-Europe.Greece.Santorini-
Believe it or not but out of all the Greek Islands, Santorini was not on my list of places to fly to and stay and explore. Mainly because it is so touristy and paying through the nose for accomodation does not sound very inviting to me. The perfect solution came when I did a Greek Island cruise with Santorini as one of the stops. Of course this meant – no sunrise or sunset views that Santorini is so famous for. However the experience was very different as our ship was docked in the Caldera and looking up to the slopes where the villages are built is a unique experience altogether.
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Table of Contents
Seeing Santorini
Having just a few hours to visit Santorini is pretty challenging. I had to get to the heart of what I truly wanted to see there. As an amateur photographer , Oia is the most famous with its beautiful viewpoints : so I decided to prioritize seeing that. Thing is, the tender boats brought us to the old port with a cable car up to Fira the capital and we needed to make our way to Oia and back again.
Getting from the cruise ship up to Fira
If Santorini is on your wishlist to see on a cruise, you should go with a cruise ship that stays there for extended hours. We were on the Virgin Voyages ship which stayed from 9am till 10pm which would ensure to be able to see this beautiful island without getting into any stress – otherwise consider using an excursion package either from the cruise itself or an independent one suited to your liking like below.
Taking the Santorini public bus from Fira to Oia
As I have decided that the main place I wanted to see in Santorini was the famous village of Oia – we wasted no time once we got on top to Fira with the cable car. We made our way to the main bus station of Fira / Thera. With the help of Google maps we arrived without problems.
There were a lot of buses there and a rather chaotic scene. I headed to the kiosk where the bus schedules were displayed and I asked the attendant which bus goes to Oia and when. She told me the bus number and the bus leaves in 5 minutes. I hurried to look for the bus number displayed at the top of the bus and waited beside it. The bus ticket seller appeared and called out “Oia” and we were prepared with our cash to buy the tickets and boarded the bus. Just bear in mind that it is cash only. The bus is big and modern and very soon the bus filled up and we were on our way. The journey took about 20-25 minutes and we were treated to different views on our drive there.
Check out the youtube shorts below for a quick tutorial.
Walking around Oia and the beautiful views of Santorini
Oia pronounced “Iya” or “eea” is iconic. As in the short video above: we walked the stone paved narrow streets with glimpses of the caldera. The views are nothing short of breathtaking and to realize that you are standing on the cliff of what used to be a volcano is truly mind-blowing. Here are a set of photos taken from various viewpoints that showcases the beauty of Oia.
While beautiful, there is also a lack of shade while sight-seeing, remember to bring along a cap / hat and a water bottle. We were there in the afternoon which has the advantage of less people and therefore fantastic pictures and of course the brutal noon sun is the reason for it. You can find refuge in the many restaurants there of course – do expect high prices.
Back in Fira Santorini
After our walkabout, we went back to where the public bus dropped us off and took it back to Fira. The scenery was very different along the bus journey.
In Fira the views were nice too, especially the ones that look back down to the cruise ship that was our hotel, transport and entertainment center all rolled into one.
Summary
Santorini turned out to be a bucket list destination I did not know I had – mainly because of the uniqueness of the villages being built on the cliff of a volcano. Nothing beats seeing those captured postcard views with your own eyes.
Sail away on a boat trip in the Turkish Riviera- and enjoy the views including the gorgeous sunset.
Here are some scenes taken in Bodrum.
For more information check the blog post https://zeweekendtraveller.com/index.php/asia/a-boat-trip-on-bodrum/
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Standing still in the midst of a happening square in Europe. Any guesses where this exact location is ?
Correct guess will get comment pinned 😜
#zeweekendtraveller #adelevisitsgreece #zwtinathens
This is definitely my way of "going green" .
Weekends finding hidden spots like this green paradise right here satisfies my inner explorer.
I love a great weekend hangover when weekdays are for recovering and planning for the next great adventure.
#zeweekendtraveller #adelevisitsslovenia #zwtinkamnik
When I think about instagrammable hotels, our recent stay at the Montien Hotel Surawong immediately comes to mind. The place has so many cozy spots and beautiful spaces - and the highlight has got to be its Garden Lounge.
After renovation and refurbishment the Garden Lounge reveal is nothing short of spectacular. I was very impressed and was not able to stop taking photos here.
Tell me are you more likely to choose a Hotel that has grand staircases like this ?
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Me, Myself and I -
When I can`t decide what to do at the poolside of Montien Surawong Bangkok.
Whether its lounging , sitting or ordering snacks and drinks from the bar , its all in style surrounded by the tall buildings and yet cocooned away from it all -
#zeweekendtraveller #adelevisitsthailand #zwtinbangkok
Enjoy my quiet afternoon with @ Bose Earbuds II. The noise cancelling is amazing! I love use it when doing yoga. Really easy to focus on workout. #SoundIsPower bose
I can get used to having a mobile office here. Surrounded by skyscrapers I love this warmly decorated hotel room with those floor to ceiling views.
My blog post for the review of Hotel Oberoi / Anantara Downton Dubai is up. Read all about it at
https://zeweekendtraveller.com/index.php/europe/hotel-oberoi-a-5-star-stay-in-dubai/
Who else loves hotel room with views ?
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🌞💙 "There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul." - Victor Hugo 💙🌞
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🌞 Imagine yourself here facing this extraordinary place... Meteora - either in or out the monasteries - is the place for interiority and for me interiority is a real force. No words needed.... Fab-ulous !! 💙🌞
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🌞 Just one advice for women about clothes to wear : no shorts, no trousers only a long dress or skirt to come in the monasteries... otherwise you`d have to wear one of this kinda pareo. I assure you`d feel like in a play and laugh 😂
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🌞🌞 Follow _fab_ulous_life ... travel in France... and elsewhere 🌞🌞
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#interiority
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