Santorini Diaries; Imerovigli

When looking into where was best to stay in Santorini, we settled on the smaller town of Imerovigli situated between the capital Fira and popular larger town of Oia. This turned out to be the best decision not only because it avoids the busy tourist hotspots, but this area has some of the most stunning, uninterrupted views off the beaten track at sunset.

On night one I booked a table at The Wine Bar in the centre of Imerovigli, to have drinks and dinner as we watched our first sundown over the Caldera.

Whilst this was on the pricier side of places we ate, the wine was divine and we enjoyed our selection of dishes including pitta bread, olives, pulled pork sliders and a Greek feta salad of course.

Just next door to the bar was a white rooftop, simply perfect for those gorgeous golden hour shots.

We spent our afternoons soaking up the scorching Greek sun on our private balcony with plunge pool at Cresanto Luxury Suites, just a 5 minute walk from the town of Imerovigli.

The hotel also had a main infinity pool with loungers where we could order cocktails poolside too.

Now these are the kind of Monday blues I’m talking about!

Our private balcony provided the ultimate spot for handstand practice and I would often do my workout routine in the mornings here, before jumping straight in the pool to cool off.

One of the most incredible locations for sunset away from the crowds was Skaros Rock on the cliffside of Imerovigli.

We hiked over to the other side of the rock where there is a deserted church with the most breathtaking sweeping views of the Caldera at sundown.

Unlike the tourist hotspots in Oia and Fira, we had the place all to ourselves making this a hidden gem for golden hour.

Strolling around the town, we finally found the famous spot overlooking those iconic blue top churches.

Once the sun went down each night, the moon came out to glow over the white wash buildings of Santorini.

One evening we decided to take a sunset stroll to this church on the hill which we could see from our hotel.

Walking along this coastal path on the outskirts of Imerovigli was so peaceful and once again, away from any crowds of tourists.

Along the way we stumbled across the super luxurious CavoTagoo hotel where there is currently a Roka Restaurant popup.

Here we stopped to enjoy sundown cocktails with yet more spectacular views of the Caldera and sun dipping below the horizon.

This was a more popular spot in Imerovigli, but we got a table and soaked up the sunset whilst sipping our delicious cocktails.

That evening we strolled into the centre of Imerovigli and ended up at a local restaurant called Mama Lena.

We had courgette fritters with tzatziki to start, followed by rice stuffed peppers for me and a vegetable tomato linguine for my boyfriend. A much more reasonably priced restaurant serving traditional Greek food.

The local kebab shop called Jimmy’s Souvlaki on the main street of Imerovigli, became my boyfriend’s favourite place to grab a classic Greek lunch of chicken gyros.

On reflection we would choose to stay in the town of Imerovigli again given there’s far less tourists, there’s plenty of 5* luxury hotels and suites to choose from, and there’s no denying the outstanding sweeping views of the iconic Caldera ❤

Santorini Diaries; You, Me & Santorini

Upon returning from our holiday to Santorini last week, I can definitely put it up there as one of the most beautiful, picture perfect places I’ve ever had the fortune to visit.

From the aesthetic white wash towns built into the cliffs of the volcanic rock overlooking the caldera, to the stunning sunsets every evening showering the island in golden orange hues, I can see why Santorini is a world famous destination for couples in search of a romantic vacation.

During our week we explored most of the island including the capital Fira and the Instagram famous Oia. We even did a sunset boat cruise and had plenty of time for relaxing at our hotel by the pool too, so a week away turned out to be just right.

We stayed at Cresanto Luxury Suites in the town of Imerovigli situated between Fira and Oia. Whilst this is a newly opened hotel which is still finding its feet in terms of delivering a 5* service, it was a great location and our spacious room with the private balcony and plunge pool with sea view was fantastic.

Dinners and drinks out were fairly expensive which we expected, however my boyfriend’s favourite gyros spot Jimmy’s Souvlaki was less than 10 euros for a meal and drink. When in Greece it’s local gyros for lunch most days!

We enjoyed lots of delicious meals together including wonderful fresh seafood, my favourite Greek feta salad on repeat of course, and even some great Italian cuisine too.

Over the next few posts I will look back on each area of the island we explored and share my top tips along with my food and drink recommendations.

Having been to Santorini before, my boyfriend already knew of some hidden gems for sunset which avoid the crowds and provide uninterrupted, panoramic views at golden hour.

So stay posted for all the picturesque Santorini content to come as I relive our incredible week on this breathtaking Greek island of love ❤

Santorini Calling

It’s Euros finals day and we’re about to order pizza before watching the big game on TV; come on England! Football aside, I’m super excited to be jetting off to the stunning Greek island of Santorini on Wednesday. Packing is well underway and I’ve spent today planning some cute outfits and making the tough decision on which bikinis to pack from my ever growing swimwear collection.

I’ve done my usual research on the area we are staying and put together an aesthetic Pinterest board for photo opportunity inspo. We will be staying at Crescent Luxury Suites located within the small town of Imerovigli, just in between Fira and Oia.

We have treated ourselves to a junior suite so we will have our own private plunge pool with a view, how magnificent! – https://cresantoluxurysuites.com

I was advised that booking a table for a view at sunset is a must, so I’ve lined up our dinner spots for the first three evenings. The night we arrive we have 8pm reservations at The Wine Bar in Imerovigli, only a 10 minute walk away from our hotel. Then I have booked Veranda Aperitivo Bar for sundown drinks in Oia on Thursday, and our Friday night dinner date at The Vine in Fira, a very highly rated restaurant and winery with breathtaking views.

Other activities we are keen to do during our time in Santorini is quad biking around the island, a boat day and visiting the black sand beaches.

Needless to say it’s going to be a beautiful week soaking up the scorching sun, indulging in the most delicious Greek food and wine, and enjoying picture perfect sunset views on Greece’s most romantic island of Santorini ❤

Summer Holiday Booked; Santorini Greece

As we near the month of May, this gloomy English weather is not giving way for Spring which we can only hope means a hot summer coming our way. In the meantime, I needed another holiday to look forward to so I got researching into our options for a European get away in mid July.

After considering the South of France as well as other Greek Islands, we settled on the beautiful Island of Santorini. Whilst I’m aware it is a very popular holiday destination and won’t be cheap, Santorini is simply iconic with its white brick towns set against the vivid blue ocean, not to mention it’s incredibly romantic too.

We’ve treated ourselves to a deluxe suite with hot tub and sea views at Cresanto Luxury Suites, just outside of the capital Fira. I can’t wait for sunbathing in our own private paradise and sundowners in the hot tub with those breathtaking views.

It will be a week of pure bliss in stunning sunshine enjoying delicious Greek food and wine whilst soaking up endless sunsets; bring on Euro Summer 24 ❤