Tag: holiday

Safety warning – watch out for snakes in Santorini!

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Safety warning – watch out for snakes in Santorini!

 

This will be just a quick update about an important topic that you guys should be aware of.

In recent years zoologist have released poisoned snakes in Santorini to keep our nature intact. These snakes are enjoying the warm climate here and have spread quite a lot.

This particular snake is called Ochia, and it’s pretty widespread in Greece. Their activity period is around Spring, so you should definitely be more careful when going on some hikes around the island. Their color is very much like the grass and branches so keep your eyes open. They are not aggressive, but they like to hide under some rocks or come out in the heat of the morning sun on hiking paths where there’s less grass.

If you’re unlucky to get bitten by any snake in Santorini, first thing you do is try to remember the details about its appearance (or even take a photo if possible) and then visit the local veterinarian or hospital for an antidote. These snakes are not deadly but they sure can cause some pretty heavy discomfort, so please do that in at least 3 hours to be on the safe side.

Photos by Anna Sulte

 

 

Lost luggage in Greece? Here’s a quick fix!

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Lost luggage in Greece? Here’s a quick fix!

 

With all the plane travel going on around the globe, sadly you’re bound to run into this problem at least once in your life. You arrive feeling all ready to enjoy what Santorini has to offer, but – oh no – your airplane company has sent your luggage to some completely different destination. First of all, very sorry this has happened to you. But just breathe deeply and hear out my solution.

If you’re coming to Santorini, most likely you have landed in Athens. Now you have two choices – either to accept defeat or do something about the situation. And I can help with that! So what you do is find a couple of places that can provide you with summer clothing for an affordable price, of course. Plus, you might find some real gems in these stores. What you do is head to the single best spot in whole Athens – Sintagma. It’s a shopping area that has some of the biggest clothing stores around, that also includes shops like Zara and H&M.

If for some reason it’s the inland flight to Santorini that has messed up the luggage situation, no worries. You can go to Fira which has a great store called Tali or, if it happens to be closer to you, try out Kamari or Perissa which both have a great store chain called 2Friends. Friendly prices and a quick solution to get on with your holiday and forget the clothing problems ;)

These places should easily cover all you need while the rest of your luggage arrives, or even if it doesn’t. Do not let this ruin your holiday – Santorini is a great gem of an island that has the magic power to let all the worries fade away if you allow it to.

 

Photo by Anna Sulte, photographer located on the island of Santorini.

Ready for a wine tour? Read this first!

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Ready for a wine tour? Read this first!

 

It’s a little known fact, but Santorini actually has some of the most unique wineries in whole Greece. The reason for this lies in the origin story of the island – this small island in the Aegean Sea was actually created through a volcanic eruption and most of its land was born from molten lava mixing with the sea bottom and water minerals. This makes it one of the most interesting places to grow grapes that can be turned into a wine that still carries some special taste in each sip.

Now the wine is great of course, but what you have to know is that not all wine tours have been created equal – the offers you get in Santorini range quite a bit in terms of price and experience they offer. The best way to go about to finding your perfect tour is doing some actual research before – walk around and ask for prices (or use the good old Google), and also drop by some online review sites like Tripadvisor – they have been a great help for me for all kinds of tours and restaurants, and since these tours can get a bit expensive it is a good idea to spend those extra five minutes to double check.

The two of the major places I can recommend looking into are Boutari Santorini and Santo Wines – both are well established and nice places that have good reviews and customer satisfaction. So these are a good starting point if you’re looking for a good time and want a general overview of what Santorini has to offer in terms of wines.

Also while we’re at it, I should mention that there’s actually a Wine Museum in Santorini – if you’re into wine and want to get deeper knowledge about how and why Santorini is a special place to enjoy some fermented grapes, this is definitely the place for you to visit.

 

Cheers!

 

Columbian couple photoshoot in Santorini

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Columbian couple photoshoot in Santorini

Santorini is a place to which all the lovers of the world flock every summer to enjoy some special days on it’s small town and beaches. But some are more rare than others. This time I got the wonderful chance to meet and photograph Nancy and Juan who came all the way from Columbia!

Nancy and Juan have been married for 20 years, but you cannot tell when you meet them – they’re so loving and caring, no sight of this love burning out. They’re full of sense of wanderlust and positive emotions all the way!  They had come to the island to celebrate Nancy’s birthday, so we headed out in the lovely streets of Santorini to make some great memories from their trip :)

This is why taking photos is so special, you capture a moment in time of someone’s life – it’s a great rush and great responsibility and I hope I managed to capture at least a part of their special energy.

Photographer Anna Sulte (me) – https://www.santorini-vacation-photographer.com/ 
Venue – Canaves Oia hotel – https://canaves.com/ 
Dress- Silvia Tcherassi – https://www.silviatcherassi.com/

It was nice meeting you and who knows, maybe we meet again someday?
Love,
Anna

Some ideas for your next Santorini sailing trip

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Some ideas for your next Santorini sailing trip

 

Santorini is a beautiful small island with some of the best views into the Aegean Sea. But usually after you have been here a while, you start craving a different adventure. Then you know it is time to set sails and head into the sea and look at all this beauty from the water!

This time I’ll share some ideas on sailing trips around here. What goes on on these? What can you possibly do on a boat all day??? No worries, I got the answers, or at least some of them.

The first thing you need to decide is how long do you want the trip to be. Usually there are two options – you can either spend an entire day on the boat, which would mean a tour around the island and then some leisure time with swimming etc. or you can go with half a day and do mostly touring.

After that, you need to settle on the type of sailing trip you’re looking for. Around Santorini there are actually many options, some of the best include:

  1. sunset sailing
  2. volcano sailing
  3. fishing sailing
  4. sailing trip along with traditional Greek foods

So when you know the answer to these two questions, you can start contacting some of the companies offering trips. Be wise and call a couple before settling for one – sometimes the prices and the types of tours differ greatly. Of course, reading some online reviews from previous sailors does not hurt.

This should set you on your way to having the best time on the waters of the Aegean Sea. Let me know how your trip went and see you back on land!

 

Professional honeymoon photographer Anna Sulte

Top spots to watch the Santorini sunset

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Top spots to watch the Santorini sunset

 

Sunsets in Santorini are a big deal. When the time comes, everyone heads out to their secret spot to watch the sun slide into the Aegean Sea. And it’s totally understandable – the island envelops in the magical golden hour light and it’s truly magical.

 

Of course, it is beautiful on any corner of the island, but some spots are more beautiful than others in this time. And today is your lucky day, because I have some to share :) Here’s some Santorini sunset spots that I often use for photographing or just chilling with some good wine:

 

  • Amoudi bay
  • Santo Wines
  • Church of Prophet Ilias in Imerovigli
  • Akrotiri light house

 

If you have the time, why not stop by a new place every evening? Start with these and you won’t be disappointed for sure. Just type this in your favorite navigation device and head on an adventure! As for things to do, some like to do a small picnic, others bring a bottle of wine and that special other (and a camera of course).

 

The kinds of sunsets here make you appreciate the people you are sharing them with. Because that is what truly matters.

 

Dreamy sunrise couple photo session

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Dreamy sunrise couple photo session

Jetlag has its pluses sometimes. I met this lovely couple even before sunrise. As we walked the empty streets of the busy tourist season Santorini waiting for the magical morning light, I felt that this is going to be a special one.

No daytime heat, no curious bystanders, just the couple. Sadaf and Saad could let go and be themselves and I think it really comes through in the final pictures. I hope their sweet tenderness towards each other comes through at least the slightest bit, they truly have a magical presence.

Hope to see them soon again!

Photo shoot with Anna Sulte

Flying to Santorini direct or through Athens – pros and cons

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Flying to Santorini direct or through Athens – pros and cons

 

The Santorini adventure begins even before you step on the island. Getting here is a quest, especially if you come from outside Europe – embrace the adventure and soak in the most of it! You read the title, today we’ll look at some basic pros and cons for choosing whether to fly directly to Santorini or to the capital Athens first. I’m by no means an expert, but here’s some of my own thoughts sprinkled with some things I’ve heard from the couples I’ve photographed over the years.

 

Direct flight to Santorini

  • Many times these end up costing more money, the companies know that Santorini is a hot destination so they adjust their airfare accordingly.
  • Flying direct you obviously save some time spent in the airports
  • These days airport worker strikes might occur – these people are fighting for better payment terms and that’s fine but you might get caught in the middle. So if you choose to fly direct, you minimise the chance of being stuck in an airport.
  • The island weather is a bit unpredictable, so you might have a bit of a rough flight if you come from overseas and the landing can’t be scheduled for a later time. Nothing serious, but if you’re not too comfortable with some turbulence, Athens will probably be more smooth sailing.

 

Flight through Athens

  • Well, you get to see Athens! That is, if you plan it right. I would recommend staying there for a day or two, best at the end of your travel – it’s a vibrant city with rich history and you can only gain more from your travels.
  • If you end up doing it, it of course comes with some costs, generally short hotel stays will be more expensive than longer package deals.
  • If you go for a simple layover without staying, you might save some money on the airfare expenses.
  • As said before, you have a bit more risk to get stuck in the airport due to strikes. In this case you could choose ferry for alternative travel option.
  • There’s also a slight possibility that your luggage can be lost. On long overseas flights that happens more often. Nothing is lost at the end, but you might arrive to Santorini and have to wait for your bag to catch up :)

 

So here’s some things to consider. Of course, do your own research for precise dates before choosing, but these should serve as general pointers on what to look out for.

Santorini located photographer Anna Sulte

Boho chic style adventure in Santorini

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Boho chic style adventure in Santorini.

 

Santorini is a place known for its scenic landscape with traditional Greek buildings on the Caldera and it attracts thousands of tourists every season. With that comes some pretty standard ways of enjoying what the island has to offer. But there are alternatives.

If you’re looking to strand off the beaten path a bit and do things differently and are looking for more of the authentic island life, this is for you. Tourists usually flock to Oia and that’s for a reason – it has most of the scenic architecture and little churches that couples love. It’s a great place to visit, but the crowds of tourists might ruin your vibe a bit in the busy season.

What you can do is to look at smaller, not so popular villages like Emporio and Pyrgos – these are places where you will meet locals more frequently and see people living a simple and sincere life – if you visit a cafe, you can be pretty sure that it is frequented by locals. Or you can set on your own little adventure equipped with fresh Greek produce and wine (of course) and head to a spot on the Caldera and then end the day with a magnificent sunset view from one of the rooftops in Akrotiri just to meet the sun early next day on a peaceful beach walk.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can always find ways to enjoy places a bit differently than the crowd and find your own little diamonds on the island and connect with locals and your fellow travellers on a different level. And above all, remember:

”The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”  (Marcel Proust)

Photo from photo shoot with Danielle and Keith.

 

 

Honeymoon photo session in Pyrgos village

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Honeymoon photo session in Pyrgos village

 

Peggy and William is an amazing couple all the way from Australia. Just married, they came to Santorini for their honeymoon. We chose to go for a sunset photo shoot in Pyrgos. Strolling trough the little streets, alleys and ruins we met almost no one, it felt like this village welcomed us with open arms.

Both of them are medical students and it always surprises me, how Australians get such long vacations :)

I’m glad and grateful to have been a part of their 3 week trip to Europe.

Santorini photographer Anna Sulte

 

A little walk with Andy & Christy

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A little walk with Andy & Christy

 

The other day I met the nicest couple from Singapore – Andy and Christy. From the very first seconds I could see that they share a very special connection. We met up in Oia and head on to Imerovigli.

 

And oh boy, do they look good together. These two hours flied by in seconds, it was truly a great experience. Here are some shots, I just hope that they do this wonderful couple justice. They have an aura of their own in their presence.

 

For me it’s always such a joy to meet loving people from other cultures – it teaches me that love is universal and even though we’re so different in the ways we act and experience our cultures, we still all love the same way. Singapore has become this special place for me and I have a deep admiration of their culture.

 

It’s always heartwarming to hear something back from the couples:

 

Hello Anna !

Thank you for v being such an amazing photographer and making the shoot so comfortable! We love the photos very much! Thank you! Will def recommend you if any of our friend need any

photographer in santorini!

 

Santorini photo session by Anna Sulte

CHECKLIST OF SOME STUFF TO REMEMBER BEFORE YOUR TRIP TO SANTORINI

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CHECKLIST OF SOME STUFF TO REMEMBER BEFORE YOUR
TRIP TO SANTORINI

 

It’s all about the journey, not the destination. That’s probably one of the least true quotes ever, at least in the era of plane travel it IS totally about the destination. The journey is just a huge mess of a million things to remember and some pitfalls to avoid to make sure you get to your destination with the least amount of stress and effort possible.

Well, today is your lucky day, because I might help your life become just a tiny bit less stressful with this simple checklist of some things to remember when setting out for travelling to Greece, Santorini. This will be especially useful for all you guys taking those long international flights (i.e. enjoying the journey the most I guess :) ).

 

All things aside, here’s a simple list of some stuff. Feel free to print and checkmark. Remember your:

  • Passport
  • International drivers license
  • Credit card with no international fees
  • Call and notify credit card company and bank of travel
  • Download viber (or any other international communication app)
  • Update music on phone or MP3 player (yeah, the no-internet life is still a reality in some places)
  • Scan, print and add to iBooks app (great to avoid losing your ID info if the physical documents are lost or forgotten):
    • Passport
    • Divers license
    • Detailed itinerary
    • Maps
    • Hotel information – addresses and phone numbers
    • Ferry information – boat names, reservation numbers, times and gate numbers
  • Be sure to download all flight company apps and save your tickets there digitally, for a super safe option you can also print them.

This should cover most of the bases for you. Also, if you’re from outside EU, you’ll probably thank yourself for bringing some nice sleeping gear – get one of those neck pillows, they save lives! Also, forget your high fashion, do the flight in sweatpants or even pijamas for super extra comfort.

Wedding anniversary in Santorini port and more

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Wedding anniversary in Santorini port and more

I met up Jacqueline and Luis just a bit before sunset. They had arrived here for their wedding anniversary, but I would not have noticed if they did not tell me that – it seemed that they had met just weeks before. Caring, loving and beautiful couple. Santorini was the ideal place for them.

We talked. They liked the Greek port views at Amoudi Bay. I was intrigued by this idea and of course I agreed, how could I say no to that! We started off with some Oia Caldera views and ended up at the bay just in time to catch a magnificent sunset.

I must say that there was a special energy in the air around them that evening. The two of them, the calm bay and the romantic small Greek port were the perfect mix.

Wish you the very best and hope to see you again in a future anniversary :)

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Vacation photographer Anna Sulte

 

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Some of the best brunch spots in Santorini

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Some of the best brunch spots in Santorini

 

Brunch – the ultimate holiday meal. Choosing the right place for this is a big deal. So here’s a fast rundown of some of the best places you might consider when looking for a relaxed brunch in Santorini!

 

Terra Nera

Agios Georgios, Perivolos 84703, Greece

Coffee and grill house – what could be more suitable for a filling brunch!? Combined with the Aegean sea side this is for sure one of the top places to head!

 

Cafe Galini

Hotel Galini, Firostefani 84700, Greece

Nice minimalistic Greek interior,  bright and cozy – try the pancakes, they’re awesome! And of course, beautiful views for dessert!

 

FlyAway Creative Restaurant &Bar

Eparchiaki Odos Firon – Ias | West East Suites, Imerovigli 84700, Greece

Creatively served excellent food with the backdrop of an amazing view on a glass terrace with infinity pools. Very dreamy if you manage to get a table outside and the weather is in your favour.

 

Kantouni Traditional delicacies

Central Square, Pyrgos 847 00, Greece

More down to earth and serving mostly very traditional simple Greek food – but it’s finger licking good! Also a good place if you’re looking to save some money but still get a great meal.

 

JuiceMe

Leoforos Megalou Alexandrou, Kamari 847 00, Greece

Lot’s of healthy and fresh foods – juices, salads etc. People say this is still one of the best spots to go for dessert :)

 

Some other spots that won’t disappoint

Google these if you’re looking for more options – Santa Irini Bakery in Perissa, Pelican Kipos in Fira, Brusco Wine Coffee Deli  in Pyrgos, ”Chocolat” Creperie – Pasteria – Cafe  in Perissa

Hope this gives you some ideas for your next great meal. Who knows, maybe we meet there! :)

 

Santorini photographer Anna Sulte

Santorini in spring – pros and cons

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Santorini in spring – pros and cons

 

Santorini is on everyone’s minds in the summer – they imagine lonely sandy beaches filled with sun and romantic walks through the village streets. But how about spring? Maybe it’s a good alternative to save money and avoid crowds of tourists? Today I give you some of my observations on the pros and cons of coming to this Greek island in spring.

 

PROS

  • There will definitely be less people around. For many couples that is a solid plus. No lines, less crowds, more laid back experience.
  • Hotels give off season discounts, so if you want to save some money for more travels in the season this is a good hack.
  • You will really be able to appreciate the scenery. If you don’t have to go everywhere with a big tourist group, you get more of the untouched nature to enjoy.
  • For most the summer weather is actually too hot. If you come then, during mid day you will just have not plan anything active, the most you can do then is sit by the pool in shade. Spring does not limit you, and you can fully use the daytime.
  • I would say that it is more authentic and romantic during the spring season. You mostly meet locals and some other active tourist couples.

 

CONS

  • Since there’s less visitors, some of the touristy places might still be closed. That just means you will have a bit less choice for, say, restaurants.
  • If you’re unlucky you might have a bit worse weather. But bad weather in spring just means you need to pack a sweater or two – nothing too crazy. The Greek island climate stays rather dry all year round.
  • If you’re looking for clubbing, you might be disappointed. Depending on the month, most of them will probably be closed. But on the other hand, that means emptier beaches.

 

So these are some of the main things to consider. If you visited during spring, would you add something? Hope this helps and gets you thinking and evaluating. Everyone is different, so I personally can’t say when you should come. All I know is that this is a place to see at least once in a lifetime.

 

Santorini vacation photographer Anna Sulte