Santorini is a mystical and stunningly beautiful island full of contrasts. It is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds.

From the second that the ferry gets close enough for you to see the island, you will be in awe. The first glimpses of the cliffs of the caldera, at the ferry port, will shock you! I had seen pictures of the island, but nothing compares to seeing it in person and experiencing the sheer majesty of the place.

We began our time here with a taxi ride from the ferry to our hotel in Kamari. It is amazing how they have carved roads out of the cliff of the caldera. The road was curvy and crowded!

Our hotel was nestled into the rocky side of a cliff, overlooking the sea on the eastern side of the island. We did not have a car so it was a great workout getting up and down the hill from hotel to town! Though not luxurious, our hotel had everything we needed- a lovely balcony with sea and sunrise views, great food and a nice pool to relax in after a trek back from sightseeing.

As in other places on our trip, we hopped on a local bus to tour around the island. We headed to Oia, the town on the furthest tip of Santorini, famous for its views and the blue domes you see so often in pictures. The bus itself was an experience…we easily crammed 20 people more than capacity on each bus! It was hot and sticky! I was grateful to two ladies who generously let me perch on the side of their seat while poor Kevin stood beside me holding our backpack. There are so many tourists on the island that infrastructure is stretched beyond capacity, including the bus system. When we got to Oia we noticed several cruise ships in port.

The views from Oia did not disappoint. We sprung for an expensive rooftop snack and sangria so that we could take in the splendour of the view. We felt like we were on top of the world, perching on the side of a volcano!

Santorini is shaped as it is because of a series of volcanic eruptions in their past.

Oia did not disappoint us however it was crowded and very hot. Though the temperature said it was only 25 degrees it felt way hotter…I cannot imagine how it feels in the heat of the summer, during the peak of tourist season when it is 40 degrees and there are more tourists! When we first arrived in town, people were elbow to elbow in the narrow streets for as far as you could see. It can be claustrophobic! After lunch the crowd had dissipated a bit (likely cruise ships leaving) so we could wander a bit more freely and take some pictures…in the more popular picture areas, we waited in line to take our turn. It was worth it!

Kamari, the town we stayed in, is a beach town with a long boardwalk full of shops,  restaurants and bars nestled against the black sand and pebble beach. It was lovely.

We took a wine and sunset tour midway through our stay on Santorini. George, our guide did an amazing job! He was so knowledgeable not only about wine, here and around the world, but also about the land and the people of Santorini. He is from Kamari and as a boy helped his grandparents make their own wine. We started the tour at a wine making museum which was so interesting! George explained their Santorini basket vine system and how it helps protect the plants from sun and wind and the intense heat of their summers. Santorini only gets rain a dozen days a year!!! They have a unique ecosystem because of volcanic activity in the caldera.  Misty clouds rise up the inside edge of the caldera and deposit moisture on the surface nourishing the grape vines where they grow.

We went to three vineyards and tried four wines at each stop! Our last stop was a winery at the top of the caldera with amazing sunset views!

On the way back to the hotel, we had a frank conversation with George about the changes to the island, brought on by tourism. In a few short years he has seen many changes. Vineyards are being replaced by hotels. Bus systems and transportation are being overrun. He has seen days were there were eleven cruise ships visiting! On a small island that is way too many people! This causes stress to the infrastructure, stress to locals trying to live and stress to the tourists! No one wins. It is a sad situation on an island that is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I’ve loved my time on Santorini. It has made me look at myself and ponder the ways in which I can be a more considerate tourist who respects the land and the people around me.