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FIRA, Santorini, Greece

by - August 05, 2016


The picturesque backdrop of Fira
If you have any pre conceived image about Santorini (like white houses with blue doors on a hill with a waterbody in between that has the deepest possible blue colour) then that picture is of Fira. Fira is the capital of Santorini and hence the largest town (I can't call it a city; I live in Delhi!) of this volcanic island. Fira is the land of luxury and wealth and if you dream of staying in a boutique hotel that has an infinity pool overlooking the caldera, then you should be able to shell out at least 50,000 Indian Rupees per night! I can't spend that much on a single night that too when I am tight on time. I have to cover as much as possible; and hence for me hotels are just for sleeping at night with a little pool time. Okay the grapes are sour. I had very high expectations of Fira and it turned out to be more than I expected!
The deep blue Caldera in the backdrop
WE reached Fira in the afternoon at around 2 from Monolithos. We could not find anything vegetarian so we went to a bakery and got veg pizza for hubs while I gorged on various chicken items. One thing I noticed that all the bakeries in Santorini were open for 24 hours which was a blessing for travellers like us who were looking for cheap eats. By cheap I mean 200 rs (2.5 euro) for a patty :D Cheap as per European standards but expensive according to us :D We were so tired from the long bike ride and as our stomachs filled, we felt really drowsy. The sun was shining bright and we had our bike parked in front of the bakery. WE needed a nap. So we went to the nearest park and lied down on the bench. In no time we were deep asleep. It was around 4 when we woke up. We were in a hurry. We had Oia as the next stop on our list. I went to the nearest washroom to freshen up (it cost me 1 euro) and got ready to explore Fira.

Cobbled streets
I pranced around the cobbled streets and asked my faithful photographer to take as many pictures of me as possible.. in every possible angle. All the fellow travellers were impeccably dressed. Musicians were playing music in different corners, vendors were selling knick knacks, people were taking photographs, ambling, shopping....in a nutshell the exact definition of merriment. It seemed that no problem existed in this world. I simply can't forget the winding narrow streets, boutiques on both sides overshadowed by pink bougainvilleas.
Boutiques and Bouganvilleas
There was a road that came directly from the port. It was a rocky road that came from the foot of the hill ( the entire island is on a volcanic hill) , winding upward to reach Fira. It is known as the donkey trail as hundreds of donkeys walked to carry goods or people too! It was filled with donkey poop and was not meant for walking.
There are three ways to reach Fira from the port...the donkey trail, ropeway and of course taxi. Hubs was fascinated with donkeys and we went to that smelly section of Fira to take pictures. I really love donkeys. They look so innocent and cute. I even bought a stuffed donkey as a souvenir which read I love Santorini :D I also bought fridge magnets from there (my favourite item to gift my loved ones) and a tee for my munchkin. Things in Greece were wayy to expensive as compared to Indian currency! We tried to save as we still had so many days left of our vacation.
The donkey trail
The streets were really narrow on that part. When I was shopping for souvenirs from the street I was almost crushed by a huge group of donkeys! I scurried inside a shop for my life :D After a few more pictures in and around the donkey trail we decided to leave. It was almost half past six and Oia was about an hour ride away. Goodbye to the most beautiful place on earth!
















Catch the video of the picturesque place!

Skirt: Zara
Top: mango
Purse: Furla Candy
Sunnies: Aldo

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5 comments

  1. My parents just got back from Santorini. It's so nice to see the things they told me about on your pictures :)

    MY KIND OF JOY

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  2. I wish I could go to Greece its so beautiful lucky doll glad you both had an amazing time.

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  3. it’s always such a pleasure to read about your travel journeys. The pictures are so beautiful. Santorini seems like a perfect destination for couples. Reading about your Santorini experience from my cozy couch was an absolute delight!

    Kim - www.condorny.com

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  4. You look great doctor. I am enjoying Santorini through your lovely posts.

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