Greece › Santorini › Megalochori Hotels
By Santorini Dave
See Also
• Best Hotels in Santorini
• Best Towns in Santorini
Traditional church and entrance to the traditional Santorinian village of Megalochori.
Megalochori is a quiet, traditional Santorinian village located about a 10-minute drive south of busy Fira. It features a charming town square that’s surrounded by historic churches, pottery shops, and great family-owned tavernas, as well as some of the island’s best wineries. The town center is within walking distance of the edge of the famous Santorini caldera, but many Megalochori hotels are situated directly along the cliff, with beautiful views out over the sea – particularly excellent at sunset. Most travelers who stay in Megalochori prefer to rent a car for easier access to Santorini’s best towns, beaches, and attractions.
Map of Megalochori
Hotels on Map: Suites of the Gods • Nafsika Estate • White Harmony Luxury Suites • Vedema Resort • Athermi Suites
3 Best Hotels in Megalochori, Santorini
1. Vedema Resort
Hotel Phone: +30 22860 81796
Family friendly, five-star resort with a luxurious spa, fine-dining restaurant, gardens, and pool. Located within the village of Megalochori, meters from the main square. Free transportation to Fira and Perivolos Beach.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.com2. Nafsika Estate
Hotel phone: +30 22860 81796
Beautiful five-bedroom private villa with swimming pool perched right on the caldera’s edge. Jaw-dropping views, private helipad, and fully-equipped staff’s and guests’ kitchens.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.com3. Alti Santorini Suites
Hotel phone: +30 22860 21377
Luxury, Cycladic-style suites with private outdoor terraces featuring heated plunge pools – many with unobstructed views out over the caldera.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comMegalochori Village Information
- Location: Just south of Fira and the ferry port, adjacent to the caldera.
- Parking: Two free public parking lots are available within walking distance to Megalochori, both by the entrances to the village. One is located by The Family Bakery and the other is by Earth and Water Pottery Studio, both on the main Fira-Perissa road. Coming from Fira, turn left just before the bakery. Coming from Perissa, turn right just after the pottery studio. The two entrances are about a kilometer apart.
- Bus: Megalochori is accessed on the Fira-Perissa bus route, with the bus stop located right in front of The Family Bakery, a 10-minute walk to the village center. General bus information and public bus schedule.
- Dining: There are many great traditional tavernas in the village. Some of our favorites are Taverna Geromanolis, Alati, Feggera, Raki, Mousiko Kouti, Avlogyros, and Petrino.
- Shopping: Small fashion boutiques and quaint shops are scattered throughout.
Lay of the Land
A hidden gem off the beaten track, Megalochori is one of Santorini’s most charming and traditional villages with old alleyways, neoclassical mansions and architecture dating back to the 17th century. This laid-back, casual village is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the busier cliff-side and beach towns. Here you’ll find a labyrinth of narrow, winding alleys with whitewashed and conventional cave houses and blue-domed churches decorated with elaborate bell towers. The central square, perfectly situated under the shadow of the trees, retains a warm and inviting atmosphere, cultivated by lively locals who gather in traditional cafes to unwind and have fun. There are a number of restaurants, wine bars and coffee shops to enjoy in Megalochori, and also a bit of shopping.
Attractions
- Aside from traditional tavernas and quaint boutique shops, Megalochori Village offers beautiful views of the ocean to the west and a vast valley of vineyards to the east.
- Wineries: Megalochori is known for the sweet red wine Vinsanto that is produced here. Excellent nearby wineries include: Gavalas (our favorite), Venetsanos (with fantastic caldera views), and Boutari.
- Symposion: A musical and mythological center where you can hear classical Greek music and create traditional instruments, is located about 50m from the village square.
- The Pottery Studio-Earth and Water is about 1.5 km from the square.
- The Lost Atlantis Museum, dedicated to the famous mythical lost civilization and its ties to Santorini, is about 2 km from the square.
- Panagia Ton Eisodion: AKA Megalochori Cathedral, this church is the most recognizable landmark in the village, with its intricate, wood-carved steeple with a little tunnel to walk through.
- Bell Tower: There are a few small bell towers in Megalochori, but the largest features 6 bells and a tunnel. Due north of Vedema Resort and Panagia Ton Eisodion.
- The Heart of Santorini: Sunset viewpoint on the caldera with a hiking trail that leads down the side of the caldera to natural thermal pools and almost to the sea.
More Great Megalochori Hotels
Suites of the Gods
Hotel phone: +30 22860 28856
Luxurious hotel with spacious suites, most with superb caldera/volcano views. The higher-end suites feature indoor/outdoor jacuzzis and/or private plunge pool. Amenities also include 2 pools, a restaurant, cafe, pool bar, sundeck facing the caldera, spa, gym, and private parking.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comWhite Harmony Suites
Hotel phone: +30 2286 082426
Two adjacent suites, one with private pool (sleeps 3) and one with outdoor hot tub (sleeps 5).
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comAthermi Suites
Hotel phone: +30 2286 083272
Adults-only property with seven caldera-view suites, including some with private outdoor or indoor cave pools or private outdoor hot tub with caldera views.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comDucato Wine Hotel
Hotel phone: +30 6906 895090
Five luxurious and distinct villas (1-5 bedrooms) scattered throughout Megalochori Village, all featuring private pools or hot tubs. They also offer a 4-bedroom estate with a donkey and chicken farm in the traditional village of Emporio.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comPasithea Suites
Hotel phone: +30 2286 083872
This renovated 19th-century captain’s house is now 3 luxury suites, each with private indoor or outdoor jacuzzi. Centrally located in the heart of the village, with lovely rooftop views over Megalochori.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comSantorini Heritage Villas
Hotel phone: +30 6994 102450
Two beautiful and traditionally-decorated villas (2 and 3-bedrooms) with private pools and cobblestone terraces. Central village location, near the main square.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comThermes Luxury Villas & Spa
Hotel phone: +30 2286 081106
Seven caldera-view villas, each with 2 or 3 bedrooms and a private view veranda with swimming-pool. Top-notch service.
• Hotel website • Check prices on Booking.comStaying in Megalochori – Things to Know
Welcome sign at village entrance.
Tourists passing through the iconic church bell tower.
The Greek flag billowing in a warm breeze.
A typical church rooftop of white domes.
Traditional leather sandals for sale. Lots of great boutique shopping in Megalochori.
Vineyards surround the hillsides of the village.
A beautiful rooftop restaurant.
A local craftsman selling leather goods.
Gorgeous caldera views at Venetsanos Winery.
Great wine tasting and bites at Gavalas Winery.
The tasting room at Boutari Winery.
A typical narrow alleyway, some of which cars still pass through.
The bus stop located at the edge of the village…
…directly across the street from the bakery.
A great tangle of stairways and alleys…
…that are great for wandering and getting lost in.
Cobblestone walkway.
One of the main intersections in town, with a cafe patio underneath the bougainvillea.
One of two free parking lots.
The main road leading out of the center of town.
About Santorini Dave