For many years now I have dreamt of capturing a certain image. A single blue dome, atop a blindingly white building, isolated against a breath stopping sea view.
And the location of this haunting image? Oia, a tumbling town at the North West of Santorini.
Oia is carved out of the cliffs, and visitors can see houses built for Venetian sea captains as well as the more typical “cave houses” of the villagers.
You’ll find the pure white buildings with colourful roofs that are typical of Greek architecture.
Every corner and alleyway reveals a scene so gorgeous that it almost seems stage managed. it is all so perfect it seems unreal!
Whether it’s beautifully colour coordinated paint work to a joyeous tumble of dwellings heading precariously down the cliff face, Oia has something to delight even the most world weary traveller.
As you head down the little alley ways off the main street, finally you start to come across the truely iconic images that this island is famous for.
The vivid blue domes contrast yet harmonise with the white and pink of the surrounding buildings and the deeper blue of the caldera beyond.
I simply couldn’t drag myself away from this scene. It’s something I had wanted to see for so long that I had to pinch myself.
With the heat beating down, and the hoards of other snap happy tourists filing past, it’s not quite as serene and peaceful as the photos might lead you to believe however .. .
But is is still infinitely worth it. We caught the little local bus from Perissa. You have to change at Fira, as with most services and it took about an hour and a half to arrive.
Oia deserves more than a single post so you’ll be delighted (!) to know that I have enough pictures to fill at least another page . . including the iconic picture that I had been waiting for!
Reblogged this on Greek Luxury Vacations.