Happy Monday everyone!

I hope you are staying happy, healthy and well.  

It seems a lot has changed and happened in our world since I last posted here.  We’ve gone from living our normal day to day routines to being quarantined at home.  While staying home and avoiding contact with others isn’t the worst thing, I think the hardest part of all this is the unknown.  There’s so much we don’t know, and we are all struggling in different ways.  Some of us feel it emotionally, some physically and others financially.  It is truly a crazy time right now. So, wherever you are and whatever circumstances you find yourself in, know that you are not alone and that we are in this together.  I trust that God has a plan for us, and I have faith that things will get better.  

That said, I shared my thoughts on Instagram a couple weeks ago about how I want to keep things light and positive on my end.  From your feedback, it seems most want a distraction from what’s happening in our world.  And so, with that in mind, my hope is that you’ll find my blog and Instagram as an escape during this time – even if it’s only for a short while.

So, continuing where I left off, last month, I shared highlights from our brief time in Athens and Mykonos including where we stayed, what we did and where we ate.  Today, I am covering the final leg of our family trip in Greece.  In this post, I’ll share highlights from our time in Santorini.  We spent 7 days on the island split between Imerovigli and Akrotiri.  

Imerovigli

We arrived Santorini via World Champion Jet by Seajets.  The ferry ride took about 3 hours from the port in Mykonos to the island of Santorini.  When we arrived Santorini port, we had someone waiting for us that our hotel had arranged and from the port, we had another 30-minute drive to our hotel.

In Imerovigli, we stayed at Abyssanto Suites & Spa for four days.  This was a big splurge for us but staying here was well worth every penny.  It’s quiet, it’s private and the unparalleled views of the caldera are amazing.  Our room was small but beautifully designed.  It was carved into the landscape which gave it a nice cave like ambiance and we also had a terrace which included an outdoor jacuzzi that looked out at the sea.  One of the highlights of our stay was waking up and enjoying breakfast on our terrace every morning with spectacular views.  Additionally, the location is impossible to beat. Abyssanto is centrally located to Fira and Oia, as well as walking distance to many good restaurants – it really doesn’t get more convenient than this! 

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So, after getting everything settled, we went straight to dinner. We got in a lot later than we thought we would and were hungry. We ate at Avocado.  It did not disappoint, and it was the absolute best way to end a long day of travel!

Fira

The first full day of our trip, we decided to see Fira.  It is about a 30-minute walk from our hotel.  We spent most of the day just wandering around town and taking it at our pace.  We probably stopped every five minutes to take pictures of unique alleyways or interesting facades. 

For lunch, we were looking for something quick and inexpensive. We were walking past Why Not! Souvlaki and decided to stop here. The hubby and I had the chicken souvlaki while the little guy ordered a hamburger. The food was good and simple enough to eat while exploring. That said, if you do decide to eat here, you will have to pay a little more to sit in. We took our food to go and found a spot along the path to enjoy our lunch overlooking the caldera.

Afterward, we browsed some shops for souvenirs and then headed back to our hotel to spend the rest of the afternoon in our jacuzzi.  We ordered room service that night for dinner.

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The following day was a lazy one.  We decided to stay in and lounged about, alternating between the jacuzzi and our room.  We left our room only to take pictures of the sunset and my new dress that the hubby bought for me in Fira. After watching the epic Santorini sunset, we made our way to Vigla Restaurant & Café for dinner. The service was good, and the prices were reasonable. Unfortunately, the food was a little underwhelming.

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Profit Ilias, Akrotiri Lighthouse, Red Beach & Black Beach

On our last full day in Imerovigli, we committed to seeing the rest of Santorini and took an island tour offered by the hotel.  Our first stop was Profitis Ilias, which is located at the highest point on the island.  We wandered around for several minutes just soaking in the beauty of the city.  It was so surreal to see planes take off from below you!  

Next, we made our way to the Akrotiri Lighthouse.  It was a quick trip as the lighthouse itself is behind a fence and is not open to the public.  However, you can walk the surrounding area which offers beautiful views of Santorini.  

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Afterward, we visited the Red Beach.  Red beach is one of the most famous beaches in Santorini.  It’s surrounded by deep red volcanic cliffs, and nothing like we have ever seen.  Though, we did not walk down to the beach due to the dangers of rockslide, the view, on the other hand, is very nice and worth a visit just to see it.  

Our last stop of the day was Perissa Black Sand Beach.  It’s a long beach with tons of bars, restaurants, umbrellas and sunbed so it’s a great place to wind down and just relax.  Each of the sun beds is owned by the restaurants and so long as you purchase a meal or drinks you are more than welcome to use them.  We sat by Wet Stories and enjoyed a good couple of hours of sun, sea and sand.  We had dinner that night at Anogi Restaurant for some excellent Greek food. It was definitely very yummy, I would eat there again in a heartbeat!

The next day, we were off to Akrotiri.  

Akrotiri

We were happy to end our trip at Maison Des Lys in Akrotiri because it really allowed us to unwind.  Honestly, traveling for so many days in a row, we were completely exhausted.  All we wanted to do was completely relax and boy, did we do just that.  While we did manage to leave the hotel for an hour or two every day to grab dinner, I admit that we spent most of our days just relaxing by our private pool that overlooked the sea and that would explain the lack of photos!  

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As for the hotel itself, well, it’s amazing.  This is a simple yet stunning boutique hotel that is situated on the edge of the caldera.  Our suite was spacious and had everything we would need.  Aside from the private pool, we also had a giant balcony upstairs where you could catch the sunrise or the sunset.  Similarly, to our hotel in Imerovigli, breakfast was included in our stay and let me tell you, you can’t beat breakfast with a seaside view.

In conclusion, we loved our stay at Maison Des Lys. It truly felt like it was a home away from home, but it won’t suit everyone.  While there were a couple of restaurants within walking distance from the hotel, the location of Maison Des Lys is remote, and a car was essential to see the island.  In other words, if you are looking to be far away from the hustle and bustle, then this hotel is perfect but if you want something lively then I would suggest booking at a different location.

And that’s a wrap! 

Have you been to Santorini? What was your favorite part?

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my travel page for more tips and vacation ideas!

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