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An alternative guide to Santorini from a resident
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Hello to everyone,
Edit 2024:
Thank you for supporting this post after so long! Hit me up if you wanna grab a drink with a stranger - I am between Athens and Santorini at the moment, mostly Athens ✌️
End of edit
I composed this guide because I started receiving a high number of messages for suggestions etc. This is a guide that will help you navigate in Santorini as I recommend you a plethora of things to do that you might not find the in the usual guides. I am Greek/Italian musician/visual artist, I having been coming to the island for a long long time, lived here permanently for 7 years, and own a business on the island.
Recent edit and a request to the readers of this post: I have been receiving a large number of completely random or extremely specific questions. Please note that I cannot know everything, so I please ask to keep very specific questions to a minimum. Questions like recommendations for hotels, photographers, boat rentals, transfers, wedding related stuff, sunset (it's good anywhere guys). I won't be answering to those messages, sorry. Please also don't ask me what is the best area to stay or things along those lines, read the guide and you can make up your mind I believe, thanks :)
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
Country code: 0030
Police: 2286022649
Hospital: 2286035300
PRIVATE TRANSFER The only person I will recommend for a private transfer van is my lovely friend & great person Aris. It's his own business, he's very trustworthy and he deeply cares about his customers. He loves mimicing accents, feel free to tease him! His contacts are +30 6984866242 or you can find his Instagram page here Roadtales
BASIC IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- If you can avoid visiting during the summer, do it. The best period is April-May and September-October. If you are going in the winter, the answer to your questions is that pretty much everything is closed, so don't expect much except nature exploring (more on that below).
- If you can avoid AirBnB type of places, please consider it. It has been destructive for the island and touristic destinations globally.
- DO NOT RENT AN ATV/QUADBIKE. Can't stress this enough, and I still see people posting on this sub about to get one. They are extremely dangerous and there are many fatal accidents with tourists every year. You will be driving a vehicle you are not familiar with, in a place that you don’t know, on busy roads with crazy drivers, when ATVs are meant for dirtroads. Just don’t do it, it’s not worth your life. I have seen countless accidents and some have been fatal. Rent a car/scooter instead.
- Basic pronunciations: Fira (Φηρά) has the accent on the A, pronounced Fee-rA. Oia (Οία) is pronounced ee-A. O+I in Greek=ee. Thira (not Fira) is an alternative name for Santorini, one of the Greek words that was used. Santorini is Italian, given by the Venetians (Santa Irina).
- TripAdvisor ranking doesn’t mean a restaurant is good, and this applies especially to touristic destinations, Santorini being no exception. Avoid any restaurant where they try to catfish you in the entrance, it’s guaranteed to be crap.
- Avoid Taxis. They are extremely expensive, and tourists tend to be overcharged by the drivers. Buses are a great alternative, but beware that in the summer they get fully packed. Also, they don't go everywhere, but they cover the majority of the island. Click here to see the time-table (it's in Greek-use Google translate). Altenatively, copy-paste "ΚΤΕΛ ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗΣ" on Google and click the first link (the reason being they create new links/timetables every year).
- Do not go swimming in the Red Beach, only admire from afar. Landslides are frequent.
- No, Oia is not the “best” place for the sunset, the sunset is what it is and it’s beautiful from all the spots of the caldera in Santorini. Oia is just advertised more so you will fall into a sardine-can type of situation. Beat the crowd by not going in the edge of Oia like everyone else, at least not in peak-season.
- You cannot drink the tap water, it's desalinated.
VILLAGES/EXPLORING
· Megalochori: One the best kept villlages in the island. Small, cute and picturesque with a small square with a couple of tavernas. One the best places to walk around.
· Mesaria is usually neglected by tourists as it's in the middle of the island, however, together with Megalochori, it's the most "local" & traditionally residential village you will find. Old cave-houses, neo-classical buildings, chapels, cathedrals and "villas", make part of the village architecture. I recommend walking around and "getting lost" in the alleys in order to get a good sense of how things go about and how people live.
· Akrotiri is the small but pretty village built around the ancient site of Akrotiri (you can visit the ruins), where people 3000 years ago had built one of the most prominent ports of the Mediterranean. It is also connected to the Minoan civilization and other discoveries. Near Akrotiri you have the red beach to visit. The lighthouse is nearby and it offers beautiful views of the whole island.
· Emporio is a traditional village which is the “heart” of the local population. Very picturesque with a small castle/café at its core.
· Pyrgos. This village offers beautiful views. It’s kept very neatly, built on a hill with traditional housing and a castle on the very top. The square of the village has two places to eat/drink (nothing great but the environment is relaxing) and the higher you go you will find restaurants and a couple of cafes. Before leaving the village, make sure you drive up to Profitis Ilias monastery on top of the mountain (just keep driving straight after the village). Great views.
· Fira is the capital which offers services and shopping opportunities, restaurants, bars etc. It is connected to Firostefani and Imerovigli. So I would suggest you to walk around all the three villages (that have now merged into one). Under Imorivigli and overlooking the caldera there’s a famous rock called Skaros – you can’t miss it (it looks like a nipple) and it’s beautiful to visit. Steep steps however, especially on the way back it can be difficult for some.
· Kamari, nothing great, flatlands by the beach and very cheap-touristy places overall. During early season, go to the end of the beach, next to the mountain for no umbrellas and no noise.
· Vourvoulos tiny village, cute but not much to see or do except to eat in Roza’s Tavern.
· Foinikia cute traditional little village which is very nice for a walk and it can be combined with a nice dinner in the restaurant mentioned below, and a walk in Oia.
· Oia – I am sure all the info you found online was about Oia, so I’m not going into it here. Avoid sunset hours, it’s very busy. Prices are higher in Oia than anywhere else in the island. After leaving Oia, you can go down to (driving or take the steps) Amoudi and eat by the sea at Dimitri's tavern (the last one).
SITES/MUSEUMS/ART
· MATI Art Gallery in Fira, est. 1990. The only art gallery in the island which is on another level, and by now it's probably the most timeless business on the island. Fish and sea-scape themed ceontemporary decorative art by the Greek artist Yorgos Kypris. If you like art and want to see something different and fresh, this is the place. They also have minimalistic jewelry by the most renowned Greek designers. Don't expect yout typical things, everyhting is very diffirent and unique.
· MATI Art Observatory Mesaria is MATI Art Gallery's new space, inside a 1900 restored winery. This space holds large artworks by the same artist who showcases a retrospective exhbition for pieces throughout his career. Wonderful interior space with stonework you've never seen before, interactive gardens with artworks, super friendly staff. It's art lovers' paradise in a quite spot in the traditional village of Mesaria. If you want to escape tourists and love challenging art, it's your place. As of 2025, they hold Wine & Art tours inside their beautiful space, something that is truly unique. I also recommend combining it with lunch/dinner in Pentozali which just accross the road (more info on Pentozali below)
· In Megalochori make sure you don't miss the fantastic Symposion, where Argie and Yannis, having renovated an old winery and cave, make shows & events with Greek ancient music, played from the very instruments that Yannis makes himself: it's an ode to the ancient world of Greece, Santorini and the Cycladic islands. One of the most unique experiences in Greece, can't reccomend this place enough. You can also nibble on cheeses, some food and raki (greek distilled spirit).
· SAF: cultural event centre in an old tomato factory by the beautiful beach of Vlychada. Dance shows, art exhibitions and concerts. Not so much on the later anymore so they stick mostly to music events.
· White Door Theatre: An interactive sort of theater. The show revolves around a Greek wedding in the 1920s while the audience is drinking and eating, dancing etc. Often they are asked to partake on stage.
· Akrotiri ancient ruins
· Ancient Thira ruins
· Prehestoric Museum
· Archaelocial Museum
BEACHES
· Kambia. Small, picturesque, quiet. A bit of tough drive, so no scooters/low rake cars.
· Vlychada. The best one in the island in my opinion. Few umbrellas for a small part of the beach, but most of it is empty. Lunar-like pumice cliff landscape with black sand. The end of the beach is nudist.
· Perivolos/Perissa/Kamari. Most accessible beaches. Long stretches of flat sand, bars, restaurants. Kamari is more packed as it's smaller, Perivolos/Perissa offer more space. Two types of places: crazy, loud, kitchy beach bars that are extremely expensive but are just right for all you Instagram animals, and the others are taverns/smaller places that have cheap umbrellas and decent prices in a smaller variety of food/drinks.
· White beach. If you can get there go for it (by boat), it's really pretty.
· Red beach (not to swim! It’s extremely dangerous). Go there only to see it from afar.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
· Kayaking in Akrotiri is super cool and you will see lots of amazingly colored rock formations most people never see.
· Similarly, (at around 150€ per person), is to do the boat trip (catamaran boats) from the Vlychada marina to the sunset in Oia, with stops at beaches and the hot springs, lunch and drinks onboard. It’s a one in a lifetime experience, it’s really worth it.
Scuba - I took my degrees here. Interesting landscape, deep waters, caves and a shipwreck but baren in terms of life.
· Horseback riding near Vlychada as well.
· If you like to hike there are two main paths that are popular: Fira-Oia or vice versa (walking along the Cliffside on the caldera), and Kamari - Pyrgos where you climb up a mountain for 2-3 hours. More paths here: https://santoriniplus.net/blog/santorini-hiking
Mountain bike tours, click here.
EATING & DRINKING
· Wine: if you like it, go drink lots of it. Santorini is known in the wine world for its Asyrtiko grape, a white acidic grape that results into a very crisp, fresh, dry and acidic wine that is aromatic but not sweet. Before I recommend you the wineries, I would like to stress that there is an exceptional wine tasting experience in the caves/cellars underneath Kipos restaurant in Fira. Ask for Maria - I think it's 25€ per person for one hour. It's really worth it and you will learn a lot - Maria is a guru of wines in Santorini. Wineries: Vassaltis winery, and Sigalas winery (good for lunch and wine tasting, nice spaces. Hatzidakis wines are also exceptional for the brave & experienced wine-drinkers. Santo Wines doesn’t offer great wines but the view and environment is fantastic to go for a sunset or relaxing lunch. Art Space offers home-made wines, delicious Vinsanto (Santorinian desert wine) and some artwork in their dome-cave winery space.
· If you like beer, the one and only true Santorini beer, comes from the Donkey brewery (Santorini brewing company on Google). They are all great beers: Red Donkey is my favorite. Don't fall for the "Volcan" and "Nissos" beers, they are just cheap pilsners/lagers with a good branding behind them
New and standing proud is the Ftelos beer brewery on the main road between Fira - Pyrgos. They are new to beers but doing really well, and they have great food also. Exceptional building with cool architectural features and views of the brewery itself. Very nice roof garden, bit of an odd place, but it's definitely worth a visit.
· Local produce: tomatoes, fava beans (awesome and easy to cook - it's eaten as a hot/cold spread with onions and capers),local cheeses, capers, white aubergines (sweeter than the usual), katsounia (a crispier less juicy version of cucumber-great stuff for salads).
· Places to eat:
- The best place to eat hands down, is To Psaraki. The chef is a Michelin-star chef who gave up on high-end cuisine and opened this simplistic fish tavern, however he does it better than anyone. The restaurant sits on top of a cliffside and overlooks the marina below and the open sea. I recommend going there for lunch as you can see the open water, and perhaps think about booking prior to going. Don't hesitate to ask the staff/ Mrs Aggeliki for recommendations and to show you the different fish they have for the day, she knows everything. In Greece we really like to share plates (mezethakia/starters), as we want to try everything possible, so I would do that over there. My favourite dishes: Grilled sardines with onions, lemons and a ton of herbs. Mixed boiled veggie salad, octopus, fava, sea bass ceviche, tuna carpaccio, mussels, cod with lemon, wine and capers, tuna or swordfish souvlaki. Oh oh! And a smoked aubergine dip/salad with smoked eel. My god I'm hungry!
- Ouzeri in Fira (seems touristy but trust me, the food is great! Best Moussakas on the island (not moo-za-ka, but moo-sa-kas, accent on the last syllable).
- Frantzeskos for fresh fish, simply made (tavern-like). Owned and run by the same family of fishermen that sells the fish in the pick-up trucks in Mesaria every morning.
- Roza's tavern - the food they serve is super high-quality produce. Focused on traditional Greek cuisine by celebrating the use of good produce. Book a table as the place is small.
- Metaksi Mas is quite popular among tourists and locals; the food is not the best, but good, but the best thing is the atmosphere as located on an open veranda/terrace on top of a cliff overlooking Kamari, and it's very relaxing.
- Similarly, in the village of Foinikia you can eat a great restaurant called Lefkes. Great food & service, cool architecture and decoration –main focus is meat.
- Pentozali is a “rakadiko/tsipouradiko” (where the focus is sipping raki while snacking). They have good Cretan food for really cheap prices but the focus is drinking and relaxing under the trees. Feels the most normal place on the island, quite typical Greek. Raki is on another level and they are really good people.
- Ta Delphinia in Akrotiri, you literally eat on the water, it’s a beautiful spot. Fresh fish and family-style cooking, exceptiona family that grows their produce in their garden and catches their own fish.
- Dimitri's fish tavern is the only good one in Amoudi (under Oia).
- Lygnos distillery is an old distillery of ouzo & raki/tsipouro that is also a museum. They have a beautiful courtyard surrounded by the museum/distillery itself, and they play old Greek movies on the wall while old Greek music plays. They quite good food, very homely, and there are no tourists whatsoever - a true gem that's well hidden. They oftern bring local musicians. It's very serene!
- Lava tavern in Perivolos is a very secluded, quiet little tavern with not much going on, but it's one of the few humble, homely food places on the island. On the beach, sounds of the waves, away from all the lights and noise.
- Falafeland in Fira makes quiet a decent falafel wrap for a good price, so vegetarians on a budget, this is your place.
- The only upscale restaurant I will recommend is "Varoulko" fish restaurant in Grace Hotel that opened this year. This restaurant is the second restaurant of chef Lefteris Lazarou, who is the most successful Greek chef to date, who, decades ago became responsible for revolutionizing how we eat fish in Greece, with his Varoulko Seaside restaurant in Athens.
If you are looking for souvlaki, Athens is the place to go, Santorini’s souvlaki are generally very poor for Greek standards. Luckily for you and me, there's a new place that makes good souvlakia, albeit not the classic "gyros" you would expect. They charcoal grill all their meats and portions are massive. The name is Golden Grill and it's on the edge of Fira. Second one in my opinion is Fanouris in Karterados. It’s mostly locals, not tourists. Ask for no oil on your pitta as it can be quite greasy. Go early (before 9.30pm).
· Bars: Personally, when I go to a bar I want a good drink and great music (I am a big music lover, so not commercial music at all). Based on that, the island is lacking so I can’t suggest a lot of things here because I gave up on going out. PK (Palia Kameni) bar is a perfect sunset/pre-going out place to have drinks, their cocktails are very good and the prices are normal, the atmoshere is very relaxing and the staff very very friendly. If you want good music but very standard drinks, Kira Thira was the first bar that opened in Santorini (ethnic/blues/jazz/folk/rock), but the drinks are meh at best. Tropical bar is a classic pre-drink or after-going out kind of bar, which offers a varity of music in an okay space. Staff is exceptionally friendly, lovely people in general. Under Tropical bar, there's Tango which is expensive but nice as a bar and in general they play really good house music. In Oia, there's Hassapiko bar, great drinks albeit expensive. Music can be hit or miss but never trashy/really commercial etc. It's the most "bar" bar on the island, the best one on average IMO. In Perissa there’s Tranquillo, a very hippie kind of place that serves bad food and mediocre drinks but the portions are huge and cheap (the drinks are like 2-3 times your usual cocktail) and they are known for their insanely massive salads (the only actually tasty item on the menu). The environment is very chilled, with good music, a live stage, and it’s all by the beach. Wet Stories in Perissa is the most famous beach bar in Santorini, and honestly, it's very overpriced, BUT on Sundays they always have parties at night with house/techno/tech-house music and it tends to be good. There's no entrance but drinks are very expensive, but the parties are usually quite good. Very similarly, Yalos on the beach near Fira. In Fira you will find Boozery, which is a sit-on-the curbside and listen to techno/house while drinking cocktails from a plastic cup kind of place. The go-to place for season workers as of late.
NEARBY ISLANDS FOR ISLAND HOPPING - SUMMER BOAT TIME SCHEDULE
There are four islands that you can visit really easily and cheaply during the summer, and I recommend you to even stay for a night or two:
Folegandros
Ios
Sikinos (super quiet - 250 permanent residents, one road)
Anafi
Have fun in your holidays and be safe!
Alex
Top Comment: Great post thanks!!!
Santorini
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Genuinely interested in why everyone goes/ wants to go to Santorini , I have visited 20 + Greek islands and love them all but I have never visited or wanted to visit Santorini
it’s beautiful ( from the pictures ) but every island is beautiful and others are more authentic and give much more of a flavour of real Greece
for info my Personal favourite is Kephalonia .... But I love them all and of it wasn’t for damn Brexit I would probably have moved to one
Top Comment: This is why. Definitely worth it once. Probably won’t go back, there’s too much Greece to not visit it all.
Everything I Wanted to Know Before My First Trip to Santorini (Comprehensive Guide)
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*About Me: I'm an American in my late 20's and an avid traveller. My goals for first time visits to other places are to see the tourist attractions (to check them off the list) and find the parts of town, eat the local food, and meet the people who create the culture of the environment to truly understand what life is like beyond the Instagram hot-spots. I research EVERYTHING (to the point of insanity) before traveling to be as prepared as possible but leave time and room for exploring to find the experiences that make each trip truly unique. This guide is a compilation of everything I've researched and experienced first-hand compiled into one place to hopefully save future travelers some time / questions when taking their first trip to Santorini.
The only *actually* helpful resource I used for planning my trip: This pinned post!
Getting There (Ferry v. Flying)
Depending on where you're traveling from, there are a couple of options for getting to Santorini - flying or taking the ferry. I spent a couple of days in Athens before my trip to the island and decided to take the ferry from Piraeus (Athens) to Thira (Santorini) to prevent potentially losing luggage / having to go through airport security more than necessary. This was a HUGE mistake.
While the luggage situation on board our ferry was much easier than flying, I did not realize just how turbulent the ferry transportation could be. Please note: I understood there was a risk of choppy waters when sailing but due to the 15+ cruises I've been on and numerous boating trips (including one in Santorini - keep reading) with no sea sickness to date, I did not think this would be a problem. And to be fair, I didn't get sick from the boat nearly capsizing for over 2 hours straight (out of the 4.5 hour long ferry ride), I got sick from the people around me who were literally screaming and vomiting on the floor in front of me. Imagine being trapped in a cabin full of puking anxious people for 4.5 hours and you'll know the kind of hell I endured. The ONLY reason I made it through the ride (aside from not being able to jump off and swim to my destination with my luggage) is that the outer decks finally opened and I was able to sit outside for the remaining hour of our ride and breathe in the fresh air.
So, all of this to say - if you're easily sea sick, don't take the ferry. If you're easily disturbed by other people's panic and bodily fluids - don't take the ferry. If you're a brave soul who can manage both with no problems - go for it. I won't be doing it again.
Arriving at the Port + Getting to Your Destination
Everything I read about transportation in Santorini made it seem as if taking the bus was the best option due to budget. Because of this, I incorrectly assumed we would disembark from the ferry and find the local bus station from signs. Instead, we were bombarded by taxi drivers all vying for our attention. We finally found our way onto a shared van (and never did locate the bus station), which took us straight to our destination. Despite the chaos of it all in the moment, I would definitely recommend taking a taxi or bus to get to your destination, as there are no addresses in Santorini, and it's difficult to find anything without the help of a local / Google maps. For reference, we paid a total of 50 Euro for 2 people to take a shared van to Firostefani (where our AirBnB was located) - the original quoted price was 100 Euro, but when we started to walk away and head toward the bus station, the price was cut in half : )
Where to Stay (Fira v. Oia + Another Option)
The biggest debate from all of my previous research is whether or not to stay in Oia or Fira. Based on cost alone, I chose to stay in Fira (because it was significantly cheaper with similar views of the caldera). (In case you're interested, I booked this AirBnB and LOVED it!) After visiting Oia, I can tell you that I 100% made the best decision and here's why:
- From my research, the draw to Oia is the "quintessential" Santorini view of the blue-domed buildings and cave houses. After spending some time in Oia, I will say that I was disappointed to find that there are only three of these blue domes, and that the rest of the view of the city paled in comparison to Fira. Where we stayed in Fira, the buildings surrounding were what you would think of as "traditional cave houses" with solid white architecture and plunge pools built into the deck / balcony of each house. The caldera view was equally as gorgeous, and for a fraction of the price, I can't see why anyone would choose to stay in Oia over Fira.
- Oia is extremely crowded (and we visited at the end of "shoulder season" - the beginning of May). Every post I read said that Oia was miserably crowded, but I chalked those posts up to frustrated tourists. I can confirm that walking through the narrow streets of Oia is shoulder to shoulder and filled with people. I can't imagine what it's like during peak season. Sure, this was fine for a visit during the day, but I think spending a week fighting these crowds would grow tiresome very quickly.
*While the caldera view is unbeatable and rightfully one of the biggest draws to Santorini, should I ever return, I will likely choose to stay in Kamari Beach. I discovered this area on my last day and was so sad to not have more time here! This is a quintessential resort town with access to the beautiful mediterranean sea and black sand beach with stunning resorts and restaurants lining the area. If you want a Mediterranean beach vacation, this would be my pick for the area!
Getting Around (Bus, Taxi, Rental Car?)
As you read earlier, I originally planned to take the bus for transportation around the island (after finding the various bus stops around the city and seeing how many people were waiting on them to arrive, I'm very glad we didn't do this). After our single taxi ride to our AirBnB that cost 50 Euro, I realized that paying for taxis wasn't a feasible option for exploring the island for an entire week either. My boyfriend decided to rent a car, and while I was apprehensive to begin, I have to say this was the best decision for someone who wants to see as much of the island as possible!
We rented a car from this company and just walked into their storefront location the day of to book. We paid $30 / day in cash and walked out with the keys in hand and jumped into the car. Overall, we had a great experience with this company (the owner met us at the airport at 7:00 AM to let us drop off the car at our final destination) and would recommend it. Some things to note before deciding to drive:
- Manual: Majority of cars are manual transmission. My boyfriend drives a manual at home, so when we walked in and this was the only option for a rental, he had no problem accepting it. Otherwise, we would have needed to book in advance for an automatic car.
- Traffic Signs: Look up general traffic laws / signs in Greece before hitting the road. Most are self-explanatory, but there were a couple of one-way roads we caught ourselves headed down due to lack of initial research.
- Avoid ATVs and Scooters: Heed everyone else's advice and don't rent a scooter or ATV. The roads are extremely windy and steep and the speed limits are practically non-existent. We saw one too many near-accidents in these things - I just don't think it's worth the risk on this busy of an island.
- Parking: There is public parking almost everywhere (for free)! If not in a large lot, you can likely find a spot on the side of the road to squeeze into (perks of a small car). The only time we paid for parking was when we were rushing to get to the beach before it rained and wanted a spot nearby (which only cost us 5 Euro for 3 hours).
- Navigating: As I mentioned before, there are no addresses in Santorini, so having a GPS is a must for finding exact locations. I found that Apple Maps was easier to follow (since there aren't many road names) visually, but Google Maps was able to locate more places, so a combination of the two should be enough to get around without any issues. I would also recommend downloading an offline version of Google Maps of the entire island should you end up somewhere without service (this happened to us a few times). It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing!
Oh, and of course you can walk once you're in each city, but be prepared for lots of steps, uphill climbs, and slippery ground (a lot of it is made from marble)!
What to Do + Where to Eat
My approach to these two topics are to simply: figure it out when you get there! I love wandering around and seeing what I stumble upon, but for those of you who prefer to plan, here's what we did and would recommend (in no particular order):
- Kamari Beach - walk around and explore the various shops, have a drink at one of the beachfront restaurants and lounge on the black sand, go for a swim in the Mediterranean!
- Akrotiri - this preserved city rivals Pompeii (but is indoors). It's not too expensive to walk around and was such a neat sight to see!
- This Sunset Cruise - this might have been the highlight of our trip! I researched for weeks looking for the best sunset cruise (there are SO many to choose from), and ended up selecting this private tour which was 1000% worth the extra couple of hundred dollars! I can't say enough good things about this trip, so if the comments on his AirBnB listing don't do it for you, feel free to ask me for more details! (Yes, this is the one thing I planned in advance!)
- Megalochori - We loved this part of town so much, that we went back multiple times! It's quite small but oh so charming. Would highly recommend checking out "Studio Leather Transit" - all of the leather goods are made in the shop by the man running it himself. These were some of our favorite souvenirs from the trip! I would also argue that "The Family" Bakery was some of the BEST food we ate on the island AND the most reasonably priced!
- Fira - Obviously spend your time walking around all of the various shops and exploring the area. It's beautiful! The best restaurant we ate at in this area was "Onar" - breathtaking view and incredible food!
- Oia - Same here - you have to at least see it while you're here. The shops were more touristy / expensive than others. Same with the food. Best for walking around and sight seeing than spending a ton of time and money here in my opinion.
- In General - Just drive around and get lost on the island! This is what made our trip so magical!
- Ammoudi Bay - Picturesque area for wandering around - very small but right on the water! We didn't stop for food but hiked along the trail to the nearby "beach" and had quite the adventure.
General Note for Food: We did not eat anything that was bad the entire trip! Be prepared to spend a decent amount on each meal (especially if you're staying in Fira / Oia), but know that each restaurant whether we researched it before or just stumbled upon it was just as delicious as the last. Our two favorites from the entire trip are above, though : )
That should hopefully cover everything, but I'm sure I've left some questions unanswered, so whatever you want to know from my experience spending a week in Santorini, let me know- I'm happy to answer your questions! And if you made it to the end of this post, thanks for reading. I hope you have the trip of a lifetime!
Top Comment: Beautiful summary and tips- thanks so much! Did you do the hike from fira to oia? if so, any tips for it? are there a fair bit of stops along the way? i have a chronic illness and often need a few bathroom breaks....
Santorini travel amidst the seismic crisis.
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We had planned 7d-6n honeymoon trip to Athens and Santorini. We had ferry tickets to Santorini for 11th Feb and back on 14th Feb. The travel agent is telling that the hotels are open and they would not issue refund. If we plan to change the destinations, it would be additional cost that we need to bear. Greece has declared it a state of emergency. Should we still plan to visit Santorini? Are the tourists even allowed to go to the island? What alternatives should we look for. We don't have much time. Thanks.
Top Comment: I would not willingly travel to a place that just declared a state emergency, regardless of how much money I may lose. Don't cancel your hotel. By Feb. 11 the hotel may decide to close in which case they would refund you. If you have any travel insurance see if it applies.
Best way to travel in Santorini
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Hi friends! I recently posted asking for places to eat in Santorini and you guys did not disappoint with your suggestions. The most popular suggestion was Metaxi Mas which is about an 1hr35min walk from our airbnb. I would be okay with this if it weren't for our children being with us.
Are there taxis, ubers, etc. we could take for places like this? I've heard it's a bit scary to drive on an island if you've never done it before. Thank you again in advance for any help!
Top Comment: Taxis and shuttles are available. You can ask your hotel or host to help you out with this. The price range is around 40+ euros. Driving is ok to be honest. The streets are narrow but you can manage it. I recommend renting a small car and like that you can explore the island and really enjoy it
Is it safe to travel in Santorini right now?
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We’re going to Greece this month from April 20-30. Spending 20-23 in Santorini.
Our hotel in Santorini just messaged us that “Due to the ongoing intense seismic activity currently affecting Santorini”,
they’re closing the hotel until end of the month and will open again on May 1. They’re asking us to cancel free of charge or change dates after April.
From what I see when I searched the news and google, it looks safe to travel
Top Comment: It’s fine (currently there). HOWEVER, some places and facilities are unsafe/being shored up and are closed. For example, the 540+ steps from Fira to the old port. And some of the beaches are currently inaccessible due to earthquake driven landslides EDITED: Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni announced that the Old Port (Paleo Limani) and Thirassia island will be closed until the 25th of May, for critical safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
Is Santorini worth it as a first time visiter?
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I am currently planning a trip to Greece for me and my family for early May. We have around 8-9 days to explore. We're flying into Athens and staying there for 2 days which leaves enough time to explore 2 other islands. After doing some research, Naxos and Crete seem to be the most appealing to me in terms of scenery, history, exploring small villages, and beaches. Is Santorini worth going to over Naxos/Crete? The iconic blue roofs are there and all the travel blogs are making it seem like it is a must go. Also, is early May too soon/cold for beaches/water activities? We are trying to avoid the crowds but hoping for everything to be open by then.
Top Comment: Yesss we loved it- did Greece for 10 days and did Santorini, Paros, then Athens. Best trip ever
Is Santorini worth it or overhyped ? Is anyone going in September ?
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The cave hotels look so gorgeous. From what people have been posting on social media it’s a mouth dropping experience. Anyone who has been to Santorini what are you thoughts ? Is it over hyped ? What do you recommend to see and where do you recommend to stay ? Drop the details !
I’m going to a wedding in September but would love to explore Santorini before the wedding. I’m outgoing, friendly, and love to try new foods, tourist attractions, and see the day to day life of locals as well. So if you’ll be there in September let’s chat 💕
Top Comment: The view truly is incredible and it's worth splurging on a caldera view hotel. Ours in Fira had a patio with a hot tub and breakfast served every day out there. The rest of the island is just just rocky volcanic and some beaches. There are some great restaurants (check out Santorini Dave's list) but a lot of overpriced tourist garbage too. I doubt you'll see much local day-to-day life though. It's a heavily touristic island and everything revolves around that.