BENGALURU: I went to Santorini a couple of years ago. And it was every bit as beautiful as I expected it to be. We also went to Oia (a small town and former community in the South Aegean on the islands of Santorini) and it was gorgeous too. We even regretted not staying there even though it is so touristy. That is the thing with some popular spots. They are popular because they are genuinely nice but then they lose their uniqueness. And yet, if you look closer, you will still find the old charm lurking somewhere. We were so committed to be ‘different’ that we missed the mundane beauty of Oia. We did spend an evening here though and the next day, decided to hire a car and drive around.
Santorini refers to what was left in the wake of a volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on this formerly single island. So you are actually living, breathing and roaming around the higher boundary of the volcano and its external wall in Santorini.
We drove around in our rented car and went to the famous Kamari beach with its gorgeous black pebble shore and the blue waters that provided a contrast of colours that a designer might shun, but in the hands of nature, it all sparkled. We also 'chatted' with this extremely friendly Greek kid who didn’t know a word of English. His name was Tatato and he remains one of the nicest memories of this trip. We then went further south and ended the day with the sunset at the lighthouse.
If you go to Santorini, choose public transport, The buses are great, but it’s something else to hire your own car and drive around. All you need is an international license with a limited period of validity.
Bhavani blogs at http://merrytogoaround.com