CAIT AROUND THE WORLD

May 26, 2023 — I got up kind of late on my first morning in Santorini, but at least it had also been a late night. I laid in my top bunk for a few minutes, soaking in the clean sheets (one really awesome part about changing hostels so often) and the cool air (the place was air conditioned), sunlight streaming in through the windows.

Eventually, I maneuvered myself out of bed, stepping carefully on my ankle and making sure not to bang it against anything or step weird on it. I changed out of my pyjamas and put on my running shoes and decided to go out and get a coffee.

Once I had a steaming latte in my hands, I decided to take a little walk around Fira. It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and I figured some careful exercise would be good for my ankle. Santorini was buzzing with people. They wound up and down and around the cobblestoned streets of Fira, poking in and out of shops and passing colourful window displays against white-washed buildings.

I made my way up a small hill and emerged at the top, facing a decline that seemed to drop right off the Earth. A few more steps, and one of the most breathtaking views awaited me.

The caldera stretched left and right, tiny whitewashed buildings set against the cliffs, seemingly carved into the earth itself. I’ve seen so many pictures of Santorini and its unique construction, but seeing it in person is something else entirely. Beyond all that white stone, the Mediterranean (Ionian?) Sea sparkled in a deep shade of sapphire. There was plenty of traffic on the water, with a couple cruise ships in port and other smaller boats speeding around and between them.

My walk around the city put me in the best mood, and it only got better when I decided to find a spot for lunch.

Now, on a rather touristic island like Santorini, it can be difficult to find lower-priced options for lunch. I walked around for a little while, checking out menus and taking note of the restaurants that were cheaper than others. Eventually, I decided on Cesare, which was actually just across and down from the equally excellent spot I went to for dinner that same night.

I loved Cesare. The restaurant was up a set of stairs with a rooftop that looked out over the sea on one side and down to the street on the other. I wanted to do some people watching so I sat down next to the street. I ordered a glass of the house white and souvlaki for lunch. This was one of my favourite meals throughout Greece, but Cesare’s was one of the best I had. The souvlaki itself was excellent and its potatoes — thin chip-style — were delicious, but it was the tzatziki that really sent it over the top. It was the absolute best tzatziki I’d had to date. It was obviously fresh and I think what really sent it over the top was that it had a hint of dill spice in the mix. Anyone who knows me knows that I go absolutely nuts for dill flavoured things 😄.

After my absolutely transcendent lunch, I made a quick pit stop at a pharmacy and picked up a tensor bandage and an ice pack. (I love how nice and helpful everyone is at pharmacies over here!) I made my way back to the hostel and spent some time icing, resting, and wrapping my ankle up on the terrace roof while I watched How I Met Your Mother. (While I was in Indonesia, I couldn’t get the show, so I had a lot of catching up to do because my mom finished it at home while I was in Indonesia.)

As sunset rolled around, I headed back out into the streets of Fira and found Stani Tavern, where I decided to have dinner and watch the sunset. Many of you will know that Santorini is known for its sunsets, and I was determined to enjoy as many of them as I possibly could while I was on the island.

Stani Tavern was recommended in Lonely Planet and I can honestly give it my own recommendation as well. I ordered a half litre of wine and I got lamb chops for my main. They were good, but not as good as I’d hoped. What really sent my experience over the edge was twofold: I had a beautiful view of the sunset, and the waiters were absolutely fabulous. I was given a free shot of mastika, which is a Greek dessert shot. It’s very sweet and is typically served as an after-dinner shot. I’d never had it before and it was very good — I liked it much better than raki, which is another traditional after-dinner shot 😄. As I watched the sunset, I saw a woman sitting at a table across from me enjoying a chocolate cake that looked absolutely divine. I flagged down a waiter and ordered one for myself and when it came, he brought me a dessert wine, on the house, to go with it! Honestly, I was on cloud nine. (A little tipsy too, because I have not been drinking much while I’ve been travelling.)

It’s not typical when in Greece, like many European countries, but I left a considerable tip at the end of the meal anyway. I was so impressed with the service and all the extras and I’d had such a wonderful time.

I walked back to the hostel in twilight, showered, and headed to bed, very pleased with my first day on Santorini.

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