Santorini Travel Guide
One of my passions is learning about life through travelling and exploring new things. I absolutely love seeing new places and learning about different cultures, customs and areas of the world. As we all know, traveling has been very limited for the past couple of years. Santorini had been on my bucket list (and vision board) for ages. So when we finally made the decision to start our summer vacation with the trip, I was beyond excited to see this natural wonder of the world! And it definitely did not let me down. Santorini exceeded all my expectations with its whitewashed villages, blue domed churches, friendly people and delicious food.
Where we stayed
When we were researching hotels, we were really torn about which town to stay in on the island. We had seen many instagram reels of “instagram versus reality” with people in line to snap their sunset shots and did not want to stay in a crowded spot. We had read that the two main areas to stay are Fira and Oia, but that there were other much quieter towns like Imerovigli, with a more sleepy vibe. We opted to skip the hustle and bustle and chose Imerovigli and Caldera’s Memories as our hotel. This decision turned out to be PERFECT and I would highly recommend this hotel and location if you’re looking to relax yet enjoy the beauty of the island. Not only is the view jaw-droppingly beautiful, the service, vibe and hotel was impeccable. The hotel has a large pool area overlooking the caldera, delicious breakfast, clean and cozy rooms, free parking and the friendliest staff. Breakfast is served each morning next to the beautiful pool area (or your room for an extra fee) and you can choose your meal options for the following day and also at what time you’d like to have it ready. They had great attention to detail and would bring us complimentary snacks to the pool while enjoying our time, recommend activities and restaurants. I made sure to give them a shoutout on Tripadvisor as well, as I was truly impressed with their service.
When to travel
When planning your trip, it’s good to know that peak travel time is July and August. If you’re traveling during this time, you can expect certain spots to be jam packed with tourists, especially the ones you’ve seen on instagram. Even if our trip was in July, we were happy with it our trip and didn’t find the crowds to be intolerable at all. I guess part of this could be to thanks to our choice to stay in Imerovigli.
A buggy gives you the freedom to drive around the island as if you had a car and they can carry two people.
Getting around
Getting around Santorini is easy. Santorini is small and distances are short. We opted to rent a buggy and found it to be a comfortable and easy way to move around. The longest distance we drove was 40 minutes, but in general it took less than 15 minutes to get from one town/spot to the next. If you don’t want to rent a buggy, another option would be to rent an ATV or a scooter. But whatever you do, don not rent a car! It’s way easier finding parking with a small vehicle and besides it’s super fun driving around in a buggy or ATV. One advantage with a buggy compared to an ATV, is that you don’t need to carry your helmets around with the buggy, as you would with an ATV.
All places get crowded around noon, be early to enjoy spaciousness and empty streets!
What to see:
Oia (pronounced Ia) is the most famous of all villages of Santorini and most surely worth a visit. I literally got goosebumps from its beauty and this is the place to get your instagram shots. That being said, it’s crowded and there are even lines for the most popular photo shot locations. These are the most famous “instagram spots” of Oia:
The Famous Blue Domes Viewpoint
Three Domes of Santorini Viewpoint
Church of Panagia Akathistos Hymn
Blue Dome Photo Spot
Main Street of Oia
Blue Dome with Orange Walls
Fira (Thera) is the busy capital of the little island and worth mentioning. Shopping, nightlife, restaurants with great food with views over the caldera. Busy vibe and jam packed with tourists, yet offering absolutely incredible views and sunsets.
Megalochori is a charming little village with narrow streets and rustic cafés. Without a doubt one of my favourite spots of Santorini and not at all as crowded as Fira or Oia. The village is located on a hill and offers an expansive view of the entire island.
Imerovigli is THE spot to escape the crowds. It stands at the highest point of the Caldera and is located approximately 3 kilometers from Fira. Sleepy, breathtakingly beautiful sunsets and the best food we ate was in this town.
Pyrgos is located on the highest spot on the island and the former capital. Picturesque & pretty everywhere you turn your head, however if you time is limited and you’d have to choose between whether to visit Megalochori or Pyrgos, I’d pick Megalochori.
In addition to beautiful views and whitewashed buildings, Santorini also offers plenty of beaches. The beaches are easy to get to and have plenty of amenities, such as sunbeds, umbrellas, bars, restaurants, and cafés. We visited Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos. Our favourite beach was Perivolos and our favourite beach club was Seaside Santorini, that being said it is on the more expensive side. We also saw the famous White beach and Red beach during our catamaran tour, yet did not visit them as we were only passing by.
Food:
In general the food was delicious, yet very expensive. Important to know: you should always make reservations in advance, especially if dining in Oia or Fira.
Below some of restaurants we ate at:
La Scala: located in Fira, this restaurant has an impressive, panoramic view of the Caldera and the endless deep blue of the Aegean sea. The service is quick and the calamari was delicious, it’s not a fine dining experience and you should be aware that people gather in front of the restaurant to take pictures just before sunset. Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Dear Elie: okay this is your go to for brunch. The service was superb and everything we had was delicious. They even make their own bread and marmalade. Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Avocado in Imerovigli: Hands down the best food we had during our entire trip was here. We were first a little hesitant to eat there, as the restaurant is not located on the cliff, meaning it doesn’t offer a view like so many other restaurants on the island. However, once we finally decided to give it a try (after three separate recommendations) we were AMAZED and did not regret our decision at all. If you go, you should have the Broken Mille-feuille as dessert (creme brulée, vanilla / chocolate ice cream, cocoa powder) and you’ll reach a state of Nirvana. You’re welcome. Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our very first lunch in Santorini was at the White Lounge Restaurant and cost around 170 euros (okay with a few drinks) but still, that is A LOT for a salad, some bruschetta and feta. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this spot, even tho the view was spectacular. Star rating: ⭐⭐
Le Moustache in Imerovigli: this is your instagram paradise. If you follow me on the gram, you might have seen the reel where we’re first in the plane and then here. The ambiance is top notch and service very good. They even bring you wooden moustaches Food is quite tasty and I enjoyed my mango pie as dessert. Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mavro Restaurant in Imerovigli: Fine dining & very expensive, this restaurant did offer us the best views of the trip, yet the portions are over-prized, small and unfortunately the service is poor. Star rating: ⭐⭐
Terpsi N Oia: Terpsi N Oia is a traditional Greek restaurant in the heart of Oia. The views from this place were breathtaking overlooking the blue domes and the ocean and the food was quite nice. Star rating: ⭐⭐
What else to take into consideration:
🐛 Early bird catches the worm: the earlier you get up to visit each place the more quiet it’ll be. Every spot gets crowded around noon, so make sure to get up early and visit the towns before it gets busy. Especially if you’re looking to take pictures, and let’s be honest, that’s what everyone is doing there!
Do yourself a favour and leave your heels 👠 at home 😅. There are plenty of stairs and the pebbles streets make it impossible to wear heels. Trust me, I tried.
For how long should you stay? It’s a small island, 5 days or a week is plenty!
Enjoy your trip!
xx
Eva
