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
5 comments
My parents just got back from Santorini. It's so nice to see the things they told me about on your pictures :)
ReplyDeleteMY KIND OF JOY
I wish I could go to Greece its so beautiful lucky doll glad you both had an amazing time.
ReplyDeleteit’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!
ReplyDeleteKim - www.condorny.com
You look great doctor. I am enjoying Santorini through your lovely posts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place...!
ReplyDelete