Santorini, the romantic escapade. Known as the best greek island to see the sunset (OK I agree, but wouldn't it be the same from any other island?), Santorini amazed me since the moment I got there.

Hot, fuzzy weather. Lovely white & blue villages on a cliff. The people, the food. And of course, the Sea. It was stunning waking up to a clear blue sky and diving into the deep blue sea, with nothing else surrounding you. Oh man, what a feeling that was.

Santorini has many things to offer. However, I'd say it is mainly an island to relax. Take a good book, lots of drinks, a towel & a swimsuit and you are good to go. Red Beach, Black Beach, White Beach, you name it. They have them all.

As for where to stay: Oia. Not because I stayed there, but Oia is the most iconic village of the island. Forget Fira, Firostefani, Kamari or any other touristy village. All locals (and foreigners, of course) travel most of their evenings to Oia just to see the sun go down. Yep, that impressive.

But that's not the only reason why I would stay there. Tourists only grasp a bit of what Oia has to offer because they come for the sunset and then go, leaving without knowing that Oia is not as busy as it gets during sunset time. The scenario changes completely when you wake up, everything is more chilled out and you can get a nicer feeling about the place.

This cute village is in the north west edge of the island, along the northern edge of the caldera that forms the island of Santorini, at a height of between 70 and 100 metres (230 and 330 ft) above sea level. It is built on the steep slope of the caldera and the houses and restaurants are built into niches carved into the caldera on the seaward side. There are lots of charming passageways and a central square, with a little church.There's also a little footpath to access to the sea and the harbour, where I've tried really good seafood. Because, let's not forget the food...

Ok, let me go back. Eventhough we went in August, we managed to find an apartment for a very decent price. Marcos Rooms, a lovely aparthotel run by a greek family and few minutes away from the main street of the village. The rooms are lovely (they are the typical white and blue calderas) and you have a massive patio where you can bring your own food and drinks while enjoying the view. I highly recommend it!

As I had no clue where to eat, I asked them where could we go for lunch/dinner and we tried all the places they suggested, being my top 3 the following:

Thalami, my favourite restaurant by far. Everything we tried was excellent. Grilled octopus, tiger prawns, zucchini fritters, ... and they make the best Tomato Fritters (a traditional Santorini dish).

Skala, next to Thalami, it is also a good option to dine. Both Thalami and Skala's locations are sublime as you can sit in the terrace and have a view of the Aegan Sea. However, considering both cost about the same (€20/person, with no drinks), i'd rather stay in Thalami.

Kastelli is more like a greek taverna, very local. And I guess that's why I liked it so much. Their specialty is kalamaki, so this place was a must for meat lovers like me.

As for dessert, there's one place and one place only where you should go: Lolita's Gelato. Quite a new and next to the bus station, this gelateria is anything you would wish for. With a gelato machine brought from Italy, they use fresh milk, fruit and nuts and come up with original flavours like a gelato made from Santorini's local wine. Seriously, not to be missed.

I could keep talking about how nice Santorini was, and how many other things you could do (like going to hot springs, visiting the active volcano islets, visiting Santorini Monkey Brewery...), but I think you got and idea. So don't miss a change to get there when you can.

TCB x

@Black Beach near Oia, wearing Miss Selfridge Crop Top and &Other Stories bikini (oldie, similar here)

@Oia, the most beautiful and iconic village of Santorini

Sunsets in Oia

@Firostefani wearing Topshop denim Skirt Vika Gazinskaya for &Other Stories sleeveless top, ZARA clutch & shoes and Maria Pascual jewelry

@Akrotiri Red Beach - Wearing Christies Swimsuit

I've always wondered why dressing nicely while on holidays is a synonym of not being comfortable. Being away from home shouldn't be an excuse to wear your sports kit. This year I've been in very hot places, with lots of humidity, walking around for hours, and yet I tried to look OK! Oh Holidays, holidays. That time of the year everybody looks forward to. I find it quite funny how high expectations people get about them and how much time most of us spend deciding what's best to do and how to do it. All those hours of going through the internet trying to find the best routes, the best itineraries, all to have the best time of the year (or at least that's what I think!).And then they go quickly...Argh, I guess it means we are having a good time.

This year I wasn't sure where to go. Lots of destinations to choose and very little time (and budget). So I decided to travel around Europe. Since I moved to London it's getting more complicated to plan holidays, I must say. I want to spend some quality time with my friends and family back home (in Barcelona) but also discover new cultures. So after several hours on the internet, the decision was made. Greece! Italy! and of course, Barcelona.

Our journey began in Greece, and more specifically in Athens. I don't get why so many people told me I was going to hate it. I think it's the perfect weekend destination and it has so much to offer! For me the mix of culture and cuisine was just the best.

We got there very early and even though we travelled during peak time, we managed to get a very nice room at the Radisson Blu Park Hotel (with a rooftop with views to the Akropoli) for a very decent price. And the staff were so friendly and helpful!

If I learnt anything from visiting Greece is that the Akropoli and its surroundings make it worth the trip. The Akropoli is at its best during early time in the morning, less crowded and nice weather. You could even catch some breeze! And what to say about the Akropoli...well, I think the pictures say it all but if I had to use a word it would be majestic. We spent about half a day just wandering around it and it was superb.

From there we went to try what Athens cuisine had to offer. It really depends what you are looking for but I personally loved Souvlaki around Plaka, at the very famous Meatropoleos 3. I'm just going to say, if you are a meaty person, you won't go anywhere else.

However, if you are up for a more fancy option, I'd say wander around Kolonaki. It's quite a residential area but I'd say it is also one of the nicest. There you can taste one of the most exquisites greek frozen yogurts in the city and have greek tapas in little homey restaurants in the street (my favourite, Kalamaki Kolonaki).

After three days there, our journey was finished. But not completely! It was just time to move to the Greek Islands. And damn I was excited. Santorini was awaiting for us.

TBC x