Oia, Santorini

My husband and I have just got back from a hectic but amazing week on the Greek island of Santorini. We went for the wedding of some friends of ours, and I was really excited, not just about the festivities, but also about getting the chance to experience this beautiful island. I must admit, I've been a little obsessed with the place ever since the Kardashians went there for their "family vacay". The footage made it look amazing, and I couldn't wait to see it for myself. I've got so much to say about our time there that it's difficult to know where to start, so I'm just going to dive in. Here goes!

Our hotel was called Finikia's Place, and it's about a fifteen to twenty minute walk from the town of Oia. The facilities in the room were pretty basic (just in case you were wondering, this is NOT where the Kardashians stayed) but it was spotlessly clean and reasonably priced.

There was a nice pool area with sun loungers and shady umbrellas, although unfortunately not enough to accommodate all the hotel's guests, so you couldn't always guarantee a spot if you wanted one.

We found the staff very friendly and welcoming, including Paris and Crest, the hotel dogs. Who doesn't love a hotel dog? Here's Paris guarding the pool.

We settled in very quickly, and one of the first things we wanted to do was walk into Oia and explore. Santorini is famous for its coastal views and amazing sunsets, and Oia in particular attracts tourists from all over the world for precisely this reason, so my expectations were pretty high. Like anywhere else, not every inch of the place is a perfect picture postcard, and the surroundings as we first walked out of the hotel were nice, but not spectacular.

But then we started to approach Oia, and we were faced with this.

Definitely well worth the hike! We found a couple of cafes where I could quite happily have sat gazing at the view for hours. These shots were taken at Kastro.

Kastro is apparently a popular spot to watch the sunset. We didn't get to see it though, as we hadn't booked a table, and had to vacate our spot for those who had.

My favourite place in Oia, though, was Cafe Flora, where I had the most delicious chocolate milkshake. (Yes, I have the tastes of a five year old. But my husband can vouch for the quality of the grown up drinks.) We sat on the shady upstairs terrace and it was pretty much perfect. I could have sat there all day.

Dress - Topshop, Hat - Accessorize, Sunglasses - H&M

The shops around Oia are also well worth a look, especially those selling art and handmade jewellery. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many places I wanted to explore amid all the usual shops selling flip-flops and novelty playing cards. It's a really picturesque little town, but it's also cramped and very busy, especially as the sun begins to go down. Every little nook and cranny is filled with people sporting impressive camera equipment, all trying to find the best spot to capture the amazing scenery.

This was where our hotel came into its own. Not only was the food in the restaurant there out of this world - we had grilled calamari, fresh barbequed sea bass, succulent lamb chops, tons of Greek salad and some of the tastiest chips/French fries I have ever eaten (not all in one meal, I hasten to add) - but the views from the rooftop area were also spectacular. While the world and his wife jostled for space in the centre of Oia, we enjoyed front row seats and a much more relaxed atmosphere.

First though, a view of the front of the restaurant. This was also lovely and the better place to sit if a chilly breeze got up, which happened quite a lot. Top tip - don't go to Santorini without some sort of cover-up. Even if you're not the sort of person who feels the cold much, you will probably need it at some point.

 One of our lunches - Greek salad, grilled calamari and chips.

But the rooftop was my favourite part of the restaurant, and we sat here whenever we could. As you can see, we had an uninterrupted view of the best show in town.

There's something addictive about sunsets. Every night they seemed somehow better than the night before, and like everyone else on the island, we just couldn't stop photographing them. I'm not sure that any picture can do the real thing justice, but here's a couple of ours.

I have plenty more to share from our trip, but I think this is enough for one day!

Has anyone else been to Santorini? I'd love to know what you thought of it.

Kate x