Kalispera! Ready to see more of Santorini?
Despite being a just a four kilometre stroll from the popular beach resort of Perissa, Emporio feels like a world away, a Medieval village virtually untouched by tourism.
The village was built to protect inhabitants from marauding pirates with all the buildings purposely constructed cheek to cheek so locals could defend their houses more effectively.
Despite over two million visitors heading to Santorini each year, most stick to the better known tourist attractions meaning that you can often have Emporio almost to yourselves.
Hear, hear!
We'd skipped breakfast and left our rooms just after 8am so, after a couple of hours of exploring, we were starving so treated ourselves to a breakfast of omelettes (vegetable for me, village sausage for Jon) at The Old Barber Shop in the heart of the village.
What a shame about the sign behind Jon's head!
The beauty and tranquility of Emporio took our breath away. If you visit Santorini, you can walk from Perissa, or if you're on the other side of the island, you can hop on the bus from Fira (€2.20) and ask the driver to give you a shout when it's time to get off.
Thanks for reading - see you soon!
Oh - bliss! I don’t think there is a single brick of Emporio that does not get my heart racing. What an incredible place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the time it must have taken to upload so many gorgeous photos. xx
Thanks, Jayne! I took an absolute age to choose which photos to include, we took so many. It's such a beautiful village. x
DeleteWhat a fabulously beautiful village. I love that you always seek out the gems whilst on your hols. Your white, embroidered dress is a real beauty!
ReplyDeleteI can't quite get my head around the lack of greenery on Santorini, I have only visited Corfu and Paxos both full of greenery.
Thank you! I spotted that dress on eBay during the depths of Winter and thought it would be the ideal dress for sightseeing in the heat.
DeleteEmporio is stunning, isn't it?
It's amazing how much the landscape of Greece varies between the islands, it's hard to believe it's the same country. x
So beautiful. It must almost be a relief to the eyes, to see the different colored doors and occasional building, after all of that blue and white. So very beautiful. I can see why you both enjoy it so much. Ranee (MN) USA
ReplyDeleteHello Ranee! I'm glad you enjoyed your virtual visit to beautiful Emporio. It really is a feast for the eyes - and a joy to escape the mass tourism. xxx
DeleteHow beautiful is Emporio? Just stunning. I loved the shapes of the buildings, the blinding whiteness of the buildings; the narrowness of the streets and the thickness of the walls. Your photos were wonderful. Of course there'd be cats - what a pretty bunch! Loved your white dress with the embroidery; you blended in beautifully. I was also absolutely bowled over by the tiered bells...more please!
ReplyDeletexxx
Emporio took our breath away, we loved how there were no straight lines to the buildings and how you never knew what to expect when you turned a corner or ventured down one of those impossibly narrow alleyways. Those bells are so pretty!
DeleteThat embroidered dress got so much love when we were there, the perfect thing for sightseeing, so need to worry about covering my shoulders when we entered a church! xxx
What amazing views and streets, homes, etc. Just stunning! And you and Jon looked great, and happy to be there! All the best!!! Dawn P. Albany, Georgia USA
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Dawn! I'm glad you enjoyed the post! xxx
DeleteThe door knob!
ReplyDeleteAh...another doorknob fan! Glad you enjoyed the post, Ruth! xxx
DeleteGorgeous photos of incredible other-worldy white buildings against the brilliant azure sky. Just absolutely stunning. My name is Jane and I enjoy all your posts.
ReplyDeleteHello Jane! Thank you so much for commenting. xxx
DeleteEmporio looks absolutely magical, and what a treat to have it almost to yourselves. Those posh tourists don't know what they're missing, although perhaps it is best kept a secret. I'm definitely getting that resident's sign! Stunning photos, which more than managed to cheer me up on this grey and cheerless day! xxx
ReplyDeleteEmporio was utterly magical, we couldn't believe how quiet it was! As usual we're sharing weather, it's been very gloomy today although we have it on good authority aka the BBC weather, that we're in for a heatwave next week ....bring it on! xxx
DeleteOh dear that door knob! and to find someone else who thought it was fab, thanks for making me feel less weired Ruth! The village is sensational! The shapes of the buildings against the sky is heavenly. Your white dress is so stylish, as ever you looked wonderful! Keep sharing your odyssey Vix and thanks for doing so. This is Shelagh again!
ReplyDeleteHello Shelagh and welcome to the doorknob appreciation society! I'm fortunate in that Jon loves an interesting piece of door furniture as much as I do, I'm forever stopping and photographing knobs and knockers (I sound like a character from a Carry On film!)
DeleteThere's something about the simplicity of white cotton dresses when I'm in Greece, prints don't hold their usual appeal. xxx
Oh my gosh it looks fantastic. I feel like I've traveled reading your posts Vix. A taste of holidays for us. Xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Julie, I'm happy to enjoyed your virtual tour. xxx
DeleteWow it's so bright there - all that whitewash - think I could get a headache! such a lovely place but am surprised there aren't any tubs of flowers or cascading hibiscus, I s'pose too hot to maintain them, but it's refreshingly different and sort of minimalist, I think I would like to go there. You and Jon look tanned and relaxed. Looks like they are kind to cats there, didn't see any skinny ones and they all look like they are living their best lives. Betty
ReplyDeleteHello Betty! Funnily enough, I made a mental note to only pack my sunglasses with black lenses next time , I didn't wear the brown ones as they didn't offer enough protection from the dazzling whitewash!
DeleteYes, none of the pots of geraniums, tumbling nasturtiums or hibiscus one would usually associate with Greece. All the water in Santorini is brought in by tanker so you're right, it would be a precious waste of resources.
There's some amazing cave houses in Emporio on Booking.com and that Kasteli has rooms, too. I'd love to return and spend a few days there.
The cats on Santorini seemed very well fed and cared for, apparently there aren't as many cats on the island as some of the others. xxx
What a wonderfully serene place! I think I'd like exploring that! Not surprised your photos are so prolific. I do love it when you get away from the hoardes!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, I do love an omelette with cheese!!! With lots of chives preferably!
That dress is rather lovely- who is it made by?
By the way I've been keeping a eye out for that Dawn Breakers skirt you mentioned! No luck yet but thanks for the tip!
Kx
Hello Kezzie! Emporio is such a beautiful village, we loved how quiet it was.
DeleteAn omelette always feels like a real treat, we had feta & tomato ones in Athens, they were to die for!
The dress is by Pink City Prints (via eBay), it's such a great dress for travelling, not see through, pockets and no fastenings.
If I find another Dawnbreakers skirt I'll let you know. xxx
The little table and chairs in the alleyway! Mysterious little village.was everyone hiding in their houses?x
ReplyDeleteIt was so atmospheric. We passed a couple of local ladies in their pinnies and the owner of the cafe introduced us to his cat, that was it! A hidden gem on Greece's most visited island! xxx
DeleteI'm working one day a week for my ex boss's daughter and she's off to Greece next week. She had booked a hotel ages ago but got an email to say they could no longer offer accommodation because a celebrity was staying and had asked for the whole place to be taken over. The hotel offered them other accommodation at a super luxury hotel instead! I can't remember where she said but it begins with P!
DeleteOh no, that's so disappointing. I hope the new hotel is even better than the one she hoped to stay at. I wonder who the celeb was? Do let me know where it was if you remember. I've got a hankering for Parga. xxx
DeleteBeautiful shades in those photos Vix. I have been put off going to Santorinin because of the crowds but you may have convinced me to go. X
ReplyDeleteEmporio's beautiful, Jane. The crowds in Fira and Oia were ridiculous but tolerable for a few hours, this side of the island is far preferable! xxx
DeleteWow! What a beautiful place, the colour of that sky! I'm struck by what seems to be a complete lack of vehicles, which is wonderful. I imagine the air is very clear there, and those skies certainly look very clear. I feel like we need one of those 'It's your holiday but it's our home' signs here in Scarborough as some (not all) tourists treat the place appallingly! You look absolutely stunning as always and I love the photo of you in front of the gate holding your camera. xx
ReplyDeleteI loved that there was no traffic in Emporio so we could wander around and take photos without having to dodge cars and those awful quad bikes. The air is so fresh and the night skies are breathtaking.
DeleteThose signs are brilliant, I saw them in lots of places around the island. Apparently some tourists think nothing of climbing on people's roofs to take the perfect Instagram photo - so rude! xxx
Love the architecture - so quaint and characterful. I'm getting Star Wars vibes from it. Lovely to look at; probably not so great to be that close to your neighbours during a pandemic though! xxx
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough Emporio reminded us of a village we visited on the frontier of the Sahara desert where Star Wars was filmed! I hadn't thought about living there during the pandemic, no social distancing in those alleyways! xxx
DeleteThat looks so beautiful Vix it's made me a bit teary - I would love to live there x
ReplyDeleteIsn't it heavenly, Flis? It's the kind of place I dream of living in, too. xxx
DeleteIt rather reminds me of a holiday I spent in Israel many years ago....the crispness of the white against the blue sky and the arid landscape. So very different to the UK. Arilx
ReplyDeleteIt's almost biblical, isn't it? x
DeleteWow, what a beautiful Place. The Colors are so strong and soft at the same Time. I love your Dress, it suits you lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! Greece is a feast for the eyes. xxx
DeleteI love your dress, Vix! It matches the scenery perfectly! X
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jess! x
DeleteWow, so fabulous photos, totally capturing the atmosphere!. Lovely whitewashed walls and alleys, lovely architecture (totally mediterranean, but also very Canary Islands!) and lovely that we share a love for old doors and door knobs!. I'm a huge fan of that shade of blue they use everywhere in Greece, such a brilliant colour contrasting with white.
ReplyDeletebesos
I was reminded of some of the buildings I'd seen in the Canaries! xxx
DeleteThat looks really lovely - great architecture, and so many excellent cats.
ReplyDelete