Santorini: Gateway to Thirassia and Anafi – A Last-Minute Island Hop

I returned from Greece just over two weeks ago, but a whole host of things compelled me to jump onto another flight back. A combination of stress, exhaustion and the relentless gloom of the British weather tipped me over the edge, and I was also having serious withdrawal symptoms. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, full of anguish and the realisation that my dream of retiring to Greece will never be realised. Goddamn you, Brexit! Can you imagine living your life this way? Another plaster to cover a gaping wound.

I’d spotted a little window in my busy work schedule. Although I’d already decided that I was going, I sheepishly dropped a hint to Peter that I was considering another trip. Four days later, I was on a flight to Santorini. God bless Peter. I’m very fortunate to have a husband who lets me indulge my passion.

Manchester Airport was much busier than I’d anticipated. It seemed that it’s still half term for certain schools and the airport is heaving. The journey redeemed itself at the other end of the flight with a swift passage through passport control and luggage retrieval. I was out of Santorini Airport in 15 minutes.

Because it was a late flight, I’d arranged a taxi transfer, which ended up being a Godsend. At 11.30 at night and with an early start the following day, I needed this transfer to be seamless.

Unusually, I’d booked all the accommodations for this trip in advance and tried to keep it as budget-friendly as possible. The location on Santorini was key. I wanted somewhere between the airport and the port (but definitely not Fira). I stumbled across a place in Pyrgos Kallistis called Cueva Con Vista Studios, said to be just 5.5km from the port. It sounded perfect. I gathered from its name that it was a cave house, and it had a view – what more could I ask for?

Just after arriving at the airport, I picked up a message from my host telling me how to access the property. Climb the stairs, go through the turquoise gate and enter the code on the door to access the key. Great. Then he sent me a photograph of the stairs in question, and it nearly sent me into convulsions! I messaged him back to say that I was a bit worried about the stairs, after all, I was an old lady with a bad back. (all true!) He messaged me back to say that, of course, he would help me with my bag – no problem at all. Phew!

Outside the arrivals hall, I immediately spotted someone holding a sign with my name. I was escorted to a taxi and we were soon on our way. I had a very entertaining chat with the taxi driver. He told me that he hadn’t been to this particular accommodation before, so we would discover it together. We began to make a steep ascent up into the back and beyond, past vineyards and through sleepy lanes until we came to the location. Google Maps hadn’t indicated how high the location would be – though it never does! The steps looked far more ominous than in the photograph! The taxi driver phoned my host to let him know I was here and and two minutes later I spotted him leaping down the steps like a gazelle.

Charis is a slight young man but had no problem hoiking my bag up the steps. He told me that the steps have given him a strong heart. Halfway up, and mine is about to go into cardiac arrest! It isn’t just the steep ascent but also the heat, which at nearly midnight still feels quite oppressive. I’d read earlier that another heatwave had just begun. That doesn’t bode well for this Northern European granny who struggles with anything over 24 degrees!

As we climbed the steps, I noticed a strong essence of ‘donkey’ in the air. I’m in no doubt that we are climbing a donkey track or very close to one. There are 2 long flights of stairs and once past the turquoise gate, another shorter (though not short) flight. Even without a bag, I was struggling, but I finally made it. Charis showed me my room in the cave house, and I was immediately aware of how cool it was inside. Many moons ago, I’d stayed in a cave house in Oia, and I’d forgotten that the thick walls and vaulted ceilings not only protect during an earthquake but also maintain a steady temperature. No air conditioning is needed.

Charis confirmed that his partner, Vicky, would take me to the port the following morning. She would meet me at 0700am. Booking the transfer directly with the hotelier was considerably cheaper than a taxi.

My first instinct was to take a cool shower to wash off the day’s frenetic travel. The shower was one of those new fancy ones that sends out jets of water in all directions. It took me a while to fathom out which knobs did what, but eventually, I was able to stand under a torrent of cool water. I think it was on the Manchester rain setting! It felt familiar anyway.

Now to take in the view from the terrace before bedtime. The lights of Santorini were flickering in the dark below whilst bats swooped and dived between the houses. It is absolutely silent. I can’t wait to see it in all its glory in the morning.

Before I went to bed, I Googled Pyrgos Kallistis and discovered that it’s the highest village on Santorini. Just short of a nosebleed, I’d say!

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At 6 am, my alarm sprang into life. To be honest, I had been awake for some time, as often happens when you need to be up early. I had enough time to make a cup of tea and take in that sunrise view before heading off. Out on the horizon, little Anafi was just visible through the sea haze of the morning. The view was just magical!

After getting my belongings together, I began to heave my luggage down the steps one at a time. This was going to be no mean feat! The bad back was one thing, but my vertigo was another, but Siga Siga! I made it down the first flight of steps by looking down at the steps in front of me. Soon after that, Vicky appeared at the top of the steps and ran down to take over. I offered to carry it with her, but she won’t hear of it. I was secretly pleased!

Halfway down, I heard the clatter of hooves on stone and descending a parallel path was an elderly man leading a pair of donkeys. I knew it! He calls a cheery “Kalimera” to Vicky. They had a brief chat before my luggage was bundled into the boot of the car.

During the journey down to Athinios Port, Vicky told me that she was from Kardytsa in Central Greece, but she and Charis had now built a life together on Santorini. It’s clear from the way she talks about Santorini that she loves the island. Apparently, the old man with the donkey had become her newly adopted Santorini grandfather!

We chatted more about Pyrgos KalIistis. I knew that the word Pyrgi/Pyrgos means ‘tower’, so I asked Vicky if Pyrgos has the same meaning. She told me that it did, and that there was a Venetian Castle just above Cueva Con Vista that offered the most magnificent panoramic views on the island. This really interested me.

I didn’t mention this to Vicky, but I am guilty of poo-pooing Santorini. I’ve complained about the grossly over-inflated prices and the hordes of people launched onto the island via the monstrous cruise liners. I’ve stayed on Santorini 5 or 6 times over the years with varying experiences from amazing to a bit non-plussed. When I decided to take three of my teenage grandchildren to Greece two years ago, I wanted to give them an experience they would never forget. When most people think of Greece, the images conjured up are those of white cubist buildings and blue-domed churches. In other words, the Cyclades. I knew that Santorini had to be part of the itinerary- and they loved it. There is no denying that Santorini has a unique beauty unlike anywhere else. Take away the crowds and the pollution, leaving Santorini in its raw state, and you are left with an absolute gem! Although this is but a fleeting visit, I am curious about the traditional villages and who knows – maybe I’ll come back in the depths of winter when it’s quiet and explore it further.

We descended the zigzagged road down Athinios Port, and Vicky and I said our goodbyes. At that moment, the port was fairly quiet. I sat down in one of the port cafes for a cup of tea, where I watched a scene develop in front of me. A stream of tour buses came down the port road in tandem and tipped hundreds of people out onto the quayside. Bug-shaped tenders arrived from the cruise liners, depositing even more people onto the quayside and then loaded up with those who were waiting. The overriding sound was of the thrum of coach engines partnered with the smell of rancid exhaust fumes, and it wasn’t even 8 am. It was a relentless stream of people being transferred from A to B to C, though the logistics of managing all this was impressive.

The ferry Saonisos was running late. I also had no idea which gate she would come into, so I tracked her on the Marine Traffic app. As soon as I saw her sailing into the port, I followed her to her ‘parking spot’. As she began to moor, a large crowd of tourists surged forward but were given the ‘wait there’ hand signal by the port police. My instincts told me that they weren’t catching the Saonisos. These definitely weren’t a Thirassia crowd (If you know, you know!). I edged towards the ship and waited until the cars had boarded before approaching with my e-ticket. My ticket was checked, and I was waved on board.

I received a lovely welcome as I boarded the boat, and my luggage was taken from me as soon as I reached the top of the ramp, which was a nice touch. I headed straight up to the deck to see what’s what. It wasn’t long before we set sail. The Saonisos gave a loud blast on her horn, which was reciprocated by the Speedjet 1, also about to depart. Both captains gave a wave to each other as the Saonisos pulled away. A mutual captain appreciation thing – camaraderie of the seas.

The ship made her way past several huge cruise liners on the right and the volcano on the left. It was just a 40-minute boat journey to Thirassia, but along the way, the views were incredible. I was almost caught unawares. It was hot, and I’d sought some respite in a shelter on the deck. As soon as I noticed Saonisos spinning on her axis, I grabbed my small bag and went down to the car deck. I was the only person to disembark here. I love it when this happens. This is a good sign – very good indeed!