Oia. We thought we'd love it, as we kept hearing over and over that it is "the most beautiful place in Greece." I had a sneaking suspicion that it might be a bit over-hyped when I couldn't find a decent place to rent for under $600 a night, and my hotel-choosing philosophy is that it either has to have a great view or a great pool to pay more than $150 per night. But apparently $600 a night only got you to Oia. So we looked on the other end of the island for a more affordable rental. We were very pleased with the decision in the end, but couldn't NOT go to Oia. Turns out that yes, it's beautiful, but it is also a claustrophobic hell hole when the sun starts to set and tourists from every cruise ship and every town on the island descend on the poor town to catch the sunset 'shot'. We are glad that we went, but we bailed pretty quick, choosing instead to catch the sunset from a quiet restaurant near Oia where Father Sergius recommended that we go and introduce ourselves to the owner, who promptly plied the kids with ice cream, the kitties played at our feet, and we were able to enjoy a quiet-ish evening of music and visiting.
What's the deal with Oia? The whitewash reflect the heat, but it also contains the mineral lime, which mixed with rain makes a good antiseptic (the 'paint' would then naturally disinfect the rainwater collected on rooftops). Later, the white color of the homes became patriotic, as during the 400 year Ottoman occupation, Greeks (who couldn't fly their blue and white flag) painted their homes white and blue as a subtle sign of defiance. The town of Oia has gone 'all in' to appeal to the wealthy tourists- expensive shops line the tiny streets, and the town empties out in the evening for tourists. I would imagine that mornings are beautiful in Oia, but the evening sure was torture...
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