May 2014.... I finally returned to the Greek Islands, 25 years after my first visit. We travelled over 30 hours from Sydney to Santorini, arriving in Oia late in the evening.

We'd decided to spend three nights on Santorini. Firstly I wanted to see for myself that amazing view over the caldera and the painted cave houses that disappear into the side of the cliff. We also thought it a good place to recover from our anticipated jet lag for a few days, a place we could just wander the pathways and enjoy our food and drinks while sitting in roof top cafes and bars.

The night we arrived we settled into the cave house we'd rented, it was dark, and apart from twinkling lights along the cliff tops we really didn't know what to anticipate.  The following morning we were greeted with this view from our veranda.

 Where we stayed:

Where we dined:

Tips:

Many cafes and restaurants have roof top terraces with amazing views, these are lovely places to sit and relax for a while.

Santorini does get busy #1. It is one of the main stops for Greek Island cruise ships and, with several visiting the island each day, this brings a huge number of people all walking along the sometimes narrow pedestrian paths. We learnt there were particular times of the day that the tour groups would pass through the town and avoided these times. We'd park ourselves on a cafe terrace and enjoy a freddo looking at the view. Or we'd retreat back to our cave house which had it's own spectacular view to relax for a while.

Santorini does get busy #2. It is one of the major destinations for a Greek Island holiday. And aside from the day trippers off boats and cruise ships, the island attracts a lot of people who stay for a few days. I think a few days is enough to enjoy what Santorini offers and does best... the amazing views. Having visiting other islands, there are many, many others that are not nearly as busy, and you will experience the beautiful Greek hospitality, food, way of life and amazing scenery in a more relaxing and calmer way. I'm not saying don't go to Santorini, it is a must to visit in my opinion, even just once, BUT don't dismiss the other islands around her, they are beautiful too.