GROW WITH SARAH GRACE

When I made my bucket list at the age of 13, I think I was overcome by the photos on Pinterest and thought that Santorini, Greece was meant for the #1 spot. So, for 8 years, I dreamt of going to the white buildings with blue domes but in my head – this was a location that was for honeymoons. 

I wanted to save the location for my honeymoon originally but as I got older and started realizing what I wanted in this lifetime, I decided to break the promise I made with a 13-year-old me and went to Santorini, Greece with some good friends instead of my future husband. Life is too short to save places for later, especially if the opportunity presents itself.

My friends and I found some cheap(er) flights directly to the island of Santorini – which we quickly learned was very hard to find – and booked it ASAP. We were lucky enough to enjoy the island of Santorini from Thursday to Sunday morning so we had plenty of adventures and good laughs but here are the top three cities we visited and the activities to do in each. 

Kamari

Kamari, home of the black sand beaches was where we were staying in an Airbnb so we spent most of our time here. On our final day in Greece, we spent a good portion of the day on the black sand beach and soaked in some of the rays and listened to some music. I decided that I wanted to get my blood pumping so I rented an ATV for two hours. 

(There are many different services you can rent one through but I did it through one of the many online websites and they dropped the ATV off at my hotel and picked it up from the same spot.)

After a few tries and pressing buttons that probably were meant to set something on fire, I got the hang of it and was cruising down the coast in no time. I took each of my friends along for a ride and enjoyed some alone time exploring the city and seeing some locals in action. It was a refreshing way to take a short break from the beach and was a much-needed adrenaline rush.

FIRA

The second city worth exploring on the island of Santorini is Fira. This city was our go-to for dinner as we returned to the same restaurant twice during our trip. Naoussa Local Restaurant offers traditional Greek dishes and a great view of the water and nearby islands. The staff was also very kind and remembered my group when we returned. 

Personally, I think they had the best Mushroom Pasta…ever. And yes – I am living in Italy right now so I know it’s a crime to say that but it was pretty good. They also had delicious Tzatziki which is a must for every meal when you’re visiting Greece. We mostly spent our nights at Fira but the city was cute and is worth a portion of the day exploring and shopping as well. There is also a nice local bar called “Murphy’s” in the area if you want to get a drink or two after dinner.

OIA

This was the city I was most excited about, the picture-perfect white buildings and blue-domed place I saw all over my Pinterest at the age of 13 and it didn’t disappoint. From Kamari, Oia was the farthest city so we dedicated an entire day to it and explored it. We arrived in the city around lunchtime so we enjoyed some Tzatziki and Gyros at “Pito Gyros” and once we were refueled, we got to shopping! We walked along the main street, took our time, stopped in some shops and just enjoyed the sun and day. It was a chill way to see the city without rushing around. 

We ended up walking the entire city and seeing the beautiful picture-perfect views from different angles and bought all the best goodies on the island. To end the long day, we enjoyed a nice rooftop meal at a nearby restaurant called “Oia Gefsis”. They had amazing cocktails and desserts and it was a great way to watch the sunset over the water. Of all of the cities, I highly suggest this one the most and would likely stay here instead of any other city.

 

I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet that I already checked off number one on my bucket list but here we are, I’m 21 years old and I’ve already seen it! I am beyond grateful for the experience and enjoyed every second of our trip. Each city has its highlight and I recommend seeing as much of the island as you can if you ever visit. The locals are friendly and make the place feel like home.