The terrace of our apartment on Santorini was facing west and we were able to add a pretty sunset to the incredible sunrise that we saw on Crete.
In fact, the activity of sunset-watching turns the western side of the village of Oia into a madhouse, with most paths and viewpoints congealing into an impenetrable mass of tourist bodies for a couple of hours each evening. Being out and about in that area in the evening hours – especially if you have a young child in tow – is guaranteed to awake a misanthrope in the most mild-mannered of people.
Having a private terrace was definitely a boon. Having a windmill directly in the line of sight may have slightly downgraded the perspective, but it was a further asset in that there were no crowds directly in our vicinity. Occasional passerby would throw us a look full of jealousy and then proceed towards the nearest crush of bodies in search of an unobstructed view.
Us, we just sipped the wine and watched the sun dip behind the windmill and into the sea.
I will take an imperfect view with a dose of serenity over a breathtaking perspective shared with a crowd of strangers in close proximity every single time.