Santorini
Santorini is truly the ultimate dream destination if you’re looking for an unforgettable (in a good way) romantic getaway. Endless whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches, lovely Greek taverns,
This year we made it to Santorini to cross off this unique place from our bucket list.
Where to stay
We consider Imerovigli, Oia and Firostefani the best places to stay in Santorini especially for the first time. Why? These areas are located along caldera rocks, offering panoramic sea and volcano views.
Tip: We highly recommend staying in Imerovigli, so-called the ‘balcony to the Aegean’. Just leave your cell phone behind, take your beloved one’s hand and enjoy truly unique sunset. Definitely, do not miss this great opportunity while vacationing Santorini. Those moments will give you a memorable life experience that you’ll never regret for the rest of your life.
Imerovigli
Stay details: Altana Traditional Houses and Suites (view of the church of Ai-Stratis); Sophia Luxury Suites (view of the caldera and Skaros Rock).
Imerovigli was our first stop in Santorini and this small village charmed us. This picturesque village is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the Oia. Its favorable location along with the highest point of the caldera cliffs made Imerovigli also known as “The Balcony of Santorini”.
Once you reach the highest point of the island, you are treated to a beautiful panoramic view over the caldera. The only word that you can spell at this moment will be WOW! And that’s what happened to us.
It took us five days to explore tiny streets, numerous churches,
Tip: The best view of Anastasi Church open up from the Altana Traditional Houses and Suites. You’ll have direct access to this church, it will be literary right in front of your window. This part of the village is a good alternative for getting the iconic sunset shot of Santorini and first in our list of the best Instagram-worthy spots. Oh yes, and definitely save the evening to visit the Cafeneon café bar. Here you’ll find the most delicious food on the island. No jokes.
The main attraction that will make you fall in love with Imerovigli slowly explores the alleyways. While walking through the streets, you will stop and listen to the bells ringing from the church tower. You can easily spend a day strolling through its narrow streets lined with cafes. It sounds like a perfect day, doesn’t it?
Imerovigli might be one of the best villages to stay in Santorini if you are looking for something more luxurious, private and romantic. In this picturesque area hidden all the power of the volcanic eruption, which gave the island its special quarter-moon shape.
Book that special suite you’ve always wanted and treat yourself because Santorini is the perfect place to be pampered.
Only here you’ll have a chance to witness fantastic sunsets and perhaps even the best views of the caldera.
Our hand-picked collection of places to stay in Imerovigli: Chromata, The Leading Hotels of the World, Grace Hotel Santorini (truly beautiful location with breathtaking views), Cavo Tagoo Santorini (…wow!).
Oia
Stay details: Ducato Di Oia (excellent breakfasts and location).
Oia is the true heart of Santorini, having preserved its ancient charm. Since Oia is reputed to be a must visit place in Santorini you can’t be alone here even in the early hours of the morning. The village is known for its blue-domed churches. Around here are located the most expensive and luxury hotels on the island.
Yup! Later you will realize, this is a place that I saw in pretty much everyone’s Instagram and Pinterest. Damn, that is epic, and now I am here, finally! The scenery is majestic after thousands of years still attract travelers from all over the world.
We guarantee you’ll be amazed!
During the peak season, Oia pulsating with some kind of a crazy rhythm. On days when cruise ships arrive at the port of Santorini (with two or more ships per day arriving), just within an hour, Oia streets will be packed with dozens of tourist groups.
Tips by Locals: OIA is pronounced “EEA” as the first two letters of the word OIA (OI) is a diphthong and it’s pronounced as EE. FIRA is pronounced “FEERA” with the tone at the end.
Just before the sun dips below the horizon, people from all over the island are starting to gather in Oia. It’s going to be a fun time, as everyone rushes to get the best spot along the caldera slopes. If you want to be part of it, come a few hours before the show starts. Choose one of the various greek taverns along the sunset side, have a drink and enjoy magical scenery. Or better yet, watch it from private bubbling jacuzzi, sipping a glass of Vinsanto wine. Yes, the sunset in Oia should be experienced at least once in a lifetime.
If you have more than a few days on the island choose Imerovigli, Fira or Amoudi Bay to spend a golden hour. Those places are also amazing, and what is more important, less filled with people.
From the Kastro Oia Houses, take 300 steps down to the Amoudi Bay, which is located at the bottom of the caldera. At the end of this long road all your efforts you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view over the water and surrounding cliffs. Just come around and get a table at one of the traditional taverns.
Moreover, right here in the port of Amoudi, you can take a small boat and sail on to the island of Thirassia. This is a really small island to the east of Thira, which offers beautiful views of the ancient volcano, the caldera and the islet of Aspro.
Tip: If you want to live overlooking the blue domes of Oia, stay at Island blue on Airbnb, Cave Suite Oia, Blu Blanco Oia Cave House, Opuntia House at the Blue Dome (location and price cannot
Where to shoot
With just a quick scroll through Instagram, you’ll see tons of gorgeous photos from Santorini. Most, however, have no idea where all these famous island postcards are
Well, in 80% of cases, it’s a photo from the private roof terrace (be sure to show respect).
Save your time from searching, here are some of the most Instagram worthy places to shoot the next time you’re in Santorini.
Location: The church of Ai-Stratis, Imerovigli
Our favorite place is near Anastasi Church. Imagine having this view right outside your window! You can stay in Altana Traditional suites overlooking the Church of Anastasi. However, you don’t have to stay here to get a beautiful shot.
Location: Three Blue Domes, Oia. The most famous sight of Santorini should definitely be on your list. There is a sign stating that this area is private. Still wanna shoot in this area? Book Airbnb that has a roof with a
Location: Oia Church Bells, Oia
This location works great at sunrise. Come here at 6 am and you’ll have it all for yourself.
GPS coordinates: 36°27’41.3″N 25°22’33.9″E
Location: Kastro Oia Houses, Oia
This is a must. Beautiful pink house with blue doors can be found in Oia.
Location: Old Church, Thira
One of the pleasures of photographing there is that it isn’t as crowded as Oia.
Here are the GPS coordinates: 36.416802, 25.431130
Location: The little church of Agios Ioannis Katiforis, Imerovigli
The small chapel Agios Ioannis Katiforis (you won’t find this place on Google Maps) is located in the lower cliff-side part of Imerovigli really close to Skaros Rock. Starting at the church of Agios Georgios, you will find the path that leads to a small chapel. This is a great place to come during the day.
Instagram Pro Tips:
- Imerovigli is a great place for romantic sunset photos.
- Oia is famous for gorgeous blue domed church with a backdrop of Santorini’s caldera.
- Agios Georgios, a church that you will pass on your way to the top of Skaros Rock (near the Grace Santorini Hotel), is where you can take incredible shots at any time of the day.
Time to Visit
The best time to travel to Santorini is between late May and early October. There are, of course, down-sides to traveling during peak season – days are gonna be extremely hot, crowds of people (literally), traffic jams. Remember: many of the best boutique hotels are heavily booked in these months, so you should reserve your rooms in advance.
If you want to get away from the crowded streets of Oia, the best time to visit Santorini is from May to early June, or from September to November.
Staying at Santorini during these months, you will be able to combine low season hotel rates and warm pleasant weather, for sure.
September and the first half of October personally recommended by us as a great time to meet this island and fell its incredible vibes.
How to get there
You have two options to get from Athens to Santorini: by air or by boat.
Flying is certainly the fastest and most convenient (sometimes even the cheapest) way to get to Santorini.
By air: 45 minutes
At the same time more exciting way of reaching Santorini is to travel by ferry that connects Santorini with the main port of Athens in Piraeus or Rafina. They’re really comfy!
By sea: 5-8 hours (depending on the ferry type).
Ferries sail from Athens to Santorini about 10 times per day (during summer). Ferries boats also connect Santorini to most of Cyclades islands: Mykonos, Ios, Paros, Milos, Kimolos and Crete. Check out www.ferryhopper.com to know about the routes, schedules, and operators. We really enjoyed traveling on the Seajets and Blue Star Ferries.
Explore
It’s a tough task. You’re overwhelmed with too many choices.
Do not sign up for a tour. Look for ways to create your own, unique experience. We recommend renting an ATW at least for one day and drive to explore small beaches and tiny villages to make this journey remarkable!
Love hiking? Walk along the path from Fira to Oia, and you’ll be blessed with the best views Santorini can offer (seriously). It’s usually better to hike early in the morning to avoid the burning sun.
Simply get lost among the cute alleys of Fira (the island’s capital).
Here you gonna find adorable handmade souvenirs for all your friends and family.
All beaches on this island are originally volcanic and completely varied from classic ones that we get used to (meaning worse) and from known all over the world stunning beaches in other parts of Greece. To be honest, Santorini is not the best place if you are looking for beach holidays. Anyway, for those who are still hoping to find a perfect one, here is the list of most popular beaches:
Visit very picturesque and
On the way to the lighthouse, you’ll come across famed Good Heart Tavern. This is a great place to try some traditional Greek food.
Getting Around the Island
There is no doubt that using public transportation or a taxi (starting from 20 euros by ride between towns) could be time-consuming and quite expensive. That is why we recommend renting a car or a four-wheeler ATW. In Imerovigli, you’ll find free parking areas, where you can leave your car or scooter for the night.
The most enjoyable way to discover Santorini – by ATW. It’s going to be so much fun! The unusual thing here, ATW and compact vehicles are similar in price (starting from 40 euros). A car would be the most comfortable (and air-conditioned) way to get around the Santorini if you are traveling in a group of 2 to 4 people.
However for true adventure lovers driving ATW will become, pretty much interesting new experience. We never drove an ATW before, but it only took five
Where to eat
You’ll not have any troubles with finding some great inexpensive food in Santorini. We spent over 7 days on the island and here are some places you can have tasty food while you’re in Santorini.
Seafood: Since everyone here adores seafood (and we’re no exception!), make sure to visit the Ammoudi Fish Tavern. Descend to Amoudi Bay and try the tastiest the
Local food: be sure to visit Lucky’s Souvlaki and taste their traditional souvláki and gýros! The tavern also can offer
Travel Tips
The Greek island is part of the Cyclades group well – known for its stunning views of the caldera and a large selection of luxury hotels. Santorini is rated as the world’s top-destination for honeymooners and travel bloggers. You may often witness the pre-wedding photo shoots on almost every corner of Oia cobblestone streets.
Wanna know how to avoid crowds? Photos without people in specific popular spots of Oia, can only be taken on a sunrise. So, take our advice – wake up early, when the first rays of the sun hit the streets. Oia has so many different faces and sleepy, empty morning Oia is the best one.
Decide on the purpose of your visit. If you are here to meet everyday sunsets overlooking the caldera, look for a hotel in Imerovigli or Oia. If you are planning a beach holiday (honestly, not the best idea for Santorini), choose one of the hotels near Kamari Beach or Perissa Beach.
Try Gyros. They taste so great and cost only 2 euros!
There are no large chain hotels on Santorini. The best places to stay here are small private boutique hotels.
Most hotels which are located on the caldera side has no opportunity for a vehicle’s access, just because of that tourist with all their luggage are only can be taken to a nearest accessible spot. In that situation, it’s better and easier to inform your hotel in advance, where to send a porter to meet you. He also will carry your suitcases and show you the way to the reception. Don’t forget to leave good tips, the porters’ work is really hard.
Take a walk along the path from the Agios Georgios Church to Skaros Rock. Skaros was the capital of Santorini until the 18th century.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes for walks. Since there is an infinite number of stairs (we lost count of how many steps we walked up and down) and narrow streets that can be overcome only by foot. Sometimes on the streets of Fira and Oia, you’ll meet cute donkeys. Take a ride with them if you are exhausted from walking numerous stairs all day.
If you want to stay in one of the best hotels in Santorini, you must book it in advance. Especially if you are going to visit the island in the summer, during the peak tourist season. Demanding travelers should keep in mind that the best villas are always booked a few months in advance.
Do you want to join the thousands of people waiting for a sunset over the caldera in Oia? Best is to get there a few hours before, to get a good spot.
Some of our photos were taken from the roof of the Ai-Stratis Church in Imerovigli. The Altana Traditional Houses and Suites Hotel is located right next to it. You literally cannot find a better place for a shooting.
You’ll fall in love with Santorini! The beauty of this island in its simplicity, tiny charming streets and really welcoming locals.
Enjoy, and don’t forget to share these travel images with your travel friends too.
