Santorini, Greece

Planning a Trip to Santorini

One of Greece’s most popular islands is becoming even more so, thanks to social media. Those made-for-Instagram images of Santorini’s white-washed buildings and blue-domed churches attract millions of tourists every year from all over the world. While the scenery and sunsets are stunning, the island offers so much more, including hiking, shopping, great food and fascinating history.

Santorini, also known as Thira, is one of the 220 Cyclades Islands located in the Aegean Sea that also includes Mykonos, Milos and Naxos. An hour plane ride or 5-hour ferry ride from Athens, Santorini features a unique topography, with its principal towns Fira and Oia clinging to high cliffs overlooking a deep caldera, which was formed during a catastrophic volcanic explosion 3,600 years ago. Its igneous past is still apparent if you visit the sulfurous hot springs on Nea Kameni (New Burn Island), or Thirassia, the inhabited but sleepy island which was formed during the eruption, both of which are part of the Santorini complex.

Due to its popularity among affluent tourists, Santorini is expensive. There’s no way of getting around it. If you want an enjoyable and comfortable vacation with minimal inconveniences, you will have to pay for it. However, every extra dollar I spent in Santorini, I did not regret. It enabled me to truly appreciate my beautiful surroundings, delicious food and interactions with people without getting bogged down as a result of irritation or discomfort.

Like most Mediterranean countries, Greece has a proud wine culture, and vineyards dot the landscape across the island of Santorini. Morning drinking is also a thing here: I watched a couple nonchalantly order craft beers at a restaurant at 10:30 am as I ate my omelet at the next table. And servers are likely to hand you a shot of “dessert wine” at the end of your dinner, regardless of whether you drank during it. As a non-drinker, it’s best to be aware of these situations that might arise, and continue reading to learn about all of the fun things to do in Santorini that don’t involve alcohol!

How to Get to Santorini

Santorini can be accessed by boat or by plane from mainland Greece. There are also direct flights from select cities in Europe. I chose the high-speed ferry for both legs of my trip, since I was staying in Athens before and after and the airport is an hour away from downtown Athens. However, if I had been going directly to Santorini, I would have chosen to fly. The flight from Athens to Santorini is less than an hour, and the Santorini airport is a 30-minute shuttle ride from Fira. Based on my experience with the return ferry and the Santorini ferry port, Athinios, I should have arrived via ferry and returned by plane.

I used Ferryscanner to book my ferry to and from Santorini. I paid about $200 for round-trip tickets on the high-speed line SeaJets. There are slower, cheaper ferries but I didn’t want to spend 8 hours en route. My trip to Santorini was easy. I took an inexpensive train ride from downtown Athens to Pireas Port, walked to my gate an hour before departure, and hopped on the ferry. Dropping off your luggage is a bit of a cluster, so if you can bring your stuff with you, you won’t be paranoid about losing it. The SeaJet was spacious and comfortable in the economy area, with tables that enabled you to spread out. The World Champion Jet they stuck us on during the return trip was a different story. Everyone was squished into airplane-style rows facing one direction, with zero space to put a backpack or small suitcase.

While Pireas Port was generally orderly, Athinios Port in Santorini was a nightmare. You would think because it’s smaller the logistics would be easier, but it’s a total mess. There is no signage or any indication of where to queue, which made some people in line vociferously angry. The sun beating down on all of us didn’t help, and there was limited room in the covered ferry terminal to escape the heat. If you take the ferry to Santorini, I suggest taking a flight back. 

One other thing to note about the ferry: to use WiFi during your voyage, you must go to the bar/cafe right after you board to buy a WiFi voucher. They are limited and run out quickly. I didn’t realize that not everyone gets a voucher and found out the hard way. 

Getting Around in Santorini

I don’t recommend renting a car in Santorini. Streets are narrow, cobble-stoned, often one way and filled with milling tourists, as well as aggressively driven trucks, scooters and four-wheelers. There are also quite a few roads with hairpin turns and steep drop-offs. I would also avoid renting a scooter or four-wheeler for the same reasons. They are meant for residents who are familiar with the rules of the road and tendencies of other drivers on the island.

The public transportation is good enough that you can get to most places cheaply and conveniently. Buses run frequently (every 20-30 minutes) to most of the towns and attractions on the island. The coaches are very comfortable (they are basically tour buses) with air conditioning. Arrive early to make sure you get a seat, otherwise you will probably be standing the whole ride. Usually you will pay on the bus or pay the attendant outside the bus before you board, cash only. Bus schedules are posted online or at the bus station, and the buses usually advertise the route with a sign in the windshield. I was able to get everywhere I wanted to go in Santorini for about 2 Euro a trip by using the bus.

For the busier, more time-sensitive buses, you should arrive 25 minutes early because the seats fill up quickly. My bus to Athinios Port left 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time because we were already full. They also don’t have a great communication system. If the bus doesn’t have a sign in the windshield naming the route, like Fira-Oia, you are running from one bus to the next asking the driver what route it is. There is also a less-than-optimal system for queuing, so you have to jostle your way to the door. Despite this, it’s better than the headache of driving yourself or taking an expensive taxi that will take you just as long to hail. 

Where to Stay

First-timers and those who value convenience should stay in Fira, the capital of Santorini. It is centrally located to most points of interest on the island, and all of the buses stop in Fira before moving on to other towns. While Oia tends to get most of the attention, Fira is beautiful and interesting in its own right. It’s also slightly cheaper and less crowded than Oia but with more restaurants, shops and things to do than some of the other towns such as the quaint Firostefani or the seaside Perissa.

I stayed in Mirto’s Studios in downtown Fira, on a quiet side street but steps away from all the action. On my Booking.com review I gave them a 10/10. The apartment and balcony were spacious, beautiful and comfortable, and the hosts were friendly and attentive. I paid $1,100 for four nights during high season, but could not have asked for a better place for the money. However, there were times, especially when I was schlepping around in the heat, that I wished I had dropped $450/night on a hotel with a caldera view and a pool. Since the closest beach is 20 minutes away, the higher-end hotels offer pools so their guests can cool off. Most of them can be seen from the path along the caldera, and I had a strong desire to cliff-jump into them. While I loved my rental, I made a mistake not getting a place with a pool!

Fun Things to Do in Santorini

• Island Tour

As always, I used Viator to book a tour for my first full day, to get my bearings, hit the essentials, and ask questions of my tour guides. The Santorini Sightseeing Half-Day Tour was a small-group excursion around the island, with stops in Oia, Firostefani, and Megalochori. It was fun and easy, and the tour guides were a trove of knowledge about the history, culture and current state of Santorini.

• Caldera Hike

The caldera hike is a must for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and breathtaking scenery. It is a 6-mile trek from Fira to Oia, through several towns, past resorts and churches and up and down several strenuous hills. And always with a view: the towns emerge and then trail off in the distance and the deep blue water of the Aegean constantly sparkles beneath the stratified rock formations. If you go early in the morning, you’ll experience a magical peace as you wind through the quiet streets of Fira, Imerogivli and Firostefani, as the sky changes from purple to pink to blue.

The trail itself is not really marked, save for a few hand-written signs. Just take the pathway closest to the caldera and keep walking. If you are heading out from Fira, you will hit Imerovigli after 10-15 minutes.

If you are hiking in the summer, you should start before 8 am. The sun is strong and there are long stretches where you will be completely exposed. I had considered heading out in the late afternoon with the intention of arriving in Oia by sunset, until I realized that the sun is relentless until it finally sinks behind the horizon. Not to mention the crowds in Oia prior to sunset resemble Woodstock ’99.

Pack water and a snack, as the route will take you about 3 hours to complete. With no stops, my hike took 2 hours 45 minutes. I made the mistake of not bringing any food with me and started feeling a little woozy before a Spanish guy selling fruit out of his car next to the trail handed me a few cherries. When I arrived in Oia, I annihilated a giant piece of baklava with ice cream and it was the most glorious thing I’ve ever tasted after that long, sweaty hike.

• Boat Tour

When you are on a Greek island, a boat tour is obligatory. I joined the Caldera Half-day Tour, which was an excellent value for the money. While there were 70 other souls on the boat, it was comprehensive and well-organized. We docked first at Nea Kameni, and hiked to the top of the uninhabited volcanic outcropping in the middle of the caldera. The views at the top of Fira, Oia and Thirassia were impressive. Next, we headed to the hot springs for a quick dip before heading to Thirassia. They told us that Thirassia is what Santorini used to be. When I trudged up the steep incline to the tiny hamlet where the 300 residents supposedly live, I saw more cats than people. However, the panoramic views were spectacular. Along the water front, there is an assembly of bustling restaurants and cafes. However, it’s not worth a day trip.

• Perissa Beach

Santorini is not known for its beaches, but it does in fact have them. Kamari and Perissa are located in the South of the island, 20-30 minutes from Fira and Oia. Perissa is a black sand beach and is considered the better of the two. During the summer months, it’s fairly crowded but you can find spots on the sand (it’s hot so not recommended) or on the lounge chairs (some restaurants own them to make sure you sit in the ones that are considered public so no one hassles you). The water is clear and very refreshing, and the waves are typically lapping and gentle.

• Explore Oia and Fira

As previously mentioned, Fira and Oia are the two main towns on Santorini, and the ones that attract the most tourists. While some of the smaller, quieter towns like Megalochori are worth visiting, Fira and Oia are popular for good reason. Winding pedestrian-only streets lined with shops and restaurants give way to stunning views of the sea, juxtaposed with stark white buildings and sheer cliffs. Both towns are admired for their otherworldly sunsets.

Because these towns are so Instagrammable, there is an entire industry that’s popped up in Santorini to capitalize on people’s desire to garner likes. In addition to booking a traditional photo shoot, you can also pay 400 Euro for a “flying dress photo shoot”, where you rent a shiny dress with a ridiculously long train that flutters in the island breeze. I witnessed about 10 of these “flying dress” shoots taking place during my time in Santorini.

• Enjoy the Sunset

Every sunset in Santorini is appointment viewing, especially in the towns perched along the caldera. Throngs of people cram into restaurant terraces and onto the cliff walks, jockeying for the best spot to watch the sun bathe the white-washed churches, windmills and other buildings in a warm, golden glow and then sink behind the horizon. It’s truly unlike any sunset you will ever see.

Best Food in Santorini

Although Santorini spans only 60 square miles, it sustains 2,000 food businesses. Overall, I give its food scene an 8/10. Most of the meals, snacks and desserts I consumed were delicious, with a few misses.

I was excited to try traditional Greek food, which Santorini has in spades. The fried zucchini with yogurt dill sauce I had as an appetizer at Tholoto was excellent, although their sea bass main dish was so salty it was like gulping ocean water. I also tried feta saganaki for the first time at Veranda Restaurant in Fira. It was probably my favorite new food: fried warm feta coated with honey and sesame, and it was divine. Veranda is also where I had the best main course of my entire trip, a slow-cooked lamb dish with vegetables and spices, topped with cheese. The restaurant is tucked into one of the pedestrian walkways close to the Catholic church, and as its name implies, has a nice outdoor patio.

For a quick, cheap lunch, Falafelland is ideal. After hopping off the bus at the central station in Fira, I grabbed a falafel wrap from the fast-casual restaurant around the corner. It was fresh, healthy and portable, a satisfying nosh after a long morning of travel.

Although I found it to be a little overrated, you must eat at a restaurant with a caldera view at least once while in Santorini. I dined at Volcano Blue in Fira, where I had traditional tomato fritters with fava sauce and a seafood pasta dish. I reserved a table for 7 pm, nearly two hours before sunset, and I had the restaurant to myself. I soon realized why, because the sun beat down on me relentlessly. While the view was fantastic, I was pretty uncomfortable. If you want the best experience, you should make a reservation a half-hour prior to sunset.

A food highlight was definitely the desserts. The first night in Santorini, I wanted dessert for dinner and I settled on a crepe from Creme de la Crepe, located in downtown Fira in a pedestrian alleyway. My go-to crepe is Nutella, bananas, strawberries and nuts, and they executed to perfection.

Some of the best baklava in Fira can be found at Svornos, a 24-hour bakery and cafe off the main drag. They offer a plethora of other pastries, breads and sweets, as well as some pretty good coffee.

Walking around Santorini in the summer, everyone has a dish or cone of gelato in their hand. For some of the best on the island, head to Solo Gelato on the main square in Fira. I had the flavor inspired by the Kinder Bueno candy bar and it was delightful.

After my dusty, hot caldera hike, I made a beeline to Lotza in Oia, where I had heard they served baklava with ice cream. Not only do they give you a giant hunk of flaky, sweet baklava with a scoop of vanilla gelato, but it comes with a sweeping caldera view. I’m pretty sure that’s what heaven is like.

Running in Santorini

Considering Santorini’s rugged terrain and cramped quarters, I did not expect to be able to run on the island. However, on my hike from Fira to Oia, I saw quite a few runners along the paved trail that wound through the towns. Same as with the hike, you need to start early in order to avoid bumping into groups of puttering tourists. On my last morning in Santorini, I got up at 6 am and ran halfway to Oia and back, which took about 65 minutes. The midway point is the first large hill with a church and Greek flag at the top. It was quiet and calm and beautiful, but once I returned to Fira, the streets were waking up.

Other Things to Know

• Dress Code: Santorini is not a “beachy” place. No one walks around in flip-flops and T-shirts. In fact, everyone dresses to the nines. You gotta make sure you look good for those Instagram photos!

• Weather: As an island in the middle of the Aegean Sea, the weather is cooler than on the mainland–in the summer, mercifully so. It’s also windy at times. On days when wind is forecast, it’s best to not wear a dress, and to bring a hat with a strap or string so it doesn’t fly away.

• Sober Warning: Restaurants in Santorini are big on giving you “dessert wine”. Even though I did not drink at all during any of my meals, the servers presented me with a shot of wine with the check at two of the restaurants I dined in. It doesn’t occur to anyone that you might not be a drinker. So be careful!

• Monster Donkeys: The donkeys are huge and terrifying. Not to mention smelly. You will encounter them on the streets in Fira as well as on the steps descending into the Old Port. They are usually hauling tourists and take up the entire tiny passage, so you have to jump into a doorway to avoid being trampled. Also, be mindful of the donkey poop.

• Old Port Lowdown: On a similar note, don’t bother going to the Old Port. There’s not much down there, so unless you have a tour departure, it’s not worth paying 6 Euro and waiting in a long line for the cable car, or trekking 25 minutes up and down stairs caked with donkey poop in the hot sun.

Recovery Meetings

While there are English-speaking meetings in Athens and on other Greek islands like Crete and Corfu, there are none on Santorini. Instead, I logged into a Zoom meeting from my hotel room. If you are planning to travel to other islands, or you plan to stay in Athens at some point, check here for information about English-speaking meetings.