Five hundred and eighty eight steps!
Yes, count them 588!
Actually, you don't need to count them ......
because there is a sign telling you so.
Not only is it a long way up, but you have to share these steps with donkeys. And you know how donkeys are, they leave a gift for you almost on every step. Then, you not only have to huff and puff while you climb, you have to also watch your steps so that you don't accidently slip on "something" 😉
But don't fret there is another way to go from the Athinio port, also known as Thira port, to Fira the capital of Santorini.
Can you figure out what other means of transport that might be?
If you guessed cable cars, then you guessed correctly.
But before we can get to the cable cars and ride up to Fira, you need to know a little bit about Satorini.
The island of Santorini is one of those places at the top of many travel bucket lists due to its scenery and picturesque landscape. White washed buildings with blue domes set on a volcanic cliff overlooking a caldera, makes this one of the most beautiful places to visit. It is also a very popular stop with cruise ships.
Because of its popularity and the number of tourists visiting Santorini on a daily basis, the island is saturated, placing strain on the island's infrastructure. Hence, as of 2019 the island capped its daily cruise ship arrivals to 8,000 visitors, down from 10,000.
Even so that number is still pretty high.
When one arrives at Santorini on a cruise ship, because Athinio port is not very large and because it does not have a passenger terminal, cruise vessels anchor in the caldera and passengers are then tendered ashore to the port.
Once on land then you have a choice of what means to use in order to get to Fira. We chose the cable car, therefore we stood in line. Which wasn't too bad a place to stand because it was another opportunity to hear that shutter go click.
Are you getting hungry now?
No worries.
Your hunger will subside once we are in Fira and you see that breathtaking view.
And everyone wants a photo!
Before continuing our sightseeing adventure, we sat down to have a meal.
Yes, I know I am not being nice by showing you photos of delicious food, but then again no travel is complete without some gastronomy.
Hence, our dining experience took place at Rastoni Concept with a panoramic view and local Mediterranean & ethnic cuisine.
And of course all was washed down with none other than local μπύρα (byra).
Moving onward to sights around this popular island.
The actual walking time around the island is around 3 hours, but with so
many breathtaking stopping points, the total time can easily reach 5-6 hours.
"Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the Catholic Cathedral of Santorini is a handsome and unique place of worship. Its peach exterior contrasts with the many white and blue domed churches that dot the landscape of this quaint, yet beautiful town. It was built in the 17th century by the Jesuit monks, missionaries of the Apostolic Order.
Santorini has experienced a lot of seismic activity throughout its existence. An earthquake in 1956 completely destroyed the previous church. The house of worship that we may enjoy today was restored and opened in 1975."
Walk inside St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and you have walked into a totally different world. Inside the church, portraits of saints and blessed hang on the pillars. The church is one of the few churches in Santorini that is open practically all the time.
Once out of the church, more walking around and capturing the sights.
"Catholic Church of Saint Stylianos located on the verge of the cliffs, clinging to the edge of the caldera, is dedicated to Saint Stylianos of Paphlagonia. Despite its small size, the church attracts much attention due to its unique design. Although the church's construction date is unknown, manuscripts indicate that it has existed at least since 1757.
It showcases a traditional style of Santorinian architecture, although, before its renovation in 1988, its design used to have some baroque elements."
"What makes Santorini so popular is its wild volcanic landscape, rugged cliffs, wild nature, and beautiful shores, combined with its rich history and traditions. Santorini got its current half-moon shape after a huge volcanic eruption.
"According to excavations on Santorini and archaeologists, the first human presence on the island dates back to the Neolithic Period. Santorini hosted a notable civilization around 3600 BC. Discoveries made in a city near Akrotiri and the famous Red Beach revealed the existence of an ancient Minoan colony. The settlement was similar to those found on the island of Crete with many wall ornaments and pottery depicting naturalistic landscapes of animals and humans of the same ancient Minoan style."
"In ancient times, Santorini Island was known as Strongili, which means round in Greek. Strongili was the victim of an enormous volcano eruption around 1600 BC. The eruption was so potent, that many consider it the prime cause of the destruction of the great Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, situated 70 nautical miles away.
After the eruption, the central landmass of Santorini sank, and the subsequent earthquakes destroyed a large part of the rest of the island.
Between 1200 AD and 1579 AD, the island was under Byzantine rule. In 1204 AD the island surrendered to the Venetian Marco Sanudo and became a member of the Duchy of the Archipelago. The current name of the island was given by the Venetians after Santa Irini, a Catholic church.
Due to the wars of the 20th century, Santorini's economy declined and the inhabitants abandoned the island after a catastrophic earthquake in 1956. The tourist development in Santorini began in the 1970s; today, the island constitutes one of the top tourist destinations worldwide."
And so we pretty much did a full circle around the island and now back in line to catch the cable car down. But of course no travel is complete without seeing a busker or two standing around for tourists' handouts.
It really is a beautiful view as you go down the cliff.
SANTORINI
"Snow capped mountains" by day......
Bejweled by night...
αντίο Ελλάδα 🙋🏼♀️
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