Home > Greece > Santorini Guide
by Santorini Dave • Updated: May 14, 2018
Getting Started
The 2018 Santorini Travel Guide
The view from Oia into the Santorini caldera.
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- Santorini – When To Visit
- Santorini – Where To Stay
- Santorini – Best Hotels
- Santorini – Budget Hotels
- Santorini – Beach Hotels
- Santorini – Villas & Rentals
- Santorini – Boutique Hotels
- Santorini – Hotels for Families
- Santorini – Beaches & Beach Towns
- Santorini – Tours & Things To Do
- Santorini – Wineries & Wine Tours
- Santorini – Private Tours
- Santorini – Boat Tours (Day Trips)
- Santorini – Sailing Tours (Overnight)
- Santorini – Best Restaurants
- Santorini – Getting There
- Day Trips to Santorini
- Athens to Santorini by Ferry
- Mykonos to Santorini by Ferry
- Crete to Santorini by Ferry
- Santorini – Honeymoon Hotels
- Santorini – Hotels with Private Pools
- Santorini – Hotels With Sunset View
- Santorini – Cave Hotels
- Santorini – Hotel Infinity Pools
- Santorini – Cheap Hotels With Caldera View
- Santorini – All Inclusive Hotels
- Santorini – Travel Agencies
- Santorini – Best Bookstore
- Santorini – Vacation Packages
- Santorini – Wedding & Reception Party
- Santorini – Renting A Car
- Santorini Holidays – Planning A Trip
- Santorini with Kids
- Airbnb in Santorini
- Cruises to Santorini
- Fira or Oia?
- Santorini or Mykonos?
- Where is Santorini?
- Is Santorini Safe?
- 1, 2, 3, and 7 Days in Santorini
- Santorini Travel Blog
Santorini Hotels – My Top 5
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Where Is Santorini?
Santorini is an island in Greece, located in the Aegean Sea, 200 km southeast of Athens, 150 km south of Mykonos, and 140 km north of Crete. Flights to Santorini take 4 hours from London, 3.5 hours from Paris, 2 hours from Rome, and 1 hour from Athens.
How Big Is Santorini?
Santorini has a population of 15,500 and a land area of 76 sq. miles (an area a little bigger than Manhattan). The length of the island is 16 km and its width varies from 1 to 5 km. It takes 45 minutes to drive from one end of Santorini to the other.
How To Get To Santorini
Santorini is connected by direct ferry to Athens (5 to 7 hours) and the islands of Naxos, Paros, Ios, Milos, Folegandros, Mykonos, and Crete (1 to 3 hours). Flights from Athens to Santorini take less than 1 hour, direct flights from western Europe (London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Venice) take 2 to 4 hours.
When Is The Best Time To Go To Santorini?
The best time to visit Santorini for good weather, boat tours, swimming, sunbathing, and nightlife is from June to September. If beach time and hot weather are not a necessity and you’re more interested in sightseeing, history, hiking, and exploring then late March, April, May, October, and early November are also great.
How Was Santorini Created?
Santorini is what remains from a massive volcanic eruption 3600 years ago. The eruption destroyed all settlements and created the caldera. The caldera is a lagoon of sea water surrounded on 3 sides by the steep cliffs of Santorini and on the 4th side by the island of Thirassia (which was part of Santorini before the eruption). The current volcano (on the island of Nea Kameni) sits in the middle of the caldera. It’s active but presently not at risk of erupting.
What Are The Main Towns In Santorini?
The towns of Fira, Oia, Firostefani, Imerovigli, and Akrotiri cling to the 300m cliffs and have magical views of the caldera and volcano to the west. The beach towns of Kamari, Perissa, Perivolos, and Agios Georgios are on the east and south sides of the island (not the caldera). For most travelers, the best place to stay in Santorini is along the caldera.
What Is The Best Place To Stay In Santorini?
The best places to stay in Santorini are the villages of Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, and Firostefani. These towns are located on the Santorini caldera and have incredible views of the volcano, sea, and sunset. All of these towns are on the west side of Santorini.
What To Do In Santorini?
The best things to do on Santorini include hiking the incredible caldera foot path, touring wineries, doing a boat tour of the caldera (with volcano hike/hot spring swimming/sunset), and visiting the island’s small charming villages. There is a vibrant nightlife with everything from wine bars to dance clubs but it’s never rowdy and the club scene is easily avoided if you’re not interested.
How Many Days In Santorini?
Stay a minimum of 2 nights and 1 full day. But there’s so much to see and do that it’s easy to fill 5 to 7 days. If possible, do one boat tour, one wine tour, hike the Fira to Oia footpath, explore the villages of Pyrgos and Emporio, and visit the historical sites of Akrotiri and Ancient Thira. You’ll also want plenty of time to wander the cobblestoned lanes and alleys of Fira, Oia, and Imerovigli. Then there’s nightlife and all the great places to eat on Santorini.
Saving Money In Santorini
Santorini is known for luxury hotels and high-end shopping but it’s easy to visit Santorini on a modest budget. The key to saving money is to choose hotels and restaurants not directly on the caldera. Enjoying the incredible views is free and cheap hotels in Santorini are plentiful.