6 X Best Things To Do On Santorini!
S A N T O R I N I ~ Welcome To Your Greek Paradise!
I love Greece! Stunning landscape, beautiful beaches, whitewashed houses, blue caped churches, and colorful streets. And let’s not forget the fascinating culture, music, delicious local cuisine, amazing history…What's not to love right?
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Santorini, Greece
Santorini is one of my favorite Greek islands! It is diverse for a small island surprising many of its visitors. Beautiful landscape awaits you together with uniquely colorful beaches. It is buzzing with energy and fun things to do, without it being too touristy or over the top as you might otherwise experience in other touristic locations.
Looking for some Greek Bliss? This island definitely has lots to offer!
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Where To Stay On Santorini?
First, a frequent question I get asked; should I stay in Oia or Fira? The answer is, it depends on your taste!
Oia is a more luxurious town with romantic restaurants and high-end shopping. Both towns are very pretty! They have great views and things to do in their surroundings.
I chose to stay along the coast in Kamari and not in one of the famous towns, for example. I prefer to be on the beach and rent a jeep to explore the rest of the island.
Whatever you choose, it won't be wrong so long that it is right for you!
There are different hotel options on Santorini to match everyone’s tastes and styles.
These are my recommendations!
San Antonio - Small Luxury Hotels of the World
Oia ~ La Perla Villas and Suites
Santo Miramare Beach Resort
Kamari ~ Afroditi Venus Beach Hotel & Spa
Getting Around Santorini
The best way to get around the island and explore its beauty is by renting a car. The island is small and easy to navigate. It will cost you between 30 to 50 euros per day, depending of course on the car you choose.
Island Hopping
There are ferries leaving from Santorini going to nearby islands. If you have extra time consider looking into a day trip to one of these islands: Kimolos, Koufonisia, and Milos.
Ferryscanner.com is an online portal that offers ferry tickets worldwide. This website features 65 ferry companies, serving more than 1,600 routes across 25 countries. 99% of all ferry routes in Greece for example are bookable via the Ferryscanner.com website.
Top 6 X Things To Explore When Visiting Santorini
Explore Oia: It’s probably the most picturesque village on this island! Oia is situated at the top of the cliff guaranteeing views that will blow you away! Oia features traditional whitewashed houses, blue-capped churches, and charming narrow streets. The Caldera cliffs are breathtaking (You will even find caved homes here carved into the rock.). The Mediterranean Sea surrounding you will add to the phenomenal views. The ruined Oia Castle is famous for watching the sunset.
Note: This spot gets very crowded during the high season.
Oia from the top.
Do a volcano tour: You can hike up the famous Caldera volcano and later chillax while swimming in the hot springs nearby. There are boat tours leaving daily to the volcano from Athinios or Fira.
Enjoy the stunning beaches of Santorini: Check out Perivolos aka the Black Rock Beach, you can do a variety of watersports here and enjoy drinks at the beach bar. Must do! Kamari Beach is another awesome option; gorgeous waters and delicious Greek tavernas along the beachfront to enjoy. Of course, there’s also Red Rock Beach! This beach is near Akrotiri, a pretty little village you can stroll through, what is unique to this beach is the scenery that surrounds you; red-colored hills and red pebbles on the beach.
The red rock beach, Santorini
One of the beautiful beaches of Santorini
Explore the food- it’s DELISH!
Traditional Greek food
BONUS TIP! Do the walk between Oia and Fira: Between these two towns, there is a very famous walk path that takes between 2 to 3 hours, depending on your pace. It passes between the towns offering an amazing view of the sea, the cliffs, and the white houses that are on the cliff.
Watch the sunset while having dinner in Fira: I love Fira. This is the capital of Santorini located on a Caldera clifftop with views to die for! This town is so cozy and pretty! You have many museums and historical sites to choose from, colorful narrow streets with shops, tavernas, and terraces. This was my favorite thing to do; terrace hopping to enjoy these amazing scenic views from all angles. Having dinner and drinks while watching the sunset was truly a wonderful experience. If you are up for a (steep) hike walk up Skaros Rock or walk down to the Old Port which is around a 600-step stairway.
Fira, Santorini
Fira, Santorini
PLEASE! Greek villages on Santorini are known for being uphill with lots of stairs meaning exploring them is not always an easy-breezy walk. When walking around Fira and possibly other tourist destinations around the island, you will be offered to ride donkeys to get to the top.
Please DON’T DO IT! Think about the hard and super hot conditions these poor animals are expected to work under, you will also see abusive treatment towards them on occasion when they can not take it anymore. It is quite sad to see. There are always other options to move around without taking part in this questionable practice.
Santorini views
Take a cruise and enjoy the island: You can sail on a catamaran, enjoy the wonderful sun and gorgeous views, snorkel and have lunch and happy hour on board.
Santorini