Santorini, Greece: Day 2
We spoke to Marina, the owner of Costa Marina Villas, about some sights we should check out. She recommended that we explore the south of the Island, where we could check out the famous Red Beach and Black Beach. We fueled up at Corner, the breakfast restaurant we went to on day 1. We got our usual, a waffle for Derek, and Bacon and Eggs for me. In addition, we got that amazing Orange juice that I am now craving while I'm home.
With full bellies, we headed off to the Red beach. Because of the size of the island, it is very hard to get lost and you can see everything from wherever you are. So, even if you do get a little lost (as we did looking for the Red Beach) you can easily find your way to head in the direction you need to be.
When we found the red beach, we parked in the free parking lot near the church and walked the short hike to the beach. I would make sure to wear comfortable shoes when you go to the red beach. It is only a 7 minute hike, but it is rocky and has a few spots where it is difficult to find your footing.
The Red Beach was beautiful. Tucked behind giant red rock, the sand is red and the sea was nice and cool. We dipped our feet in and snapped some pictures. We didn't swim as we knew we were headed to other beaches that day and didn't want to be wet while riding on the ATV. The water was also a lot colder than we expected it to be.
After the beach, we stopped to buy some fresh fruit at a stand, and also stopped to get some sunscreen. We had gotten some really bad, and weirdly placed sunburns from the day before.
We took off towards Perivolos Beach, the longest of the Black Beaches. The Black Beach was better suited for swimming, but the sand is black which makes it really HOT! We stopped at Fourty One, a beautiful bar at the end of the beach. Though their inside restaurant was beautiful, we grabbed a cabana on the sand and took in the sun and ocean view.
We ordered two heinkens and some food (they did not have any Greek beer). I ordered Keftedes (meatballs) and Derek ordered fries. When we finished our beer, we ordered a Santorini dry white wine made from the Assyrtiko grape. The wine was from the south of Santorini and influenced by the volcanic earth. It a light blonde color. It had a slight mineral taste due to the volcanic soil with floral notes towards the end and finished dry. It would be good with seafood, a salad, or just for sitting on the beach enjoying the beautiful day.
The meatballs were very good, tasting like a mix of what I think may have been veal and lamb. The sauce was slightly spicy and rich in tomato and herbs. The meatballs laid on fava, the puree made of yellow peas. While we enjoyed our food, this beautiful (what I thought ro be stray) dog approached us. He looked at us with bashful eyes, begging to eat one of my meatballs. Derek had to force me not to feed him. I asked the waiter about him after worrying the whole time I ate if the dog would get a meal that day. The waiter told me that the dog belonged to one of the best cooks on the island, and he was eating gourmet, and probably better than us. Derek laughed at me, and I laughed at myself, but I was relieved.
After catching some rays, we drove the ATVs up the coast line, taking in the sights of the Perivolos, and it's neighbor, Perissa beach. This beach too was lined with cabanas and restaurants. We loved the backdrop of the big mountainous boulders.
After an afternoon of beaches, we took off for a couple of wine tours. We found two wineries on the way home. The first was Boutari, which was beautiful and informative. We tasted some great wines, and we were given a free tour of the vineyard. Our hostess informed us of another vineyard down the road called Venetsanos, and we went there next. Venetsanos had an amazing view of the island, and amazing wine. Yo can read more about the vineyards and wines of Santorini in our upcoming blog post.
We decided that after all the wine, we needed some food and headed back to Fira. We stopped at an outside cafe called Elliniken where I had octopus. Derek ordered fries. Derek really loved the fresh bread we got there, and I enjoyed the octopus very much. It wasn't smokey tasting like it was in the US, and it wasn't rubbery like it was in the US either. It came with rice. We shared a bottle of white wine that went great with the meal.
After our meal we went to see the sunset, still in Fira, looking out from the cliff side. It was a bit cloudy but the beautiful pink and orange colors were a result of the clouds. It was another great sunset in Santorini to finish off our night out.
Derek was still up for going out, but I was exhausted the long day and the wine tours, so I went to bed. Derek went to tell Marina that we wanted to rent the ATVs again for the next day and she asked about our day and if Derek had ever had Raki. After learning it that is distilled from what is left over after the grapes are pressed, he was handed a shot to cheers with Marina and Lina. It tasted very strong and only slightly of grapes. He thanked them for the drink and came up to bed to rest up for day 3.
Tips for Traveling to Santorini from Day 2:
-Rent ATVs! It is the best way to see the entire island. Check with your hotel about their deals.
-Try the octopus, it's great! I had it a couple times and was never disappointed.
-The Red Beach is beautiful, but the Black Beach is better for swimming. Go to both, but plan to spend more of a beach day at the Black Beach.
-Try as many wineries as you can. The people are friendly, the wine is delicious, and you learn a lot.
-Wear comfortable, reliable shoes when you go to the Red Beach. Some of the path is unstable and it can be difficult for some who struggle with footing.
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