Welcome to Oia!

I finally made it to Oia (pronounced EE--ah), the popular and beautiful town on the northern-most point of Santorini. I love how this gentle old dog just watches the world go by. It's definitely his home, but he patiently watches while throngs of people wander his turf.

Although I managed to get what looks like a tranquil peaceful spot, the town was actually heaving with tourists, especially as it's a popular place to watch the sunset and I arrived late afternoon.

I wish I had gone earlier today or earlier in the week and allowed more time to see everything. I feel like I just got a quick taster, but it's good to leave something for next time! I will definitely be coming back again to Santorini!

On my way to Oia this afternoon, I walked through the village of Imerovigli, just north of where I am staying. I had intended a quick stroll before taking the bus to Oia, but then I got sidetracked by hiking out to Skaros rock, the remains of a venetian castle on a rocky headland. The walk involved about 500 steps, first down then across and up. I thought I was done, when I discovered the Theoskepasti church way down below me, which of course I had to walk down to! The views were stunning at every point and the detour which took me a couple of hours in the hottest part of the day was well worth it. However, it meant that I didn't get to Oia until late afternoon.

Besides beautiful views and more charming houses built into the rock, Oia is known for many high-end shops and galleries, as well as the normal tourist fare and restaurants. I'm not much of a shopper, but there was one shop I was determined to find. I had read about Atlantis Books recently, as it keeps cropping up on lists of the most beautiful or inspiring bookstores in the world. The bookstore has an interesting history and as an avid bibliophile I had to visit! I enjoyed an hour or so there, browsing, talking with the booksellers, admiring the cats and taking pictures. I restrained myself to just two books. I've decided that I need to follow this list of most inspiring bookstores around the world as a kind of Bucket-List of places to travel to! I recently discovered a London bookshop which is also on the list, but I have a few more to visit!