I went to arguably one of the most romantic spots in the world on my own. And had the time of my damn life! Santorini, although famed for honeymoons and romantic getaways, is so remarkably beautiful that it shouldn't be missed by anybody, whether you're alone, with friends, or with your significant other. Here's my take on a solo trip to the legendary Greek island.
Oia is undoubtedly the most beautiful town/part of the island where all of those iconic photos of Santorini are taken. Fira, on the other side of the island, is a cheaper alternative and was where I decided to stay since I'm on a tight budget. I did splurge a little and spent €55 per night in a single room hotel called San Giorgio Villas which I recommend for a cheaper getaway. Fira town also has the classic beautiful white buildings built on the cliff, fantastic restaurants, and tons of things to do. Everywhere on Santorini is very easily accessible by bus (or you can rent ATVs or mopeds) so where you stay isn't of utmost importance, since you will still be able to see it all.
On my first day, I wanted to visit some of the famous beaches on the island. My first stop was the Red Sand Beach which closely resembles what I think Mars would probably look like. To get there, I headed to the bus station in Fira and found the bus whose destination was Akrotiri, which is the town where the beach is located. The contrast of turquoise waters with red sand and red cliffs was out of this world.
Next up, I visited the Perissa town via bus again, which is home to Santorini's Black Sand Beach. I'm a real sucker for non-conventionally colored beaches as you can tell. It was quiet and beautiful, no surprise there. I treated myself to a fancy cocktail on one of the beach restaurants, chatted with local waiters, and headed back to Fira to catch the sunset.
The next day, I took the bus to Oia, the trademark tourist destination in Santorini. It really is as beautiful as it looks in photos - dramatic, all-white buildings against a deep blue sea, blue-roofed churches scattered among them, and tons of girls with instagram-ready flowy dresses taking photoshoots. I spent in inordinate amount of time walking down the many little alleyways in the city, swearing that every time I looked up it was the prettiest view I'd ever seen, pinching myself every couple of seconds.
Oia is extremely touristy, its true. The restaurants are insanely overpriced - I often try to opt for universally cheap pizza for my meals in expensive cities but found that even this cost me $20 in Santorini. It's also hella crowded, especially at sunset time when everyone wants to get the same shot as you. Arrive early to any sort of viewpoint if you expect to get a spot to take decent photos. I was there in April, too, so not even peak tourist season and it was still unbearably crowded. Of course, it's popular for good reason - it really is a marvelous, picturesque island that you won't soon forget.
What was your favorite part of Santorini?
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