I’M not religious but, if heaven looks this good, I want a ticket there.
The blue domed roofs of Santorini’s churches have been painted to match the sky and are symbolic of spiritual paradise, my guide tells me.
They’ve got the colour spot on, I point out.
Not a single wisp of white cloud taints the blue canvas sitting behind the white-washed buildings.
I was in the village of Oia, where hotels, restaurants and holiday homes tumble down the cliffside towards a glistening sea.
I’ve seen this picture before, although not in real life.
The exact scene in front of me is so famous it even stars on the packet of feta cheese that I bought from the supermarket before sitting down to write this piece.
Oia sits on the largest of the islands that make up Greece’s Santorini.
Yes, Santorini is actually five islands (I didn’t know either).
It was once one larger patch of land, but thousands of years ago a volcano erupted so aggressively that it collapsed in on itself, sinking into the ocean and splitting the area into five fragments.
Known as a caldera, the volcano’s crater sits 400m below the water’s surface — deep enough for giant cruise ships to sail over.
The high perches of Oia, on the main island of Thera, offer a great vantage point for admiring the vastness of this watery pit and the village is also on the right side of the island for catching the most spectacular sunsets.
It gets busy, though, and sadly you can’t just wander to any old bar or viewpoint without booking first or arriving extremely early.
That was the huge perk of my Tui Musement excursion — which also included a visit to local wineries earlier that day.
At the end of my village tour I had a seat waiting for me at one of the most sought-after sunset bars, Sun Spirit, where I drank in clear views of fiery pinks and oranges melting into the horizon.
This same group of seats always remains reserved for customers on this specific Tui tour — as good a reason as any to book.
But before we settled down, tour guide Kim took the experience to new heights, guiding our group to not only the key sights but also the best spots for those all-important pictures, away from the overly busy areas where you’ll have to queue (yes, really) to get your shot.
Crowds are the only downside to Santorini. Its beauty is so widely known that it can attract hordes of tourists, especially on days the cruise ships sail into town.
That’s why visiting early or late in the season is best — it’s cheaper then, and the heat is more manageable.
Luckily, I had ample opportunity to cool off at my hotel when temperatures soared.
The 5* Tui Blue Meltemi, is set mere yards from the beach in the laidback region of Perissa and is a great spot for lazing.
Even the most basic rooms here come with a whirlpool bath, some inside and others outside.
Plus, there are three outdoor pools, framed by sunloungers and palm trees.
All stays are half-board, meaning you only need to shell out for lunch — but with such plentiful breakfast and dinner buffets, you may not even fancy a midday meal.
Also included in every stay is one dinner at The Culinarium, the hotel’s fancy a la carte restaurant where I opted for a Greek tasting menu that knocked my socks off.
Over several hours, while the sun set, I gorged on creamy orzo, fava bean hummus and a simple salad of cherry tomatoes, an ingredient Santorini produces in abundance.
They are also a staple in Santorini’s must-try tomato fritters.
You can learn to master this traditional recipe, along with other local classics, at a cooking class (£87pp).
Or if you’re more of a sunbathing sort, you won’t regret booking a catamaran cruise that sails through the belly of the caldera to beaches that can’t be reached on foot.
Our talented skippers delivered me cocktails and beer while I soaked up the rays from the wide nets at the front of the boat, admiring the rocky landscape of the islands from a distance.
Forget what I said earlier. It turns out I’ve already found heaven.
GO: SANTORINI
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ half-board at the 5T Tui Blue Meltemi is from £1,091.30pp, including flights from Gatwick on September 30. See tui.co.uk.
OUT & ABOUT: A catamaran cruise is from £131 per adult, including lunch.
A Santorini Wine Lovers’ Tour with sunset is from £96pp.
Tui Musement experiences can be booked via tuimusement.com, at a Tui store or with the Tui rep at your hotel.