All the Cycladic beauty in front of my eyes…
Summer 2021
This year has been particularly tough, since we all had to deal with a problem that still affects even today our society, the pandemic of COVID-19. So, I couldn’t wait for the summer to arrive and return to my normal everyday life that I had missed so much. That’s why I was looking up for the ideal destination to go with my beloved one on my vacation days. My first thought was to find a place where there would be plenty of vegan options, so I could try different flavors and aromas, while getting new ideas and experiences for the creation of recipes and articles in my website. And then my beloved Christina contacted me, which is vegan as well and co-owner of MOD, and suggested me to visit their facilities before the Opening Day, that is coming in a few days from now. The decision was made without any doubt! What could be better than an exclusively vegan hotel in Santorini? I will tell you one thing though… I booked the plane tickets on the same day!
First impressions and vegan food
So, we arrive to Santorini and we head straight to MOD Santorini. Christina is awaiting and she is welcoming us with her wonderful smile (she is such a beautiful and kindhearted person)! Then, she showed us to our room and said that while we make ourselves comfortable, she would return in a couple of minutes with a surprise for us. She came back after a moment with a huge tray of food including: vegan omelette, freshly squeezed juice, seasonal fruits and vegan cookies! Our first breakfast in MOD was happening! Since it was 07:30 in the morning and we were awake since before dawn to catch our flight, we hadn’t eaten anything up until then, so my first instinct was to devour the omelet first. I try the first bite and I stop! I decide that I want to savor the moment and appreciate every bite.
Pictures of our delicious, fulfilling and very nutritious meals that Christina made for us while we stayed in MOD are coming up. I really don’t know which one I liked most. Christina also asked me the same question, when it was time to say our goodbyes. The truth is that everything was amazing, but since I mostly prefer savoury dishes, I am going to have to choose the avocado toast and the omelette. Get ready to start feeling hungry! If you are not already.
at MOD Santorini, stuffed with cherry tomatoes, traditional island olives, onion, mushrooms and avocado
The hotel and the rooms
The hotel architecture is influenced by the island itself! I am talking about the traditional cycladic architecture, the white buildings, the curves and the archways. Yes just like the photos you have seen online, that accurately describes MOD, an organic free flowing building that is clean and minimal. The earthy colour scheme, the furniture and the design make you feel alive and instantly calm at the same time! The rooms were spotless and fully equipped with everything we might need to improve our stay in the island. I want to point out that the vegan way of the hotel is not only about the food. It covers many other things, like the sanitary products and even the mattresses that -according to Christina- consist of two rubberized coco fiber sheets of 6 cm thickness that offer the proper support for our body. How innovative and amazing is this! Of course there are rooms with a private jacuzzi on the balcony, from which you have a beautiful view over the island’s crystal clear waters of the Aegean sea. When you have all these wonderful choices, the best service and vegan food, what more could anybody ask for? Simple living at it’s best.
Activities and island’s best spots
1. Red Beach
As soon as we arrived at the hotel, Christina informed us about all the sights we could visit and all the activities there are in Santorini. We didn’t miss any time and our first stop was the well-known “Red Beach”. This beach is famous for the red sand and the red cliffs that surround it, which is the result of volcanic eruptions over the years. Its black pebbles make this beach unique and attract a lot of tourists and those who love natural scenery. Surely I couldn’t resist taking one pebble (ok, it was two or three!) to remember this beach.
2. Promontory Lighthouse
Our next stop was the Promontory Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built from the French Lighthouse Company in 1892 and it remained turned off during World War II. But, in 1983, they turned it on again. It’s blinking light is visible from Fira, which is in the center of the island. When you go to Santorini it’s really worth visiting the Lighthouse, so you can stand literally on the island’s edge and take some beautiful pictures, while the amazing colour of the sea fills your very soul.
3. Vlychada Beach
Continuing with this beautiful “tour” -if I may- we go to Vlychada beach. This particular beach was suggested to me by a really sweet girl I met on the island and you definitely know her too… I am talking about Darya, a.k.a. “ethicalandeasy”, which is her Instagram name and you will find her here ! If you don’t already follow her, I suggest that you do it now, so you can get informed about the vegan way of living and ethical fashion, which are her favourite research and occupation areas! So, the main characteristic of Vlychada beach is the white sand and the almost vertical slashed cliffs that surround it. The Tomato Industrial Museum is also located there and we made sure to go and visit it. We had the audio tour and we learnt a lot of new things about the famous tomato pulp production process, we tasted it too and we got some souvenirs before we leave. I should mention that there is a little tavern next to the small port, which has delicious vegan delicacies that you most certainly do not want to miss, if you go there! We will talk more about food later…
4. Santorini’s Volcano, Hot Springs and Thirassia Island
We spent a whole day aboard a ship that made a trip to Santorini’s Volcano, the Hot Springs and Thirassia Island, which is right next to Santorini. Firstly, I was really excited about our ship having a glass floor, we could see the bottom of the sea while we were travelling on it. Our first stop was Santorini’s Volcano, where I realized that I had left my hat back in the hotel and I had to climb on the high hills to see the craters and I also had to deal with the really high heat and the sun. So, I could do nothing else than use my t-shirt as a hat and start the climb. Thankfully, everything went well! We saw the craters and we got a lot of information about the volcano’s history. One interesting thing I learnt is that the most recent volcanic activity happened in 1950!
When the volcano tour ended and since the temperature was really high, we boarded the ship again with our next destination being the Hot Springs. The ship went as close as possible to the spot and then we got informed that if we want to reach the Hot Springs, we will have to swim! My first thought was: Really? But then I saw the red waters and I decided that I will definitely swim! When we reached the spot with the Hot Springs, the water temperature increased a lot and the sea became really shallow. The water being red doesn’t mean it’s dirty, but it’s the result of the volcanic eruptions. The Hot Springs were my favourite part of the island! Lastly, our daily trip was completed with us visiting Thirassia, the sister island of Santorini. This little island was more traditional, which made a unique combination with the blue waters that surrounded it! The truth is that there were a lot -way too many to be specific- stairs to climb to the village. No, no need to ask. I didn’t have any more strength to do this after the day we had, so I just swam in the beautiful waters and I enjoyed my coffee next to the sea!
5. Oia: The captivating beautiful Santorini’s village!
The last place I want to mention is Oia. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I think its beauty is unmeasurable! This village is located in the north part of the island and its main characteristics are the picturesqueness and the traditional style, like the rest of the island. I visited this place twice, because after my first visit, I decided that this is the place I want to spend my last day on the island! So, I went back again! The main colours of the village are light blue and white, while the alley streets were full of little shops that sell handmade -and other- products!
Oia is also a really famous destination because of the sunset view it provides. On my first visit it was on afternoon hours and I was planning to watch the infamous sunset myself. The thing is that there were way too many people and it was quite hard to enjoy the view. However, I will never forget the sun’s beautiful colours, while “diving” into the blue sea… When I revisited Oia on the last day of my trip, I chose to go during morning hours, so there would be less crowding. Oia once more stole my heart and made it really hard for me to leave!
Vegan Food in Santorini
French Fries, Salad, Garlic Dip
What’s going on with the vegan food in this island? Since Santorini is a Greek island, the local cuisine is mostly Greek style! The vegetables and the traditional Greek dishes are on the top of the taverns’ and restaurants’ menus. The famous Santorini split peas is fairly considered the best tasting in Greece, while the same applies for the famous tomato fritters, that are made from the local Santorini tomatoes. Also, there are a lot more places that you can enjoy more vegan food, like meet substitutes, falafel and more. Generally, I think that nowadays it’s easier to find vegan options in most places and they can actually be really tasty as well! These choices will satisfy everyone’s tastes! These are some of the meals I enjoyed in Santorini! How do they look?
and Santorini’s Fava
Contact MOD and schedule your trip:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mod.santorini/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/mod.santorini/
Website: https://modsantorini.com/
Online Booking: https://modsantorini.reserve-online.net/
Phone: (+30) 2286 024552
Location: Firostefani, Santorini, Greece
I want to say a big thank you to all of you that accompanied me in this beautiful journey, my dears!
Wow this blog has it all. You write really well and show lots of photos for people like me who are visual. Well done on a great blog once again.
Thank you very much for your kind words. I am glad you think my blog is useful. 🙂