Greece › Santorini Travel Guide
by Santorini Dave • Updated: January 22, 2023
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Iconic windmills and boutique cave hotels spill down the Santorini clifftop village of Oia. The small port of Ammoudi sits below.
Santorini is the most spectacular island in Greece and one of the geologic treasures of Europe. The five villages of Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani, and Akrotiri sit atop the caldera and offer spectacular views into the crater created from a 16th-century BC volcanic eruption. What remains is an incredible sight and a magical setting for island hikes, infinity pools, luxury hotels, clifftop wineries, and dreamy sunset dinners. With a land area of 76 square kilometers, Santorini is a little bigger than New York’s island of Manhattan.
The 2023 Santorini Travel Guide
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- Where is Santorini?
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- Athens to Santorini by Ferry
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Frequently Asked Questions about Santorini
See Also: Greece: Tips & Information for First-Timers
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. There are no direct flights to Santorini from the USA, Canada, or Australia.
How do I get to Santorini?
There are multiple daily Athens to Santorini ferries (4.5 to 6 hours by highspeed ferry). The islands of Naxos, Paros, Ios, Milos, Folegandros, Mykonos, and Crete (1 to 3 hours) will have direct ferries from April to early November, and sometimes year-round for Naxos and Paros. 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.
Santorini Ferry Port Video
How big is Santorini?
Santorini has a population of 15,500 and a land area of 76 square kilometers (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.
What is the best month 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.
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).
Do I need a car in Santorini?
A car can be helpful to have in Santorini, but it is not necessary. It’s easy to get around Santorini using their public bus service, which is cheap, comfortable, and reliable – especially if you’re staying in Fira, the central hub of the bus system. If you prefer renting a car in Santorini instead of relying on the bus, I recommend picking it up at the airport, even if you are arriving by ferry. (And remember that foreign drivers are required to have an International Drivers Permit in Greece.) There is a very limited number of taxis, and Uber is not available on Santorini, so private transport from the Santorini airport or ferry port is best arranged in advance through your hotel or through Welcome Pickups car service.
There will always be a public bus to meet all arriving ferries. Buses in Santorini are comfortable, cheap, and have plenty of room for luggage.
Where should I stay in Santorini?
The best places to stay in Santorini are along the caldera in the villages of Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, and Firostefani. These towns have incredible views of the volcano, sea, and sunset. All of these towns are on the west side of Santorini.
What are the best things to do in Santorini?
The best things to do on Santorini include hiking the incredible caldera footpath, 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.
The view of the volcano and Skaros Rock from the amazing Astra Suites Hotel in Imerovigli.
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 seawater 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. This is a good video on the Santorini volcano.
How many days should I spend in Santorini?
Stay a minimum of 2 days and 2 nights. 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 Thera. 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.
Santorini does not have the best beaches in Greece – they’re mostly pebble beaches – but the swimming is divine.
What currency is used in Santorini?
Greece is part of the European Union, so the currency used in Santorini is the Euro (€). Most shops and restaurants on Santorini accept credit cards, but it is a good idea to have some cash on hand for small purchases like bottled water and snacks. ATMs are easy to find in all of Santorini’s main towns.
Most restaurants in Santorini, like Marinera in Fira, accept credit cards.
Is Santorini expensive?
Santorini is known for 5-star luxury hotels, great restaurants, and high-end shopping but it’s easy to visit Santorini on a modest budget. There are no all-inclusive resorts on Santorini so 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, good value, and good quality.
Watch a movie overlooking the caldera at Volkan Cinema in Fira. But for the best movie experience in Santorini head to the Kamari Open Air Cinema.
What towns and hotels have the best caldera views?
The towns of Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia, and Akrotiri are perched on the Santorini cliff and offer incredible views of the caldera and volcano. Not all hotels in these towns have caldera views but many do and the ones that don’t are a short walk (sometimes just steps) from the caldera’s edge, so staying at a caldera hotel isn’t necessary to enjoy the views. Each town offers a unique perspective and there isn’t any one town with the absolute best views. Imerovigli generally has the best sunset views but even this is open to debate and each of the caldera villages has a reasonable claim to having the island’s best views.
The Honeymoon Suite at Athina Luxury Suites in Fira.
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