I am pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Katy, a member of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook. Katy is from Australia, and submitted the following report about her trip to the island of Santorini, Greece. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend? Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!
Solo Travel Rating: 2 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult. Please see chart below)
Languages Spoken: Greek, some English
Costs at Destination: Reasonable (local transportation, dining, tours, events, and attractions)
Blue-domed Church in Oia, on Santorini Island
Reasons to Visit Santorini
Santorini has been the iconic destination mostly for coupled or group travels. For me, I traveled to the island after my solo travel to the French and Italian rivieras in October 2019, and I have absolutely fallen in love with it as a solo wanderer.
It was autumn, and yet the weather was still warm with fewer crowds! On my first day, I arrived at a quiet village, Imerovigli, which is where I based myself for four days. Imerovigli was a tranquil and beautiful village carved with cyclidic style houses, twisted narrow paths, and friendly locals. The suite I stayed in was directly overlooking the stunning landmark of Santorini, the Skaros rock.
Being an avid runner and climber, the first thing I did was a solo hike from Fira to Oia along the most picturesque caldera cliff. The view offered along this trail was priceless, with blue sky paralleling the blue of the Aegean sea, although some parts of the cliff were a bit precarious. After around two hours of jogging, I arrived at the famous village of Oia.
Oia was filled with cute white and blue-domed cave buildings, orthodox churches, and souvenir shops. Because my visit was during shoulder season, I found it delightful to wander around this popular village in a quieter vibe. It is heaven for a travel photographer!
My second favorite activity was climbing the Skaros Rock, which I did separately one fine early morning to watch the sunrise over the Aegean Sea. It involved a lot of steps and basic rock climbing to get all the way up to Skaros but the 360-degree view of the Aegean and the island made it worthwhile.
Closure of my solo trip included watching the most memorable sunset over the caldera from the outdoor pool at my hotel accompanied by a glass of wine and Chopin. At that particular moment, life was absolutely serene.
The other activities I did were exploring Fira and the old port, red beach, and Amoudi Bay which were wonderful places to visit as well.
From my perspective, Santorini is an ideal destination for a female solo traveler, who in particular, seeks repose from a busy life (like myself). I would come back to this beautiful place as part of my next Greek island hopping solo travel in the near future.
View of the village of Imerovigli from Skaros Rock
Watching the sun set over Sakros Rock
Solo Travel Destination Rating System
Safety – 2 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.)
Language – 2 (1 English is first language, 2 English speakers easy to find, 3 English speakers rare)
Navigation – 1 (1 easy to navigate by transit or car, 2 poor transit, car necessary, 3 not easy to get around)
Culture – 2 (1 Similar to North America or Western Europe, 2 Different from above but relaxed and easy, 3 Challenging)
Average Rating – 2 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult)
