Santorini is one of the most popular of the islands in the Cyclades, known for its white buildings, blue rooftops, vibrant bougainvillea and stunning views. Anyone travelling to Greece for the first time, typically ends up spending a few days in Santorini.
I visited Santorini in early May. I went expecting the worst in terms of crowd but was pleasantly surprised by how I had most of the places to myself in the middle of the day.
Santorini is touristy? Yes, but it is totally worth the hype. This island’s blue-domed white buildings, azure waters and dramatic caldera make for postcard worthy views. As you are walking in some of the towns, you will literally feel like you have stepped into a postcard.
With the recent earthquakes that happened in January – February 2025, we were initially skeptical about visiting. But having visited this island, let me tell you that everything here is absolutely FINE. Yes, there were several earthquakes that happened in a span of a few minutes then but the intensity was very low. Should that stop you from visiting Santorini this year? Absolutely NOT. The island is seeing fewer tourists this year and hotels are not very expensive. In fact, this would be the best time to visit 😉
In this guide you will find everything right from things to do to, places to eat at, best way to get around the island, insta-worthy photo spots and how make the most of your time in Santorini.
I visited Santorini as part of my two-week island-hopping trip in May 2025. Click on the individual links for detailed guides on Mykonos and Athens. Detailed guides on Paros and Crete will be up on the blog shortly (but in the meantime you can check Highlights section on Instagram here).
How Many Days Required
At least 2-3 days. If you are doing island-hopping, I would suggest spending more time in one of the smaller and less popular islands than Santorini. We spent 2.5 days and felt it gave us ample time to explore this island.
Best Way to Reach
Santorini is one of the southern-most islands in the Cyclades region.
Flight is, of course, the most convenient way to reach Santorini. You will find direct flights from Athens and a few European cities.
If you are traveling from a nearby island like Mykonos/ Milos/ Naxos/ Paros, taking a ferry might be your best bet. Unfortunately, while a lot of the main islands have their own airports, there are not many direct flights between the islands.
For example, if you want to fly from Paros to Santorini, you have to first fly from Paros to Athens and then from Athens to Santorini.
Hence, ferries are the most commonly used mode of transport to around Greek islands. From Mykonos, it takes around 2 hours to reach Santorini on a high-speed ferry. If you choose a regular ferry, it takes around 3 hours. Slower the ferry, cheaper the price. Since we took the ferry from Paros, the ride lasted for just 1.5 hours.
We booked our ferry tickets via Ferryscanner website. On this website, you will find a list of different ferry operators. Select the one that fits your schedule and budget. Book your tickets in advance specially if you are traveling in summer months.
Once you reach the ferry port, you can either take the bus or taxi or rent a car. You can even book a shuttle via this link.
How to Get Around the island
Even though the island is small, most of the places to see are spread out.
Taxis are quite expensive here. A ride from ferry port to Oia costs around Euros 50-60 one way whereas a ride to Fira/ Imerovigli costs around Euros 30-40.
Buses are available but then you are dependent on bus schedules and they may not provide last mile connectivity. You can check out the bus schedule here. Each bus ride costs Euros 1.6 – Euros 2.5 depending on the route you take.
Since we were in Santorini for just 2 days, we wanted to make the most of our limited time. We rented a car through our Airbnb host (send a message on Instagram @beantowntraveller if you need more details). It cost us Euros 160 for an automatic car. It was on the pricier side, but made our stay in Santorini very convenient. For instance, even though we weren’t staying in Oia, we ended up going there three times.
Alternatively, if you are here for longer, you can use public transport for say 1-2 days and for the day you plan to explore other parts of the island, may be rent an ATV?
Best Time to Visit
The main season runs from May to September. The water is at its warmest in July and August, making it ideal for swimming.
Santorini is a popular island, so if you prefer a quieter experience, consider visiting in May / between mid-September to mid-October. The island is completely operational in shoulder seasons and the weather is perfect for exploring the island. Wouldn’t advise winter months since the island is completely dead!
When we visited in first week of May, the island was relatively empty. We barely had to wait in line for photos (yes you need to wait for photos at some popular spots here😑) and even had some popular alleys all to ourselves right in the middle of the day.
The weather was in the range of 21-24 degree C and the beaches were cold.
If you are visiting in summer months, be prepared to wake up early – once the cruise ships dock, the number of day-trippers increase and the towns can get very crowded.
Where to Stay
Almost all photos you see of Santorini are taken in Oia, the postcard-perfect town with white houses and blue domes overlooking the sea.
Accommodation here comes at a premium, but you will have breathtaking caldera views and be within walking distance of boutiques, cafes and all instagrammable spots.
However, since Oia is the northernmost village in Santorini, it is not a convenient base to stay if you plan to visit other villages and beaches, wineries, etc. The drives are longer and taxis/ private transfers are more expensive. If you are using the bus, you will first need to get to Fira and then change buses since all buses start and end their route in Fira.
Hence, Fira works out as a great option specially if you are going to rely on buses to explore this island. Fira is bustling with nightlife, restaurants and it is right in the middle so your commute to go up north to Oia or south to the beaches is minimum. It has tons to do and is best for people who are looking to be in the middle of the action!
Imergovigli is a lot quieter and is most popular for honeymooners.
Both Fira and Imerovigli towns are budget-friendly in terms of accommodation as well as food options.
Looking for even cheaper accommodation? Then check out the towns of Megalochori, Pyrgos and Perissa (close to the beach).
We stayed at this Airbnb near Imerovigli. The living room and bedroom were a bit small but the view totally delivered! We loved spending our mornings and late afternoons sipping on coffee, reading a book soaking in these views. And we didn’t even have to break the bank for it. We paid INR 27,000 / Euros 280 for 2N stay.
We were up early one of the days and actually witnessed sunrise here. What a magical view it was !
Things to Do
Watch the sunset
Oia’s sunsets are SPECTACULAR and a bucket list item for a good reason. Whether you view it from the streets or the private pool of your room or a sunset boat ride, it is definitely going to be a sunset to remember.
Not staying in Oia? No problem. Reserve a table in one of the several restaurants in Oia and peacefully watch the sunset while sipping on a glass of wine/ cocktail. Check out Kastro, Strogili, Skala, Fanari, Pelekanos, the list is endless! To secure a table with a view, it is advisable to make a reservation in advance. You will be required to make a deposit payment at the time of making the reservation at most places.
Like me, if you don’t want to splurge on a restaurant (because meals in Oia aren’t cheap here) or a boat ride, then make your way to Oia Castle where white-washed buildings and the dramatic caldera cliffs look breathtakingly beautiful illuminated by golden light.
Oia Castle or the Castle of Agios Nikolaos, dates back to the 15th century and was once used as an observation deck to identify any attackers or pirates. Today, most of the castle has been destroyed but it is the most popular sunset spot on the island. From the castle, you get stunning views of the Aegean Sea, the Caldera, and other neighboring Greek islands.
Although the views are beautiful at any time of day, I highly recommend you come here for sunset. The colors are incredible but be prepared to share this experience with lots of other people. Oh well, it is the most famous place on the island (and maybe the world) for sunset!
Now to be honest, I had read a few blogs before the trip where they all mentioned how you need to camp 3-4 hours before sunset to block your spot. Since the town wasn’t as busy when we visited, we took a gamble and got here just 30 minutes before sunset. There were probably just 50 people then. As the sunset hour got closer, more people started coming in, but it still wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Keep in mind we visited in early May and hence, the crowd was less.
PRO TIP – stick around for the blue hour after the sun sets. 90% of the people left as soon as the sun set and there were just 15-20 people here for the twilight hour. And not to mention that the caldera views look prettier all lit up. Agree?
View of Oia town on the other side
We had even planned to visit here for sunrise one of the days but since the sunset hour crowd wasn’t too bad, we skipped the sunrise mission. If you are travelling in summer months, you may want to consider waking up early to witness the beauty of this place without the crowd at sunrise.
Explore the streets of Oia
There are a few spots in Oia which are all over Instagram. They are utterly beautiful and deserve all the attention.
The first is the blue domes spot – where you find two churches located right next to one another in one of the alleys. Although you may have seen endless photographs on Instagram of this place, this spot is actually located on private property. While you can climb down a few steps to take your photo, ensure you do not go further than a few steps. If you want to go down further, then the only way to legally access it is by booking a hotel in this area.
We passed by this spot three times at different times of the day. At all times, there was a wait of 5-25 minutes. I have heard it gets crazier during summer months so if that’s when you are visiting, try to reach before 9 am. I have shared below photos taken in the morning as well as during golden hour so you can decide which lighting is better.
Want to avoid the hassle of waiting in line for this view? Check out the restaurant, Terpsi n Oia or Melenio Café – both provide an amazing view of the blue domes.
Yet another iconic spot here is the three domes view. This spot is basically located on the other side of the blue domes viewpoint. Since you can’t climb down the steps (unless you have a hotel booking), you need to walk all the way back up and reach it from the other side.
As you are walking around the town, you will see a lot of signs marking private property. If yes, please don’t be an idiot and violate this just to get your Instagram shots. Also, climbing on domes is a big NO!
One of the other most popular photo spots is Kastro Oia Houses. The colorful spot is the stairway in front of Kastro Oia Houses. Given that the entire town is white and blue, this orange-colored house with the turquoise doors and windows sure does stand out.
It is also a popular sunset spot. As you can see, it is completely full during golden hour. If you don’t want to wait at Oia Castle, then advisable to make a booking in advance here for the prime sunset view table. 
Even the house diagonally opposite it, is lovely with bougainvillea and an aqua colored door.
Church of Panagia Akathistos Hymn is one of the first places you see as soon as you enter the town of Oia. This church has five domes and a beautiful bell tower. After the blue domes, it is one of the most photographed buildings in Oia. A little fun fact – this is actually a remake of the original church which was destroyed in the 1956 earthquake.
There was a flying dress photoshoot going on when I visited in the morning – actually you will see quite a few of these in this town and Imerovigli during mornings.
One other unique church here is Church of Agios Georgios. What makes it really stand out from the other churches is the fact that it is painted yellow instead of the typical white. 
I would say after you are done with these spots, walk around Oia without any agenda. There are lots of stores on the main street where you can find souvenirs, ceramics, paintings, clothes, etc. Spend time browsing through the stores. They have some unique stuff. And of course, check out the amazing views and hotel pools.
One of the days, we had brunch at Karma restaurant located in one of the alleys. It has a gorgeous little courtyard, vibrant flowers, great food and provides a peaceful oasis in an otherwise busy town. If you are a vegetarian, this is a great place to try local Greek food. Since we visited for brunch, we just had pancakes, avocado toast, OJ and freddo cappuccino. We were too full to try anything else.
Oia restaurants are slightly on the pricier side so if you are looking for an affordable option, check out Pito Gyros for tasty Gyros and fries.
Ammoudi Bay
Ammoudi Bay is one of the most popular swimming spots in Santorini. There is a long staircase about 200-300 steps leading down to Ammoudi Bay from the top of Oia. It takes around 15-20 minutes to walk down and the route is really scenic.
Once you reach Ammoudi Bay, you can dine in one of the many seafront restaurants, sunbathe or simply admire the views. Around the corner is Agios Nikolaos rock, which is a great spot for cliff diving and sunbathing. Ammoudi Bay is also a great spot to watch the sunset.
If you want to skip climbing back up, you can take a taxi from Ammoudi Bay to Oia.
Fira
It is the biggest town on the island and the capital of Santorini. Here you will find tons of restaurants, cafes and hotels suiting every budget.
While Oia is amazing no doubt, Fira provides equally stunning views. Not only can you see Oia and Imerovigli but also the neighboring volcanic islands of Palaia Kameni and Nea Kameni up-close.
Given the spectacular views this town provides, I recommend visiting one of the restaurants/ bars in Fira during your stay. We grabbed cocktails at PK Cocktail Bar on our first night in Santorini. It was cloudy that day and we didn’t get to witness a clear sunset but it still ended up as being one of our best evenings on this trip. Amazing cocktails, perfect vibes and that view !
Other restaurants/ bar in this area which provide similar views:
- Iriana
- Kaliya
- Wine Bar
- Character
- Barolo
- Franco’s Cafe
If you are a shopper, then Fira is a great place for shopping. The shops here are cheaper than the ones at Oia. In fact, I picked up a magnet as a souvenir from here for just 1 buck.
During our time here, we grabbed gyros at Yogi Gyros and relished Indian food at Bharat Indian restaurant. Another restaurant, Pelican Kipos looked lovely and we passed by it every time we were in Fira. We were planning to visit on our last day but sadly didn’t have the time.
Hike from Fira to Oia or Fira to Imerovigli
Feeling adventurous? Then go on a hike from Fira to Oia. It is a 10.5 km hike along the Caldera, and can take around 2.5 – 3 hours to complete one way. This trail takes you past some of the lovely villages, fancy hotels and sightseeing stops (like Skaros Rock and a number of churches) along the way. And once you cross the towns, you have the never-ending blues of the Aegean Sea to admire on this hike.
Whichever direction you decide to hike in, the views are going to be spectacular. There isn’t much shade on the trail specially once you cross Imerovigli. So, start early in the morning to avoid the mid-day heat. Carry lots of water, a hat, and sunscreen and some protein bars to power through!
After you’ve completed your hike, you can take the bus/ taxi back to your hotel.
Alternatively, you can do what we did. We hiked from Fira to Imerovigli. It is 2.5 km long and took around 45 minutes one way.
This path takes you through three of Santorini’s villages – Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli. You will walk past numerous hotels (where you can admire the private pools) beautiful churches, restaurants and shops. It is a beautiful walk which provides you with some of Santorini’s most spectacular views along the Caldera.
As you are walking, you will notice private area signs specially around hotels so please do respect that.
Before we started the hike, we grabbed breakfast at a lovely restaurant, To Briki. The views were incredible and pancakes yummm. And I also had my first taste of Greek coffee. It is boiled and not brewed and is slightly bitter.
We started the hike around 10 am and the heat was intense. But since the hike was short, it was manageable. You can either do this hike early in the morning or during sunset time.
Three Bells of Fira
You can actually spot this one along the Fira to Imerovigli trail. It is called Catholic Church of Dormition and has become quite an insta-famous spot.
For this viewpoint, get off the walking trail, and get on the street located on the other side of the church. It would also be a great spot to watch sunset.
Skaros Rock
Yet another spot located on the Fira to Imerovigli trail. The hike to get to the top isn’t tough but you need to climb a million steps.
Since we did the Fira to Imerovigli walk around mid-day, we just didn’t have the energy to climb the stairs in the heat. So all we did was admire it from afar.
Check out the beaches
Santorini doesn’t have the best beaches compared to other Cycladic islands but there are some unique ones worth checking out.
Red Beach
Have you ever seen a red beach? Me neither. So, the moment I found out about this beach in Santorini, I knew I had to visit!
To get to the beach, you need to take a short hike along a rocky cliff. If you don’t want to hike all the way to the beach, there is a look-out point from where you can see the beach. The view is breathtaking!
Before visiting, I had heard that the walking path to get to the beach is closed/ inaccessible due to constant rockslides. We saw a people chilling at the beach so decided to give it a try.
The path is rocky but doable – do not wear flipflops 😉 The hike took around 10 minutes. The beach itself is pebbly because of red rocks so not a great beach for swimming, but certainly a unique one.
Please hike at your own risk
If you don’t want to hike, you can join a boat tour that stops at this beach. As we were driving, we saw signs which said beach tour (red, black and golden sand) – you may want to check it out.
Black Sand Beach
Santorini’s volcanic history means most beaches are black sand. Perissa and Perivolos are popular black sand beaches with beach bars, restaurants and plenty of sunbeds. Both can be accessed by direct bus from Fira and are family and budget-friendly. We actually saw a lot of hotels in this area too so I am guessing many people base themselves here on their trip.
Kamari beach is yet another black sand beach on this island.
Akrotiri Archaeological Site
Close to the Red Beach you will find the Akrotiri Archaeological Site. This ancient Minoan city, preserved under volcanic ash, offers an insight into life in Santorini over 3,500 years ago.
You can explore the site on your own or sign up for a guided tour to learn more.
Take a sunset cruise
If you are in Santorini for more than 2 days, then you can hop on a cruise. Watching the sunset over Oia from the deck of your own catamaran – doesn’t that sounds like a memorable experience? Check out Getyourguide or Viator for tour options.
Visit smaller towns of Megalochori / Prygos
Megalochori is one of Santorini’s most charming and underrated towns. It is also known for the local sweet red Vinsanto wine produced here for centuries. Fun fact, this was the first place on the island to produce wine.
After busier streets in Oia and Fira, this town felt like a breeze! There were just a handful of tourists and most of them had a laid-back attitude.
Here is what you can do in Megalochori:
- Visit the Bell Tower
- Stroll around the quiet streets, secret alleyways and find some insta-worthy corners
- Indulge in wine tasting at a local winery
- Enjoy ice cream at Mr Scoop in the main square
We didn’t have the time to visit Prygos but I have heard its equally beautiful.
Heart of Santorini
Just a 2 minute drive from Megalochori town, you will find this unique heart-shaped rock formation that captures the island’s beauty. This spot offers stunning views of the caldera, azure waters and you can even spot cruise ships docked here.
There is a small parking lot and then you need to climb down some stairs on a dirt trail. A 10-minute walk should lead you to this beautiful natural wonder. Since it is a dirt trail, wear appropriate footwear.
You will also spot Agios Nikolas, a small church carved directly into the cliff!
If you are taking the bus, then get off at the Boutari Winery stop near Thermes Luxury Villas. This trail is a 7-minute walk from the bus stop.
Wine Tasting
This Greek Island produces excellent wine so if wine is your preferred alcohol of choice, then you are at the right place 😉
80% of Santorini grapes produce crisp white wines – the three classic varieties being Assyrtiko, Athiri and Aidani, along with the red Mandilaria. Vinosanto, a dessert wine is the other variety this island produces.
There are a large number of Santorini wineries offering custom tastings, tours and experiences. One of the most popular and scenic spots for wine tasting is Santo Wines. They are on the expensive side but one of the best here.
Artemis Karamolegos Winery and Estate Argyros Winery are other popular spots to go wine tasting.
Looking for a cheaper and more intimate alternative? Check out Gavalas Winery, a family-owned winery in Megalochori.
But since these places are spread out over the island, you probably need a car to get around. If you want an easier option, there are half day wine tasting tours available which you can join.
*All prices as of May 2025