Posts tagged santorini
Greece: Go for the History…and the Party
When I think of Greece, the first two things that come to mind are probably the history and the partying. Fortunately enough for me, these are two things I really enjoy. But there is way more to the country than that, and I have only just scratched the surface.
The Greeks founded Western civilization and gave us the basis of western literature, among other things. If you are planning to go, read a little history, a little Homer and get an idea of life in ancient Greece because when you’re there it comes to life all around you. From the Roman invasion in the 2nd century BC until the early 19th century, Greece was under foreign rule. The Greeks, however, have held onto their culture with an iron fist. They are a proud, kind and welcoming people who are always pleased to see that you have seen the light and chose to visit their country.
Next, the food. Greek cuisine is widely regarded as the healthiest cuisine on the planet. Despite their chain-smoking, the Greeks manage to live forever. It’s fresh salads, delicious feta cheese, fresh fish, fresh this and fresh that. Incredible. Get on it.
The landscape. The island of Santorini (one of the world’s most popular honeymoon destinations) boasts the world’s most beautiful sunset. There are over 5,000 Greek islands and with that many choices, you know they have a diverse range of landscapes. The beaches are nestled in coves against clear blue waters and the sea is famously dark and seductive. Just think of how awesome it would be to say you sailed around the Greek islands for a bit, it feels cool just writing it.
The party. THE BEST PARTY IN THE WORLD, as far as I’m concerned and you won’t be disappointed if you’re looking for an all night, dance-your-ass-off marathon party session. The glamorous party is in Mykonos, but if you want to do it all on a budget and party with students and backpackers check out Ios.
Just do it.
What to Expect from Santorini
Holy mackerel, Mykonos ripped my body apart and threw it to the seagulls. With every passing minute on the ferry, my head swirled against the motions of the waves and filled with pain. It’s so sad, when your body becomes a victim to disease on the road, but I tried to wipe away my horrifying expression and enjoy as much as possible this most anticipated destination: Santorini.
Here’s what one can expect from Santorini…
- All civilization lies at a high elevation on the island. It takes a while to get places.
- Buildings really do cling to the cliffs and present those beautiful cityscapes.
- The beaches are both calm and crazy and all are clothing optional.
- Scooter and ATV rentals abound, making it very easy to get around and love where you are
Climbing caused my head to throb – I could barely open my eyes to the gorgeous sunset falling over the rooftops. And without the ability to open my eyes, I couldn’t rent a scooter and therefore discovered no beaches. Sadly, I did not see Santorini the way it was meant to be seen.
My weary body did, however, muster up enough energy (after 18 hours of rest) to go on the optional tour with the group: to walk over the Santorini volcano, swim in hot springs and ride a donkey from the water to town. Views were blue, rocky, and gorgeous at every glance, and luckily, the heavy smell of sulfur in the hot springs had no affect on me. I could barely breathe, let alone smell! We covered our faces in hot mud from the floor of the hot springs and my struggling complexion caught a break with its healing effects.
We boarded stubborn donkeys at the base of the cliff, only to laugh and scream all the way up. They would run, stop, bite each other, squeeze our legs against walls and other donkeys and I couldn’t help but make as many “ass” puns and donkey references as humanly possible.
Santorini has the parties and the peace. I wish I could have experienced and loved both, but instead I dealt with the realities of travel: the occasional disease caused by exhaustion.