Santorini
Santorini is known around the world as the Honeymoon Island, the Land of the beautiful sunset. So what do you do in Santorini when you are travelling with a teenager? Is there enough to keep them amused? We spent a gorgeous 4 days and share some of the best activities below:
A Hike from Thira to Oia.
The 10 km walk from Fira ( the capital) to Oia is a taxing but rewarding walk. If you choose to do the more downhill direction which I would highly recommend, one starts at the capital, Fira, passes through Imerglovi and ends in Oia. We chose to do this walk late in the day, so we could finish with dinner at a stunning restaurant to watch the sunset. Undoubtedly, this walk is taxing, not all the paths are sealed and it requires walking up hills even if you follow the direction suggested. It is however a spectacular hike around the Caldera, past small towns, tiny domed churches and gives you a real sense of the volcano, the views and the Island itself. Oia is the honeymoon destination on the island and seems to be more polished and expensive than Fira town. The hotels tend to have private pools and most have a view of the Caldera.
The writer, Tania Hird, wears light, embroidered Gaia from TaniaHirdDesigns to take her from the afternoon hike to dinner.
We ate at Ombre, which has a spectacular view of the sunset, but is difficult to find. The food was incredible and the service without fault. Don’t miss the Santorini Salad, in our experience the best on the Island.
Tania Hird wears an Athenae Cellulose Acetate Hairclaw from HairFlairAus and Octavia Earrings from TaniaHirdDesigns.
Caldera & Hot Springs Visit
Santorini was once a single Island . Over time after volcanic eruptions and earthquakes much of the centre and outer caldera became submerged so that it is now made up of four distinct land masses. Thira, the main Island, Thirassa, and Neo Kameri the central volcanic cone.
One of the best activities on the Island is taking a boat or catamaran out to the island of Neo Kameri followed by a swim in the thermal springs. We took a 3 hour tour in an old timber sailing boat which will give you time to scale Neo Kameri, to view the Dormant craters, and to see the double crater of the active volcano. No teenager can be unimpressed by sulphur and gases emerging from the rocks, feeling the heat coming underneath and being told they can’t walk down into it as it’s 100 degrees in the centre. There are beautiful 360 views of the ancient caldera walls from the top spectacularly showing the different colours of past lava flows. The Santorini eruption of 1613 was one of the largest in the Mediterranean at a Magnitude of 7 out of 8 and blew the top. ( To put this into perspective Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum was a 5). Whilst Santorini’s volcano is still active and will blow again, the most dangerous of the current active volcanoes in the area is Kolombo which is 18 m below the sea level. Apparently the depth of the current Santorin volcano is 850 m of which 350 m is now under the water.
Swimming in the Thermal Hot Springs.
The hot springs, often combined with tours to the Caldera, are considered one of the top destinations for healing activities around the world. The temperature of the water is approximately 35 degrees Celsius. Adults and Children can jump off the boat and enjoy a half hour swim in these waters underneath the cute church of St Nicholas.
We sailed with Santorini views and were very happy with the service. The numbers were a little smaller than the similar Viator and Get your Guide Tours and the Guide who was an archaeologist was incredibly knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this local company
The writer, Tania Hird, wears light, embroidered Ikaria from TaniaHirdDesigns to take her boatside, hiking the caldera & as an easy drying beach coverup after swimming . Tania also wears a cellulose acetate Hairclaw in Crystal Rose from HairFlair Aus to battle the wind and Jade Sterling silver drop earrings from Tania HirdDesigns.
Red Beach, White Beach & Black Beach
An afternoon visiting the coloured beaches of Santorini was surprisedly brilliant. After reading of the treacherous track to the Red beach, we came across a water taxi service which commutes between all three and which I would highly recommend. For 15 Euro, you are transported with background music from Mamma Mia and island tunes to first the Red beach, then the White beach and the black beach. To be honest, the names are a little deceiving as all the beaches are black and it’s the cliffs that have the colour. We loved the White beach for swimming through the limestone tunnels and swimming in the crystal clear waters. Don’t miss the tunnel in the Needle rock which has the sensational bonus that every time a wave comes through you are picked up and moved through the system with the current. The waters are shallow so technically you can walk out to the tunnel all the way and everyone can have a go which seemed to be lost on the sun worshippers. Our favourite was the black beach as there is a cave that transverses the mountain from one side of Black Beach to White Beach. If you suffer from claustrophobia , this isn’t for you nor if you are not a strong swimmer however there is sufficient light to see you right through the mountain and an incredible highlight of our day.
NB The water is incredibly clear, warm and beautiful at all the beaches however they are stone not sand. Take your flip flops and you will definitely enjoy the day. At the black beach there is a super fun beach club, not cheap at 20 Euro a Beach beanbag or day bed but you rent it all day and its a fabulous spot to sleep, swim and be merry. There is someone on hand at all times to ensure you have a day in paradise and plenty of sun umbrellas
The writer, Tania Hird, wears "Amelie" in Gossamer pink from TaniaHirdDesigns as a light easy-dry cover up to manage boat, beach and water activities. Her hat is a foldable extended brim travel -easy straw from HairFlairAus by THD .
Akatori Archeaological site
The Akatori Archaeological site is worth a visit if you enjoy history. It shows the Minoan civilisation that lived on Santorini during 1650 - 1450. Of incredible note is the water collection systems and sewers that can still be seen, the Amphora in the storage room and the 2 story house which is accompanied by a video and shows the way it would have looked in the past. It was an advanced civilisation of wealth through the copper trade to Crete. The murals as in Crete have been taken to the Archaeological museum in Fira.
No bodies were found in Akatori and it is thought that the inhabitants may have reached the port town before being caught by the eruption and that the remains are now submerged.
The Lost Atlantis Museum
If you are a history or mythology lover, or just a romantic, the lost Museum of Atlantis is a one hour privately run interactive experience on the theory that Santorini is the mythological city of Lost Atlantis. Using interactive displays and 9D theatre, it brings to life the writings of Plato from his Academy and his two books, Critias & Timaeus where he speaks of a three levelled island with towers, an idealic utopia of bull jumping, civilisation, trade and harmony. It is suggested that the Ruins founded at Akatori near Santorini are part of the settlement, that his three ringed Utopia is what is now left in the two ringed Santorini and that the Minoan settlement was the Utopia destroyed by the 1613 eruptions of the Santorini Volcano. We know now that the Minoan civilisation was destroyed by earthquakes, tsunami and financial factors in 1450. However, the story of the lost Atlantis being Santorini appears more likely than the other possibilities (which include the Bermuda triangle, Antarctica, the Straits of Gibraltar, the making of the Black Sea), It’sdone well and is a lot of fun .
Shopping
If you love resort wear, jewellery and souvenirs, Santorini is the place for you. Fira teams each day with the tourist buses so is incredibly busy however it does have the winding alleyways filled with myriads of stores to deal with it. Oia is slightly less busy and more affluent but a shoppers paradise nonetheless
Accomodation
Depending on the amount of time you have, we strongly recommend staying in at least 2 different areas. Fira and Oia are on the Caldera rim so provide gorgeous views including the Sunset. They also have shopping. Spending some time at the beach in Perissa or Kameri is a nice R & R option and a little quieter. There are no shops though and it’s harder to access sights.
Food
Few things captivate teenagers as much as food does. The array of dining options with Caldera or beach vistas spans from casual beach clubs and quaint cafes to exceptional restaurants nestled on the shoreline or carved into rocky cliffs. Among our top picks were "Ombre," as mentioned earlier, along with "Seaside" and "Nikki Beach Resort." Please note: dining in these venues comes with a hefty price tag.
The writer, Tania Hird, wears "Persephonie" and "Lucia" from TaniaHirdDesigns.
Travel Essentials
You can find these and other invaluable Travel items at Tania Hird Designs and HairFlairAus
Foldable Hats Light Tunics Hairclaws Poolside
Our Favourite Santorini Looks !
Anastasia Aphrodite Hermoine Mykonos
Safe and Happy Travels !
Xx Tania Hird
Tania Hird, CEO and proprietor of Tania Hird Designs and HairFlairAus by THD, is also a devoted mother to four remarkable children. Passionate about travel and family adventures, she enjoys exploring the world. All the showcased designs are available for purchase through her authorized retailers and online at www.hairflairaus.com and www.taniahirddesigns.com.
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