Oia, Greece

By Aaron Haxton

Oia, Greece

Waking up in Oia at the crack of dawn, jet lagged as can be, is a blessing in disguise. Seeing a soft glow of the rising sun slowly waking the sleeping ships on the sea in front of this make-believe village is truly a spiritual experience. I’m a hippie so it’s easy to have those, but still. Slowly the town follows. Sounds of crying espresso machines with the romantic chatter of silverware on plates becomes your morning soundtrack from a nearby cafe.

After several espressos, the Aegean Sea shifts from a reflection of the sunrise to a rich blue. The heat intensifies immensely, as the town is built on lava rock. Little did I know, the crescent shaped island is actually the rim of a massive active volcano brimming out of the sea. Trying not to think about that too much, you gotta get in that water pronto. With the town settled high up on the cliff, you have a bit of a journey to get down there. First blinded by the whitest walls through the town, you then bumble down infinity stairs dodging an extraordinary amount of donkey turds until you hit the water’s edge. There you find the cutest cafe imaginable stocked full with local wine to quench your near-death thirst and carry out your unimaginably exquisite day.