Breathtaking Santorini, Greece - Red Beach, Pyrgos, Kamari, Koutsoyannopoulos, Fira

I suppose it's wise to separate the Santorini trip into two posts as there are just too many photos. Oops.





The first thing that I noticed when the ferry from Mykonos boarded at Thira, one of the ports in Santorini, was the view. Not every building is as white as those of Mykonos'. However, I've had high expectations for Santorini as it is rumoured to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I guess I deserved as much for not doing research for this trip. Turns out that the postcard photos are all taken at Oia, the northern part of Santorini island (which I will be covering in part 2 of Santorini). Well, some other places in Santorini are worth visiting too, really.



Cliffside view from the bus.





There are a few spots for panoramic views of the caldera on the way from our hotel to our first stop for the day tour which are just spectacular! We decided to stop the bus and take some photos.

I'll sort the photos by towns / tourist destinations then.


Red Beach, Akrotiri







So.. what makes it the Red Beach?



Red rocks, of course! It's actually far from a beach. Again, blaming myself for not doing much research.. I wore sandals there and it was the worst choice I made that day. Ugh.







Nevertheless, the water was a beautiful turquoise under the hot sun, contrasting with the red rocks. There weren't too many tourists around in May and it was not too packed. I couldn't say the same for peak seasons though.


Pyrgos



The beautiful town of Pyrgos requires a little bit of a climb to get to the top..



Okay then, stairs it is.



Up some more stairs..



And MORE stairs..



Turn a right for a donkey ride (no rides for us, unfortunately.. even though Santorini is quite famous for the donkeys).



Down the hobbit hole we go..



Up the stairs into someone else's house..



Seems like we've made it after all! You can see most tiny specks of houses from up top.


Kamari Black Beach



I decided to share the above photo cause it's pretty. LOL





Here we are, at another beach. Me and my perfectly paired sandals were so happy when I saw that this beach is not made up of huge rocks but small pebbles instead. So I tried walking on the beach barefooted.



Welp. Bad decision. The stones were scorching hot! I stopped long enough for some photos and it was back to trusty ol' sandals.





Great place to sunbathe though. I'm not that much of a sunbathing person as I get enough sun back here in Malaysia. Heh.

Koutsoyannopoulos Wine Museum


After the beach, it was time for some wine tasting at a wine museum that I couldn't pronounce. Somehow European accents are kinda intriguing. And pleasant to my ears, even though I can't make out what they're saying.











They handed out a handheld device (something around the size and appearance of a Nokia 3310) to every one of us. We just have to press the numbers written on the exhibit to find out more about the said exhibit. About wine-making, of course.



And the photo above cause it's pretty. We tasted a few bottles of wine and.. I'm not that person you would ask out for a drink.


Fira



Fira is the capital of Santorini and an awesome town. The items there are not too pricey, and you get decent good food there. Of course, let's not forget the beautiful Aegean Sea!



You could get a wide range of items there, from accessories, to souvenirs, to clothings, and even shoes and bags!







You could shop all day, or just relax and watch the deep blue sea from Fira if you are not afraid of the heat.



"Save water, drink wine"
Thumbs up for creativity.

Part 2 of Santorini coming up within a week. Been busy with school stuff though. And being lazy.