It is said that volcanoes leave an indelible mark on the history of our fragile planet, and this was instantly apparent to those of us who got up to witness the sun rise out of the Aegean Sea and gently kiss the little houses and windmills of Oia that grace the rim of Santorini’s massive caldera. Known to the ancient Greeks as Calliste —“the most beautiful”—the circumference of this volcanic complex is comprised of the islands of Thera, Therasia, and Aspronisi, while the growing, black lava Kameni Islands sit are situated in the center.
We set off early from the Sea Cloud to see if there was any truth to the myth that this island, and its original Bronze Age inhabitants, was once the fabled lost continent of Atlantis. While the jury may still be out on this premise, the ancient gods must have been smiling down on us, as unbelievably there were no other cruises in the caldera this morning! The little shop-lined alleys of Oia were empty save a few somnolent dogs and venders handing out sesame-coated nuts while others hastened to open their shops and galleries with tempting delights. After taking our mandatory, quintessential Greek tourist photo of the three, blue-domed churches towering above the azure ocean, we were left to our own devices; exploring shops, sitting in cliff-top cafés having lattes, or finding yet better vantage points for photography. Oia offers a little something for everyone.
We then boarded our buses for a drive around the eastern coast of the island to the town of Pyrgos for a lunch of Greek mezedes and delicious homemade Santorini white wine. It was then on for a short tour of the Fira Museum, with its truly exceptional collection of Bronze Age ceramics and frescos recovered from the Minoan colony of Akrotiri, a town on the south side of the island that was buried in the ash during the volcanic eruption of 1627 BC. These artifacts illustrate the international nature of maritime commerce as well as the flora and fauna of the island more than 3,600 years ago. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and all too soon it was time to take the cable car down to the port to find the Greek tender boats that would take us back to the Sea Cloud. After circumnavigating the Kameni islands, we cruised under the cliffs of Oia, now bathed in the soft, late afternoon light before enjoying a wonderful deck dinner.
