If I fall, will you catch me?

This is the second part of my Greece travel blog. To read the first part, click here.

The second Greek island mom and I visited was Santorini, and we were also there for three days. If Mykonos is beautiful, Santorini is gorgeous. Again, words can’t articulate the enormity of this island’s beauty, and pictures don’t do it justice. I will say, with 100 per cent certainty, that Santorini must be one of the top ten most beautiful places in the world. Our hotel overlooked the cliffs and the Mediterranean. If you’re going to Santorini, ask for a room with a balcony overlooking the water. Santorini is rumoured to have the most beautiful sunsets in the world, but if you want to take advantage of this experience, you must stay on the west side of the island. We were in Fira, the capital of Santorini, which is where I will stay the next time I return.

Santorini used to be a large volcano. It erupted in 1500 BC, and most of the island sank as a result. What’s left is a large, horseshoe shaped island with settlements atop the cliffs. Two smaller islands are situated in the centre. The cliffs are colourful and detailed, and look much like how I envision the surface of the moon.

Again, there is so much to talk about, so I’ll detail the highlights below...

Walking atop the cliffs: Mom and I spent the first day wandering through the small streets of Fira. But, on the second day, we wanted to experience something different. Along the cliff’s edge is a walking path, and we decided to wander along it. We started in Fira, and walked along the edge for three hours.Initially, this path is crowded with tourists. As you walk further away, it becomes almost completely deserted. It is along this path that we found the famous blue domed buildings that are Santorini-exclusive landmarks.

The Old Port: There are a few ports on Santorini. On the west side of the island, it’s a huge climb to the top of the cliffs. We landed at a port that had a road to the top, thankfully, but not every port is as fortunate. In Fira, there are two ways to reach the top. The first is a gondola that is ridiculously expensive and fairly unpredictable. There is also a huge wait, and if your time is limited, this can be a problem.
The second way to reach the top is via donkey, and this is also a famous Santorini occurrence. Mom and I didn’t take a donkey ride ourselves, but we watched in amazement as the animals slowly and painfully carried passengers up a long and winding staircase to the top.

Sunset: Whether you’re in the furthest town, Oia, or sitting along the walls in Fira, the setting sun is something that must be experienced at least once. Mom and I stopped to watch the sunset every night that we were on Santorini, and when I go back, I will do the same.
In my next post, I'll talk about Athens. Stay tuned!

P.S. I have over 3000 pictures from my time in Europe last summer. About 800 are from Greece. If anyone is interested in seeing the rest, let me know!