My First Glimpse Of Thira

We were still having breakfast when our ship began its slow approach to Santorini or Thira (official name of the island). The night before, I couldn't contain my excitement that I tossed and turned throughout the evening. My dream of visiting Santorini is finally coming true.

From our ship, we took a ferry to take us ashore. Santorini has two ports - old and new. From the ship, we're entering Santorini through the new port. But going back to the ship, we're using the old port. For adventurous travelers, the old port has its own charm, which I'll cover in my next posts.

The village of Oia. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see Oia. We visited the traditional village of Pyrgos instead.

For those who didn't book a tour, they can go ashore by taking this same ferry for a small charge.

Our tour bus. I was the first one who got in.

Brochure ready and ready to explore.

I took this photo as our bus started its ascent of Mount Profitis Ilias.

The islands of Nea (new) Kameni which is roughly 500 years old and Palea (old) Kameni which is 2000 years old (farthest). These two islands are made of black lava and are uninhabited. I heard Palea is known for its hot springs. Perhaps that's one thing I should check out for future visits.

Our bus' first stop is at the 18th century monastery of Profitis Ilias. Profitis Ilias is closed to visitors; the structure is deemed unsafe due to volcanic earthquakes. The monastery of Profitis Ilias is located at the highest peak and is a great place to get a panoramic view of the whole island. According to our guide, Profitis Ilias is currently home to one solitary monk.

Next, the narrow, ascending streets of Pyrgos.