by Chris Dobson
Arriving on a ferry from Italy to Patras, Greece in the middle of the night, we headed straight for Athens, completely oblivious to crossing the Corinth Canal.
Our first stop was Lagonissi, a coastal area south of Athens, to catch up with some Greek friends and after a few days of relaxation here the mood was set for our next adventure – the Greek Islands.
Navigating port Piraeus was an experience in itself as the roads are still the width of a horse and cart, but once our ferry pulled into Santorini, we knew our efforts had been worth it.
Santorini is the southern most island in the Cyclades group and home to over 250 churches. Accommodation wasn’t a problem as we had arrived just prior to their peak season and the wharf was swarming with locals touting their rooms.
Of course what we agreed on at the wharf and what they attempted to charge us once they had us back at their hotel was quite different.
As we headed out the door and wandered down the street looking for alternatives, we were chased by our man and the original price was agreed on.
Backpacks down and off to the first moped shop.
With transport sorted we were off to discover the island. Santorini was everything we had imagined – clear skies, blue calm water, crisp white buildings and … black beaches?
Apparently it does have white beaches, but our trusty mopeds only ever led us to those not seen on the postcards.
Back on foot we wandered through the magnificent villages built into the side of the cliffs, filled with tiny taverns, tourist shops and roomsto rent. At the end of each day we headed out to Oia for the legendary sunsets.
Each night the crowd would gather and the serenity would be shattered by the sound of cameras. We all got the shots we were looking for though.
We explored the islands of Ios and Naxos as we headed back to Athens and on to Italy, stopping for our photo of the Corinth Canal along the way.
The Greek Islands are absolutely stunning and we all vowed to return one day.
Have you also been to Santorini or any of the Greek Islands like Chris? Is it somewhere you would love to go? Let me know in the comments below.
Years of travelling the globe have seen Chris Dobson make this passion her livelihood.As part of the TravelManagers group here in Australia, Chris is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to get back on the road.
Chris lives in Western Australia with her husband and young family.
