Top things to do in Santorini

Hello fellow travel lovers! Here´s my Santorini travel guide for you – all the best places not to be missed! When to go, what to see, where to eat, where to stay! All hand picked and tested by us!

Best time to visit Santorini

Best times in my opinion are 2nd part of May and early October – the weather is sunny and warm, but it’s not too crowded. Plus you don´t have to fight for a sunset spot on the street.
Best months for swimming in the sea – June to September.
Best months for sightseeing – April-June and September-October. July and August are too hot.
Best months to save money – March, April, October, November.
If possible, try to avoid August – it´ll e terribly hot and crowded (but still beautiful).

Getting around in Santorini

There´s an airport, so you can arrive by plane. But the most beautiful way to reach the island is with a ferry. Keep in mind that it´s not possible (or it is, but it´s highly unlikely you wish to do that) to walk from the port to city. You´ll know what I mean once you see the road uphill from the port. There´s no Uber (or similar) and there are no metered taxis. You can arrange your hotel to pick you up, you can find transport from the port (we managed to find a driver to offer us private transfer to our Imerovigli hotel with 30 euros and it´s a bargain). Or you could use the public bus, it costs just 2.30 euros per person. The downside is that the buses run from 7.30-18.55 and there are not too many of them. Even less during weekends.

What to do in Santorini

Go to Imerovigli and Oia for sunsets
Best places to see some of the most amazing sunsets of the world are the towns of Oia and Imerovigli. Both are situated high on the caldera allowing for prime spots to see the sun going down behind the sea and islands. During high season it can be extremely crowded on the streets and in restaurants offering great sunset spots. If you want to be sure – choose a hotel with sunset side balcony or book your restaurant in advance. Be sure to ask specifically for a great place for enjoying sunset.

Walk on the scenic path on the caldera from Imerovigli to Fira
There´s a beautiful narrow walking path on the caldera connecting Fira (the capital of the island) with Oia, passing Imerovigli. It´s around 10km altogether, but you don´t have to walk the whole path if it seems too much. Do not wear high heels – some parts of the path are cobbled and some are dirt. It´s an easy hike!

Visit a Santorini winery
In proportion to the size of the island, Santorini is the only place in the world with so many wineries. It is undoubtedly Greece’s top destination for wine tourism. It is even said that there is more wine than water on the island. The volcanic minerals in the ground give the wines a distinct flavor and the vineyards look totally different from the ones we know. The plants are low and close to the ground as they need to be protected by strong winds.
Visit Santo Wines, Domaine Sigalas Winery or Venetsanos Winery to enjoy the local wines with amazing views!

Catch some sun on the black sand beach
Santorini has a few dramatic looking volcanic black sand beaches to enjoy – Perissa, Perivolos, Kamari, Mesa Pigadia … Definitely worth visiting!

Or pick a red or white sand beach
In addition to the aforementioned black sand beaches Santorini has a red sand beach of Akrotiri and also a picturesque white sand beach. To reach the white beach you have to hire a water-taxi boat or hike from the red beach.

It takes a lifetime for someone to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her
Henry Miller

Rent a car and drive around the island
As taxis are very expensive on the island, then I really recommend to rent a small car and drive around the island to see the small villages and remoter corners. Pack a picnic and enjoy the freedom. Surprisingly it will be rather difficult to find a big tree to offer shade for your picnic as on the volcanic ground there simply aren´t any big trees!

Have dinner in Ammoudi Bay
Walk down 278 steps from Oia to the picturesque Ammoudi Bay for sunset and dinner. It´s quite a walk as the steps are old and tired. But the views are worth it. Do make a reservation in one of the Ammoudi seafood restaurants in advance as it´ll not be nice to arrive after hiking in the heat and discovering there´s no place for you in any of the restaurants.

Stroll the narrow streets of Oia
Oia is a perfect little town for walking around and shopping in the beautiful boutiques. Have a drink in one of the restaurants and soak in the island vibes.