Travel Diary: Europe Santorini Travel Guide

This is by no means an exhaustive guide to Santorini as there are so many amazing things to do and see on the popular Greek island, depending on your travel style. All we can say is we hope we get to visit Santorini again in the near future as it was completely magical and was beyond our expectations!

Where to Stay

The eastern side of the island is generally where you will find Santorini’s beaches - even though they are great to visit in their own right, Santorini is not popular for its beaches. No matter what your budget, the western side of the island (the side which has those famously beautiful ‘Caldera’ views) is the place you want to be based. If you don’t know what a Caldera view is - type ‘Santorini’ into google. If you have ever seen a picture of Santorini, odds are the photographer was perched on the cliffs overlooking the Caldera. But if you still can’t work it out: a Caldera is essentially a volcanic crater, and the western side of Santorini overlooks this crater in the sea from a beautiful half-moon or crescent-shaped bay. Basically Santorini can be broken down into three types of areas to stay in: the Caldera towns; the townships surrounding the beaches; and then the rest of the island. The towns that make up ‘the rest of the island’ are not worth mentioning for a short trip to Santorini, and while the beach towns are great to visit on day trips, you’ll want to book accomodation in one of the towns offering the best Caldera views. These towns are Fira, Firastefani, Imerovigli and Oia.

Fira

Fira is the main town on Santorini, and as such is one of the busiest. Fira is great for cheaper accomodation if you are on a budget, as there are generally less views here and it is a busier and louder area than other towns on Santorini.

That being said, there is an abundance of nightlife, with plenty of incredible bars and restaurants to choose from and the shopping is amazing, with many local designers and handcrafted goodies to splurge on.

Firastefani

Firastefani is our top pick from all of the Caldera towns listed as it is close enough to Fira to be accessible for restaurants and bars, but far enough away to offer privacy and seclusion to be able to enjoy your digs in peace and quiet. Firastefani is within walking distance to Fira (about 10 to 15 minutes), Imerovigli (about 20 minutes) and Oia if you are really keen (approximately 2 hours). We splurged on accomodation here and had the most incredible villa and views; and with just a short walk to the best bars and restaurants, we felt we had the best of both worlds!

Imerovigli

Imerovigli is probably the most quiet of all of the Caldera towns. There are not many restaurants and bars are non-existent however what it lacks in nightlife, Imerovigli makes up for in incredible uninterrupted views. For this reason, it generally seems to be a popular spot for honeymooners who want privacy and beautiful sunset moments with their special someone. Regardless of if you are a loved-up couple or not - if you happen to be a traveller who likes to get away from touristy hustle-and-bustle places like Fira, then this is the town for you.

Oia

Oia is definitely one for the lovers! Undoubtedly a favourite for honeymooners, this gorgeous town is perched high above the sea with uninterrupted views of the Caldera and arguably the best sunset views. Generally accomodation is much more expensive in Oia, and the town is quite a distance from the main areas. However if seclusion and privacy with your sweetheart are your biggest priorities, then choosing to stay here is a no-brainer.

What to Do

Hire an ATV or scooter (or a car if you prefer) and scoot around the island to explore. We only needed to show our Australian drivers licence to hire our ATV, however you may need an international drivers licence for car hire. The roads around Santorini are generally safe, but we recommend you pay attention to road rules and wear a helmet for your safety.

Explore the colourful beaches of Santorini. You’ll want a full day to explore different beaches on the island, some of which have been (not so) creatively nicknamed red beach, white beach and black beach after the colour of the sand and stones on each respective shoreline. Use your hired vehicle (see above) to take your time meandering around the island. Relax on the coloured beaches, cool off and take a dip in the sea, stop at a local bar for refreshments, try a delicious seafood lunch and explore the local markets and wares for sale.

Take totally ‘Insta-worthy’ photos. You have travelled all this way to visit one of the most picturesque places in the world - why not let the professionals take care of your holiday snaps for you? Travelshoot offer amazing packages in over 90 cities around the world (Santorini being one of them!). We are absolutely IN LOVE with the images they captured of us in Santorini. And the best part? They can help you turn your holiday snaps into a gorgeous coffee table photo book so you can reminisce on your vacay every day. Travelshoot offer totally candid sessions designed to help you relax and have fun (no cheesy posing!), and the local photographers know all of the best (secret) spots to capture you, your sweetheart or your friends and family living your best life! Typically you can receive a couple of sneak peaks of your shoot within 48 hours so you can share the incredible snaps with your jealous friends and family back home, and you’ll receive the full album within 7 days.

Head to Ammoudi bay, a picturesque fishing village set amongst towering red cliffs in contrast with the clear azure blue water in its bay. Swim in the bay (walk around the point), or try cliff jumping with the locals if you are feeling really adventurous! For lunch, get your fill of the freshest seafood on the island - there are cute little restaurants dotted all along the waterfront with perfect views of the quaint fishing bay. Select your seafood of choice from the fresh catch of the day cabinet (meals are usually priced per weight) or for something more traditional, try the freshly grilled octopus cooked on hot coals by friendly locals. You will see the brightly coloured octopus hanging out to ‘sun dry’ in various places (warning: not a pretty sight for vegetarians / vegans!).

Enjoy the incredible sunsets Santorini has to offer. If you are staying in accomodation with views of the Caldera (lucky you!) grab a glass of vino and a comfortable spot and get lost in the magical colours only a Santorini sunset can produce. If you have opted for more budget accomodation and don’t have direct access to sunset views, wander along the various walkways between the towns and find a great spot to perch yourself to watch the sun setting over the sea. Oia is one of the best spots to watch the sunset, however we believe it is equally incredible near Firastefani as well. Regardless of where you choose, you will not be disappointed!

Eat and drink like a (Greek) king! Sample traditional delicacies and wine at local bars and restaurants in Santorini. There are way too many amazing places to provide a full list here and we usually stumble across the best places by accident while travelling. That being said, we would absolutely recommend Argo’s in Fira for the BEST steak (and seafood) and you have to try the freshly caught seafood in pretty much any restaurant in Amoudi Bay.

Yes this prawn was the size of a dinner plate !

Getting There

The first decision you need to make is whether you fly into Santorini airport or travel via ferry from another island or the mainland. For everyone, budget and travel times tend to be the biggest considerations when working out transport plans and it pays to do your research into both options before you decide on a mode of transport. Generally, the flight from Athens to Santorini takes less than an hour, while the travel time varies between approximately 4.5 hours and up to 8 hours, depending on the type of ferry. Visit the Aegean Airlines website to check out flight options and pricing. To compare prices and travel times for ferries, try the Direct Ferries website.

Ferry

The three biggest ferry ports close to Athens on the mainland are Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio. Most ferry companies will depart and arrive at these ports and you will find that you can travel to the majority of the Greek islands from one of these three. You need to consider whether you use a high speed, hydrofoil ferry company (Seajets are generally the fastest) or whether you go with cheaper, but much slower paced ferry companies (like Zante Ferries or Anek Lines). Our tip would be to spend that little bit extra and go with high speed ferries as you drastically cut down your travel time (note: we found the cost difference was not too bad). If you think you will have a more ‘scenic’ view on the slower ferry, think again. You would be much better off getting to Santorini faster and then organising a boat tour for sightseeing, as there is really not that much to see in the open water between islands. If you have never been on a hydrofoil ferry before, it can be quite bumpy especially in the open water, as they reach speeds of over 75km per hour! Also be mindful that ferry companies announce their timetables as early as possible, however the timetables are often not released until less than 6 months before the date of departure. That being said, generally the earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket will be!

Flights

Santorini has an international airport so you can fly into the popular island from pretty much anywhere - most international flights however will still need to do a stopover in Athens. We chose to fly into Santorini for a number of reasons: we needed to get from Dubrovnik (Croatia) to Santorini; and, we wanted the quickest transport time possible so we had more time to explore the stunning island. For us, it was a no-brainer that we had to fly. It was a beautiful view flying into Santorini at sunset, but fair warning: if it is a windy day it is highly likely that you will experience a bumpy landing (as we did). Tip: Try arriving to Santorini airport via a domestic flight so you can skip the customs line (it was huge!). We also recommend you book ahead for a transfer from the airport to your accomodation. We found this airport to be one of the WORST for lines and waiting times.

General Tips & Tricks

➔ Most of Santorini is built on the mountainside, which means there are many stairs and steep walkways to navigate. For most people, these walkways are fairly easy to manage at your own pace. However do your research and contact potential accomodation providers for more information if you feel you require specific access needs.

➔ Be aware: Santorini (and most of Greece) do not have modern sewer systems. As such, your hotel or accomodation may require that you do not flush any toilet paper and instead put the toilet paper in waste bins provided. Yep, you heard us. No flushing toilet paper!

➔ There is a cable car which ferries travellers from the cruise ships (new cruise ships arrive every day) in the bay up to Fira. If you are thinking of getting to Santorini via a cruise ship, make sure you catch the cable car to / from Fira early as the lines we saw of travellers waiting were overwhelming!