STUNNING SANTORINI

Anne C here:  We have holidayed in Santorini for the past 15 years, and of course this year is no exception, as we are due to go again very shortly.  Sometimes hubby and I have been with just the two of us, often we have taken along our daughter, Louise, and Anne H and her daughter Lizzy have joined us a couple of times - but we love to share our ideal holiday destination, and this year will be just the same!

For the first Santorini post, I am going to share some photographs from previous years, but will obviously update you with new posts once I get there!

Santorini is a wonderful Greek Island - part of the Cyclades group of Islands in the south Aegean Sea. Famous as being a possible location for the lost city of Atlantis, there are many wonderful stories about Santorini, which we just love!  One of the biggest volcanoes in history, it blew out the top of the island into the sea, some 3,000 years ago, creating a huge crater and towering cliffs which today form the tourist towns including the capital, Thira, but other destinations such as Imerovigli, and Oia, all of which are west-facing, and have stunning views of the sunset as the sun dips behind some of the smaller islands created by the volcano.

Legend has it that when Moses parted the Red Sea, this was actually the tsunami created by the volcano in Santorini.  It also wiped out the Minoan civilization some 130 miles away on the island of Crete, and caused the Dark Ages which followed.  

the legacy of that volcano is still evident so bcause Santorini is a volcanic island, the beaches have black gravelly sand, the sea is quite rocky underfoot and the water looks very dark, though in fact it is crystal clear.

Today Thira hosts as many as 8,000 cruise ship visitors a day and makes it a magnet for souvenir hunters - meaning that goods, souvenirs and food are much more expensive here than elsewhere on the island.  The magnificent jewellery shops drip with gold and precious stones from sapphires and rubies to diamonds and emeralds, and with watches from Rolex to Philippe Patek to Tag and Breitling.

I will be writing about some of the interesting places to visit during the coming weeks, but for me - I am looking forward to some rest and relaxation - sitting next to a pool with a long cool drink, a pile of novels to read and thinking about where to eat! Watch this space.....