As I reminisce on the Open Air Cinema Kamari, I can feel the moment as if it was now. We decided to grab a bite to eat from King’s Cafe so we wouldn’t have to rush to eat after the movie ended. King’s Cafe quickly became our go to spot in Santorini. The food was fresh, the drinks were strong, and the view along the black sand beach was out of a movie. Word to the wise, this cafe nor others are a place you go and rush. The ambiance and mood are relaxed. Soon as we finished dinner, we caught our taxi to the cinema.

Our concierge at the Rosebay Hotel told us to arrive at least an hour before to get a good place in line. We arrived at 19:30 EET; doors opened at 20:30 EET; and the movie started 21:30 EET. When we arrived there was one group standing in line ahead of us. After about 30 minutes of waiting, the line began to grow down the sidewalk. Due to our party size, 2-3 of us stood in line while the remainder set down in the seating area.

Upon arrival to the cinema, the tone was set. My eyes were not prepared for what awaited once on the other side of the door. Once doors opened, I entered a warm dimly lite space to purchase my ticket. After that, I entered into the garden cinema. Surrounded by plants, earth, jazz, fresh air, and the stars. I was indeed in the right place at the right time. I felt instant gratitude to be standing in a place I only envisioned to be in my wildest dreams. I was in Kamari, Santorini preparing to watch Bullet Train under the stars without interruption from any mosquitoes. Before the movie started, we visited the bar and ordered a bottle of Rosè wine, 2 regular popcorn, 1 caramel popcorn, and a hot dog. To top everything off, mid-way through the movie there was an intermission!!!! They gave guest a chance to gather themselves. And their was a countdown before the movie resumed. Now this was a top tier cinema experience. I look forward to visiting Santorini again just to visit the Open Air Cinema Kamari.

Sidenote, in Timeout Magazine’s The 40 most beautiful outdoor cinemas in the world article, Open Air Cinema Kamari is ranked 12th. Based on how gorgeous the ambiance is at this location, I wonder what the criteria of scoring is based on. Yes, I would expect Open Air Cinema Kamari to be ranked in the top 10. As of today I don’t have a dog in that race, stay tune for when I do!