So here we go, first trip out of the UK after what feels like an eternity. The nervous feeling I normally get before flying was multiplied by a hundred, mainly due to having to complete so many steps before getting on the actual flight and the fear of “what if”. What if my test comes back positive, what if my QR code doesn’t come on time, what if my taxi doesn’t arrive, what if they test me again in Greece and I’m positive, what if I’m positive in Greece before I’m due to fly back etc. The “what ifs” turned me into a nervous wreck but somehow everything seems to have worked out in the end. Looking around the terminal at Gatwick I got emotional more than once, same when boarding the plane. Seems ridiculous to be so emotional at the sight of an Easyjet plane but who cares, this is clearly the effect of the pandemic. Something which seemed so normal before is now a pretty big event. I also can’t help but think that the government handling of the travel aspect of the pandemic has been so chaotic, the constant changes, the traffic lights, quarantine requirements, tests, all of this has done so much damage to us as mentally and I can’t even begin to understand the impact it must have had on the travel industry. I have to say I was so impressed with the airport staff and the Easyjet crew on this journey, so polite, smiling, professional at such a testing time for them all.
At the time of my trip Greece was on the amber list. Let’s not even discuss what this actually means because even the government doesn’t seem to know. Go but don’t go is the message and it certainly does the job as my flight was pretty much empty. This was a first for me! Having the whole emergency exit area to myself at no extra cost felt like a luxury. I had to check my seat number twice to see if they made a mistake!
Arriving in Santorini felt unreal and totally liberating. I honestly felt like I escaped from prison, very dramatic, I know, but that’s how it felt. Given the limited number of people on board, going through security on the Greek side was rather quick, the authorities checked the PLF and the QR code as well as my negative test result and I was free to start my holiday.
I spent the first day of the holiday on my own which was quite strange after having been with someone 24/7 for the past year and half. I opted to stay in the resort of Kamari which incidentally was the first thing you see when you come to land in Santorini. It is super close to the airport and has a beach, quite a rarity in Santorini as it’s mostly a rock. My hotel offered to book me a taxi and I hesitantly agreed, hesitantly because they quoted 20 euros for a 10 minute ride! After some research I figured out that this is normal in Santorini so not much I can do. The lady driver was super nice and helpful with advice and suggestions though and I used her services a couple more times afterwards (I can recommend her for sure – Eleftheria +306982780842, responds to Whatsapp very quickly).
The hotel I had booked for the first night was called Thousand Stars Suites & Rooms https://www.booking.com/hotel/gr/thousand-stars.en-gb.html. I had a really nice room overlooking the pool and the beach which cost approx. £75 per night which I thought was very good value. They didn’t serve breakfast but that wasn’t a problem as there were plenty of places open.
The beach is pebbles so you need water shoes otherwise it will be impossible to walk into the sea. The hotel has sun loungers on the beach so no extra cost for using those, bonus! The weather at this time of year is really nice, not too hot however the evenings were chilly and you needed long trousers and a jumper or a jacket to sit outside, something to bear in mind! I had dinner in Vinsanto restaurant along the beach road and it was delicious as was my “on the house” second glass of wine. The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere and a nice setting right on the beach. The tourist numbers should normally be fairly sizeable at this time of year but I was told that this is what it normally looks like in the beginning of April so it felt pretty special to be able to explore the place without the crowds.
The next day I was joined by a friend and using our tested taxi driver we made our way to the village of Pyrgos which was to be our home for the next 7 days. Pyrgos is located up on a hill so has incredible views from all sides. It is also a traditional village, with a nice old part and winding alleyways as well as lively tavernas you can visit in the evening. It is a perfect place to use as a base and we were very happy with our choice. The hotel we picked was Skyfall Suites (https://www.skyfallsuites.com/) which is just a short walk away from the village square. The holiday was our belated 40th birthday celebration so yes, we did go all out and the hotel was a pretty luxurious affair. We arrived on the first day the hotel was open and after toasting our holiday with a drink on the restaurant terrace (on the house of course!) we were shown to our room. It was the Cabana room which was beautiful, had 2 huge beds (one in a separate room) and a lounge but the star of the show was obviously the terrace with our private pool, sun loungers and the view to die for. I think as soon as we sat there we realized we may see very little of the island, it was impossible to leave! Shortly after we received a bottle of sparkling wine and a snack platter with a “happy 40th” card from the hotel which was a really nice touch. I’d highly recommend this place if you are in the market for a special occasion place.
Another huge highlight was the hotel breakfast. You are given a menu the night before and you drop it off at reception before 10 pm the previous night and the breakfast appears in your room the next at the specified time. It was such a well crafted and beautifully prepared meal and despite our best efforts we never managed to finish it, there was so much on offer! We were particularly fond of the Greek breakfast which came with freshly baked pastries, jams, Greek salad, sweet rice pudding, a spinach pie and then you could pick eggs however you like and other things like extra cheese, ham or bacon plus the coffee, tea, juices etc. It was simply delightful although my body was probably glad that the indulgence only lasted for a week, I’m sure I put on a few kilos from breakfast alone!
When we finally emerged from the hotel and went to explore the village we fell into another trap which was our local taverna called Kantouni (https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g1097549-d4470011-Reviews-Kantouni_Traditional_delicacies-Pyrgos_Santorini_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html). The food there was just unbelievably delicious and we ended up eating there 5 times, it was just impossible to go anywhere else knowing what we would be missing out on. The prices were very reasonable too and the staff very nice and chatty and clearly really knowledgeable about the food too. We tried 2 other places in the village, restaurant Pyrgos which was a more upmarket choice (very good nevertheless) and Penelope up on the castle hill (more about the view than the food but also a pleasant place to hang out) but somehow we made Kantouni our home for the evening and were never disappointed. Whoever is the chef behind this operation should get a pat on the back, what a gem! We tried so many things there but the calamari (which also featured a deep fried lemon, yes, I know, weird but it worked) and the pork skewer were simply out of this world. I’m literally still salivating thinking of it.
At this point I feel like I need to stop going on about the food in case you think I went to Santorini and just sat eating for 7 days and didn’t see anything else!
Our immediate vicinity provided plenty of sightseeing opportunities in the form of the old town of Pyrgos. It’s all located on a hill and has lots of little alleyways and small souvenir shops to explore. At the top, there is a big church you can climb up to and the views are amazing as you can see both sides of the island. It is also a lovely spot to watch the sunset if you don’t fancy visiting the tourist hotspots of Thira or Oia.
After a few days in Pyrgos, we finally ventured out and decided to visit Thira which is the main town on the island. As the taxis were pretty expensive, we decided to give the bus a go and with the fare costing 1,60 euros it was extremely good value for a comfortable, air conditioned ride or about 20 minutes or so. The buses are not frequent but if you’re not in a rush they do the job perfectly. Your hotel will be able to provide you the latest timetable.
Thira old town starts a short walk from the bus station. It is a delightful maze of cobbled streets, all clustered around the slope of a hill overlooking the caldera which is essentially the submerged volcano top. It is super picturesque and of course you can see immediately why it draws the crowds in. There are plenty of souvenir shops, bars and restaurants to visit and a lot of them have fantastic views to enjoy. The town was pretty empty and having watched youtube videos of it looks like normally I felt pretty lucky to be there and have all this to myself. Everything is of course overpriced as you’d expect but still it makes for a great day out.
Oia is another town in Santorini, right at the end of the island, and hugely famous for its sunsets and white domes. Well, we didn’t go there and I don’t feel bad about it. The views in Santorini are spectacular no matter where you go and the opportunities to watch the sunset literally endless so I didn’t feel the need to go there at all. Did I miss a good photo opportunity? Maybe, but am I disappointed? No.
Another thing that we did do though was to go on a catamaran trip round the island. I booked it through TripAdvisor and the company was called Spiridakos Sailing (https://www.santorini-yachts.com/). It costs around £90pp and includes pick up and drop off from/to your hotel, about 5 hours of sailing with multiple swimming opportunities and lunch. We were picked up on time and drove to the port where we were taken on board the catamaran. It wasn’t crowded at all, plenty of space on board for everyone to have room to spread. Nobody wore masks although at the time they were still mandatory outdoors. They only made us put them on when we returned to the port. The crew provided drinks whenever you wanted one, this also included unlimited beer and wine. During one of the stops, we got served lunch in a form of a buffet (they served you) which was simple but delicious: Greek salad, grilled chicken, tzatziki, bread and pasta. Overall, it was a great day out and I would really recommend doing it when you’re in Santorini.
After the sailing trip, we felt like we reached the limit of adventures we want to have and chilled at the hotel for the remaining few days. Again, no guilt about it whatsoever, the hotel was simply wonderful!
Going on this trip during the pandemic has certainly been challenging and stressful but you forget about it all the moment you land and it is all totally worth it. It felt amazing to travel again and I hope that, with the increased vaccination rates in many countries worldwide, travel will open up and we will be free to explore again. Until then, stay safe all.