Santorini is where I first fell in love with Greece twenty years ago. Every moment was magical, from the people, to the beaches, to the food, to my tight embrace around my beau’s waist as we scootered to every corner of the island.
I recently returned from my third visit; and, wow, as it changed. The island views are still magnificent but the word definitely got out.
Budget: Luxury, mid-range.
Top Tip: Stay in Oia, preferably at a place with a private deck overlooking the caldera.
Island Memories
During my first summertime visit, it was brow-raisingly easy for anyone to rent a scooter and common for a local restaurateur to beckon you in to try his fare. A small troop of scooter riders would zip up the winding road to Oia each night to perch up on a ruin to watch the famous sunset. It was a bustling island but still felt like a hidden treasure.
I returned a few years later for my honeymoon and enjoyed nightly sunsets on our private hotel deck in Oia. Cruise ships had recently arrived in Fira port. Every other day brought a new group of cruisers into the narrow streets of Fira and Oia, but as quickly as they appeared in the mornings, they disappeared by mid-afternoon. This was perfect for our honeymoon schedule: mornings sleeping in, breakfast at noon, and afternoons at the beach. By the time we moseyed into the center of Oia for dinner each night, the streets were quiet with only the whispers of the Meltemi winds.
Meltemi is Greece’s annual wind that blows through the Cycladic Islands during the summer. It’s a strong, dry North wind which occurs around the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. I’ve always loved them and they are a part of why I keep going back to Greece. It keeps the summer days cool and the evening mosquitoes at bay!
Paradise Found
On my recent visit, three new cruise ships docked each day and a conveyor belt of tour buses dropped eager amateur photographers in Oia each morning, abandoning them until the sun went down. The pilgrimage to the best sunset spots began at 6pm each evening and restaurants filled up shortly after sundown.
American and Chinese tourists started arriving in droves by air and sea over the last few years. As crowded as it is, the increased tourism is understandable. Who could keep this beautiful place a secret?
Is Santorini still worth visiting?
Despite the throngs of cruisers and selfie-takers, Santorini is still worth a visit. The moment the caldera comes into your line of sight is the moment it knocks the air out of your lungs, forces you to stand still and wonder if you’ve died and gone to heaven. Yes. It’s THAT wonderful.
Although it’s changed profoundly over the years, it still makes me undeniably happy. Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, Santorini still demands you stand still, breathe deep, and remember that some beauties are worth sharing with the world.
