The Aspro Spiti can be found nestled in nature, at the highest spot of Oia in the Perivolas area overlooking the village and its traditional architecture, on the north coast of Santorini, a Cycladic island in the southern Aegean Sea. The villa is fifteen kilometres from Santorini’s International Airport and thirteen kilometres from the port of Athinios. The nearest village is Oia being just 500 meters away from the centre. Near the villa, you will find convenient facilities such as a bus stop, restaurants and markets as well as a parking space. The area of Perivolas is home to contemporary art galleries and upscale indie boutiques dotted along beautiful whitewashed cobbled alleys. You will be spoilt for choice with alfresco dining along the cliffside where you can enjoy those sunset views.
The nearest sandy beach is Capo Colombo, a seven-minute drive from the villa, this secluded unspoilt beach has dark sand and pebbles and is far away from the madding tourist crowds. The nearby old town of Oia is rather magical, a fishing village, with a maze of colourful lanes, populated with exclusive boutiques, leading down to the harbour. Here you will find supermarkets and restaurants, banks and bakeries, souvenir shops and more. Seek solace in blue-domed Greek Orthodox churches, tilt at windmills, visit the Naval Museum, cliff dive off Ammoudi Bay, enjoy freshly caught seafood by the seashore, and stay for the famous sunsets. Stroll the nine-kilometre trail and hike the Caldera edge until you get to the capital town of Fira, on Santorini’s west coast. In Fira town centre there are lots of museums, choose from the Santorini Wine Museum, the Archeological Museum of Thera, the Museum of Prehistoric Fira, or the Tomato Museum.
Take a walk to the top of Thera Mountain, where you can explore the ancient city ruins, and admire the views from the world’s only sunken caldera. All aboard 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 island 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. Spend a day island hopping, swimming and snorkelling in the azure Aegean Sea, enjoying a meal of Greek meze on board, before watching the sunset as you sail back into the harbour.
The Region
Capture that picture-perfect shot of white-washed houses, windmills and terraces backed by the incredible caldera. Fairytale style Oia is on the north-western tip of Santorini Island and is also famed for its romantic sunset as the charming village glows in hues of pink, purple, orange and yellow.
In a perched position with rugged cliffs below, the pedestrianised village of Oia is utterly enchanting. Explore the narrow lanes with boutiques, souvenir shops, cave houses and taverna terraces, follow twisting cobbled staircases and come across glimpses of the famous blue domes of Agios Spyridon Church, the ruins of Agios Nikolaos Castle and the glistening water.
The most energetic of guests can brave the steep steps down to Ammoudi Bay, a charming little fishing village with tavernas serving fresh seafood by the water’s edge. There’s a little rocky bay within a short hike where you can sit and watch courageous tourists jump from the cliffs as yachts sail by.
Visitors from across the island gather on Oia’s iconic terraces at sunset. To avoid the crowds, there are many other beautiful places where you can get the perfect photo as evening nears – book a sunset cruise or a kayaking excursion, venture up to Mávro Vounó Hill or discover another spot along the rugged western coast facing the caldera and its islands.
Beyond Oia, discover the most stunning vistas of the caldera by following the 10km long hiking path to Fira, walking along the rim of the caldera with the steep volcanic cliffs below, gazing out towards the volcanic islands. The sunken caldera is one of the oldest natural wonders of the world, formed during a devastating volcanic eruption in the Minoan era. Pack good walking shoes (some parts of the trail are more challenging than others), plenty of water and head off early or late to avoid the heat of the midday sun – the scenery is absolutely incredible (especially heading back towards the north-west at sunset).
As you approach the end of the hike, stop off in Imerovigli and climb the village steps for views of domes, belltowers and bougainvillea-clad terraces, again backed by the captivating caldera, then continue on to Fira, the welcoming capital of Santorini Island.
