Hiiii ! Vacation is over and I’m back on track ! I really like to spend my birthday, not in my birth country. My birthday is special to me and I like to spend far away from home, that’s how I like it. This year I decided to go to Santorini with my friend Safie, it was our first trip together, so exciting !

First of all, we would like to go to Greece precisely to Crete, it’s a Greek island. But when we were looking for hotels at booking.com our eyes were attracted by special offers for Santorini. After some research we found a cozy hotel Alafouzos studios based in Kamari, it’s a small town far away from the two noisy city Oìa and Thira but very cute. So the price was really affordable for us and for the season, so we were like why not go to Santorini ?! We talked for like one hour and the reservation was booked !

I was so excited to come back to Santorini like when I was 12 years old I came with my grandmother and my aunty. Santorini is a dream place, you have to believe me. It’s better than all the pictures that we see on Instragram. This island is just speechless.

We left our beautiful Switzerland on Sunday 22th July from Zürich airport, so we went by train from Vevey to Zürich and then took the plane directly to Santorini airport. Yes the price was high, but we didn’t want to make a stop in Athene and then take the boat for about five hours.

We arrived in Santorini late at night around 10PM a private car was waiting for us to bring us to our hotel in Kamari. It was an option that the lady who owns the hotel told us and it was a good idea, it cost us just 15euros.

Honestly the Alafouzos studios was really great and clean. This place totally worth the price and it was peaceful and not noisy at all. I didn’t make any picture about the room and the amazing pool but if you’re interested I will give you the booking link and the photos are the same in real.

As I’m a really busy traveler, of course, I did my research about things to do/see and obviously food location.

First day : we booked a car from a company who work with the Alafouzos hotel, the guy gives us the key at 9AM, and we were ready by then. I was not the driver of course but Safie has the license. We drove from Kamari to a small village calls Firostefani it’s just next to Thira, the first big city of Santorini. I had found a cute place to have breakfast and I really recommend you this place calls Galini Café. It’s a nice place in front of the volcano so yes we had a breakfast view. When I saw on the menu that they made Açai bowl, of course, I take one to try it. It was delicious, I’m not kidding ! Look at this !

After a long walk across the streets of Firostefani we stopped by a bar called Confetti bar, really cute to drink a homemade lemonade to refresh us. After our fresh homemade lemonade, we were so hot that we decided to go to the Red beach, it’s about an hour from Imerovigli by car. It was a bit difficult for Safie to drive in Santorini as the roads are always sloping, but we made it at the Red beach and the long drive worth it ! It’s an amazing natural and volcanic beach. Of course, all the tourists like us wanted to see it, so don’t wait to be alone there, but we spend a great time here.

After our little swim at the Red Beach, we drive back at our hotel, and we chill out on the pool during the afternoon. Then we prepared our self for the first night out! We went by bus to the capital Thira to have a drink during the sunset at the PK Cocktails bar. It’s a bar just in front of the volcano so let’s imagine the view during the sunset… Amazing !

After the beautiful sunset we were looking for a food place, and we choose a little fast food and we ate a real « Greek gyros », OH MY GOSH ! I waited so long this !!!

So after a good breakfast, we walked down to the old port of Thira and we took a local ancient boat, it was really cool. The time on the boat was around 25 minutes so not so long, and then we arrived at the volcano, we take the walk to the top of the crater about 30 min to go there.

After that, we took the boat again and we went to the Hot Springs, yes you would ask us why to go to Hot Springs during the summer heat ?! But it was an excursion so the stop was already on the price. And it was a little swim after the long walk to the crater.

After this excursion on the volcano and the Hot Springs we came back on the island to have lunch at Thira. I got to see a restaurant called Avocado Restaurant on Instagram. We went here, and we ate lunch and it was so good !

I had some chicken with potatoes and my friend take a risotto with mushrooms.

After a good lunch, we continued our little walk across the city. They are lovely little shops and restaurants.

During the afternoon we were looking for a great sunset spot. Because yes sunsets in Santorini are the best ! I’m an addict to sunset picture so I had to find the best sunset location to have the perfect picture.

We walked and walked and finally found a cute spot but it was already full. So for our first sunset in Oìa we were standing like all the tourist here. But I finally found a good spot !

Then we were really angry, so we found a nice restaurant called Mezzo on the main street of Oìa. It was really good agaaain.

Day three : THAT’S MY BIRTHDAYYYY ! 25TH JULY !

So for this special day we booked a Catamaran excursion all day. We booked with Canaves Oìa hotel it costs us about 90 euros per person for about 5 hours on the boat with lunch included and transfers from the hotel.

They came with a private bus to our hotel in Kamari, and we went to the Ammoudì bay to take the boat. It was a really big catamaran I have never been on one that big !

We had a barbecue on board which was amazing ! We ate those souvlaki, yummy, And look which view we had from the boat it’s Oìa and the Ammoudì bay.

We spent the late morning and the afternoon on the board, we went snorkeling it was incredible the sea was so clear ! We had so much fun during my birthday !

After a good excursion on the boat we finally came back in Oìa to have a good snack we were a little angry because on early morning we cannot have breakfast because the morning check for the boat was at 9AM.

I had found one great spot in the city, it’s called Passaggio. They apparently made the best waffles and breakfast in town. We had to try them ! And there we go. I take a fruit waffle and Safie took the one with chocolate.

We walked again in Oìa during the afternoon. We changed for the evening of course ! I bought this incredible black dress, especially for my day ! But I wanted to watch the sunset again, and we finally got to sit at the spot we found the day before. We drank a little cocktail and waited for the most beautiful sunset.

For the evening we had dinner at the Petra restaurant at Canaves Oìa. We liked but it was quite expensive but for a special occasion like my birthday it’s a great place to have dinner.

Day four : it’s the last full day of our trip, so sad ! As we loved the waffle from Passaggio in Oìa we decided to come back but this time for breakfast.

And the plan for this day was to walk from Oìa to Fira by foot, it’s about 11km so a long walk again ! But in every article that I rode before the trip, they told that it was a must do in Santorini.

We did this walk for about 3 hours, and we had so much fun !

Day five : our last day…! So sad to leave this island..

But all trips had an end. We had our plane at 6PM so we had time to get a last breakfast at Iriana Café, and we had again those incredible waffle, wowww !

And then we had to come back to check out and pack our luggage. It was a really good trip and a good time in Santorini with my friend. It’s a definitely a destination to put on your bucket list ! I hope you liked this long article ! xoxo