Santorini: A Memorable Birthday Trip From my Loving Wife
And how staying in Oia made our stay extra special
There are few things more precious than a gift from the person we love. The best gifts are not always material; sometimes, they’re shared experiences. Because, unlike a physical gift, experiences have a way of staying with us. Sometimes for many, many years.
When you look back at a happy memory, what do you recall? More often than not, it’s usually a treasured exchange, a proud achievement, or a life-changing moment.
But these can sometimes be fleeting. What about a long-lasting memory? For me, that was my birthday trip to Santorini.
Not only was it my first birthday since getting married, but it was the first time I had been treated to a surprise trip abroad.
Uncovering How Oia Made the Cut
My wife and I plan everything together, so although Santorini was her special treat, it wasn’t a complete surprise. After all, I would’ve pestered her about why I needed to take so many days of annual leave around my birthday.
We both researched the best places to stay and concluded that out of all the towns and villages, it had to be Oia, situated on the island's northern tip.
Oia is everything that Santorini has come to represent. It has white churches with blue domes, caldera-facing sunset villas, and a windmill featured on almost every postcard of the crescent-shaped island.
Oia has all of those things and so much more. It’s the most photographed town on the island, with a reputation for having the world’s best sunsets. It’s why Oia has become the most expensive place to stay in Santorini and retains its status as one of the most luxurious travel destinations in the world.
But that didn’t deter us. Santorini was one of our bucket-list destinations, and when it comes to me — my wife wants only the best. So, in the end, we settled on Santo Maris Luxury Suites and Spa.
Avoiding Overrated Accommodation
What’s interesting about our villa was that although it was only a five-minute walk from the heart of Oia village, the villa we stayed in wasn’t overlooking the caldera, nor did it have a sunset view.
If you read travel blogs or watch Youtube videos about where to stay in Santorini, you’ll see countless recommendations about these two points. If you ask me, don’t bother with them. If you’re based in Oia, you’ll most likely walk along the caldera and see it from different angles every day. And as for the sunset, there are dozens of amazing restaurants with the exact same view.
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be dining with my wife and enjoying the atmosphere than sitting in my room feeling hungry and wondering why we spent a few thousand extra for the privilege of seeing the sun setting.
Worst of all, it isn’t even guaranteed from your room. It might even be a cloudy day!
The Perfect Romantic Birthday Memory
But back to dining and why I think all couples should stay in Oia. It has, by far, the most romantic restaurants on the island, and the food and service are world-class. I mean, don’t forget that everyone around the world wants to visit Santorini, so you’d expect it to live up to that expectation.
And it certainly does.
On the day of my birthday, our villa’s concierge reserved a table for two at Oia Gefsis, a seafood restaurant with a rooftop with enviable views of the Aegean sea. And when we got there, we were bewildered to see that the very best view could be seen from only one table, and that table had our names written on it.
We arrived just as the sun was setting, and it was a truly spectacular sight. Being there with my wife made it incredibly special, as though time stood still. While holding hands, we looked past the white buildings with their iridescent blue domes at the one thing that made this place so sought after. The majestic golden orb casting colourful streaks of red, orange and yellow across the sky as it seemingly sank into the depths of the hypnotic waves of the Aegean sea.
The world-famous sunset.
And we realised at that moment where we were. In Santorini. Oia was the only place that could make us feel that way. Seeing my wife by my side and what she had created for me, I couldn’t help but be grateful that I could experience this incredible moment with her.
This trip was so much more than a luxurious holiday. It was a holiday that made me appreciate just how much my wife loved and cared for me, and it filled me with anticipation of how I could cultivate a moment just like this for her own birthday.
Coming home from Santorini has made me realise even more how lucky I am to have my wife as my lifelong travel partner. I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to visit many more places across the world and create memories that last a lifetime.
Related Reading: