Santorini, Greece
Santorini
“Fill your life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show” – Unknown
Santorini will surpass your expectations. It’s better than all the images you will no doubt have seen in your searches. The images which you gazed upon in travel guides or Google will be blown away as you stand on the cliffs of the collapsed volcanic caldera. The sense of scale and depth simply cannot be captured. Two-dimensional photos don’t do it justice. It is one of those places on earth that has to be experienced.
Towns to visit
Fira is the main town on the island and the most cosmopolitan by other city standards. It’s opposite Fira that the continuous stream of cruise ships drop anchor and deposit thousands of tourists. So expect it to be a little busy at times.
Oia is also built on the slopes of the caldera and can be busy with tourists who catch the twenty-five minutes bus ride from Fira. Everyone tries to be there at sunset so it will be really crowded and not great for quality photos. Still, there are lovely places to eat and drink at as you soak up the bustle over a Volkan beer, or one of the great beers from the Santorini Brewing company. Have a try of their Yellow Donkey, Red Donkey and Crazy donkey, if not, just for the names themselves. Who doesn’t love ordering a second Crazy Donkey?
Imerovigli is the little town we were advised to stay in and it was a great bit of advice. It’s within walking distance from Fira, and short bus rides to other parts of the island. Being off the tourist radar, it’s quieter and a great place to take photos from.
We landed at the airport in the evening so were driven to the villa in the pitch of night. The first image below is the view that awaited us during breakfast the following morning. Our own personal balcony with the majestic view in front of us. It was a great way to start the trip. Look up Thea Apartments in Imerovigli for a great place to stay.
Getting about the island
Our main goals in Santorini (other than photography) was to have a holiday and celebrate my wife’s birthday. So, we hired a great Quazilla road-legal buggy, to speed down from the caldera’s edge and see the other parts of the island. It’s highly recommended to see the rest of Santorini while you are there because it’s so different to the tourist areas along the cliffs. Have a look out for the red, and black beaches on your maps. As a traveller or travel photographer, it’s your job to see and document the full story. Get there and enjoy this paradise.
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What a breath-taking set of images. And I loved reading the post – felt like being back in Santorini again. Such an amazing trip and THE best way to celebrate my birthday.