow, cobblestone streets of Fira and Oia, checking out cute stores with handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and linen clothing. There are also plenty of souvenir shops to choose from to purchase reasonably priced gifts for those back home. Shopping in these charming villages was a lot of fun, and we met friendly locals who were happy to share their culture with us!

Pro tip: before deciding when to go shopping, it’s a good idea to check the cruise ship schedule. Our first two days were relatively light, with only a small and mid-size ship in port. During our final day, there were four huge ships with thousands of people disembarking at once, making it difficult to navigate narrow alleyways. This was an excellent day to do an excursion outside of the towns.

Food and Wine

Our trip to Greece wouldn’t have been complete without experiencing the local cuisine, and Santorini definitely lived up to our expectations. We made sure to sample the incredible Greek food, dining at charming restaurants and savoring dishes such as fresh seafood, stuffed grape leaves, Souvlaki, and the most velvety Greek yogurt drizzled with honey.  Every meal was delicious, and we loved dining while enjoying the beautiful views.

As a perfect finale, we went on a food and wine tour to explore two of Santorini’s picturesque wineries with vineyards growing on the island’s volcanic soil, creating wines with unique, mineral-rich flavors. Venetsanos is known for its beautiful view of the caldera and distinctive wines, including Assyrtiko, a native grape variety; Karamalegos is nestled among a lovely garden, where we enjoyed delicious wine-paired dinner. Our guide told us fascinating stories about winemaking traditions, making the experience even more special.

As our time in Santorini came to an end, we felt lucky to have had such an unforgettable experience. The island’s beauty, friendly people, and tasty food left a lasting impression on us. We were excited to head to our next destination, Naxos, but we knew we’d never forget the sunsets, swims, and shopping in Santorini.

Ready for an enchanted escape to Santorini? Contact Premiere Luxury Travel and let us craft your bespoke Greek adventure because every moment deserves to be extraordinary!