Santorini is considered by many to be a unique place in the world, for this reason, every year around two million people visit this beautiful Greek island. You will definitely be enchanted by its breathtaking sunsets, the whitewashed cubic houses perched on the cliff and the blue-domed churches. This island has stolen our hearts and we highly recommend that you visit it at least once in your life. In this travel guide, you will find everything you need to properly plan your first trip to Santorini.
Where is Santorini
Santorini is a Cycladic island in the Aegean sea, about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Greece’s mainland. Officially named as Thira, Santorini was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. This island has a unique crescent shape (or if you prefer a croissant) and an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi).
Best time to visit Santorini
There is no better time to visit Santorini and it depends on your needs and what you are looking for.
The summer months are by far the best for visiting the island. If you love beach life, these months are perfect for sunbathing and swimming. However, especially July and August are extremely crowded and prices are the highest. This is the high season in Santorini! If you want to book your stay between June and September you have to do it well in advance.
During the low season from November to March, tourism drops a lot. As a result, many restaurants are closed and there are few flights to and from the island. In the winter months, the temperature drops and even if rainfall is scarce the seawater is a bit cold. If you are looking for peace and quiet this is the best time to visit Santorini.
In our view, May, June, late September and October are the best months to visit this island. Why? First of all, less crowd. The weather will still be nice and not too hot, with temperatures between 22-26 C.
How many days do you need in Santorini?
Santorini is a small island but there are so many things to do and places to see. Three or four days may be enough to visit the island. However, if you want to enjoy its sunsets and its unique atmosphere to the full, we strongly recommend that you opt for a week. In seven days you will have more time to visit Santorini and relax on the beach. If you have more than a week, you can also visit the nearby islands of Ios and Anafi.
How to get to Santorini
There are only two ways to get to Santorini: by ferry or by plane. In Santorini, there is a specific port for ferries and an international airport about 15 minutes from the capital Fira.
By plane
If you live in Europe there are direct flights to Santorini. Usually, most of these flights operate only in the summer season. On the other hand, if you live outside of Europe, you have to get to Athens (the capital of Greece) and then take a ferry or another flight to Santorini. We use Skyscanner very often to book our flights because we find the best offers and all the options available.
By ferry
The ferry is the cheapest but also the slowest way (5-8 hours) to get to Santorini from Athens. You can get a ferry to Santorini from one of Athens’ two ports: Piraeus and Rafina. There are four companies operating the routes from Athens to Santorini: Blue Star Ferries, Seajets, ANEK Lines and Hellenic Seaways. In high season it is easy for high-speed ferry tickets to run out, for this reason, it is good to book tickets in advance. You can book tickets through Ferriesingreece with the best deals.
Where to stay in Santorini
Where to stay is one of the most important things when visiting a place for the first time and Santorini is no exception. Based on your budget and what you are looking for, Santorini offers a wide variety of accommodation options.
The villages perched on the edge of the cliff (Fira, Oìa, Imerovigli and Firostefani) are definitely the best choice if you really want to experience the full charm of Santorini with its breathtaking views and its endless sunsets. You will find most of the luxury hotels in these villages with their high-level services. Therefore, it’s no secret that hotels and restaurants are the most expensive in this part of the island. However, they are the first choice for honeymoons and romantic getaways.
Fira is the capital and the perfect place if you are also looking for nightlife. It is located in a central position and is the perfect place to move in all directions of the island. Oìa is the northernmost village and boasts the best sunset on the whole island. For this reason, it’s a very romantic and crowded place, especially during sunset. Imerovigli is considered by many to be the most beautiful and peaceful village of Santorini, not only for its breathtaking views but also because there are numerous luxury hotels overlooking the cliff. The small Firostefani can be the perfect choice if you want to be close to the action of Fira without actually staying in Fira.
If you are looking for your dream hotel overlooking the caldera, don’t miss this post!
Most of the beaches on Santorini are located in the south part of the island. The most important seaside resorts are Kamari, Perissa, Perivolos and Akrotiri. Santorini is not famous for its beaches, in fact, we visited much more beautiful beaches in Greece! So if you visit Santorini for its beaches, you will find better ones elsewhere.
Our favorite beach is Perivolos, a long stretch of black sand with numerous restaurants offering services such as sunbeds and umbrellas. Kamari and Perissa are located north of Perivolos and have a long black pebble beach with restaurants, umbrellas, sunbeds and pedestrian beachfront walkway. Finally, Akrotiri is located near the famous beaches of Vlychada Beach, White Beach and Red Beach.
The hotels near the beaches are affordable as compared to the other side of the island. Staying in this area is perfect for enjoying the sea, especially for families. Moreover, during the summer season, Kamari, Perivolos and Perissa are accessible by bus every 15 minutes. If you travel to Santorini on a budget, find your best deal on Airbnb.
The hinterland of Santorini is perfect if you want to avoid the tourist masses and be more in touch with local life. If you are looking for a more authentic experience take a look at the accommodations in the villages of Pyrgos, Megalochori and Emporio. There you will find panoramic views of the island’s vineyards and the Aegean Sea but no views of the caldera or easy access to the beach.
Getting around in Santorini
It’s very important to plan how to get around on a crowded island like Santorini. You can choose between various transport options such as buses, taxis, private transfers and rent a vehicle.
Renting a vehicle is one of the easiest ways to get around the island. This way you will be totally free and independent and will have access to other parts of the island not serviced by local buses. In most of our trips, this is our favorite choice. There are plenty of car rental offices at Santorini Airport and Athinios Port, which have different rates and vehicles. You can book in advance from home or choose the vehicle that’s right for you directly in Santorini. Gasoline is expensive, but you will most likely not drive many kilometers because the island is quite small (76.19 km²).
You can also rent an ATV/quad or a motorbike. Even if it can be fun to drive an ATV, however, we recommend renting a car because it’s safer especially at night. In Santorini, the roads connecting the villages are poorly lit and the strong wind could be a problem (this is a windy island). Renting a motorbike can be a smart choice for finding parking easily. In fact, finding parking is one of the main problems in Santorini especially in crowded months like July – August and/or at peak times like at sunset. Always follow the main roads and do not look for shortcuts in dirt roads because some are in poor condition and you could damage your vehicle.
Traveling by bus is the cheapest way to get around Santorini and transport is managed by a fleet of local buses called KTEL Buses. The cost of a bus trip is around 1.8-2.5 € and the central station is in Fira. To move between two distant villages, the bus always stops in Fira and sometimes you have to change the bus. The bus stations are pre-defined and are usually packed with tourists. So if you can’t catch a bus, you’ll wait for the next one. Also, remember that the buses are not operating in the low season as in the high season and the same at night. You’ll find more details on bus transportation on the official KTEL website.
Taxis are another way of getting around the island. It’s much more expensive than bus or renting a car and it is not always easy to find one especially in high season. Finally, if you travel in a group, you can book a private transfer usually a minivan. We booked a private transfer on our arrival in Santorini which took us to the hotel, in this way we avoided queues and further delays as we arrived at night.
What to do in Santorini
With its endless sunsets, whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches, Santorini is an island that will immediately amaze you. There are a lot of things to do especially if it’s your first time on the island. This is a list of our favorite activities that can help you better plan your trip to Santorini.
Watch a stunning sunset
Sunsets in Santorini are known to be legendary. Oìa is the best place ever to enjoy the sunset. Not surprisingly, every day thousands of tourists flock to Oìa castle for the best possible experience. Moreover, romantic sunsets can also be witnessed in the villages of Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli. Our advice is to arrive 1-2 hours before sunset because some areas become very crowded and busy.
Hike from Fira to Oìa
A unique experience along a path of about 10km. This hike starts from Fira and ends in Oìa, walking along the cliff through the villages of Firostefani and Imerovigli. Along the path, you will see all the beauty of the caldera with stunning views. The best time for this hike is in the morning when the sun is not too hot. It will take about 2-4 hours to finish the hike based on your physical condition.
Taste the wine in a winery
You may not know but in Santorini, the wine is very good and it is an important wine-making region as well. You can experience a wine tasting tour in the village of Pyrgos and also enjoy a beautiful view. In the evening this place is very romantic with the sunset lights, perfect for couples.
Visit the most beautiful beaches
Santorini does not have the most beautiful beaches in Greece but certainly, each has its own character. The black sand beach of Perivolos, the black pebble beaches of Kamari and Perissa and the Red Beach in Akrotiri, are just some of the most famous on the island. Also, visit the picturesque beach of Ammoudi at sunset and try one of its fish taverns.
Swimming in hot springs
Many boat tours allow you to swim in the therapeutic waters of the caldera. If you have never tried it, this is the right opportunity!
Sailing tour around the island
A sailing tour is a perfect way to explore all of Santorini’s top attractions and swim in its crystal clear waters. The most romantic moment for a tour is at sunset, so you will enjoy a wonderful sunset with your partner.
Food in Santorini
Santorini is not only endless sunsets and stunning views but also good food! In fact, its fertile volcanic land offers high quality and tasty products. Your experience in Santorini will not be complete without having tried the local cuisine in one of the many seafood taverns scattered on the island. Let yourself be delighted by traditional dishes such as tomatoballs, moussaka, fava, pita, tzatziki and Greek salad with feta, tomato and capers.
In addition to the fresh fish, there are many taverns that offer tasty meat, especially in inland villages such as Pyrgos. But not only traditional food, in fact in Santorini you will find different cuisines such as Italian, Chinese, international and ethnic. It is possible to eat with a few euros but also try the experience of dining at sunset with a breathtaking view of the caldera in one of the luxury restaurants. We have collected a list of our favorite restaurants in this Santorini Food Guide.
Last things to know
Are you ready for your first trip to Santorini? Wait, there are still some things you need to know!
The official language of the island is Greek however English is spoken in most hotels, restaurants and shops.
You will need Euros to pay for everything on the island. To exchange money, you can do it at the airport, in Fira and in many hotels, however, beware of the high exchange rates.
Santorini is also perfect for shopping lovers! In Fira and Oìa especially you will find numerous shops with lots of interesting things to buy. Our favorite moment for shopping was before dinner, immediately after sunset, when it’s not as hot as during the day and strolling around the streets was very enjoyable.
Are you a passionate photographer or are you looking for inspiration to bring out your Instagram page? Don’t miss this post with the Top 9 Instagrammable Spots in Santorini!
If you want to read more about traveling in Santorini, check out these posts:
- Best Hotels in Santorini With Caldera View
- Top 9 Instagrammable Spots in Santorini
- Santorini Food Guide | Where to eat
- Santorini Travel Guide For First-Time Visitors
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