Santorini Sunsets

It's a little bit difficult to sum up the Santorini sunsets.  They're a big deal on the island and as that golden hour approaches, the excitement and anticipation in the air is palpable.  The cameras come out while visitors document the descent of the sun into the Aegean sea until it finally disappears into the horizon.

Oia has long been pegged the place to view one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.  Taking advantage of our rental car, we spent 2 nights in Oia.  The first, we went armed with a list of recommended restaurants and the hope to stumble into one of them before the sun disappeared.  We ended up with a great table and uninterrupted views and the sun set just as it was supposed to.  It was nice but it didn't feel special.  For me, the beauty of the sunset lies not just in the sun melting away for the night but within the colours it casts on everything else.  The second night in Oia, we found that beauty ... with plenty of others.

Beautiful it was but it was also crowded.  The small, cobblestone paths were lined with tourists, occasionally 3 or 4 deep.  Photographers had tripods set up and everyone was searching and fighting for a spot to watch.  It was pretty and I was fascinated by the changing colours cast over the white, concrete buildings but it was busy and while the anticipation of the crowd was something in itself, I preferred a quieter, more relaxed setting.

The rest of our Santorini sunsets were spent in Imerovigli.  Occasionally we were out for dinner but more often than not, we were on our terrace pouring a glass of wine and stepping into the jacuzzi.  It was peaceful and just the two of us.