The craggy coast from Fira to Oia is a shining example of nature’s works of art! The hike between the two villages follows the rim of the Santorini caldera and provides a flow of spectacular panoramic views!
Took tons of photos but later while reviewing them decided either my photography is getting worse or it isn’t possible to communicate such extraordinary beauty in a photograph.
Amazing sights are everywhere – the volcano, circle of islands, unique flora and fauna, steep cliffs, white- and pastel-washed churches and villas, big sky, and of course the shimmering blue sea. Santorini light reflection and colors are incredible!
As you can see in some of the photos, the day was overcast but it wasn’t cold. Finally the sun came out in late afternoon. I stopped for lunch at a café that was almost hanging off the side of a cliff. They were playing jazz from an LA radio station.
I underestimated the effort as I have done many eight-mile hikes and thought it would be an easy outing. Some sections of the trail were steep and difficult with loose volcanic rock – walking poles would have been helpful. Also I didn’t account for the several miles of walking to get back and forth from the buses to Fira and then back to my hotel in Kamari.
There weren’t many hikers on the trail but I met an Asian couple from Palo Alto, a Korean student from Seoul, and several Europeans. A couple hiking in the opposite direction was from southern California and they had friends living in Oregon.
Near the top of the hill where an old church looks down on Oia, the wind was fierce but it died down quickly on the other side. I took the wrong sun hat since you definitely needed a chin strap to keep one on your head. One day of hiking without a hat probably reverses at least 5 years’ worth of moisturizers and wrinkle creams – oh well. It was a magnificent and satisfying day enjoying nature.
Tomorrow I’m going for a group sail along the caldera’s rim – a different vantage point for viewing the islands. If the wind on the sea is as strong as it was on that hill overlooking Oia, the sailboat will fly!