After an hour fifteen minute fly from Rhodes, we landed on the Island of Santorini.
Santorini is a small, circular group of volcanic islands located in the Aegean Swan, about 200 km from the mainland of Greece. Santorini is also known as Thira or Thera. The name Santorini was given to it by the Venetians in the 13th century and is a reference to Saint Irene.
Santorini's cliff-faced crescent isle graces tourist brochures and posters in Greek restaurants the world over. Many Greeks joke that there are foreigners who know where Santorini is, but not where Greece is! 
In Santorini, we stayed at Hotel Keti in the main town of Fira which seems to be one of the greatest bargains on the caldera. The views were amazing, and the hotel employees were very friendly and always ready to help you.http://www.hotelketi.gr/
We booked a triple, so the room was huge. The only problem is that it had three single beds, but that had been the theme of the entire trip, so we were used to it.
Did I mentioned that we had some great views of the caldera from the terrace of our room?
Our streak of good weather finally came to an end when we arrived to Santorini. In the early evening of May 18th, it was rainning, but that didn't stop us to celebrate the day of our 4th anniversary.
To celebrate our anniversary, we walked over to the Selene Restaurant which is considered the best restaurant in Santorini and one of the best in Greece. Selene uses local produce to highlight what owners call the "creative nature of Greek cuisine." At this place, tuberculosis patient Andrew Speaker, whom was accussed of traveling from the United States to Europe with a dangerous form of tuberculosis, held his wedding reception. The small party of about 12-14 people sat at a big table near us, so we were able to listen them toast and give the usual speeches. As we were preparing to leave, the waiter came over with a piece of the wedding cake that we politely declined to accept due to the now known circumstances.... Who am I kidding? The cake was great.http://www.selene.gr/
In our second day in Santorini, we experienced a winter storm. For a second, I thought that we were in the middle of a huracan, but as quickly as the violent storm came in, it went away.
After the storm, we hang out at the terrace and had a drink while enjoying the sunset.
Santorini is such an amazing and beautiful place. It seems that it doesn't matter where you are in the island you cannot take more than five steps without having a new breathtaking view.
The next day, we took a bus to the town of Kamari, and we headed over to explore the ruins of Ancient Thira.
The road up to Ancient Thira is about 2 miles, and it is a series of switch backs. You can either get up there via taxi or walk. We decided to hike up there.
The site of Ancient Thira is located on the southeastern side of Santorini, on the headland of Mesa Vouno, between the settlements of Kamari and Perissa, at an altitude of 396 meters. It was built on this particular spot for observation and protection of the city.
It was first inhabited by the Dorians in the 9th century BC and remained an important city until the Early Byzantine Era. Ancient Thira was originally excavated in 1895 by German archaeologist Hiller Von Gaertringen, uncovering remains from the Hellenistic and Roman Periods. Several monuments were constructed by the Ptolemies to honor the gods in the 3rd and 4th century BC.
The Altchristliche Basilika at the entrance of Ancient Thira.
At the top of Ancient Thira's the ruins, the cliffs drop precipitously to the sea on three sides and you'll see dramatic views of Santorini and neighboring islands.
Santorini is famous for its sunsets.
Koukoumavlos Restaurant is one of the finest restaurants in the island. The food was excellent, the wine outstanding, the service excellent, the check very high, but worth every cent.
Sara had an amazing dessert at Koukoumavlos. She had chocolate topped with a Greek coffee sauce and curry sauce. It was amazing.
For dessert, I had a glass of local 1989 Visanto Vin de Liquer with a Cohiba Cuban cigar.
SantoWines Winery is probably the most modern winery facility of the Balkans. And the winery with the best views in the world. For 7 Euros ($10.00 dollars), I got the wine sampler shown above that included a plate with cheese, olives and bread. Santorini's most famous wines are considered to be the white dry and aromatic wines Nykteri and Assyrtico and the world famous Vinsanto.
Oia, pronounced 'Ia,' is the most famous of all villages of Santorini. It is known throughout the world for its quiet life and fantastic sunset, and it is certainly the most beautiful and picturesque village of Santorini.
Oia is situated on the north of the island, 11 km away from Fira.
Lunch at Captain Dimitri's Restaurant in the Ammoudi Bay in Oia was a great treat after walking down the over 300 steps in a very hot sunny day. 
The cooks at Captain Dimitri's Taverna have the reputation to have perfected the art of cooking fish on the charcoal grill. But, I needed carbs in order to have the energy necessary to walk up the 300 steps we had just walked down, so I ordered the seafood pasta that was delicious and very generous on the seafood area.
Oia also has a small port, Ammoudi, which can be reached by a set of 300 steps leading down.
During the summer days, people swim across to the big rock that supposedly has a church at the other side.
The very famous Oia sunset.
Santorini's donkeys and mules. During the summer, the main business of the day is carting the tourists up and down the endless steep steps which connect Fira town to the small port below. Some people claim that the donkeys and mules have a tendency to go very fast and take the bends like racing motorcycles.
In our second day in Santorini, we experienced a winter storm. For a second, I thought that we were in the middle of a huracan, but as quickly as the violent storm came in, it went away.
After the storm, we hang out at the terrace and had a drink while enjoying the sunset.
Santorini is such an amazing and beautiful place. It seems that it doesn't matter where you are in the island you cannot take more than five steps without having a new breathtaking view.
The next day, we took a bus to the town of Kamari, and we headed over to explore the ruins of Ancient Thira.
The road up to Ancient Thira is about 2 miles, and it is a series of switch backs. You can either get up there via taxi or walk. We decided to hike up there.
The site of Ancient Thira is located on the southeastern side of Santorini, on the headland of Mesa Vouno, between the settlements of Kamari and Perissa, at an altitude of 396 meters. It was built on this particular spot for observation and protection of the city.
It was first inhabited by the Dorians in the 9th century BC and remained an important city until the Early Byzantine Era. Ancient Thira was originally excavated in 1895 by German archaeologist Hiller Von Gaertringen, uncovering remains from the Hellenistic and Roman Periods. Several monuments were constructed by the Ptolemies to honor the gods in the 3rd and 4th century BC.
The Altchristliche Basilika at the entrance of Ancient Thira.
At the top of Ancient Thira's the ruins, the cliffs drop precipitously to the sea on three sides and you'll see dramatic views of Santorini and neighboring islands.
Santorini is famous for its sunsets.
Koukoumavlos Restaurant is one of the finest restaurants in the island. The food was excellent, the wine outstanding, the service excellent, the check very high, but worth every cent.
Sara had an amazing dessert at Koukoumavlos. She had chocolate topped with a Greek coffee sauce and curry sauce. It was amazing.
For dessert, I had a glass of local 1989 Visanto Vin de Liquer with a Cohiba Cuban cigar.
SantoWines Winery is probably the most modern winery facility of the Balkans. And the winery with the best views in the world. For 7 Euros ($10.00 dollars), I got the wine sampler shown above that included a plate with cheese, olives and bread. Santorini's most famous wines are considered to be the white dry and aromatic wines Nykteri and Assyrtico and the world famous Vinsanto.
Oia, pronounced 'Ia,' is the most famous of all villages of Santorini. It is known throughout the world for its quiet life and fantastic sunset, and it is certainly the most beautiful and picturesque village of Santorini.
Oia is situated on the north of the island, 11 km away from Fira.
Lunch at Captain Dimitri's Restaurant in the Ammoudi Bay in Oia was a great treat after walking down the over 300 steps in a very hot sunny day. 
The cooks at Captain Dimitri's Taverna have the reputation to have perfected the art of cooking fish on the charcoal grill. But, I needed carbs in order to have the energy necessary to walk up the 300 steps we had just walked down, so I ordered the seafood pasta that was delicious and very generous on the seafood area.
Oia also has a small port, Ammoudi, which can be reached by a set of 300 steps leading down.
During the summer days, people swim across to the big rock that supposedly has a church at the other side.
The very famous Oia sunset.
Santorini's donkeys and mules. During the summer, the main business of the day is carting the tourists up and down the endless steep steps which connect Fira town to the small port below. Some people claim that the donkeys and mules have a tendency to go very fast and take the bends like racing motorcycles.
Donkeys and mules in Santorini are part of the native charm of the island, and a sight we will dearly miss in Athens.
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