A Sanctuary in Santorini

 
Santorini is one of the most special places we've ever been in the world - and completely different from the island we just came from in Mykonos.  Rather than being dotted with expansive beach side resorts, Santorini was quite the opposite.  Since Santorini basically exists because of a volcanic explosion, the entire island sits atop steep, rocky, cliffs.  The hotels are pure white boutique-y establishments pouring over the hill tops like beautiful white lava speckled with little blue domed roofs & luscious swimming pools.  And because you're literally on top of the world - the sunsets are absolutely breathtaking.

When we arrived at Canaves hotel in Oia, it was like a dream.  Our view of the sea caldera was something that truly captivated us every night & every morning when we woke up in Santorini.   It was absolutely flawless each night of our trip, and progressively got more and more picturesque as we continued our time in Santorini.  There are few things more perfect than sitting hand in hand with your husband nightly with a chilled glass of white wine, and watching the sun go down over one of the most beautiful places you've ever been in all of the world.  The entire island of Santorini and all of it's visitors stopped nightly at sunset to watch the sun dip down into the sea, because it is THE most gorgeous sight you ever did see.

But aside from the amazing views and unbelievable sunsets, there were a few other highlights from our 3 day stay in Santorini.  After we had spent the previous 4 days on the party island, Santorini was a perfect retreat, it was relaxing, and just all around romantic!  It's amazing how the entire vibe of an island that was only a boat ride away could be completely different, but equally as exciting and enjoyable. As I did for Mykonos, I've shared some of our favorite parts of this pristine island.

Our Sunset Catamaran - Unlike most of our Mobley vacations, we had limited excursions and adventures planned during or time in Greece.  But since Santorini isn't actually ON the water, our only request was for a sunset catamaran trip through the sea.  Santorini is covered in different colored beaches - there are the white, red and black sand beaches - and our boat stopped at all of them for us to jump off the sides and enjoy the water.  And because every night the sunset is a main event - we stayed on the boat and sailed towards what felt like the end of the earth, while the sun set into the sea.  We had endless homemade Greek wine and ouzo, fresh grilled Greek BBQ, and panoramic views all around.  Most of our boat excursions are pretty epic, but this one was one-of-a-kind.

The nighttime sky - Almost as impressive as the sunset and 360 degree views during the day, is what Santorini looks like at night time.  When the skies turn black, and the moon lights up the entire island & the cliffs are speckled with twinkling lights - it's absolute magic.  We ventured out to enjoy the evening views a few times - and we stumbled upon Ambrosia, a restaurant that boasts one of the most dreamlike terraces in the city with a mouthwatering menu of authentic Greek and Mediterranean delicacies.  And walking through the cobblestone streets in Santorini is the definition of romantic.

A table for 2 - The restaurant at our hotel has an adorable private table on the terrace that is just big enough for a romantic dinner for two.  If you're lucky enough to be able to reserve it, it's just perfect.  We got a tip from our trusty travel agent before we left the states - and it was the ideal setting to take in our unbelievable surroundings and hold hands across a candle lit table while discussing and reminiscing about our adventures and where our travels will take us next!


Amoudi Bay - Not only did our sunset cruise go into and out of Amoudi Bay, but it was also our destination for dinner on our last night in Santorini.  The Mobleys opted NOT to climb the famous stairs that descend from the top of the cliffs down to the water where the little bay town resides - nor did we take the famous donkey rides down the very steep cliffs.  But we DID make sure to have a reservation at Amoudi's Fish Tavern - the place for real, fresh, Greek sea food.  This is a place where, if you're lucky, you can catch a jolly Greek chef stepping outside the kitchen to cut the legs of an octopus with a giant knife before your very eyes.  Their sun dried octopus was to.die.for and it's one of the few restaurants in Santorini actually on the water rather than on the cliffs.

Canaves Oia - Again, this blog wouldn't be complete without a bit of a rant about how perfect our hotel was.  Each suite in the hotel has double doors opening up to the view of the sea caldera and an adorable little sitting area to enjoy the day's last rays of sun, or perhaps gaze upon the sparkling lights saturating the cliffs at night time.  The drinks from the pool were another highlight - I had a watermelon chili margarita that was life changing.  And the bartenders bring around blended treats throughout the day to keep you cool & happy!

I'm not sure we'll every go anywhere else as special and unique as Santorini.  I like to think that there are other gems in the world that we'll get to travel to together - but Santorini was something else. After this experience, I'm convinced I have a better idea of what heaven will look like if I'm lucky enough to get there. Even though we still had one more night in Greece as we jetted up to Athens, we departed Santorini with full bellies, heavy hearts and photographic memories of the views and sunsets. We'll be dreaming and reminiscing of this island for the rest of our lives.