Cliffs, Donkey Dung & Black Sand

Artview of Santorini
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What an awesome sight to behold! The ferry trip into the dock was simply unbelievable, the cliffs of Santorini are a stupendous sight, and especially the buildings perched on top and down the side. Similar to Lake Toba in Indonesia, Santorini is another exploded supervolcano. You can literally see where the island centre got jettisoned into the air, leaving the edges behind. What a sight that must have been. The tsunami would have been a spectacle too. I believe poor ole Crete to the south copped the brunt of it, apart from the locals that is!

But what has been left behind is one of the most beautiful islands in the world, and most definitely in Greece. Climbing the many steps (carefully avoiding the donkey dung) up to the top of the island took ages but the effort was worth it, the views are even better from the summit. There are many restaurants and bars perched on the edge of the cliffs and they must have the best views of any restaurant in the whole world. I hoped Santorini would be a bit more relaxed and I was right. Due to the nature of the island it attracts a more up market crowd – unlike people like me. It took me a while to find an affordable place to stay.

What has been left behind is one of the most beautiful islands in the world

I hired a scooter and rode around the island, visiting small cafes in little villages, climbing to the top of the island’s highest point and even having a sunbathe on the jet black volcanic sand by the sea. A word of caution, black sand gets infinitely hotter than normal beach sand!

It does have a night scene but nowhere near as debauched as the other islands. A few of us made a night of it one evening, but I admired the views rather than get too drunk.

A truly beautiful place.