Santorini

---

Sadly we had not been able to visit Mykonos yesterday as the sea was too rough to go in by tender. Instead we were able to enjoy a day at sea to relax before sailing overnight before to our next port Santorini, a beautiful island about 200km southeast of Greece's mainland. Santorini is what remains after an enormous volcanic eruption in 1500 that destroyed a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera.

A giant central, rectangular lagoon, which measures about 12 by 7km, is surrounded by 300m high, steep cliffs on three sides. The depth of the caldera, at 400m, makes it impossible for any but the largest ships to anchor anywhere in the protected bay. From the tender port we were able to catch a cable car to the capital, Fira which clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon.

We were lucky to have a fabulous tour with three other couples in a large mini van, we drove around the whole island including the red and black beaches as well as walking through some of the small villages. We enjoyed local cuisine at a beach restaurant before stopping off at a winery on the way back to the ship. We both agreed Santorini was a very beautiful island and we would one day like to go back and stay in Oia overlooking the amazing caldera.

---

Comments

[The McKenzies]

We loved Santorini too- we spent a week in an amazing house built into the cliff in Oia - and climbed all over the remains of the volcano in the centre of the caldera - It is a magical place!