Sep 2013 - Greece,unforgettable Santorini

After the two wonderful days in Athens, experiencing the culture , cruise, museums and sites such as the Acropolis, I took the metro out to the Athens airport for my short flight out to Santorini.   There, I took taxi to my little hotel at the highest point of the volcano rim at Imerovigli, just about a mile from Fira, the largest and most visited town on Santorini.   The views out over the volcano caldera have to be seen to be believed.   They are truly stunning, especially the sunsets to the west.  I hiked into Fira along the rim pathway several times during my 3 day stay.   I also took a couple hours to climb down the cliff from my hotel and out to the volcanic pinnacle to take photos back toward Fira and also out to Oia in the other direction.   One day I signed up for an all day tour, starting with a van ride to the new port.  There, I went onboard  a tour ship that sailed out into the caldera to the largest island in the center of the caldera, Nea Kameni, docking in a big protected cove.  We then had a couple hours to hike to the summit of the island for great views and to be able to see the actual volcano crater up close, with its volcanic hot vents and steaming holes from the relatively recent activity.   We then moved to another nearby island, Palia Kameni, to have a chance to swim in the murky waters above the volcanic hot springs vents that really warmed the ocean there.    Next, it was on to the largest and further most island remnant  of the rim, Thirasia.  It was about a 900 foot hike up a steep trail from the waters edge at the little harbor to the top of Therasia and its charming main village.    After many photos, I descended again to the waters edge and a late lunch at one of the several charming Greek restaurants right on the water.  Finally, we cruised over to Oia, where we dropped many off many passengers, before heading back to the port for another ride up the steep caldera wall and then on back to my hotel in Imerovigli.    I had my evening meals timed so that I could enjoy the stunning sunsets each night while there.   After the wonderful, but short 3 day stay on Santorini, I  then took a taxi down to the new port at midday for the trip on a high speed ferry south to Iraklion , my base location for my coming week on Crete.

The  morning view from my little hotel on the rim.  In the distance , Oia to right and Thirasia to left

The pinnacle in front of my hotel .   I hiked out on to it for photos.

Looking back towards my hotel from out on the pinnacle

The view from pinnacle, towards Oia in the distance 

Looking from pinnacle out across caldera to Thirasia, which I visited later

The view from the pinnacle across caldera towards active volcano island of Nea Kameni  where I hiked.

The breathtaking view at lunch from my little hotel's restaurant

Words can't describe the beauty of Santorini

A view along the mile long rim trail from my hotel into Fira, showing a tiny Greek Orthodox church

View back towards Imerovigli where my hotel was on the rim, with the pinnacle showing

Typical restaurants along the rim trail into Fira

A well known, larger Greek Orthodox church adjacent to rim trail into Fira

View nearing Fira, with far side of island in background and volcanic highest point center right in distance

view down cable car to old port from center of Fira.   Note the many cruise ships in at this time.

One of the more charming of the many little restaurants along the rim trail into Fira

view from very near my hotel, with Oia in the far distance on right

Yet another scene of unforgettable beauty along rim trail near downtown Fira

Yet another delightful appearing little restaurant along the trail  in  Fira

shops along rim trail entering Fira

another of the many bright red Bougainvillea in full bloom

another wonderful, colorful view from trail entering Fira

more of the bright, beautiful, blooming Bougainvillea   

Amazing view of Fira , with the cable car from down at the old port in foreground

typical view along very narrow passageways with in Fira, with shops and restaurants on all sides

My tour boat as it leaves new port for day cruise to various islands in and around caldera

looking high up to top of rim above the new port we just left

View of tiny harbor on Nea Kameni, as guests leave tour boats for hike to Volcano crater at top of  island

view about half way up Nea Kameni, showing Fira in distance, perched on the volcano crater rim

Yours truly standing at monument on islands highest point

View of trails at summit with steam venting left center in photo

Volcano's crater, which has had various periods of activity in past 50 years.

our tour boat passengers swimming from boat over to volcano hot springs and  mud in the ocean on Palia Kameni

My view back down to water after hiking up steep trail to top of Thirasia

The lovely little over the water restaurant on Thirasia where I had lunch and a glass of wine

View from tour boat as we near Oia, with trail from dock up steep face

View from returning tour boat as we pass pinnacle and Imerovigli

Just one of countless photos I took while having  leisurely dinners from hotel restaurant on rim.