Perched on the railing of a lookout point in Oía.
I emerged out of my cave room into the blinding sunlight. As soon as my vision adjusted, my eyes were addressed by the Aegean Sea. I began my first (and only) day in Oía, Santorini with breakfast at Vitrin Cafe Creperie. One of the most enchanting things about this island town is that every restaurant has an ocean view.
The view from my cave hotel, overlooking the sea.
After devouring my sugar and lemon confectionery, I walked through the cliff side wildflowers before exploring the main street. There are some places on this Earth where no matter how many times you visit, how long you stay, or how researched you are for your excursions, you will always feel like a tourist. Oía is one of them. Life is slow and simple, and the small community that lives there likes to keep it that way. Stray dogs and cats roam the winding paths with ease, and the locals take care of them by leaving food and water outside of their businesses. This little corner of the island hasn't changed much with the times, but that is the charm of it. The limited internet connection may be an inconvenience to some, but it must be understood that the true purpose of visiting Santorini is to relax. Besides not falling while maneuvering the countless flights of stairs around the cliffside towns, there’s not much you have to worry about.
A view at one of the many staircases from a Santorini patio.
My path of exploration led me to Atlantis Books. This not-so-hidden gem was founded in 2002 when owners Oliver and Craig visited the island and discovered there was no bookshop. Since then it has become a landmark and a comforting refuge from the often busy streets of Oía. The space is easy to loose track of time in; iconic quotes are creatively sprawled in colorful, hand-painted fonts from floor to ceiling. The books themselves take up almost every inch of the naturally-lit space, making it look like a scene out of a Harry Potter movie. I spent at least an hour rifling through the pages of books new and rare, some in tongues I was not familiar with, before settling on a decoratively bound copy of The Iliad and a Fitzgerald I hadn’t yet read.
A corner of Atlantis Books, chock full of written words from around the globe.
After some more roaming around the surrounding lookout points of Oía, I thought it was best to research what else this island had in store for my remaining hours. The blue expanse surrounding the isle inspired me to book a sunset cruise around the waters of Oía. I set sail with a lively mix of Spaniards and Brits, which made for an entertaining six hour cruise around the open waters of Santorini. We chatted about past travels and our time in Santorini on the deck of the catamaran as the day fell softly to nightfall. I spent some time reading and sipping on a perfectly dry glass of white wine as the slight breeze lightly ruffled my hair. I hadn’t been on a boat in over a year before this experience and I forgot that I loved being on the water as much as exploring its depths.
About an hour before sunset we stopped to dine on traditional Greek fare that our captain had prepared for us. A spread of rice seasoned with lemon and herbs, grilled vegetables drizzled with olive oil, fresh tzatziki, stuffed grape leaves, and souvlaki was laid before us. Dinner ended just as the sky began to turn orange, peach, red, and pink all at once. A Greek flag, framed by the sunset, and the water’s reflection caught my attention as I enjoyed the moment. I was thankful I’d decided to enjoy this view offshore.
My catamaran sunset.
As I fell asleep that night in my cave, I reflected on how much of a contrast my stay in Santorini was to all of the previous trips I’d taken in life. The name of the game in the Greek islands is relaxation - something I have always admitted to have trouble with. In Santorini, I had no choice but to do that; even if I were to attempt to stay at my metropolitan pace, the surroundings wouldn't allow for it. There’s something to be appreciated in that for sure, and I’ll surely keep that in mind even when I am on an urban escape.
One of Santorini's coastlines.