Marillia Village

My recent visit to the island of Santorini entailed learning some wonderful words that I do not remember hearing before. Caldera, troglodyte, caïque… perhaps you’ll think me uneducated, but for those who, like me, wrote notes to their classmates instead of listening to the teacher during history and geography lessons, I will explain the meaning of these words now.

‘Caldera’, coming from the Latin, designates a circular shaped crater formed by a volcano, and I must say that navigating the waters of the Santorini caldera is quite simply an unforgettable experience. Under the azure sky and on the twinkling sea, you can look out at the impressive Santorini cliffs that line this natural crater, where you see black rocks scattered with white villages, and a sumptuous panorama among which you can truly feel the traces of the lost Cycladian civilisations.

It was aboard a caïque that I enjoyed this magnificent sight; a small traditional boat made to float on the transparent waters of the Aegean Sea. I was captivated gazing out at those grandiose landscapes, spotting layers of lava covered with vineyards, beaches of volcanic sand and crystal clear waters with ochre reflections.

After a folkloric donkey ride I reached Oia on the hilltop, one of these islands’ emblematic villages where you can find troglodyte houses. I won’t go into the etymology of this word, but I will tell you that it refers to houses that have been built into the cliffs. Here, among the tangle of narrow streets, I came across picturesque homes in dazzling white, sometimes crowned with an intense blue dome: a real postcard image of the Greek islands.

To finish this list of magic holiday words comes the last (but not least): ‘Marillia’, a word that conjures up images of sun-kissed holidays, flowers and the good life. In this hotel, housed in typical Greek architecture, with ochre walls and blue windows, I had found the ideal setting for my holiday.

Unlike a typical luxury hotel, the Marillia Village is made up of suites and maisonettes. I greatly appreciated the independence of my whitewashed maisonette, wonderfully brightened up in shades of yellow and blue. It opened out onto a private terrace where I enjoyed sipping a glass of wine in the evening, watching the sky turning from pink to red. I loved the unpretentious luxury of this establishment, where comfort and charm combine in perfect harmony. For breakfast, I would find all of Greece on my plate, and savoured delicious local products – it was a great way to start the day. My afternoons were often punctuated with swimming in the clear waters of the neighbouring beach of Perivolos. The evenings spent beside the hotel swimming pool among the sweet smelling garden were just glorious! Without a doubt, Marillia Village will always have a place in my beloved dictionary of Greece.