Later that evening we strolled over to Fotis, a beachfront “all-day” bar but I recommend going at night. With the heat dissipating, you’re left with a warm seaside breeze as you enjoy one of their signature cocktails by cozy lounge furniture and candlelight. The fig gin & tonic served with Three Cents Aegean artisanal Greek tonic water is as refreshing as it is delicious and something I know I’ll be craving after the trip. If Athens and Paros were the appetizers, Santorini was the main course. This time we opted to island hop by SeaJet ferry rather than plane. Though slightly delayed due to weather, the ferry was a very pleasant experience with assigned seating, decent coffee, and multiple bars across the ship. The 2.5 hour route took us from Paros to Naxos to Ios before Santorini, and at the back of the ship, you can head outside to enjoy the sea-air and snap some photos of each island. A word of warning, our ferry ride was smooth sailing but we heard from others who weren’t so lucky with rough conditions leading to sea sickness. So if you’re susceptible to that type of thing, opt for Aegean Airlines instead.
We arrived at the Port of Santorini where the water meets a sheer wall of massive cliffs. As we disem- barked, competing cab companies scrambled to lure the incoming masses to their stalls, yelling at the potential customers and at each other, in what was one of the more hectic experiences of the trip. Don’t waste time trying to figure out who to go with, just find the first available and get out of there. Santorini is a collection of small towns and villas – Thera, Oia, Imerovigli – dotting the hills, cliffs, and seaside of the island and while each has it’s charm, people tend to flock to Oia for the purest views of Santorini sunsets as it cascades over the signature white and blue buildings that the island is known for. If you want to explore all of the towns, rent an ATV as cabs can be expensive, bordering on predatory, and often unreliable, taking upwards of thirty minutes to secure even if you order in advance. You may find that Santorini can be a bit of a tourist trap in some areas but the overall qual- ity of its restaurants, shops and visual fodder more than make up for it. The wedding aside, the highlight of our Santorini experience was the Sunset private catamaran 26
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