Flip Byrnes samples a simpler life, rich with island flavour on some of the Cyclades less-visited islands.
Santorini
Of course these islands are much more than food, they’re spiced with ancient ruins, sprinkled with beaches boasting Tahitian hues and peppered with mountain villages made of marble and marinated in myths. Case in point: Santorini, the showgirl. The vista of dramatic caldera cliffs rearing from the Aegean and sugar-cube houses dribbling seawards like gravity-defying diamonds make the island the can-can kicker of the Cyclades. But Santorini hides a softer, sweet side.
As Lefteris of bespoke guiding company Blue Shades of Greece says,
“Stay longer, dig a little deeper and discover far more than the famed sunset.”
Stumble across Domaine Sigalas offering wines from a volcanic vineyard more than 3,200 years old; head to Lefkes in tiny Foinikia and gorge on island specialties like sun-dried cherry tomatoes, fava beans, capers, and white eggplant; sail the caldera with Renieris Sailing Centre and don’t miss Akrotiri, an archaeological site to rival Pompeii.
