I’d dreamed of visiting Santorini since seeing photos of the beautiful white washed houses perched on the cliffs looking over the seemingly endless blue sea. And… I finally got to visit! Last summer, I spent a few magical days on the island exploring Oia, swimming in the sea, sipping on wine and watching the sun go down.
Here is beautiful Santorini island in 20 photos!
After a few whirlwind days in Mykonos, we hopped on a ferry to Santorini and arrived a few hours later. Approaching the island, I became aware of how large it was and with such a dramatic, rugged coastline.
We chose to stay at Elea Resort in Oia, a beautiful hotel a quick walk into town but also a little off the beaten path. It was perfect because it had stunning views of the sea but also felt secluded like we had our own little corner of the island!
After getting settled, we set off into Oia to explore. The winding alleys were filled with cute shops selling ice cream or jewelry and clothing, most overgrowing with pink bougainvillea.
One of the first things I noticed as we started to get further into Oia was the number of people in town. Of course Santorini is a tourist destination but it felt more noticeable than I’d imagined since the streets are narrow and harder to navigated with the crowds.
Once we got to the edge of town and I saw the rows of white houses and the famous blue domes looking out at the sun going down… I understood why it was so crowded! Watching a Santorini sunset is pretty magical and definitely felt like a pinch me moment.
With its unique climate and volcanic soil, Santorini has some of the best wine in Greece. We visited Domaine Sigalas winery for a tasting and it was one of the most perfect afternoons of our trip! Sitting amongst the vines, sipping on wine and dining on dishes like white eggplant grown right on the property was heaven.
One of our biggest highlights from Santorini was visiting Ammoudi Bay. While Oia is very well known, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the bay and it’s beauty took me by surprise.
The turquoise water surrounded by the dramatic red cliffs with Oia sitting above made for a beautiful backdrop to our relaxing afternoon playing in the sea and floating in the sun.
Really beautiful photographs. I still haven’t made it to Santorini yet but dying to go there. Thanks for the awesome inspiration!