7. Chapter 7
Chapter seven
Three days later, I have become a proper tourist in Santorini. Following the tips and recommendations that other solo female travellers had shared online, I successfully figured out the local bus system and have been up and down the island.
I visited Fira, exploring the maze of streets and walking down the five hundred and eighty-seven steps to Skala Port. The views, as the blog posts promised, were gorgeous but I spent most of the climb down with my eyes trained on the ground. What the authors of these articles didn’t mention were the massive piles of donkey dung that lined the stairs, and the donkeys themselves which seemed to charge up the hill at full-speed with zero regard for anyone in their path. I was nearly trampled twice, so after an overpriced lunch in the picturesque port, I decided to choose my life and sanity by returning via cable car rather than the donkey stairs.
Even though it’s early in the season, I had a beach day, visiting both the red beach of Akrotiri and the black beach of Perissa. Both are unique and different from anything I’ve ever seen before. Despite being alone, I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing in a beach chair in Perissa, sipping fresh, tart lemonade while gazing at the waves crashing on the shoreline.
Since my cave suite has a kitchenette, I pick up some local groceries. Fresh bread, cheeses, fruits, and of course Greek yogurt make up most of my meals. The restaurants, on top of being incredibly overpriced, are always busy and I feel too awkward asking for a table for one among the throngs of couples. So instead I have picnics on my terrace and enjoy the view, where I’m often kept company by a sleek black cat who happens to pop by every time I am eating in the hopes that I will share. Which, of course, I always do.
While I am enjoying my time in Santorini, it isn’t quite what I had imagined. Yes, it is beautiful but it is so busy, so crowded and so incredibly overpriced. Prime example: the wine tasting I’ve just signed up for.
I scan the array of glasses in front of me, filled with various pink, red, and white wines. The colours are bold against the backdrop of the sparkling turquoise sea and caldera in the distance. A famous Santorini view to be enjoyed with Santorini wine.
A visit to a Santorini winery was listed as one of the best things to do and after two days of beaches and city exploring, it seemed like the perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon. However, upon arrival, I was told that in order to get a table that comes with a view, I needed to hit a minimum spend. Which is how I ended up with an entire wine tasting in front of me instead of the single glass I had intended to order.
“Ridiculous isn’t it?” a voice beside me says.
Startled, I glance to my left to find a woman about my age sitting alone at the table beside me. Her chocolate brown hair spills in a cascade of curls over her shoulder as she leans forward to gesture at the glasses of wine and basket of sesame-topped breadsticks lined up in front of her.
“I swear it’s three times more expensive here than the other islands,” she frowns. “Well, maybe not Mykonos, but you know what I mean.” She sits back with a slight huff, crossing her denim-clad legs as she picks up her glass of red. “At least it is a magnificent view.”
I smile in agreement, realizing this is the first chance at a real conversation I’ve had in days. “Have you been to many other islands?” I ask. “This is my first time in Greece and if I can be honest, it’s not quite what I had expected.”
A smile pulls at her lips, “Not quite like you’d imagine from the photos, is it?” She pauses, taking a sip from her glass and I note her berry-stained lips don’t leave a mark on the rim. “Santorini is gorgeous, but it’s a bit overhyped if you ask me. I prefer most of the other islands. Paros and Naxos are nice, Milos is great, and Syros is pretty cool. Just not Mykonos. Unless you are into spending even more on drinks and food and ready to party with a bunch of drunk 20-year-olds.” She raises a perfectly shaped brow as if in question.
I make a face. I wasn’t the crazy party type even when I was in my early 20s. I can’t imagine joining in now.
The woman laughs, “Ok, definitely don’t go to Mykonos then. Where are you going after Santorini?”
After Santorini.
I hadn’t thought of that. Santorini had always been my Greek dream and it never occurred to me that I should plan to visit other islands. But I had two weeks in Greece and after three days, well, I kind of liked the idea of seeing somewhere else. Somewhere quieter, more relaxing. Somewhere with better beaches.
“Honestly,” I tell her, “I hadn’t thought of that. I’m new to this solo travel thing but I would love some recommendations.”
Her dark eyes spark in excitement as she gestures to the chair beside her. “Come sit here with me and let’s make a plan for you to see islands that you will love.”
My new friend’s name is Evie. She’s British and first came to Greece when she was seven for a family holiday. Twenty years later, she describes Greece as her ‘happy place’ and likes to come every year to explore a different island or two. She’s ended up in Santorini on this trip thanks to cheap flights home but, like me, doesn’t really connect with it.
In an effort to find my perfect Greek island, she asks me what I’m looking for and hope to see. My answers include beaches, cute old towns, and good food. A reply that makes her laugh out loud. Though to be fair, my answers were not entirely helpful in a country known for all of the above.
So instead of choosing an island based on my likes, she hands me her phone to scroll through the photos and see if anything stands out.
Naxos looks fun but I’m turned off that idea when Evie tells me that the best way to explore is by car. I’m trying to have a stress-free vacation and even the idea of renting a car, especially a manual, on a Greek island gives me anxiety.
My disinterest in renting a vehicle also crosses Syros and Milos off the list. Both of which can be explored in part by bus, but Evie suggests I save them for another trip since the best places are not so easily accessible. Given that she has spent considerably more time in Greece than I have, I trust her opinions.
Paros looks beautiful with its cute little port town, bars with pink doors, and strings of octopus hung by the fishing boats. According to Evie, the best place to stay is Naousa, and there is a bus that will take me to some other spots along the island including picturesque towns and beaches. There’s also a smaller and quieter island, Antiparos, that I can get to easily for a day trip or even stay a couple of days.
As I scan through her photos I’m just about to commit to Paros when I swipe to a photo of a beautiful old town in a walled city.
“Where’s this?” I ask.
Evie leans over my shoulder to check the screen.
“Ah, Rhodes. It’s one of my favourites.” She sips her wine - by now we’ve finished the red and rosé and are onto the sparkling one. “It’s a bigger island so it can be touristy, but not like Santorini. It has the most incredible old town that makes you feel like you are in a castle. Amazing seafood, nice beaches, and boat trips. It’s wonderful!”
Castles, beaches, fewer tourists. It all sounds pretty great to me.
“Oh! But if you go...” She takes her phone back and swipes the screen several times before handing it back to me.
I look at the screen which is now filled with the most colourful houses perched on a hillside. The blue-green water is clear and sparkling in the sun and the sky is a brilliant shade of blue. Small sailboats are parked in the harbour, bobbing in the waves. If Disney made a movie about Greece, this would be what it looked like. More than anything, I want to see it for myself. This is where I want to go.
Evie smiles at me knowingly. “This is Symi. You need to take a ferry from Rhodes to get here. You can go on a day trip but it’s worth it to stay a couple of days. If you are looking for a relatively quiet place with nice beaches, this is your island.”
“Ok, Evie,” I raise my glass to hers, clinking the rims together before tossing back the rest of my ridiculously overpriced wine. “Tell me, how do I get to Rhodes?”
Slightly tipsy on our wine and mediocre snacks, Evie and I catch the bus back to Fira, then another to Oia. Upon hearing that I am staying in Oia but haven’t yet watched the sunset from the castle, Evie insists we do it tonight. She leads the way, treading past a seemingly endless sea of people until we find ourselves a good vantage point.
The sea in front of us is dotted with tiny sailboats and catamarans all waiting for the sun to sink below the horizon. The castle walls are packed with groups of friends and couples eagerly awaiting the same, and below on the hill, couples walk out to their terraces ready to enjoy the views from their hotel rooms.
“Do you see that hotel over there?” Evie points to a spot halfway down the hill. “That one, with the pool.”
There are numerous hotels with pools, but following the line of her finger I pick out the one she’s pointing at.
“I stayed there the first time I came to Santorini with my boyfriend at the time. We splurged on this romantic Santorini hotel for our anniversary with a private pool, thinking about how sexy it would be.”
I slide my eyes over to hers, already knowing where her story is going.
“You had sex in the pool.”
“We had A LOT of sex in the pool.” She grins, her dark eyes sparkling mischievously as she catches my eye. “I kept thinking how incredible it was to get railed with this view. What I didn’t realize is the view everyone else got of us.”
She waves her arm around our surroundings and the hundreds of people around us. All of whom have a clear view down to that hotel pool – if they choose to look that way.
“We had no idea. We thought that the roof blocked us from sight, but nope. After coming here for sunset, we quickly realized that everyone could see everything. And I really do mean everything.”
I burst out laughing and she quickly joins in.
“I was thinking that the other day,” I tell her. “These romantic pools are not exactly private.”
“Not at all,” she grins, shaking her head.
“So, no more pool sex after that?” I tease.
“Oh, absolutely lots more pool sex! We fucked each other’s brains out at that hotel. We just waited until the sun went down. After all, the view is still pretty magnificent with everything all lit up at night under the moon.”
I chuckle at her story and turn my head back to the sunset. The clouds have taken on that pinkish hue as the sun turns fiery. The crowd quiets down as the moment comes, photographers pressing their camera shutters as the sun submerges into the sea, disappearing quickly from view. The crowd erupts in applause at the sight, startling me after the hush of anticipation. As ridiculous as it seems to be clapping for the sun, Evie and I join in. It is, after all, an iconic Santorini sunset. And despite the crowds, it truly is magical to see.
The crowds start to dissipate but Evie and I stay as the light fades. Chatting about travel, boys, and life in general as the sky gets darker and the stars start to appear. We grab dinner at a nearby restaurant. It’s overpriced but it doesn’t seem too bad now that I have a friend to share it with. When it’s time for her to grab the bus back to Fira, Evie gives me a hug and makes me promise to stay in touch.
“And if you find a cute boy,” she calls over her shoulder as she boards, “get a room with a pool!”
I don’t know what to say to that so I just wave as the bus pulls away, chugging down the hill.
Turning away, I make my way back to my cave suite. After four days here, I’ve finally learned my way around enough to not need my maps. Evie helped me book a flight to Rhodes tomorrow while we were at the winery. Perfect timing as my pre-booked stay here in my cave suite is up.
As I walk down the staircase to my suite, I stop to take in the night view one last time. Santorini may not have been what I thought, but I did enjoy my time here. I explored, I ate Greek food, and I even made a friend. For someone who started this trip wanting to hide in her big comfy bed, I think I did pretty well. Maybe this solo travel thing isn’t so scary after all.
Smiling to myself I head inside to pack up for tomorrow. It’s time for a new adventure.