Day 21 – To Milos and back

It was always our aim to get to Santorini, or to give it’s is Greek name Thira, which is why we called the blog to Thira and back.   We actually got to within 2 islands of Thira when we were at Milos but it transpired Thira was just too far.  We also found out that the marina on Thira (the only place you can moor a boat) is silted up so we couldn’t have gone anyhow.   But we’re OK with this as we knew the list of places to see in the Cyclades was too big for one trip, so Thira, like many other places in the Cyclades, remains unfinished business.

In three weeks we’ve visited 11 different islands and the Cyclades has not disappointed us.   It’s stunning and is like nowhere else in Greece.  We’ve seen some of the most beautiful bays in the world when we visited Kolona, Vathi and Dhespotica.  The history of Naxos was amazing and the experience of a proper Greek town when we went to Tinos was unforgettable.  And what we weren’t expecting were the Chora which are the heart of many of the Cycladean islands. We visited 5, each with its own charm and beauty, yet each also having trademark features which makes them obviously Cycladean.

If we’d been island hopping by ferry we’d have loved this holiday but how lucky are we that we got to do it on our own yacht (even if it was rented😊).  Being able to sail from place to place, often with each day being a mini adventure, has made this a truly magical experience.  The Cyclades is supposed to be one of the wilder places to sail but we haven’t seen that,  just the odd tricky park.

The food had been great and not what I remember Greece for and the people so friendly and helpful which is what I do remember Greece for.

This was Ellison’s first time in Greece, she loved it, it won’t be her last.   As for the Cyclades there’s so much we didn’t see and so much we’d like to see again, we will plan to be back very soon.

We’ve taken over 3,000 pictures, which will take some sorting out, but here’s our favourites so far.

Yammas!