I would like wine with my ruins, please.

While on Santorini, we stayed at the Volcano View Hotel just outside of Fira. The surrounding area was peaceful and quiet but dining options at night were limited since we decided not to rent a car. There was a wonderful 24-hour bakery across the street that sold all kinds of goodies. Breakfast rolls baked with cheese and ham, various sandwiches, cookies, cakes and other desserts. We got into the habit of walking over twice a day...once in the afternoon for a little snack and then after dinner for dessert. There was also a great BBQ place close by that we tried for lunch one day. We ate most dinners at the hotel restaurant which was usually not crowded. The food was good and there were great views of the caldera at sunset. My favorite pastime was sitting on our balcony gazing at the haunting beauty of the caldera while sipping wine.

On our first full day, we caught the local bus to Akrotiri which is the site of an ancient settlement that was covered in ash by a volcanic eruption around 1600 BC. The site is still actively being excavated and is enclosed in a building which provided great relief from the sun.

Afterward, we stopped off at the Santo Winery to take in the views while tasting some of their wines. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

The view walking down the hill from the winery back to our hotel.

Enjoying the sunset.