Villa Talitha

Villa Talitha can be found nestled in the hillside of the village of Firostefani, overlooking the town of Fira, the capital of Santorini, a Cycladic island in the southern Aegean Sea. The villa is just eight kilometres from Santorini’s International Airport, and eleven kilometres from the port of Athinios. Arrive by plane from European destinations and Athens, island hop by ferry and catamaran, or if you are feeling super stylish, you can even make an entrance by helicopter.

The village of Firostefani is built into the volcanic cliffside and is within easy walking distance of the main town of Fira. Mini marts, local stores, cafes and bars, restaurants and nightclubs are but a saunter from the villa, with everything you will need for your holiday almost on your doorstep. The nearest beach is just over three kilometres away, including Perivolos, one of the best-organised beaches on the island with volcanic scenery, a mountain backdrop, and a choice of exhilarating water sports. The villa comes with its own dedicated Concierge team, who can arrange almost anything for you. It's downhill all the way to the main town of Fira, where you can visit several museums, chose from the Santorini Wine Museum, the Archeological Museum of Thera, the Museum of Prehistoric Fira, or the Tomato Museum.

Take a walk up the top of Thera Mountain, where you can explore the ancient city ruins, and admire the views from the world’s only sunken caldera. Stroll the nine-kilometre trail and hike the caldera edge until you get to the most-photographed town of Oia, an original fishing village on the north coast. Enjoy wandering the winding lanes of this enchanting town, shop in luxury boutiques, eat seafood at the water’s edge, tilt at windmills, visit blue domed churches, cliff dive off Ammoudi Bay, and stay until sunset for the photographs. Take a boat trip to the uninhabited islet of Nea and Palia Kameni, an active volcano, with a path of black lava rock, smoking craters, and sulphurous hot springs.

Visit the villages and find out what life was really like. Highly recommended is Pyrgos, found in the foothills of Mount Profitis, surrounded by vineyards that produce the highly prized Assyrtiko white wines. Take a trip back in time as you walk down the steep medieval alleyways, populated with tavernas and wine bars, art galleries and gift shops, a museum that showcases traditional island life, and one that is home to religious relics in the former Agia Triada chapel. Don’t miss a visit to Akrotiri, a prehistoric city, that was believed to be the first settlement on the island dating back to Neolithic times. For more recent history, The Arygyros Mansion has guided tours of this neo-classical Venetian merchant’s home. Santorini hosts an annual film festival, and the twice-daily film screenings at the alfresco Cine Kamari are not to be missed. The island is renowned for its fabulous wines, most especially the crisp dry whites, take a tour of the many vineyards, and make sure you take a bottle home with you.

The Cycladic architecture, the blue domes, and the most stunning sunsets are what the island is famous for, and to help you capture those memories, you can even take a photography tour. If you can bear to tear yourself away from this most mystical of destinations, spend a day island hopping, swimming and snorkelling in the azure seas, enjoying a meal of Greek meze on board, or simply watching the sunset as you come back into the harbour.

Read more about Oia and the Caldera