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"There's a whole world out there, right outside your window. You'd be a fool to miss it." - Charlotte Eriksson
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"There's a whole world out there, right outside your window. You'd be a fool to miss it." - Charlotte Eriksson
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Bathed in sunlight and carved by volcanic stone, Santorini is more than a place - it’s a canvas of light, color, and myths. It’s no wonder that poets have been drawn to its beauty and mystery, capturing its essence in verses that echo the island’s soul.
Two Nobel Prize laureates - George Seferis and Odysseas Elytis - were among those inspired by the island.
Two Nobel Prize laureates - George Seferis and Odysseas Elytis - were among those inspired by the island.
Gymnopaidia Santorini
Bend if you can to the dark sea forgetting
the flute’s sound on naked feet
that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.
Write if you can on your last shell
the day the place the name
and fling it into the sea so that it sinks.
We found ourselves naked on the pumice stone
watching the rising islands
watching the red islands sink
into their sleep, into our sleep.
Here we found ourselves naked, holding
the scales that tipped toward injustice.
Instep of power, unshadowed will, considered love,
projects that ripen in the midday sun,
course of fate with a young hand
slapping the shoulder
in the land that was scattered, that can’t resist,
in the land that was once our land
the islands, – rust and ash – are sinking.
the flute’s sound on naked feet
that trod your sleep in the other, the sunken life.
Write if you can on your last shell
the day the place the name
and fling it into the sea so that it sinks.
We found ourselves naked on the pumice stone
watching the rising islands
watching the red islands sink
into their sleep, into our sleep.
Here we found ourselves naked, holding
the scales that tipped toward injustice.
Instep of power, unshadowed will, considered love,
projects that ripen in the midday sun,
course of fate with a young hand
slapping the shoulder
in the land that was scattered, that can’t resist,
in the land that was once our land
the islands, – rust and ash – are sinking.
Written by George Seferis
From the Collection “Poems” (Ikaros Publishing).
Translation by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard.
From the Collection “Poems” (Ikaros Publishing).
Translation by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard.
Ode to Santorini
You were the first to leap forth into the world,
Porphyrogenite, sea-begotten,
You sent to the far horizons
Blessings nurtured in the sea’s vigils
To caress the hair of daylight’s waking hour.
Queen of the heartbeats, and wings of the Aegean,
With words that convert the infinite
With fire, lava, smoke,
You discovered the great lines of your destiny.
Now justice stands revealed before you
Black mountains sail in the brightness
Longings dig their craters
In the heart’s tormented land
And from hope’s struggle a new earth is made ready
So that on a morning full of iridescence
The race that vivifies dreams
The race that sings in the sun’s embrace
May stride forth with eagles and banners.
Porphyrogenite, sea-begotten,
You sent to the far horizons
Blessings nurtured in the sea’s vigils
To caress the hair of daylight’s waking hour.
Queen of the heartbeats, and wings of the Aegean,
With words that convert the infinite
With fire, lava, smoke,
You discovered the great lines of your destiny.
Now justice stands revealed before you
Black mountains sail in the brightness
Longings dig their craters
In the heart’s tormented land
And from hope’s struggle a new earth is made ready
So that on a morning full of iridescence
The race that vivifies dreams
The race that sings in the sun’s embrace
May stride forth with eagles and banners.
Written by Odysseas Elytis
From the collection “Orientations” (Ikaros Publishing).
Translation by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard.
From the collection “Orientations” (Ikaros Publishing).
Translation by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard.
santorini
Santorini rises from the Aegean like a dream. Whitewashed houses cascade down black cliffs, blue domes mirror the sky, and narrow paths wind through villages suspended between earth and sea. Formed by the dramatic force of volcanic eruptions, Santorini carries the wild beauty of creation itself.
One of the most iconic experiences in Santorini is its world-renowned sunset. Wherever you are on the island, it’s worth pausing your day to witness this daily spectacle. As the sun sinks slowly into the horizon, the sky transforms into a canvas of vivid colors—blazing golds, soft lilacs, and deep reds—flooding the landscape with unmatched beauty. It’s a moment of stillness, celebrated again and again, leaving every viewer in awe.
But Santorini is more than sunsets. For lovers of history, the island offers powerful glimpses into its ancient past. Walk through the remarkably preserved ruins of Akrotiri or climb to Ancient Thira, and feel time unfold beneath your feet. Each stone whispers stories of a once-thriving civilization, their legacy etched into the earth itself.
And when it comes to natural wonder, Santorini’s beaches are equally captivating. Scarlet cliffs, volcanic pebbles, and lunar-like rock formations create a coastal palette found nowhere else in the world. Whether you're drawn to lively shores or hidden coves of untouched serenity, the island’s beaches promise something for every traveler—an ever-changing seascape shaped by wind, time, and fire
Santorini touches something within: memory, myth, emotion. It’s a place not only to be seen, but to be felt - and never forgotten.
But Santorini is more than sunsets. For lovers of history, the island offers powerful glimpses into its ancient past. Walk through the remarkably preserved ruins of Akrotiri or climb to Ancient Thira, and feel time unfold beneath your feet. Each stone whispers stories of a once-thriving civilization, their legacy etched into the earth itself.
And when it comes to natural wonder, Santorini’s beaches are equally captivating. Scarlet cliffs, volcanic pebbles, and lunar-like rock formations create a coastal palette found nowhere else in the world. Whether you're drawn to lively shores or hidden coves of untouched serenity, the island’s beaches promise something for every traveler—an ever-changing seascape shaped by wind, time, and fire
Santorini touches something within: memory, myth, emotion. It’s a place not only to be seen, but to be felt - and never forgotten.
