Fun activities in Santorini: Wine tours!

Venetsanos Winery vineyard

The island of Santorini is famous for various different things, one if which are the wines that are produced there. Half, if not more, of the island is filled with vineyards, that look amazingly beautiful during summer when they have blossomed. In August, when it is time to gather the grapes, the whole place smells like wine. The reason is that part of the grapes are left to ripe in the sun, so that they could be used to produce the sweet, dessert wine Vinsanto.

Because of such a rich wine making history, and the fact that the island still produces one of the best wines globally, it is only natural for Santorini to have a great number of different wineries. There is the Venetsanos Winery, the Boutari Winery, the Sigalas Estate Winery, the Koutsogiannopoulos Wine museum, to name a few. All located in different areas of Santorini, and with each winery offering a different wine tour and wine tasting.

Wine making machinery at Venetsanos Winery

Taking a wine tour and wine tasting is not just an interesting activity to do when visiting Santorini, alone or with your family and friends, but is also a great idea for a "cocktail hour" at your wedding. Agreeable, a wine tour is not your traditional cocktail hour, but from my experience your guests will find such a tour really interesting, amusing, and unique for a wedding.

Don't wish to have your guests spending too much time in a bus on the wedding day? Arrange the wine tour to be part of your pre-wedding gathering on the island. Your guests would love to visit a Santorini winery anyway, since it is a really popular activity on the island, so why not give them a chance to do so all together? A great advantage of such a pre-wedding gathering, is that your guests will have an interesting topic to discuss on the wedding day! You'll give them the best ice-breaker ever!

My two personal favorite wineries of Santorini are the Venetsanos Winery and the Koutsogiannopoulos Wine museum, each for different reasons:

VenetsanosWinery:

Wine stating at Venetsanos Winery

Venetsanos Winery is located on the cliffside of Megalochori, over the Athinios port, making a winery with amazing caldera views. The winery was built in 1947 by the Venetsanos family, and it was carved in the mountain. A tour there is really interesting, as you get to learn the history of the place, go through the different cellars and tunnels in the mountain, and get to know how wine was produced there and distributed. They even a corner, which used to serve as an office, where they kept some of the instruments and notes of the founders of the winery.

Of course, as with every winery, you can choose to finish the tour with a wine tasting of the Santorini wines, enjoying at the same time the magnificent views of Venetsanos Winery. A wine expert will describe you how every different wine is made, sharing interesting information about the wine making culture of Thira.

A useful information is that Venetsanos Winery is also available for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Its location is such, that you will be treated with the famous and wonderful views of the caldera. The black volcanic rock, from which the terrace is made, gives the place a unique character, perfect for the "one-of-a-kind" weddings we are all looking for.

KoutsogiannopoulosWine Museum:

The Koutsogiannopoulos winery was founded in the 19th century, and has been ever since producing delicious Santorini wines. The winery is located in Vothonas, on the road to Kamari. Nowadays, it is an astonishing museum, which is absolutely worth visiting when coming to Santorini.

Koutsogiannopoulos Wine Museum's exhibits

What makes this winery so special? Its museum! It is an underground, 8 meters deep, labyrinth like museum (don't worry, you won't get lost). You will dive into the history of the wine making of Santorini, from the very beginning. The cave museum is filled with small cavern like rooms, where you can see the wine making process for yourself. The figurines, used at the cavern rooms, give you the feeling that you have travelled a hundred or more years back, and you are participating in the ploughing, harvesting and stomping of the grapes.

The exhibits of the underground museum are presented in a chronological order, making it easier for you to understand how the wine making culture began in Santorini. To help you understand even better the wine science, you will have the opportunity to see old machinery, which was used in the wine making process.

At the end of the tour, you will have the chance to taste four different Santorini wines, gaining a new appreciation of the hard work of all those people who are involved in the wine making process.

Koutsogiannopoulos Winery offers its premises for a wedding as well. It is a perfect choice, if you love being close to nature, as the winery has a wonderful garden for magical weddings!

Whether you came to Santorini for your summer vacation, for your own destination wedding, or for your friend's wedding, make sure to include in your program a visit to one of the Santorini's wineries. You will most certainly enjoy it, and will leave the island with new and interesting knowledge.

Thank you very much for reading! I wish you a lovely day!

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Fun Activities in Santorini: Horse Riding in Akrotiri!

Santorini is so much more than just the caldera views, the volcano and the sunset. The island offers a lot of different and interesting activities, which are there not only to make your stay in Santorini even more memorable, but also are a great way to explore the island and enjoy its hidden beauties.

One of such activities is horse riding. I can guarantee that you won't regret it if you go on trail ride in Santorini. The island has amazing landscapes, and the best and most amazing locations are not easily accessible by the usual means of transportation. They are accessible with horse though. If you truly wish to make the trip to Santorini memorable, make sure to stop by Santo Horse Riding in Akrotiri and arrange a tour.

What is so special about Santo Horse Riding?

1. Safety first

Santo Horse Riding cares a lot about the safety of its clients. You will get a fitting helmet for your protection, something that is really important when riding a horse. You will also get a pair of English chaps, to protect your legs from any bruising from the saddle.

The horses used for the trail rides, are perfectly trained for the job. They are calm, they know where they are going and what they are doing. The horses don't buck, don't bite, don't kick, which means that you will enjoy the ride without any unpleasant surprises. Moreover, you will be guided by one or two professional horse riders, who will give you instructions on how to handle the horse, and will be there to assist you if anything should happen.

2. Amazing routes

Santo Horse Riding is located in Akrotiri, on the road to the Red Beach and the Excavation point. The location of the stable is fantastic itself, but the routes are even better. The route starts by taking you thought the vine fields of Akrotiri, which are especially beautiful in the summer. Then you pass through amazing rocky formations, which make your feel that your are either on a different planet, or in a Western Movie! You end at the black beach of Santorini, where you can relax and take some nice photos to show your friends and family.

You can chose between the one hour route, which will take you to a secluded beach, or the two hour route, which takes you to the black beach of Vlychada. I strongly recommend choosing the two hour tour, as this particular route includes a quick stop at the St. Anna's beautiful church with the famous blue dome. Whatever route you choose though, you are guaranteed an amazing experience and unforgettable views!

3. Horse Riding Lessons

Santo Horse Riding offers horse riding lessons as well. If you like active vacations, and wish to learn a bit more about horses and horse riding, go for horse riding lessons! You will have a chance to learn a lot of interesting facts about horses, have an insight on how to take care of a horse, and you will learn a couple of great secrets for horse training.

Of course, you will also get to learn the basics of horse riding. You will have a professional horse riding trainer beside you, teaching you everything from the very beginning, so no need to worry if you don't have any previous experience in horse riding.

4. Wedding photo shoot with horses

For those couples, who wish to have unique photos from your wedding, you can arrange a wedding couple's photo shoot, or a pre/post wedding photo shoot with horses via Santo Horse Riding. You can have it directly at the stables or at the beach. The photos of you, as newlyweds, on horses, walking by the beach, will look so romantic and will be a great addition to your wedding photo album.

5. Marriage proposal on a horse

Be the knight she was always looking for, by taking her to an unforgettable trail ride in Santorini, which will include a dreamy, surprise marriage proposal. Santo Horse Riding can take you to a couple of amazing locations for a proposal, with great views and absolute privacy. Don't forget to have a photographer on the day, to capture the amazing moment!

What you need to know before going on a horse ride?

• If possible, wear closed shoes, like sneakers, for example. All though you can ride in flip flops, it will be much more comfortable with the sneakers.
• Ladies, avoid wearing high heels or dresses/skirts when going for a horse ride, instead chose shorts, or, even better, pants!  
• Never go behind a horse. Yes, Santo Horse Riding's horses are trained not to kick, but you shouldn't forget that horses are leaving, breathing creatures, that can get scared at the wrong moment while you will be standing behind them.
• Listen to the trainers. They are professional horse riders and care only for your safety and for you to have a great time. So listen to what they have to tell you, and follow their instructions.
• Last, but not least, if you are too scared to ride a horse, don’t do it. You won't enjoy it, and the rest of group might not enjoy the trip as well. No one will judge.

So, to summaries, whether you came to Santorini to get married, or just for vacation, be sure to stop by Santo Horse Riding for an unforgettable horse riding experience. Arrange a group tour for your wedding guests, or just for your group of friends.

For contact information, please visit Santo Horse Riding's official website - http://santorinihorseriding.gr/

Thank you very much for reading, and I wish you a lovely day!

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Interesting ideas for a pre-wedding gathering in Santorini!

Wine tasting at Venetsanot Winery - http://venetsanoswinery.com/

When having a destination wedding, it is nice to host a pre-wedding gathering one or two days before the actual wedding to meet with all your family and friends. This is a great way to thank everyone for flying to your wedding, as well as a chance for your guests to get to get to know each other before the wedding day.

You decided to have your wedding in Santorini, and now that all the details have been settled, you are thinking of what to do for the pre-wedding gathering? Thankfully, the island offers a variety of choices for a pre-wedding gathering, from private cocktail gatherings, to fun pre-wedding activities.

Cocktail pre-wedding gathering:

A pre-wedding gathering with cocktails and canapés is a nice way to bring your guests together. You can host a private cocktail gathering at a nice restaurant, that offers such services. Feredini Restaurant in Oia, would be a perfect choice for you. It has a nice, small, private terrace, suitable for a standing gathering for up to 50 persons. Your guests will be treated with delicious canapés, and will be enjoying the caldera view while sipping on their cocktails.

With such pre-wedding gatherings, the key is not to have them too late and make them last too long, as you run the risk of getting your guests drunk, resulting in them being hangover on your wedding. Not something you would want! Host such a gathering an hour before sunset, and exceed it an hour past sunset. Why sunset? Because Santorini has magnificent sunsets, and your guests will appreciate that you gave them the chance to enjoy one, while at your gathering.

Rehearsal Dinner:

You can choose to have a rehearsal dinner just for your family and close friends, or for the whole guest list. Take them to a nice tavern by the sea, giving your guests an opportunity to visit the beach side of the island. Enjoy your evening with your friends, family, and colleagues, trying the local cuisine and the local wine. A nice choice for your rehearsal dinner would be The cave of Nikolas in Akrotiri. It is a family tavern, with amazing food!

No need for the rehearsal dinner to be a fancy one. This is why I wrote "tavern" earlier, as they perfectly combine delicious food and a cozy atmosphere. Having the dinner the "Greek way", or family style as you can otherwise call it, is a nice way to get your guests closer. Pre-order all the dishes you wish to have on the gathering, ask for everything to served at the middle of the table, and let your guests choose what they want to eat and engage in conversations. Just for you to know, the phrase "pass the salad please", could be a great conversation starter!

Catamaran Cruise in the caldera:

Caldera sea Crusie with Barbarossa sailing
http://www.barbarossasailing.com/

The caldera is one of the main attractions of Santorini. If you are not a big fun of the eating/drinking pre-wedding gatherings, and wish for your guests to get more active, take them to a boat trip to the caldera. You can rent a private wooden boat and visit the volcano, the hot springs and the island of Thirasia. If you prefer something more luxurious, book catamarans for your sailing pre-wedding gathering in the caldera.

If you, your family, and your friends are fun loving, them go with Captain Barbarossa and his crew for an unforgettable sailing experience in the caldera. Why is it so special? Because you can engage in a true pirate-like sea fight, with water bombs and squirt guns! Board your families and friends on two different vessels, and find out who's house will seat on the iron throne! And also… have the time of your life!

Wine Tasting:

Wine Museum at Venetsanos Winery
http://venetsanoswinery.com/

Santorini is famous for its wine products, especially for its dessert wine "Vinsanto". With such a big wine production, it is only natural that Santorini has a number of different wineries. Some of them are located on the caldera, other on the beach side of the island, but all of them offer interesting tours and wine tastings. Organizing a wine tour and wine tasting for your guests, would be a great idea for a pre-wedding gathering, as not only you will give your guests a chance to get to know the history of wine making of Santorini, but also an interesting topic for small talk at the wedding.

You could, for example, book a wine tour at the Koutsogiannopoulos Winery in Mesaria, as it has an amazing museum, and a really beautiful winery. You could also visit the Venetsanos Winery, which is located on the caldera in Megalochori, and after the tour have the wine tasting while the sun is setting, giving your guests a chance to enjoy two of the most popular things Santorini has to offer: wine and sunset!

Santorini has to offer much more, than what described above, so feel free to contact me for additional information.

Thank you very much for reading, and I wish all of you a beautiful evening and a great day!

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