Villa de Oia

A must if you go to Santorini is walking the streets of this beautiful town. You can get close using the bus that leaves from the capital, Thira, or rent a car to explore the rest of the island (45.00 € a Hyundai i10 for the whole day). You also have the option of a quad with which you can feel the warm air of the island on your skin. Once in Oia all you have to do is walk through the streets, either following the main street or strolling through the intricate web that form the streets and where you will meet impossible terraces over the sea and small houses with doors and windows brightly colored and adorned with plants which will relax your mind.

We left Mykonos on one an inter-island ferry headed toward Santorini. When we arrived, we couldn't believe it. There were massive cliffs above the sea lined with small white villages along the crests. Once we got to the top, with the help of a trusty donkey and tired from the voyage, we started exploring the small streets and discovering the amazing views of the sunset over this ancient volcano which gave birth to these islands.

Some say that the volcano is how Atlantis disappeared. I say it's one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen.

Try to spend at least a full day on Santorini, especially in Oia and Thira...that's where you truly appreciate not only the beauty of the landscape but of the lifestyle as well. It's a shame that it's getting more and more touristy, but at least there aren't any mega-resorts or noticeable touristy infrastructure. Getting lost among the streets of Oia with only the scenic blue domes to guide you is a totally unforgettable experience. Here's a photo I shot...it looks like something off of a postcard. The place is so beautiful that you don't even need to be a great photographer!

A striking contrast of churches and houses cheek-to-cheek amidst an arid otherworldly setting. Oia enchants you, holding you captive forever with her charms.