Sometimes the greatest gifts are following your gut instinct and leaping into the unknown. I did just that on my whirlwind 5 week international trip in June 2021.
After 2 weeks in Egypt basking on a Red Sea beach at Sharm El Sheikh and exploring all the ancient wonders around Cairo, I also had trekked for a glorious week in Greece on the island of Crete and had purposely scheduled 2 free days prior to my next tour in Istanbul, Turkey. I had thought maybe 2 recovery days would be beneficial. But 3 of my fellow travelers were extending for a few days in luxurious Santorini. Could this dream actually become a reality?
I jumped on a speed boat with Yvonne from Germany and landed in paradise 2 hours later. Ilana from Texas had already checked into a stunning suite in the town of Messaria, almost dead center of the island. The perfect hideout for 2 days of exploration!
We immediately hitched a ride on the bus to the town of Thira to wander the seaside cliffs and indulge in more gelato (double scoop of blueberry and cinnamon cookie). After a quick break in our hot tub, we walked to the top of the local hill to try to catch a glimpse of the infamous Santorini sunset. I took a chance following a private driveway that had its gates wide open, just beckoning us to sneak a peak.
And there it was in all it’s glory……speechless!
As we stood atop the chalk white colored cave houses, the sun blanketed the island with its fiery glow. My eyes welled up and the memory of that moment will never fade. After a few pictures, we just sat in silence to appreciate the journey that led us here. The concierge could have kicked us out, but he welcomed us down to get a personalized tour of the luxurious suites reserved for the elite at up to $2500 per night! (we even learned the Kardashians filmed one of their shows here) Each had its own private hot tub and massive balcony, plus this magical unobstructed view. Those 30 minutes in Santorini were without question my idea of paradise found!
We could have gone back into town to experience this nightly spectacle, but I’m so very thankful for off the beaten path adventures and stumbling upon an even better experience just because we took a chance to explore!
FearlessAdventures 