Τετάρτη, Μαρτίου 26, 2014

Santorini: Five reasons to visit the beautiful Greek island

Σύμφωνα με δημοσίευμα της Βρετανικής εφημερίδας metro… υπάρχουν τουλάχιστο 5 λόγοι να επισκεφθεί κανείς την Σαντορίνη!

Στο κείμενο αναφέρονται τα σημαντικότερα χαρακτηριστικά και οι ιδιαιτερότητες της Σαντορίνης ενώ γίνονται ιδιαίτερες αναφορές στις γεύσεις και βέβαια την .. θέα και το τοπίο της..

Το πλήρες κείμενο μπορείτε να το δείτε εδώ : http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/16/santorini-five-reasons-to-visit-the-beautiful-greek-island-3986336

Arguably Greece’s most beautiful island, Santorini is a mix of towering cliffs, inky waters and whitewashed villages. Perfect for a post-summer break.

In around 1620BC, a huge eruption caused the centre of the southernmost Cyclades islands to collapse.
The Aegean Sea came pouring into the resulting caldera, leaving the crescent-shaped volcanic rock we now know as Santorini.

Thanks to its natural beauty, Santorini endures another plague – plenty of visitors during summer – when roads are blocked, restaurants are full and prices soar.

While spring is a lovely time to visit, particularly for the wild flowers, the sea has yet to warm up enough for all but the bravest. This is why October is best – there are no crowds, the water is warm and there’s wine to be tasted.

Most of Santorini’s hotels are stuck to the caldera rim for the views.
There’s something for every budget and the Grace Santorini is a legend among the top-tier options (www.gracehotels.com/santorini, doubles from £320).
For something cheaper, Aqua Vista Hotels (www.aquavistahotels.com  , doubles from £180) has a collection of ten boutique properties around the rim. We love the four-star Kalestesia.
Michael Cullen, editor-in-chief of online travel experts i-escape (www.i-escape.com  ) and former Cyclades tour guide, suggests a different approach: ‘The last couple of times I have stayed inland, which seems a little counter-intuitive since the views from the caldera are the big draw, but you can soak them up from a café by day and then retire to a quieter place inland.
‘My most recent discovery is Hideaway Houses (www.i-escape.com  /hideaway-houses/overview, houses from £273 per night), whose prices are cut by almost half in October.’
Santorini, and the picturesque town of Oia in particular, is reputed to have the most beautiful sunsets on Earth.

It’s a big claim but few who have experienced it will forget seeing the sun drop into the drink leaving only the silhouettes of the tiny islets and the pink-domed cupolas of the churches in its wake.
White-washed buildings perch on the cliffs overlooking the caldera of Santorini (Picture: supplied)White-washed buildings perch on the cliffs overlooking the caldera of Santorini (Picture: supplied)

The wine is amazing
Santorini is awash with food and wine. Food enthusiast and Santorini expert David Hoffmann, of the brilliant David’s Been Here website (www.davidsbeenhere.com ) shares says: ‘Selene restaurant [www.selene.gr, mains from £22] is excellent. It is located in the village of Pyrgos, which is a great place to see traditional architecture.

‘Nichteri [www.nichteri.gr, mains from £21] on Kamari beach, has some of the best gourmet Greek food around and a great atmosphere. The best restaurant to see the sunset from is Dimitri’s Taverna (no web, mains from £10) in Ammoudi Port. Reserve a table at the water’s edge and order the lobster pasta.’
As for the wine, October is the best month for tasting the new season’s vintages. Santorini’s wines are prized for their Italian flavour – during the Crusades, a Venetian nobleman seized the island and his influence is still tasted in the sweet, crisp whites and rosés on offer – and October 22 is the religious feast day of Agios Avekios, the patron saint of wine.

Expect lots of drinking, dancing and plate-smashing. For those wanting to learn more, Sigalas Winery (www.sigalas-wine.com ) offers tours.
Take a boat trip around the coast for a different view of the island (Picture: Alamy)Take a boat trip around the coast for a different view of the island (Picture: Alamy)

It’s activities heaven
Now the heat of summer has died down (35C is not uncommon in August), it’s time to get out and about. The most popular activities are water-based, with sea kayaking, diving and cave snorkelling all plentiful.
Santorini Sailing (www.santorinisailing.com, half day from £120 per person) offers some of the best catamaran tours, with beach stops and thermal pools, plus complimentary lunch and drinks.

On-shore, the rock climbing and hiking are excellent. Michael Cullen suggests hiking from the Grace Santorini, via the ruins of a Venetian castle, to the peaceful hidden chapel of Theoskepasti.
For history buffs, a visit to Akrotiri, the Pompeii of the Aegean, is a must. You’ll see the perfectly preserved remains of a Bronze Age Minoan town, frozen in volcanic ash.

Getting there:

Returns from Gatwick to Santorini with Easyjet from £57.99, www.easyjet.com, www.visit-santorini.com