We arrived in Santorini yesterday morning and it’s been perfect ever since.  The owner of our little hotel picked us up from the airport, and then we got settled into our hotel.  Turns out we’re about a one minute walk to Perissa Beach, it’s right in our backyard!

• view from our room

Pretty much immediately, I changed into my swimsuit.  We grabbed a couple beach chairs and ordered lunch while laying out in the sun.  Perissa Beach is a black sand beach, and that’s due to the big volcanic eruption a long time ago.  It’s gorgeous and not too full of people, I assume because the sand pretty much burns the skin off your feet if you stand in it for more than one second.  Which is why you need a beach chair, and why you don’t complain when they ask you to pay.

After laying out for awhile, we went back to shower and change.  Last night we went to Oia (pronounced ee-ah) to see the sun set.  It’s supposed to be the best place to see it, and it was pretty spectacular indeed.  We took the bus from Perissa (where we’re staying) to Fira (capital), and then from Fira to Oia.  The buses here are strange for sure, but we got through it, and I think the world is a better place for us not renting mopeds like the rest of the island.

Once we were there, TripAdvisor led me to a restaurant with a rooftop area where you can see the sunset perfectly, and all the reviews were right.  You pay for the view, but what a view it is.  I sat there with a glass of wine and my dessert as the sun went down over the Greek Isles…  what can be more perfect?

After dark, we walked around Oia a little more, taking some night pictures of the town, which was classic and beautiful.  Exactly what you expect from Santorini.

This morning we slept in pretty well, and then made our way back out to Perissa Beach.  We were told to go to Red Beach, but after looking at reviews of it on TripAdvisor and figuring out how to get there, I decided against it.  It’s apparently very overrated, plus it’s difficult to get to.  We’d have to take a bus all the way up to Fira (WAY out of the way), and then from Fira to Red Beach.  Pointless, there goes the day.  So no, we decided on some quality relaxation time instead.

We went out to the beach and I set off to find another TripAdvisor recommendation, Aqua Cafe, which gives you free sunbeds if you eat their food.  Done.  I had a delicious greek yogurt with honey and walnuts for breakfast before we staked our claim on the sunbeds for the rest of the day.

We were out there for quite a few hours, long enough for me to get burned and not realize it.  But my butt knows it now that I’m sitting on it firmly, and so does my back.  The front of me is not at all burned, and that seems strange because I definitely set timers so I would tan evenly…

I went into the sea a couple of times over the past two days.  It’s an interesting experience.  The water is so warm and so clear, I have never seen water so clear before.  And the bottom is not at all soft, it’s very hard from the lava that hardened so many years ago.  Not even either, so you’re frequently surprised at where you just stepped.  But such a nice experience.

Tonight we took a bus to Fira to see the other big city on the island.  We walked around and did some shopping, saw some beautiful views of the Caldera (the volcanic island), and also got some great pictures of the traditional buildings around Santorini.  It was gorgeous.

We ate at another TripAdvisor find, which had great food.  I had Moussaka again and it was slightly different but just as good if not better.  Then they had Baklava as their special homemade dessert of the night!  I was in heaven.  It was huge, had so many layers of deliciousness, and it was just amazing.  We even got to watch donkeys go by as we ate, to complete our Santorini experience.

Following that, we were able to catch another sunset from Fira, which was obviously beautiful.  And then a bus back to the hotel.

I’m so thankful that I was able to relax at least once so far!  Dare I say the sunburn was worth it?  Santorini is absolutely amazing, and I wish I could stay for weeks.  Greece in general has been spectacular and a dream come true, I can’t wait to come back some day and spend more time.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Rome to continue our adventure!  Now time for some sleep, I think.