What a beautiful day it turned out to be — we could hardly believe the grey, chilly weather of yesterday ever happened.
To soak in the morning sun, we had breakfast in our private space by the pool, overlooking the sea. The breakfast was generous and delicious — the perfect start to the day!
Today was beach day — something we had originally planned for yesterday. We opened the roof of our little convertible Smart and off we went!
Our first stop was the Heart of Santorini, a natural rock formation with a heart-shaped hole, visible from a certain angle. Framed through the heart, the view looked just like a painting.
Next, we headed to the lighthouse. A woman at the hotel had described a 360-degree view, but… not quite. We weren’t sure how she envisioned that.
The lighthouse itself wasn’t particularly charming either — but never mind, it was worth seeing once.
We had wanted to visit the White Beach as well, but the road systems in Santorini are limited and returning meant backtracking half the distance. Since we would have to do the same for the Red Beach, we chose to skip the White Beach and headed straight there.
The Red Beach was stunning — a dramatic, wild landscape where crimson cliffs surround a small bay. It felt powerful and untamed, the kind of setting we really enjoy.
Right across the parking area, quite by chance, was the Akrotiri archaeological site. Of course, we visited — and it turned out to be quite fascinating.
Everything was going more smoothly than expected, and it was still only late morning. So we decided to continue on to the Black Beach (Perissa) to relax a bit.
This beach was also impressive — long stretches of pure black sand and pebbles, giving it a unique and striking beauty. But the charm was quickly dulled by the rows and rows of parasols and sunbeds — very touristic and overly structured.
Our interest faded quickly.
Although it was lunchtime, we weren’t hungry yet, so we just had a beer and moved on.
With the whole afternoon still ahead, we chose to explore the north of the island, where the iconic town of Oia is located. The drive along the coast was lovely — the sea views and the breeze from the open roof made it a joy.
Upon arriving in Oia, we were overwhelmed by the crowds. It was simply too much.
We thought about heading down to Ammoudi Bay for a drink, so we started walking, but after a while we realized it would be too far — and climbing back up under the hot sun didn’t sound appealing.
We decided to come back tomorrow morning instead, when it’s cooler and less crowded.
So… we returned to our hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon in our private space — a wonderful way to enjoy such a peaceful, beautiful setting.
The weather looked promising for a sunset view, and sure enough, from our own terrace, it seemed we’d get to see the whole spectacle. We ordered gyros and opened a bottle of red wine to accompany the moment. Then, the sun began to set…
It was absolutely stunning. And how lucky we were to witness it in complete privacy, with delicious food and wine. What a luxurious experience.
Today truly made our Santorini stay unforgettable.
