The last stop on our 2016 island-hopping adventure was the famous romantic island, Santorini. Funny enough, I have traveled to Santorini recently, and both times I visited, I was single and with my family. It is one of the most picturesque islands of the Aegean and is home to (in my opinion), the best sunset in Europe. Tourists traveling here mostly consist of couples, honeymooners, wedding guests, and groups of friends or family traveling to Greece. This is the second island most Greeks will tell you not to travel to, but I’m here to prove them wrong. You need to experience this notorious volcanic island at least once in your life. If you are a beach traveler, this island has some of the most unique beaches. However, they can be a bit difficult to get to. Most tourists stay in the main towns on top of the island and have to navigate downhill to get to the beaches. No need to worry – I’m here to give the tips and tricks on how to enjoy the busy villages and beaches of the beautiful island, Santorini.
Number of Days to Stay: Up to 3 Days
Expenses: $$$-$$$$
Jump To Section:
Where to Stay:
What makes Santorini so special is that thousands of years ago, it was a volcano. When it erupted, the land broke up into four islands: Santorini (the main island), Thirasia (a small, inhabited island), Palia Kameni (the hot springs), and Nea Kameni (the volcano). When building the island, villagers had to create their communities on top of the mountain and use the natural cave and rock formations to build homes on the cliffside; this is why the cave villas and hotel rooms are so popular to stay in! As a beach vacationer, this is the one island I recommend not staying near the water and finding an accommodation in one of the main villages. Check out the best spots below for where to spend your holiday in Santorini.
Oia – When you type into any search engine “Greece,” you will find beautiful landscape photos of the blue-capped churches and windmills of Santorini. Those photos are of the charming village of Oia (pronounced E-ya). Oia is the most popular village on the island, and where all the tourists flock when visiting. There are many restaurants, shops, and bars to see while walking its many winding streets and climbing its countless steps. Ammoudi Bay, a popular swimming and restaurant spot, is also close by. Most weddings take place here to capture the beautiful background and scenery. Not to mention, it is the most popular place to watch the sun meet the horizon during sunset. I personally have not stayed here as the prices are high, and we wanted to avoid the crowds. There are many hotels, villas, Airbnb/rentals, and hostels to stay at in Oia, and I have listed the least expensive places to stay in hopes of saving you some money.
Fira/Thira – The second most scenic town in Santorini is Fira (actually known as Thira in Greece), and is my choice of village to stay while visiting. Thira consists of everything Oia has, including bars, restaurants, amazing landscapes, villas with private pools, a beautiful view of the sunset, and it is not as crowded. This is the first out of the main 3 villages I recommend staying in and is closest to the airport if you fly in or drive up the mountain from the port. It was very easy to get to other towns, including Oia, and there is even a beautiful hike from Thira to Oia along the coast. Want to save some money, avoid crowds, and still get the Santorini Experience? Thira is for you.
Imerovigli – Imerovigli is a village located between Oia and Thira, and while this location is still a little pricey, it is a lot quieter than the two main villages packed with tourists. Imerovigli was the second consideration for us to stay in, but we couldn’t find the right accommodation for our group. The village also has a stunning view of the sunset, great restaurants, shops, and casual nightlife. It is worth staying in this location if you would like to be in a secluded village where you can reach both Oia and Thira. Imerovigli is the sweet spot for staying in Santorini.
Kamari – My family and I stayed in Kamari back in 2016 when we didn’t know much about Santorini and wanted to stay at a hotel within walking distance from the beach… This was a little bit of a mistake on our end, realizing that all the action was up the mountain. Even so, the beach our hotel was located on was beautiful. We made up for it by hiring a car service and booking a catamaran excursion that took us around the island to see different beaches and visit the hot springs. If you prioritize the beach, want to get away from the crowds, and have some relaxation…book your stay in Kamari.
Where to Eat:
Since this is one of the most popular islands in Greece, there are many places to eat in each village you visit. From eating traditional Greek, snacking on souvlaki, or enjoying fine dining, it is easy to find a place for whatever you are in the mood for. There are also options of hiring private chefs and booking a cooking class if you want a personal experience that we will cover later in this post. If you want the fancy view of Oia lit up at night or to dine in the sunset, I suggest you try to make reservations as soon as possible. Keep reading for some of the restaurants I have grabbed a bite at, as well as recommendations I have researched:
- Ouzeri, Fira ($$) : One of the best restaurants to eat Greek traditional food in Santorini. All of the food was fantastic and tasty. They were able to accommodate our group of 12 and took us without reservation. They also have vegan options, which are delicious (the vegan moussaka was amazing!)
- Classico, Fira ($$): This restaurant has one of the prettiest views of the sunset and great food. I recommend making a reservation in advance, especially if you want to eat during sunset! This restaurant has traditional Greek food as well as pasta and great cocktails. They were able to accommodate 10 of us without a reservation, so we didn’t have the best view of the sunset, but it was still great!
Other Recommendations:
Oia
- Lycabettus ($$$)
- Oia Vineart ($$) – Great wine selection
- Ambrosia ($$-$$$) – Said to be the most romantic restaurant in the village
- Candouni ($$) – Will have live music
- Lauda Restaurant ($$$)
- Pacman Sunset Restaurant ($$-$$$) – Another great option to watch the iconic sunset and for casual drinks or dinner
- Thalami ($$)
- Melitini ($$)
- Ammoudi Fish Taverna ($$) – The best restaurant in Ammoudi bay for sunset views and food. You will need a reservation.
Thira
- Kampari ($$)
- Volka On The Rocks ($$-$$$)
- Argo ($$)
- Naoussa ($$)
- Selene ($$$)
- La Scala ($$)
- Lucky’s Souvlaki ($)
Imerovigli
- Kapari ($$$)
- Anogi ($$)
- Viglia Restaurant ($$)
- Athenian House ($$$) – best view of the caldera in Imerovigli!
Vegetarian/Vegan Recommendations:
- Tranquilo: Thira ($$)
- Veganissimo: Thira ($$)
- Karma: Oia ($$)
- Kyprida: Oia ($$)
What to Do:
Beaches
- Agios Georgios – This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island and has sand and it’s black! Most of the beaches in Santorini have rocks or pebbles that hurt your feet, but Agios Georgios is one of the few that don’t! You may rent beach chairs and umbrellas, and there are many restaurants to grab a bite at. The water is great for swimming and has the most beautiful view of the mountains.
- Kamari Beach – This beach has black sand, but mostly consists of pebbles. Beware that the black sand is always VERY hot, so don’t forget your flip flops! Fun fact: the mountain formation that separates Karmari from the next beach is called Mesa Vouno and has ancient ruins.
- Red Beach – There is a red coloring in the sand here from the rock formation of the mountain. You must drive here and walk down the mountain to access the beach or during your boat trip you can swim to the shore from the Aegean Sea!
- Perissa Beach – This beach has mostly black sand and has chair rentals backed by restaurants and bars.
- Perivolos -Another volcanic, black sand beach that includes chair rentals, backed by restaurants and bars. This is one of my favorite beaches to visit on the island as it is lined with beach bars and is all sand!
Activities
- Catamaran/Boat Excursion Day Trip – My top recommendation for anyone traveling to Santorini is to book a boat or catamaran excursion. This is the best way to see the whole island and experience the sunset on the water. I have done this both times during my visit to Santorini and have never regretted it. The captains give you time to swim, snorkel, lie out in the sun, and even provide a great meal, snacks, and beverages, including beer and wine. Make sure to check the itinerary because you definitely want to check out the hot springs, and some boats may not take you to that location. Click here for the most recent boat tours we booked on our trip.
- Ammoudi Bay – You can access the bay and small port from Oia by walking down 250+ steps that take about 15 minutes. The bay is lined with great seaside tavernas that of course, have delicious seafood for lunch and dinner. You will notice boats coming in and out of the port from day excursions. Once you walk past the port, there is a small swimming spot with crystal blue waters and a small cliff to jump off of.
- Hike from Thira to Oia – This trek is about about 2.5 hours long and you will walk along the caldera, it is a beautiful hike is you need to waste some time and see amazing views!
- Visit a Winery, Wine Tasting and Wine Museum of Santorini. – This is a great way to visit many of Santorini’s amazing wineries, eat some tasty greek tapas and enjoy a beautiful sunset!
- Santorini Private Highlights Tour & Wine Tasting with local guide – There is no better way to see all of the highlights Santorini has to offer than having a guided tour through its picturesque town and enjoying wine freshly made in Santorini!
- Santorini Cooking Class & Wine Tasting – Take a cooking class and learn how to cook traditional Greek foods while enjoying local wine!
- Hire a personal chef to cook for your group – In 2023 My family and I celebrated my mom’s birthday in Greece, and instead of booking an upscale restaurant, we had a personal chef come to our villa and cook us a traditional Greek dinner and dessert.
- Visit Atlas Bookstore in Oia – This is one of my favorite bookstores in the world! Built into the side of the Caldera, this is a must visit for book lovers!
- Shop in Thira and Oia – There are so many unique boutiques to shop at, and a lot of them have volcanic rock souvenirs for purchase! I bought a volcanic rock candle holder.
- Visit the volcano, Nea Kameni.
- Go to a fish spa – Thanks to the Kardashians, my sister and I did this the first time we visited Santorini, and although it was a somewhat odd sensation, it was definitely a unique experience!
Nightlife
Thira
- Enigma Club
- Koo Club
- 2 Brothers Bar – One of my favorite places to go to in Santorini. It is more of a bar turned club. The music is great, the drinks are not too expensive, and the vibes are immaculate!
- PK Cocktail Bar – best drinks and view of the caldera
- Tropical Bar – 3 different sections, very fun but can be crowded
- Casa Blanca
- Franco’s Bar
- Tango Bar
Oia
- Marykay’s Hassapiko Bar
- Lioyerma Pool Bar
- Vineyart
- Sun Spirit
- Fino
- Pelekanos
Transportation
Getting To Santorini
Airplane– I have traveled to Santorini by both ferry and airplane from Mykonos. If you are cut short on island time and don’t mind spending money, I would suggest taking a flight from Athens. The airport in Santorini is on top of the island, making it easy to get to any of the villages. Flights are coming in from multiple cities in Europe or directly from Athens. If you are traveling from the US or a foreign country and you must fly into Athens. I suggest flying early in the morning or the night before, as you can be short on time and you don’t find yourself running through the airport trying to catch your flight to Santorini!
Ferry– If you want to save money and enjoy a ride in the Aegean Sea, you can take a ferry or the fast ferry from the Athens port, Piraeus Harbor or Rafina Port. Santorini is the last stop on the ferry route through the Cyclades so it will take longer to get there compared to its neighboring islands. Most tourists will pick an island on the ferry route to vacation at first, before Santorini, to break up the travel time. For example, it takes 2 hours via fast ferry from Mykonos to Santorini. From Athens, the fast ferry takes about 5 to 6 hours to travel, and the regular ferry takes about 7 to 9 hours. All ferry tickets can be booked on seajets.com and are easy to use (Please note: all ferry times are in military time). Another website I have booked a ferry ticket on is directferries.com, but I suggest booking right from the source if it is your first time. While aboard the ferr,y you may purchase bakery dishes, sandwiches, snacks, coffee, beverages, and alcohol (my go-to is a Tiropita and Cappuccino Freddo every time I’m aboard). Depending on the weather, you can go to the top deck of the ferry to get some fresh air (or for a smoke break), and check out the port the boat is docked in for a moment before departing to the next island. Once you arrive at the port of Santorini and are staying in one of the villages on top of the volcano, you will have to drive uphill. This is a little frightening considering the roads are very narrow and there is just one way up and one way down. I will warn you that they don’t call the cluster of islands “The Cyclades” for nothing, as sometimes the water can get a little rough. If you are prone to motion sickness or don’t like a rocky boat, then a flight to Santorini is recommended, especially since it is a longer trip.
While in Santorini
Public Transportation – This is the main and most inexpensive way to travel in Santorini, especially when you are staying in one of the main villages. If you want to travel between villages or take a trip down to the beach, you can hop on a bus, and it will take you to your destination. Fares are very inexpensive compared to taxis or private car services.
Taxi/Uber/Private Car Service – There is a taxi service in Santorini, but depending on where your destination is located on the island, they can get very pricey. If your accommodation is beachside and you want to visit the villages of Oia or Thira, be prepared to pay at least fifty euros in cash. Booking a private car service is another way to travel around the island, especially if you plan to go to many different places in just a few days. Once you schedule a car service for one trip, I recommend getting the driver’s business card and booking the remainder of your rides with them. Scheduling pickup and drop-offs has saved us the headache and stress of trying to get a ride around the island, especially if you are traveling with a big group. I would only use a taxi or private car service if you don’t mind spending the money for convenience and plan on traveling to the island, the port, or for an excursion. Save your money and enjoy walking the charming villages or use public transportation!
Renting Cars/ ATVs / Scooters – You can rent a car, ATV, or scooter in Santorini, but considering each town and main site is walkable, it is not something I have done, or recommend.
Walking – Thira and Oia are very walkable villages and have so many roads that lead you up and down the cliffside. Every twist and turn, you will find a new boutique, restaurant, or bar. This makes the streets very crowded, especially during peak season and, of course, when the sun is setting. If you must walk to a reservation, make sure you leave with enough time to account for foot traffic. Make sure to bring comfortable shoes to walk up and down stairs and cobble roads. Ladies, leave the stilettos at home, and Guys, make sure you have your best pair of kicks on. Time to hit that step goal!
Whether you are vacationing with friends, family, a significant other, or even by yourself, you will fall in love with Santorini. From the beautiful swimming waters of Ammoudi Bay to the dazzling sunsets caught in Oia, any picture you take of Santorini can be made into a postcard.
Sincerely yours,
Santorini
