THE COMPLETE SANTORINI, GREECE TRAVEL GUIDE — Navager

Santorini: a dazzlingly beautiful island in Greece. We discovered its iconic whitewashed cliff-side villages, with deep sapphire domes and colourful decorative flowers covering the buildings. Combined with the postcard-worthy sunset at Oia and you can understand why it is one of the most popular islands in Greece! Whether you’re visiting for a holiday, or as your romantic honeymoon destination, this travel guide includes all the things to do in Santorini, as well as the best time to visit & getting around and our best spots to eat at.

Santorini is the perfect holiday-sized island, particularly as you can drive from North to the South in about 45-minutes. This allows you to explore the island in just a couple of days, however, we would recommend 4 nights/5 days as the perfect length for all the things to do in Santorini.

best time to visit Santorini

The best time to visit Santorini is from April to May or September to October. The weather is still hot, and the skies are clear, but there are far fewer crowds. We visited in mid of October.

Don’t underestimate how hot Santorini can be. It’s even further south than mainland Greece, and the arid climate and lack of trees mean you’re often exposed to full sun. October was perfect since they have kept tourists & islands opened till late Oct due to surge in travel after covid. We had sun almost every day, barely existent crowds, and a slight breeze in the evening.

Getting to Santorini

FERRY

Santorini Island is well connected with daily ferries from the mainland (Athens) and many other nearby islands like Milos or Mykonos. The ferries are fast, comfortable, and generally faster than flying from nearby destinations (especially, if you count the time it takes to check-in). During the high season, from March to October, there are also direct ferries to other popular islands.

AIRPORT

Flying to Santorini is another option, as there are many direct flights or seasonal flights to/from other European cities outside of Greece. Thira Airport is located on the east side of the island, and a taxi from the airport to Fira costs about 20 - 30 euros.

Getting around Santorini

CAR RENTAL

Feeling more comfortable driving a car? This is a safe and great option. Additionally, cars will come with AC, which is an advantage over being exposed to the sun on the ATV. There are many car rental locations on Santorini Island. For example, Santorini Airport, the port, or within the larger villages.

It’s recommended to book a rental car ahead of your trip, particularly during the high season. During this time, if you leave it until the last minute, you might not find an available rental car.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

A great, and the cheapest, way of getting around Santorini is to use the local buses. You can get a bus to pretty much anywhere on the island, but you always must use Fira (capital city) as the hub for all transfers. Therefore, if you’re planning to use the bus to keep this in mind.

A one-way ticket costs about 2 euros and the timetable per destination can be found on the operator’s website.

BY TAXI

Although we wouldn’t recommend exploring the island by taxi, they are useful to get to the ferry port, to the airport, or to get from one town to another. Generally, a taxi from the harbour to Fira (15 minutes) is about 25 euros. We pre-booked all our transfers using this website.

THINGS TO DO IN SANTORINI

Santorini is a relatively small island, and driving from North to South by car takes roughly 45-minutes. The island is part of the Cycladic Islands that are located between Athens and Crete. Despite its size, there are still many things to do in Santorini. Below are our top recommendations along with our 4-day itinerary for making the best of Santorini:

Day 1: Exploring Oia and Sunset

Day 2: Exploring Fira (Thera) and Imerovigli & Skaros Rock and Firostefani

Day 3: Renting ATV & Exploring Akrotiri Lighthouse. Beaches (Black & Red) and visiting the town of Megalochori & Pyrgos with Wine tasting.

Day 4: Exploring More of Oia & Ammoudi Bay and Oia Castle Sunset

DAY 1

1. Wander the streets of Oia

Oia is without a doubt the most beautiful town in Santorini. One of the best things to do is stroll up and down the many white steps, through the narrow streets, discovering cosy taverns. Get ready to grab your camera, as around every corner is a new surprise. The bright white houses and blue domes are truly iconic to Greece, and Oia certainly won’t leave visitors feeling disappointed.

It doesn’t take long to explore Oia, as a return journey from the boulevard to the sunset point will only take about 40 minutes. Enjoy a delicious lunch while you’re here, as there are plenty of choices for food and drinks. We stayed here and it was one of the best decisions as we could walk everywhere.

Because it is arguably the best thing to do in Santorini, it can get crowded in the narrow streets, especially during sunset. However, a visit to Oia is worth your time if you are not staying here.

Tip: It’s recommended to wear proper shoes as the streets and paths can be slippery and uneven.

2. Oia’s unforgettable sunset at Oia Castle and Sunrise.

If there’s one thing you must do on Santorini, then it’s watch the sunset at Oia. Gather for sunset at the Castle of Oia, where you can sit on the castle wall. Alternatively, sit closer to Agia Ekaterini for the iconic views that are found on every Greek postcard. Please note that it can get jam-packed during the high season, so we recommend you take a spot at least an hour before sunset.

SUNRISE IN OIA

Assuming you’re based in Oia, wake up early for some incredible sunrises over the southern part of the town. The Byzantine Castle Ruins is the best location to see both parts of Oia illuminate as the sunrises and is easy to reach by foot from most of the town.

In our experience, the sunrises were often more spectacular than sunset. The reason is the heat in Santorini can cause a haze over the sea. Since mornings are cooler, that haze is gone and the colours are much more vivid.

The only thing you need to be careful of is that early morning is when all the donkeys assist with deliveries, so you’ll want to watch for droppings. It’s not excessive though, just watch your step.

DAY 2

1. Discover Fira (Thera) in Santorini

Fira (Thira) is the capital of Santorini and also one of the island’s most visited spots. There are loads of great restaurants and a shopping area. However, the real eye-catcher is the narrow back streets and hidden chapels to explore—for example, the Saint Minas Holy Orthodox Church and the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.

On the cliffside, there’s a cable car going up (that’s impressively steep) from the old harbour. This is where the cruise ships dock. Unfortunately, donkeys are still being used here to transport the cruise people up 500 steps. Please use the cable car, or the steps, instead of riding on these beautiful animals.

2. Imerovigli

Situated at the highest point on the cliffside of Santorini Island is Imerovigli. This tranquil and picturesque village is far less visited but just as impressive as Oia, particularly as it also has white chalked houses, churches, and blue domes. What’s more, it has endless views of the shimmering sea and looks directly onto the imposing rock of Skaros and volcano. To top it off, you’ll find many delicious restaurants with an unforgettable sunset view.

Good to know: Imerovigli is located in between Fira and Oia.

3. Hike up Skaros Rock

Imerovigli is one of the quieter towns in Santorini, but probably best known for having Skaros Rock as part of its scenery. You can choose to hike it, or just admire how it protrudes into the Caldera from afar. Skaros Rock is a large rock formation that overlooks the entire area. Whilst visiting Imerovigli, it takes only 15 minutes to hike up to Skaros Rock. Once there, you will find the ruins of an old Venetian fortress, which was once considered the capital of Santorini.

On the backside of Skaros is a beautiful white church overlooking the sea (A must visit to experience the views from there). Finally, if you’re looking for the most spectacular view, climb to the peak of Skaros Rock.

4. Firostefani

After passing the cable car point, you will enter Firostefani – a smaller, much more laid-back town directly attached to Fira. Walk to Three Bells of Fira overlooking the church. This town is good to base yourself in, as it is the centre of the island. This means you’ll have all the things to do in Santorini within a 30-minute drive.

5. Hike from Fira to Oia

Santorini has an incredibly scenic hiking trail along the cliffs, 10.5 kilometres long (6.5 miles). The trail runs from Fira to Oia, with many height differences and climbs, and can take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours. It takes you through all four cliffside towns and you’ll be walking along the caldera’s rim for most

of the time. The path is meant for pedestrians only, which means it’s beautifully peaceful.

DAY 3

Explore the island by ATV or motorcycle

A refreshing breeze, the smells of the salty sea, and the feeling of freedom; what’s better than discovering all the things to do in Santorini on a motorcycle or ATV/quad? It is the ideal way to discover the island because you have the freedom to drive wherever you like and park pretty much anywhere. This makes it a great alternative to a rental car.

Locals say an ATV/Quad is much safer than a motorcycle; however, if you’re comfortable and used to a motorcycle, the prices are much lower. We also find these easier to drive. One great plus about the ATV/Quad is that it usually has a large trunk to pack your bags while travelling around the island. Renting can be done through your hotel or directly at one of the many rental shops. Depending on the season you can expect to pay anywhere from 18 to 30 euros a day for a motorbike and 30 to 45 euros for an ATV/quad. The more days you rent it for, the more discount you can expect to receive. On this day we explored the following – starting with an end of the point of the island – Lighthouse.

1. Akrotiri Lighthouse

The Akrotiri Lighthouse is about a 13–15-minute drive from the Akrotiri Archaeological Site and is one of the better-known spots for watching the sunset on the southern part of the island. We opted to visit this as the first thing on day 3 since it was the most southwestern part of the island, we wanted to work our way backwards towards Oia.

2. Red Beach

Santorini’s Red Beach is one of the unique beaches Greece has to offer. The red colour comes from the red volcanic cliffs that slowly break down. It’s famous for the sheer, red wall contrasting a blue and teal bay below. The beach is not necessarily great for sunbathing, but it’s worth the trip to the south part of the island. To get there, you will have to pass through the village of Akrotiri before eventually reaching the parking lot where the small chapel is located. Since we were on ATV – we could access this easily.

Red Beach is accessible in two main ways: first is a short hike by land along a rocky cliff, marked by ominous signs warning you of rocks falling or you can simply drive your ATV and walk to the beach. Alternatively, you can visit Red Beach during a boat trip.

3. Prophet Elias Monastery

Next on our list was the Prophet Elias (Profitis Ilias) Monastery is an 18th-century monastery situated on the highest point of the island, about 567 meters (1,860 feet) above sea level. It offers some of the best panoramic views in Santorini.

Most people come for the views but there’s a chapel you can visit here as well, along with a shop selling various products made by the monks like sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, and wine. The monastery seems to keep erratic hours, but you can still enjoy the view even if it’s closed and is located 4 Km southeast of Pyrgos.

4. Visit villages – Megalochori & Pyrgos

MEGALOCHORI

Get lost in the alleyways of Megalochori, famous for its beautiful architecture, mansions, and caves houses, as well as the iconic churches with blue domes! Within the village’s main square, you will find many traditional taverns and cafes.

PYRGOS

About 8 kilometres away from Fira is the small and slightly undiscovered village Pyrgos. It is the best-preserved medieval settlement on the island. It’s got beautiful, blue-dome churches on every corner and a maze of stone streets for you to explore.

When you arrive in Pyrgos, you’ll be parking at the bottom of what’s a hill. The old town is accessible by stairs and pathways leading upwards. The most iconic Pyrgos sight is probably the Pyrgos Castle with the white tower. Here you can find a stunning castle, narrow picturesque streets, and panoramic viewpoints. Pyrgos is at the highest point of the island, providing a great view of both sides of Santorini.

Lunch tip: Have lunch at Brusco, a well-decorated cafe in the middle of town.

5. Perissa Beach (Black Beach)

Head over to the black sand beach, lined with umbrellas, named Perissa Beach. The beach is a long stretch of sand with many comfortable beds, sat below the restaurants situated on the other side of the street. Perissa village is a popular seaside resort that mainly attracts young people and backpackers.

Either rent a bed for the day or pick a free spot to put your towel down. Once you’re comfortable, sit back and enjoy the sunshine and a refreshing swim in the Santorini Sea.

6. Go on a wine tour

The assyrtiko wines of the Greek Islands are well-loved for their unique taste. Instead of growing the vines vertically, they are grown in baskets on the ground. This allows the vines to tap into the volcanic soil that contains moisture instead of needing to be watered (water is a scarce resource on the island).

On our way before heading back to Oia, smacked in the middle of the coast that runs along the Caldera, Santo Wines is one of the best-known wineries on the island. It’s especially known for its sunset views, though we visited in the later afternoon and found it perfect.

The wine tastings were paired with a Cycladic cheese platter with local cheeses, grapes, dried figs, and tiny bread at their uniquely located terrace with an incredible view of sunsets.

DAY 4

1. Ammoudi Bay

A great thing to do in Santorini is to visit Ammoudi Bay. This small port is tucked away below Oia, and fantastic seafood restaurants are lined along the clear waters. It is famous for romantic sunset dinners, and it is also the starting point for many boat tours that visit the Volcano and Hot Springs.

Getting to Ammoudi Bay can be done via the 280+ steps going down next to Oia’s Castle or by car or taxi. When using the stairs, it’s recommended to wear proper shoes as each step is wide and the surface mostly uneven. A third option offered is riding on the back of a donkey, but we highly discourage this. There are six or seven waterfront restaurants there offering great views of the horizon and some of the best seafood in Santorini.

2. Enjoy the Sunset by castle or boat

Oia is the most popular place for sunset watching and Oia Castle is the most famous sunset spot in town. As the hues of the sunset fall on the blue-domed buildings, the sight that unfolds will be enchanting. The Oia sunset is only one of the experiences around the castle. While at the Oia Castle, you can also visit the book shops, jewellery shops and art galleries nearby. It gets crowded during sunset. Lucky during covid and towards the end of Oct it wasn’t too bad.

Alternatively, you can always book a boat trip to see the magical sunset of Santorini here

Where to eat

Indeed, Santorini is not cheap, but when it comes to going out for dinner you have a lot of options in every kind of price category. For vegetarians, and sometimes vegans, there are also plenty of options available at most restaurants.

Our favourite restaurants in Santorini were:

In Oia: Thalami | Melitini Tapas (we dined here twice)

Ammoudi Bay: Ammoudi Fish Tavern

Fira: Parea Tavern | Rastoni

Pyrgos: Metaxi Mas (our absolutely favourite)