If asked to describe a typical Greek island, many people would say white buildings on a treeless, rocky hillside with blue domed churches. This description is apt for the Cyclades Isles. These charming islands which seem tailor- made for a movie set are why so many tourists come here.

From the 33 inhibited islands in the Cyclades, Santorini (Thera or Thira to the Greeks) is definitely the queen. Over 3 million annual visitors come to see & experience one of the most picturesque locations on Earth. Why not? The pristine white villages seem to pop out against the dark volcanic soil & deep blue Aegean Sea which makes a perfect holiday setting.

With help from the highly supportive tourism industry, each building is newly whitewashed each spring. Here is the history behind this iconic Cyclades appearance:

Most visitors make their way to the island’s westernmost town called Oia (pronounced EE-ah) This is probably the most photographed place in Greece. However, to visit it, you need to be prepared to climb up & down many steps because the houses are built into the vertical mountain side, one on top of the other. Even with the vertical challenge, Oia is well worth the trouble. Every direction you face & every turn you make just begs to have a picture taken to capture every spectacular view.

For many, being in Oia at sunset is the ideal photo opportunity with its “golden light”.

Santorini is also famous for its volcanic eruption which around 1700 BC & covered the ancient city Akrotiri with ash, much like Pompeii in Italy was. No human remains or valuable jewelry have been found at Akrotiri which means the inhabitants must have known their city was doomed & left before the cataclysm.

The gigantic eruption had a devastating impact on the Minoan civilization in Crete which is 60 miles away. Here is some information about this explosion:

The last lava flow at Santorini was in 1950; but, significant seismic activity occurred this year which means another volcanic eruption could still occur… sooner than later.

Santorini is the remnants left after the explosion.

On this trip, we visited the ruins at Akrotiri & the Museum of Prehistoric Thera museum which contains many artifacts & wall frescos found at the site.

Being on Santorini is always a joy, even though it is a popular stop for large cruise ships. Multiple cruise ships stop at the same time bringing their passengers ashore which causes huge crowds. To escape all this hubbub, on all our previous visits to Santorini & including this one, we enjoy making the 8 mile hike from Fira to Oia.

Here are some images taken on our hike:

We stayed in Oia again; but, instead of staying in an old windmill, this time we stayed in a “cave house” which is dug into into the mountainside. Since it came with a small kitchen, we enjoyed making our own meals which was a nice change.

On our very first visit here, we met a young artist who painted Santorini scenes on old wooden wine barrels & doors. We were happy to see that after many years, she is still here & we purchased more art from her to display at home.

Cats are everywhere in Greece & add to the ambiance.

On our last night we enjoyed the evening lights.

For me, Santorini is one of the few places that not only lives up to my expectations; but also, always exceeds them. Despite the humongous cruise ships that bring large tour groups, it is still exquisitely lovely. 🥰