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Article snippet: As I hiked through the village of Oia in Santorini, Greece, slightly out of breath from navigating the hilly streets, I was certain that I had seen few places in the world as attractive. Majestically perched atop a cliff, Oia faced the sparkling Aegean Sea and was awash in gleaming white villas built into the hills. Many travelers think of Santorini as a beach destination, similar to Mykonos, but locals have long known that the magic of the island is the gorgeous views to be had from its many steep cliffs. And the best way to take in these views is through Santorini’s more than 12 scenic walking routes, ranging from between two to eight miles each. Increasingly, hotel owners, walking tour companies and local travel companies are promoting the idea of experiencing Santorini by foot. Markos Chaidemenos, the affable owner of Canaves Oia, a luxury hotel in the village that offers guests maps of walking trails, was my unofficial guide on my two-hour walk. It began at Ammoudi Port at the base of Oia and followed a path of about 300 steps up into the heart of the village. We walked past art galleries lining the main thoroughfare and up and down narrow lanes, where he pointed out locallyowned boutiques and seafood restaurants with water views. Eventually, we stopped at the widely photographed blue-domed churches and I, too, snapped the requisite tourist shots. “Walks like these,” Mr. Chaidemenos said, “are the essence of what Santorini is about.” According to Mr. Chaidem... Link to the full article to read more