Greece > Wandering through Thira

We try all sorts of little staircases and alleys. Although sometimes we end up in people’s gardens, it often leads to a fun route. About a kilometer out from the center, atop the cliff, we find a quiet terrace—it’s empty. From there, we have a great view of the bay with the volcanic crater. We also see a rock with a staircase and a small path around it. Quickly, we set off. First, we go down a small staircase to a little chapel. Then we climb back up via a narrow path.

Greece - The town of Thira on Santorini

The last ten meters require real climbing; we have to find a solid way among the loose stones. At the top, we take photos for the scrapbook. Then we begin the descent, which is much easier than we thought. From the top, we had seen a small church at the water below. We decide to follow the path down. When we reach the chapel via the very narrow paths, it turns out to be halfway up the mountain—a misleading perspective from above. Back in the town, we discover that hardly any boats operate on Thursdays. We specifically wanted to take the boat to Samos that day. The crossing to the Turkish coast also costs about ƒ160, including port fees. All in all, this route is expensive, and we can only make the trip on Friday—one day later. We decide to adjust the route and travel via Thessaloniki by train. This means leaving Ios on Friday for the port city of Piraeus and departing in the evening for Thessaloniki.

Greece - The rock to climb

We will stay in Thessaloniki for a few hours to continue our journey to Turkey in the afternoon. The rest of the route hasn’t been finalized yet; we’ll decide later. We look for somewhere to eat and find a restaurant with a sign outside saying they serve meals from all countries. Inside, it turns out to be just a German eatery. The service is poor, but the food is good. Afterward, we collect our luggage from the depot and take the bus to the harbor. Unfortunately, we miss the beautiful and famous Santorini sunset. All the backpacks are placed inside the bus, thankfully not on the roof. At 6:00 PM, we board the ferry to Ios. After just over an hour, we arrive at the party island of Ios. In the port town, the now-familiar reception committee with “rooms” and “campings” is already waiting.

Greece - The town of Thira atop the volcanic crater

It’s not as lively as Santorini. The campsite is about a hundred meters from the harbor. Soon we set up the tents and jump in the shower. Although I was really looking forward to it, the shower is a bit disappointing—the water is salty. Late in the evening, we head toward the town center. In the harbor, we think we can quickly order a hamburger at a fast-food restaurant. Unfortunately, no! We have to sit down first, get the menu, order, and then are asked, “Would you like something to drink? A salad, etc.?” No! We just want a hamburger. Then they bring us cutlery and napkins. The center of Ios is reached via a long winding staircase. Halfway down, various young people are sitting or lying around, having drunk too much. The noise from the various discotheques blares down, and we quickly enter the first club. In this club, “The Dubliners,” we had arranged to meet some Greeks from the boat at midnight, but we don’t see them. For the rest of the evening, we go bar to bar. In all the little streets, there are countless bars and discotheques. Just after four, we start the descent and dive back into our tent.