“Greece 🇬🇷 ~The Beautiful Santorini Island”

With our “movement permit” in our possession; a requirement by the Greek government to leave ones home, during this lockdown for the ongoing covid19 pandemic, we were allowed an outing to get fresh air and exercise. We began walking, as our goal was to visit the oldest village in the island; called Oia (oye-ya), but after a half hour, we saw a sign that said we had 2.45h left to walk. We did not have six hours worth of permit, so we decided to rent a car. With the car, we also got to explore much more of the island. We spent more money on fuel, than the actual car rental.

We would spend a glorious day taking in the sites around the island. It is springtime, here on the islands, so the timing to see wildflowers blooming, is perfect! The days can still be a bit rainy, so we waited for a day with sunshine and headed out. By the end of our day, we lost our sunshine to clouds and rain, but we were filled-up and satisfied to have gotten the time we did have, to explore!

Ammoudi Bay
Oia Village view, from Ammoundi Bay
Old structure still being used
We drive to the oldest village on Santorini, called Oia (oye ya).
Oia is a traditional settlement in the north of Santorini. It is also known as “Apano Meria” or “Anomeria,” and the inhabitants are called “Apanomerites.”
Oia was severely damaged in the 1956 earthquake and much work has been involved to implement its restoration.
The Community of Oia consists of following settlements: Oia village, Finikia, Kolumbo, Baxedes and Paradisos to the east and Tholos to the west. Tholos is the second farming village of Apano Meria (Oia). Also included are the bays of Ammoudi and Armeni. The island of Thirassia comes under the jurisdiction of the Community of Oia.
The beauty of Oia is unsurpassed. In fact, it is almost impossible to describe in words. Small white houses tier the hillside, interspersed by splashes of rich okra, deep fuchsia, cobalt blue, oyster pink and earthy red. Smooth winding paths interconnect, interrupted now and then by a small church, and at every corner there is something new to discover.
Oia is one of the most photographed places in Greece, if not the world. It has inspired artists, poets and every visitor who visits Santorini. Oia is best known for breathtaking sunsets; if truth be told, sunrise in Oia is also magical.
We were delighted to find a road that took us by these old windmill ruins. I just love these old windmills from days of yore
Look at the original, grinding mill stone, still inside!
There are many beaches to choose from for a walk. The black sand sparkles in the sun
We got a glimpse of this owl, which appeared to be hunting for breakfast. Not sure, but could be a Burrowing Owl. We’ve seen this breed of owl before in the wild. They are small, but full grown
There are many, many vineyards on the island, along with several winery museums. Wine making is an age-old tradition in Greece
I’m fascinated by the way the ancient vines in the vineyards are created….. with springtime, we now see young shoots for the next crop of grapes
Look closely at the natural design of the dirt on this hillside. Perhaps created with high winds
Next, we drive up the long, winding switchback roadway, to visit the Ancient Thira ruins. The road to Ancient Thira is one of the most spectacular drives in the world. … The fascinating ruins are located on a high rocky headland called Mesa Vouna, from which there are spectacular views down to the sea. The most famous part of this winding road road is called Kamari serpentines.
Overlooking Modern Thira
Ancient Thira. The ruins are behind a locked gate, so we could not explore every part; due to COVID19 lockdown. The ruins of Ancient Thira are located on a headland called Mesa Vouna between the two popular beaches of Kamari and Perissa. In addition to its ancient ruins, the site offers spectacular views over cliffs that drop into the sea on three sides.
Most of the ruins of Ancient Thira date from the Hellenistic era, but there are also extensive Roman and Byzantine remains. Buildings from different periods are mixed together throughout the site along one main street, which is intersected by smaller streets.
This hilltop on Thira was first inhabited by the Dorians, whose leader was Theresa in the 9th century BC. Thira was later occupied in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras. Most of the buildings that survive today date from the Hellenistic era (around the 4th century BC).
The ancient houses and larger part of the cemeteries of Ancient Thira were excavated by German archaeologists between 1895 and 1902, while the cemeteries on the northeast and northwest slopes of Sellada were excavated by N. Zapheiropoulos, in 1961-1982.
Fun day with Mr Terrific
All too soon, we headed back to home base in Fira; the capital of Santorini. The other side of the island began to rain, but by the time we reached home, we had sunshine again
Love locks of Santorini

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About Us

Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More