Greece. Part 2. Islands Santorini & Paros. Oct, 2022

Santorini — the most famous island in Greece and a real “postcard” of the country. Whitewashed houses, blue domes and views over the Aegean Sea make it one of the most photogenic places in the world. The island is quite small, about 18 km in length, and the main towns are located on the edge of the cliff with breathtaking panoramic views over the caldera.

Then our journey continued to Paros — an island with a much more calm and authentic atmosphere. It is famous for its white marble, which was quarried here since ancient times. Unlike dramatic Santorini, Paros is all about cozy villages, beaches and a slow island rhythm.

Part 1 of our journey to Athens and the island of Ios can be found here

Day 5. Santorini Island

We arrive at the port, where a bus picks us up and takes us up a winding road, almost along the edge of the cliff. And before we know it, we are at our hotel — Kamari Beach Resort. The hotel is located on the beach of the same name, famous for its black volcanic sand. Well, it’s not exactly sand, but rather small black pebbles. We immediately used them to create a little mosaic on the beach 

At the hotel, we met up with friends and had a wonderful time together. Right in front of the hotel was a beautiful promenade lined with shops and restaurants 

Every day we ordered seafood. Right in front of the restaurants was freshly caught fish, which was cooked right there on the spot 

Day 6. Santorini tour

Right at the hotel we booked a wonderful island tour from Kamari Tours. We stopped in a couple of beautiful villages 

We saw how grapes are grown on the island. They are cut very short so that the vines practically spread along the ground. This way the plants are protected from strong winds and can absorb moisture from the soil. The most famous wine produced in Santorini is the dessert wine Vinsanto. It is made from sweet grape varieties. After that, we moved on to a boat 

And we sailed to the active volcano Caldera and even climbed to its summit! 

And then we swam in the hot springs at the foot of the volcano. The water in the springs has a very high iron oxide content, so it can damage silver jewelry and even stain swimsuits orange 

Then our boat sailed to the island of Thirassia. Here it is — shaped like a crocodile. The island has a population of around 300 people and mainly lives off tourism 

We had lunch at a small restaurant right by the water 

Those who wanted could ride donkeys up the hill. And then we sailed on. Look how everyone got excited 

And all of this was because we were sailing past the most famous place on Santorini — the village of Oia, perched on top of the cliff. We were heading to the port to take a bus again and manage to explore Oia both before and after sunset... And here we are already on its cozy little streets 

There are always so many people there, especially at sunset 

It’s like a fairytale, isn’t it? 

We return to the hotel. Time for a cup of cappuccino 

Day 7. Santorini. Relax

Today we just relaxed by the sea 

We walked a lot and ate delicious food 

Day 8. Paros Island

Our ferry arrives in the town of Parikia — the capital of the island. The hotel was located very close to the port. Next to it there was a banana tree, and in the hotel garden — an orange tree 

Lunch time

And off we go to explore the island’s sights. We saw a funny little car. But at least it’s easy to park:) We picked up some snacks for the road. Breadstick cookies are very popular in Greece 

We arrive in the old town at the walls of the ancient Frankish Castle. We wander through the many winding streets. This maze-like design was once created to protect the city’s inhabitants from pirates. It was difficult for pirates to find their way through the labyrinth of streets, while the locals, knowing every corner and hiding place, could not only hide but also strike first 

At sunset we climb up to the higher part of the Old Town and then explore its evening alleyways 

And we find ourselves in their shopping area 

Day 9. Paros Island

We walked a lot, discovering more and more new places 

And in the evenings we met friends at the windmill by the port and went to a café to enjoy our favorite drinks and play board games 

And here was an interesting way they served juice in the café. On the other side of the counter there was a juice maker 

Day 10. Paros Island. Trip to Naoussa

Today we go to a fishing town — Naoussa. The town lives off fishing 

A very pleasant little town where you can easily spend a few hours. For some reason, in this fishing village we felt like having gyros — Greek shawarma — and of course a Greek salad 

Day 11. Paros Island. Trip to Lefkes

We take a bus and head to the village of Lefkes. Almost all the houses and churches here were built between the 15th and 17th centuries. Narrow white streets stone paths and silence create the feeling that time has stopped here. Lefkes is hidden in the mountains and from its heights there are beautiful views over the island and the sea. It is one of those places where you can truly feel the authentic non touristy spirit of Greece 

We return to Paros. Here is some more food. I don’t know what the Greeks put in their dishes, but everything tasted absolutely delicious to us 

And in Greece, as funny as it may sound, the Greek yogurt is incredibly delicious. In this dessert the yogurt was served with an apple baked in red wine 

And just like that our holiday comes to an end. It’s time for us to return to Athens and then fly back home to Toronto.

Part 1 of our trip about Athens and the island of Ios can be found here.

With love from Greece:)