Oia: A Dream Come True ©Dawn Minott | Greece Travelogue (Part I)

On By Dawn MinottIn Poetry

A couple of years ago, I was flipping through a travel magazine when I stumbled upon pictures of pristine white buildings crowned with startling blue domes, set against an azure sky.

Yes, like this building, except I took this picture!

I was captivated. At first, I wondered if it was a painting. It truly looked like a work of art. But if this was real, I needed to know: where is this place?

Sure enough, the magazine cited the location: yes, you guessed it—Santorini, Oia to be exact.

Being a hodophile with an insatiable wanderlust, I immediately began planning my trip to Greece, with Oia as a must-visit destination. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Photo taken by me in Oia!

I decided to visit in April when the weather was just right—not too hot—and the number of tourists was much lower than during the summer months.

Because it was just before the peak season, I witnessed firsthand why these iconic buildings always appear so pristine. Everywhere we went, hoteliers and homeowners were painting, and whitewashing walls and steps, and washing windows.

We stayed in a charming boutique Airbnb (Seven Suites) complete with a whirlpool and infinity swimming pool just outside the bedroom.

Relaxed start to the day— watching the sun rise (one of my fav nature phenomenon to witness)

Under the canopy of the night sky and distant stars, or early in the dawn as sunlight pierced the day, I could gaze off into the horizon, lost in thoughts of wonder.

We started our exploration in the village of Imerovigli, marveling at the whitewashed houses built on the edge of a 400-meter (1,312 feet) high caldera on the western edge of this semi-circular volcanic island.

Photo credit—me!

From Imeroglivi we trekked to Fira (or Thira), the capital, winding our way through narrow, zigzagging footpaths, passing those iconic spots that many an ecstatic tourist, like myself, captured in photos and posted with hashtags galore.

But there was one photo I wanted above all else — in a flying dress!!

Clad in an oversized dress with a long, feather-light trail for that perfect windblown effect, I climbed up and down stairs, clawing my way to the rooftops of buildings to get the best flying-dress photos my afraid-of-heights self could muster. Each step toward the rooftop was balanced with inner reassurances: “It’s okay. You’re okay. Don’t look down. Think of how stunning your pics will be!” I made it to the rooftop, and got a couple good shots, like this one:

And after you’ve conquered a roof, well you just gotta have a blue dome:

Thank you http://www.santorinidress.com!
Not our ship but it was too idyllic a shot not to take! This beaut was docked in Fira.

With only three days on the island before our Greek Isle cruise began, we made our way to Oia—the place that had been my fantasy vacation for so long.

The windmills of Oia
Remains of an old Venetian castle
This is what wanderlust being satisfied looks like!

And she did not disappoint. Oia, the postcard village of Santorini, is considered the most picturesque village and offers stunning views of breathtaking sunsets.

From the town, starting near the Venetian castle, we trekked down almost 300 steps (278 to be exact) to Ammoudi Bay.

1st of 278 steps toward Ammoudi Bay
Beware! Falling rocks!!
Looking up from Ammoudi Bay! See the remains of the old castle all the way up?

We descended on foot, but you could rent donkeys. Already challenging my fear of heights by just looking down from the castle to the bay, I decided against going down on the back of an ass (pun intended).

Ammoudi Bay is beautiful. It’s a tiny cove with crystalline waters and fishing boats dotting the sea. Undeniably, it is one of the most picturesque sites of Santorini.

Along the waterfront, several fish taverns stand side by side by the sea, where you can savor delicious fresh dishes and unwind to the sound of the waves while facing the vast Aegean Sea. And that’s exactly what we did at a restaurant renowned for its Michelin-star excellence.

There are no beaches at Ammoudi Bay, but that did not deter me from getting in the water. Well, not quite. I had to at least dip my feet in the cool, crystal waters of the Aegean Sea.

What’s a trip to Santorini without capturing photos of those iconic white buildings and blue domes?

Not painted white but this is the John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral so it had to make the list

And last, but by no means least — Greek cuisine! Here’s to some restaurants that delighted me as a lover of good food!!!!

Creative seating outside a souvlaki eatery!

Oh … a cute fact I learned: Santorini is shaped like a croissant 🥐. Yeah, I’d say that’s about right!

In a heartbeat!!

That is my resounding response to: Would I go back to Santorini?

2024 All Rights Reserved
All photos taken by me!

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In creative solidarity, Dee

34 thoughts on “Oia: A Dream Come True ©Dawn Minott | Greece Travelogue (Part I)”

  4. Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed your Santorini trip, and your flying dress pics are perfect!! 👌😊 I was in Santorini recently myself, I’ll posting more about it soon. Sounds like April is a good choice to avoid the hot sun and crowds, June was scorching hot. I didn’t spend much time in Oia, but did do the hike from Firostefani to Oia.

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    1. Hey Cheryl. Yes the weather was wonderful in April and we weren’t bombarded with crowds. I too wanted to do that hike but didn’t get around to it. Looking forward to reading your Santorini article. Cheers

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