Stunning Santorini

Santorini is a small but perfectly formed Greek Island and has been on my 'must visit' list for years. I finally spent a week here in July and it was everything and more than I expected it to be.

The island is actually a submerged volcano and the part you see above water that forms Santorini and a couple of small surrounding islands is the rim, or caldera as it’s known.

I stayed in the main beach resort of Kamari, just a ten minute ride from the islands' small airport. The beaches are mostly black on the island, a legacy of its volcanic past. Kamari's is a vast expanse of black pebbles leading to a crystal clear sea. The beach is long and parallel to it runs a promenade lined with trendy restaurants and bars all serving a sumptuous range of local and international dishes. There are rows upon rows of sunbeds and parasols along the beach and many are offered free if you lunch in the adjoining restaurant. There are water sports on offer here and relaxing beach side massages.

By night the promenade is bustling with diners browsing the eateries and choosing a place to eat. There are a couple of livelier bars but no nightclubs. There is also an open air cinema on the outskirts of the resort where you can snuggle under a blanket and the stars to watch a film in this unique atmosphere.

We hired a car for three days and I would highly recommend this, although the island does have a good bus service. You can drive from one end of the island to the other in about 45 minutes. A visit to the capital Fira (or Thira) is a must. This is where you will see the white washed buildings and blue domed churches seemingly clinging to the caldera rim 300 metres above the sea below. The web of little streets are pedestrianised and lined with little gift shops, jewellers, restaurant, bars and hotel entrances. The views are spectacular and if you stay for sunset you are in for a treat.

This is also true at the town of Oia just a little further up the coast. This is the best place for watching the sun go down and people literally line the streets to capture the moment and start clapping when the sun finally disappears behind the horizon. I would recommend arriving early to grab a seat in a restaurant to truly make the most of the sunset. There are lots of little beaches and bays you can drive to. We visited the famous 'Red Beach' which really does have red sand and also the resort of Perissa which was a smaller version of Kamari.

I thought Santorini was beautiful and wouldn't hesitate in recommending it to anyone wanting a cosmopolitan getaway.