Day 8: A Memorable Day in Santorini – Fog, Crowds, and a Sunset Cruise

When I woke up early this morning, I witnessed an unusual scene — white villages veiled in fog across the cliffs of Santorini. A truly special moment! It’s rare to see the iconic whitewashed houses shrouded in mist like that, and it felt like a hidden side of the island revealing itself.

The weather today was chilly and windy, so we enjoyed breakfast on our balcony instead of our usual outdoor spot by the pool. Cozy and still with a view — a nice way to start the day.

As planned, we headed back to Oia for a little sightseeing. We had hoped for fewer people in the morning, but we were wrong. Though a bit less crowded than the previous afternoon, it was still packed. Walking through the narrow paths and trying to take photos was stressful and challenging — not quite the leisurely stroll we had imagined.

Oia is undoubtedly beautiful and incredibly picturesque, but the heavy crowds quickly wore us down. We wandered a bit through the iconic alleys and climbed up to the old castle, imagining how stunning the sunset must be from there. But seeing how crowded it was already, we knew sunset here would be chaos. Thankfully, we had other plans — a sunset cruise! We hoped to enjoy the view of Oia at golden hour from the sea, which promised to be a special experience in itself.

We began driving back with a quick thought to stop by Skaros Rock in Imerovigli, but traffic was heavy, and we gave up on that plan — we still have time tomorrow.

At 12:30, we were picked up for our Volcano and Hot Springs Sunset Dinner Cruise. It was a large sailing yacht with many other passengers, but the air was pleasant and the coastal views lovely as we glided across the water.

⛵️　Coastal view from the sea:

Our first stop was Nea Kameni Volcano, where we climbed to admire the rugged, wild landscape.

Afterward, the boat anchored near the hot springs. I had imagined warm, cozy waters… but it turns out you first have to jump into the sea at about 17°C and swim over! I had even packed an underwater camera, but that idea quickly faded. Surprisingly, many people — even older ones — dove in. We heard shrieks from the cold echoing across the boat. I was very happy I stayed dry!

We cruised a bit more, with some guests swimming again, and then it was time for dinner — a buffet of traditional Greek dishes served with free wine. The food was just okay, but as expected for a tour like this.

Finally, we reached Ammoudi Bay and anchored, ready to witness the sunset.

But nature had other plans. Clouds began to gather, thickening just as the sun approached the horizon. After a full sunny day, we ended up missing the famous Santorini sunset due to an unexpected cloud cover. What a pity!

But we reminded ourselves of the breathtaking sunset we had enjoyed privately from our suite the night before — that memory alone was more than enough.

Returning to port, we were supposed to be transferred back to our hotel. However, confusion struck. One driver, who had passengers we arrived with, oddly refused to take us. His English was limited, and we couldn’t reason with him. Eventually, another driver agreed to bring us. But just as we began ascending the hill, the bus made a U-turn — apparently, some guests had been left behind. The situation was chaotic, and there weren’t enough seats due to overlapping groups and poor coordination.

After the bumpy end to the evening, we finally made it back to the hotel safely.

Despite the hiccups, it was another memorable day in Santorini — filled with unexpected moments, both beautiful and comical.